Customer Service--Or Else!

Customer service is all about pleasing the customer. Retailers, service providers and manufacturers spend lots of money on market research and focus groups to find out what the customer wants. They gather information from customer complaints, suggestions and survey responses. They monitor social media networks and collect Google Alerts when the company’s or product’s name comes across the Internet. Even with all this effort, they miss a few things. 

Customers used to pretty much take what was offered. Outside of writing a letter, making a phone call or showing up at the customer service counter at a local store, they handled dissatisfaction on a personal basis. But times are changing. With less money in their pockets and the power of social media, customers can mobilize to create change. Instead of just writing a letter to a manager in the corporate office, they can make a video and post it on YouTube, send out a Tweet or post a comment on Facebook. Depending on the size of an individual’s contact list and the situation, a customer service incident can go viral in minutes. 

Even companies known for their social consciousness and customer service are not exempt. In a recent article in NPR’s Food Blog, "Campaign for Antibiotic-Free Meat Targets Trader Joe’s," consumers want Trader Joe’s to make a new commitment to healthy food by banning meat from animals treated with antibiotics. The full scale campaign is complete with picket lines, megaphones and a petition signed by 500,000 people.  

Consumers can always shop somewhere else, so why the campaign to change Trader Joe’s? Consumers love Trader Joes’ friendly, neighborhood-store feel. They love the low prices, huge wine selection and organic foods and products at affordable prices. They don’t want to shop somewhere else. But in order to do so, they are putting the pressure on Trader Joe’s so they can shop for antibiotic-free meat as well.

And Trader Joe’s listens. They bowed to pressure on an issue regarding fair pay for tomato-farm workers. And why not? Changes that are good for the consumer and retain customer loyalty are good for business. Any business can learn some valuable lessons from Trader Joe’s experience:

1. Listen to your customers. Most people won’t complain; they just go somewhere else. Now, people can shop the world through the Internet, so you have a short window to make customers happy before they click somewhere else. 
    
2. Monitor the Internet. Who’s talking about your company, products or services? Set up a Google Alert to notify you whenever you’re the topic of cyber-conversation. Respond to Tweets and posts on the Company Facebook page. Having social media presence isn’t enough. Get in the game and be active. 
    
3. Don’t be afraid to change. What’s more important—preserving your 50-year-old traditions or keeping your customers happy and gaining new ones? 
    
4. Make it fun to do business with you. Trader Joe’s checkers ring a big bell at the front of the store if they find you’re a first-timer. Stores are comfortable but not fussy. There are bargains at every turn.  Someone is happy to answer questions about some exotic organic food or suggest the right wine to pair with tofu. The employees seem so happy to work there that it’s difficult to be a grumpy customer.

Customers have clout. They can walk away or launch a global campaign to force companies to make changes. With the Internet hungry for news, anything can go viral. This new “customer service—or else” attitude isn’t going to go away. Smart companies will tune in and find ways to meet the needs of a more active and powerful consumer.

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