At Your Service

How to Attract New Customers, Increase Sales, and Grow Your Business Using Simple Customer Service Techniques

Frank Eliason

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9781118217221
• eBook ISBN: 9781118282311
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business General
• Index: Business

A guide to refocusing your business on those who matter most: customers and employees.

Technology and social media tools have made it easier than ever for companies to communicate with consumers. They can listen and join in on conversations, solve problems, get instant feedback about their products and services, and more. So why, then, are most companies not doing this? Instead, it seems as if customer service is at an all time low, and that the few companies who are choosing to focus on their customers are experiencing a great competitive advantage. At Your Service explains the importance of refocusing your business on your customers and your employees, and just how to do it.

• Explains how to create a culture of empowered employees who understand the value of a great customer experience
• Advises on the need to communicate that experience to their customers and potential customers
• Frank Eliason, recognized by BusinessWeek as the 'most famous customer service manager in the US, possibly in the world, ' has built a reputation for helping large businesses improve the way they connect with customers and enhance their relationships

At Your Service will appeal to leaders, managers, business owners, customer service professionals, and anyone who wants to learn how to add value to their organization.

CHAPTER 1
This Could Be Your Brand

There are some things in life that you just can’t make up, so I will start by sharing a real-life social media case study that is playing out on the Internet as I write. The story is powerful and could easily happen to your brand. We are starting with a story that is intended to educate you on the impact your Customer can have. I am not looking to trash the individuals involved; in fact, in the way I see it, this could easily be your brand or mine. In any case, I am not a gamer, but I love what this product and brand stand for and I think you will, too. I am hopeful that Customers and potential Customers will look past this incident and bring success to the company involved.

Have you ever heard of Kotkin Enterprises or David Kotkin? Kotkin Enterprises was founded by Dave Kotkin and they make unique game controllers. According to CBS 4 in Miami, Florida, David was an art teacher at Holmes Braddock Senior High School in Miami. A student wanted to use his new game system but had trouble due to a skin condition. David went to work and created the Avenger controller, an attachment over the existing controller that the student could use. It is an amazing story of success in America. There was a need and David was able to invent the solution.

David had been an inventor for years and had sold some of his inventions to others. However, with the invention of the Avenger controller, he decided to build a company himself. Like many other small business owners, David did not know all the ins and outs of business, so he hired experts to help him, one of which was a marketing firm David hired to help him get the Avenger into stores as well as answer Customer inquiries.

Kotkin Enterprises first introduced a controller for the XBOX. Here is how the Avenger controller is described on their website:

The Avenger is an external adapter that houses the existing XBOX 360 controller, helping to improve your situational awareness, accuracy, agility, and reaction time. The Avenger allows for rapid, fluid movements between individual buttons and analogue sticks. Equipped with a stabilizer stand, customizable levers, high-precision tension straps, hair-trigger capabilities, and sensitivity adjusters, the Avenger can be fine-tuned like an instrument.

After the success of that product, Kotkin Enterprises began launching a new controller for Playstation 3. Due to delays in manufacturing, Customer preorders did not go out in the originally promised time frame. A Customer named Dave (not to be confused with “David” Kotkin), excited about the product, decided to e-mail the company regarding the status of his order. The marketing firm hired by Mr. Kotkin handled the e-mail interactions with the Customer. What happened during this interaction has been a learning experience for Mr. Kotkin and one that I hope will help you as well.

Dave is an ordinary Customer, like you or me, who simply paid for a product that he wanted to receive in time for the Christmas holiday. The original purchase had a promised delivery of early December, which had come and gone. Dave waited until mid-December, more than a month after placing the original order, to contact the company about the status of his order, which was for two controllers. His original e-mail included feedback regarding the fact that he was forced to pay upfront for a product that had not shipped. Kotkin’s marketing firm replied to Dave, saying that the product was still in China. Then, Dave responded to clarify that he most likely would not have the product in time for the holiday. The next exchange from the marketer to Dave stated that the controllers were now in the United States.

Suddenly the conversation took a wrong turn. The Customer replied, questioning a new discount that was being offered to new Customers. Dave inquired about canceling his original order and placing a new order to get the discount. The marketing firm representing Kotkin responded with, “No one is allowed to cancel and reorder; if we catch anyone doing that, we will just cancel your order altogether.”

As you can imagine, this exacerbated the Customer and he replied with a rant about the overall experience and the treatment that he had received as a Customer. The Customer also researched the marketer and shared feedback regarding some videos that he was in, not related to the product, as well as outlining all of the issues he had had until that point. This Customer response then generated one of the oddest responses I have seen from any businessperson: The marketing firm responded with an outline of a number of connections the firm has in the press and gaming community, and makes many personal attacks on the Customer, including stating that Dave is “the douchiest of them all [in relation to all the others with similar complaints].” Please note that I do not use or approve of this sort of language, but have included it here to stress the magnitude of the situation. I think that this is unacceptable in any form, but from a business perspective, I am floored.

Throughout this exchange, several individuals had been copied on the e-mail chain. The latest e-mail grabbed the attention of one of the recipients, Mike “Gabe” Krahulik, the artist for the popular website Penny Arcade. Gabe is also the founder and organizer of the popular Pax Events, an event at which Kotkin Enterprises had hoped to have a booth. At this point, he entered the conversation, making it clear to the Customer and the marketer that this company would not have a booth at the Pax Event. This led to more e-mails from the marketer claiming how great the product was doing and listing all of the upcoming events that they would be part of. The marketer also went on to claim a number of connections that he had in the industry, going so far as to state that he would be able to get a booth regardless, because money and connections can go a long way. Gabe reiterated who he is, inferring that the marketer might want to Google him and reference his popular website.

Gabe posted the story on the Penny Arcade website, and it spread like wildfire. The e-mails themselves are very damaging to the Avenger brand and Kotkin Enterprises, but this is certainly not where the story ends. In fact, it is just the beginning.

In the new world of @YourService, everyone who is in contact with your Customer impacts your brand. It does not matter if they work directly for you, a public relations (PR) firm, a marketing firm, or an outsourced Customer Service center. The Customer does not care, either; to them, it is still your brand.

In just twenty-four hours, the story spread to more than four hundred websites, and thousands of tweets. Over the next few days, it grew exponentially, even making it to many traditional news outlets. At first, the marketer saw this along the lines of “any press is good press.” The marketer then reacted the way many other businesses tend to do when their brand has been damaged: threaten legal action. (Probably not the best attempt to make this sort of event go away!)

The marketer eventually e-mailed Gabe at Penny Arcade asking him to stop spreading the story. Gabe responded with an important lesson. “The reality is that once I had posted the e-mails, I didn’t have the power anymore. The Internet had it now and nothing I said or did was going to change that.” The marketer did offer a half-hearted apology to Gabe, as well as a press conversation with a similar tone, stating that he had not realized how popular Gabe was and that he didn’t believe he was really Mike Krahulik. Let’s face facts: This situation was not caused by the actions of Penny Arcade or its popularity. This was solely due to the marketer’s responses, which were in writing, to a Customer.

At this point this story took on a life of its own! When a story like this becomes popular, people everywhere will start to dig into all facets of the company or situation. One of the first things discovered is that much of the content used on the marketing firm’s website is completely plagiarized, all the way to their About Us page. The firm blames this on outsourced foreign creators of the website. Then, some of the people whom the marketer had referenced as knowing in his e-mails to the Customer and to Gabe started to come out and state that they, in fact, did not know him. Many also offered their own opinion of what had transpired. Once trust has been lost, it is very hard to gain it back.

Later in the book, we further explore the Kotkin Enterprises case, including their response, which was highly effective. The company did quickly tell the website Kotaku, “We apologize for our poor representation from [Marketing Firm]. We wanted to give [individual marketer’s name deleted] a chance. He was rough around the edges, but he had drive and enthusiasm. However his behavior was unprovoked, unnecessary, and unforgivable. We are no longer represented by [Marketing Firm].”

At face value, I feel badly for Dave Kotkin and the entire Kotkin Enterprises team. They hired a firm that they believed could bring success. The marketer was obviously energetic and passionate; unfortunately it was probably not for the brand, product, or Customer, but instead for something else. As this unfolded, the ratings for a product not even released yet dropped on Amazon from four stars to one star. Marketing firms with similar names soon felt repercussions because their brand was unintentionally being trampled.

In the past, Dave may have shared his story with the press or other organizations, but the impact to the brand most likely would have been minimal. Most often, journalists or other organizations might simply forward the story to the company. It was rare for these stories to become part of the news cycle, let alone reach into the heart of your Customer base and energize them, as is now happening on the web. We are going to continue to discuss the Kotkin Enterprise story, along with many others. I hope you enjoy the ride and gain value for building your own business, no matter the size.

CHAPTER 2
Welcome to Our World of @YourService

Thank you for taking the time to read @YourService. You will gain insight on how to succeed in this new hyperconnected, Customer-driven world we live in. I do not consider myself a writer and do not plan on taking the traditional approach to writing a book. To me, this, just like social media, is a conversation. We will continue the conversation online via Twitter using my handle @YourService. You will also find the conversation at FrankEliason.com.

Throughout the book, I share lessons that I have uncovered in the Customer Service business as well as recent examples, as I am now combining my service strength with the world of social media. Many marketers believe the world of social media to be a utopia that will sell their product and increase word of mouth. Because of this, people will sell you anything to improve your business using social media, but you most likely already have the right tools to win.

The first thing you have to realize is that there has been a shift in the way that products and services are marketed. The control resides in the hands of your Customer. Many will say that it always has, which sounds good but is not really the case. Previously, companies easily controlled, altered, and filtered their message as best they could through media and traditional marketing messages. Today, Consumers are talking to each other more than ever in loud voices. Winning them over will bring success to you and your business.

You do not have to believe me regarding this shift, but let me tell you how I shop for goods and services. I do not typically watch live TV and when I do I fast-forward through commercials, so that makes it difficult for marketers to reach me. Although I do surf the web often, I usually find the ads, especially page takeovers, to be annoying. So how do I buy? First, although I do still like to shop in old-fashioned brick and mortar stores, I usually shop online. Regardless of whether I am walking through the store or shopping online, when I notice a product, my next step is always to visit Amazon and read reviews on the product. Sometimes I even take pictures of a product in a store so that I can research more fully at a later time. Next, I Google the product to see other reviews. I might also ask my friends for their recommendations. I then take all of this information and combine it with price info found from searching the web to make a decision. The shocking thing about this research is that it can all be done in a matter of minutes. The world is changing, and this understanding will help you win!

Some will say that I see the world with my own colored lenses on, but for me it has always been through the eyes of a Customer. I was lucky enough to have Bloomberg’s BusinessWeek magazine describe me as “the most famous Customer Service manager in the U.S., possibly the world.” But the way I really see myself is as a simple Customer Service guy. Over the years I have watched many employees fret about the dealings they would have directly with Customers. I have witnessed so-called leaders do what they can to avoid direct contact with Customers. How sad is that? If you are scared of your own Customer or shareholder, it is time for you to get into a new business.

So, before I begin, let me tell you a little more about myself. Like so many others, my career started in retail with firms like 84 Lumber, Macy’s, and Lord & Taylor. Retail experience helped mold my many thoughts regarding service and the employee experience. More importantly, I saw the benefits of exceeding Customer expectations and delivering exceptional service.

One of the challenges to the retail world, especially in the mid-1990s, was that the work was nonstop, with managers putting in ninety-plus-hour workweeks. Needless to say, tensions could fly and I could not see it being a winning, long-term career strategy. This disappointed me because I had always loved the opportunity to serve Customers in person. After a few years, I decided to take a pay cut and a role in a call center selling guaranteed life insurance. I didn’t last long in that role because of a takeover of the company and a restructuring of the department. Basically, the new company outsourced the entire sales department. To many a layoff is a horrible life event, but in this circumstance it was the best thing that could have happened. After this three-month stint and receiving a three-month severance package, I immediately found work at a company called Vanguard Investments. Vanguard, their founder Jack Bogle, the then-CEO Jack Brennan, and the noteworthy culture of the team would have a profound impact on my beliefs for years to come.

Around this time, other amazing things happened in my life. Most importantly, I married my beautiful wife, Carolyn. At Vanguard, I worked my way up through the ranks starting as a call center investment advisor and then becoming a retirement specialist. It was in that role that I began to be able to help thousands of people in an area that can be very difficult to understand with many legal and taxable decisions. To me, the most rewarding aspect of my job was helping other employees to create the best Customer experience, which I did through training and coaching individuals. Eventually, I had the opportunity to return to the...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Series
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Foreword
• Foreword At Your Service versus @YourService
• Acknowledgments
• CHAPTER 1: This Could Be Your Brand
• CHAPTER 2: Welcome to Our World of @YourService
• CHAPTER 3: It Starts with a Capital C
• CHAPTER 4: Do you Tell Your Customers Not to Call you?
• CHAPTER 5: Let Me Check with My Boss
• CHAPTER 6: The Social Media Hype
• CHAPTER 7: The Starting Point
• CHAPTER 8: The Snarky Web
• CHAPTER 9: Scalable Intimacy
• CHAPTER 10: Intimate Connections
• CHAPTER 11: The Social Business
• CHAPTER 12: Connecting
• CHAPTER 13: The First Weeks at Comcast
• CHAPTER 14: What is Your Customer Guarantee?
• CHAPTER 15: Tweet Tweet
• CHAPTER 16: Driving Change in an Organization
• CHAPTER 17: Social Customer Service is a Failure
• CHAPTER 18: An Inside Look at a Call Center
• CHAPTER 19: The Basic Tenets of Service
• CHAPTER 20: Is Service One of Your Values?
• CHAPTER 21: Do you Trust Your Service Team?
• CHAPTER 22: The Tail Wagging the Dog
• CHAPTER 23: How Do you Speak?
• CHAPTER 24: Startle Your Customer
• CHAPTER 25: Responding to Social Media Crisis
• CHAPTER 26: Doing Social Good
• CHAPTER 27: Scale of Change
• CHAPTER 28: Who is Your Chief Customer Officer?
• CHAPTER 29: The Power in you
• CHAPTER 30: The Relationship Hub
• Index
• End User License Agreement