It's a tough
world out there these days. Tougher still for marketers. Make the slightest
hiccup and thousands (maybe millions!) of people are likely to read about it
online.
But do you
care what your customers think, believe and feel about your brand BEFORE a
sale? Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com does - before, during and after.
You may have
read about Hsieh in the press recently. He receives about 2,000 e-mails a day,
the majority from customers. In October 2008, Hsieh had nearly11,000 followers
on Twitter. At last count, he had more than 500,000!
So why have
so much contact with his customers?
Because
Zappos customers post between 1,000 and 1,500 product comments every day. And
today’s savvy consumers seek opinions “negative or positive” from people who’ve
had prior experiences with companies and brands.
Hsieh
recently commented in an interview: “We really don’t focus very much on what
other retailers are doing. We just focus on what (our customers) tell us and
then try to deliver the best customer experience possible while still meeting
our financial goals.”
The result?
Zappos counts a (ever-growing) customer base of more than 10 million people.
Zappos overcame the biggest obstacles to online shopping—no instant gratification,
painful return process and paying more for timely delivery—because they started
by listening to their customers. Zappos’ customers have literally redefined
online shopping—free shipping both ways and a no-questions-asked return policy.
Zappos, in turn, has become “the customer service company” with everyone
looking to copy what they do (see: zapposinsights.com).
So what does
that mean for the rest of us trying to sell more while people are spending
less? It means listening better, understanding what people need and what makes
them tick.
Here’s
another great example of listening and understanding from a category you’d
never expect—the healthcare industry.
Ever been to
an ER? You can potentially sit there for hours and hours if your issue isn’t
life-threatening. The average wait for treatment in the US is around 3 hours.
An Atlanta-based company, InQuickER, recently launched a new service, allowing
patients with non life-threatening conditions to reduce wait times by calling
ahead or signing in online.
Less
aggravation = more satisfaction. Simple equation....if you understand what the
pain point (pardon the pun) is.
Today’s
consumer isn’t bashful about sharing what’s on their hearts. We just need to
find the time to listen to the valuable insights their willing to share, and
capitalize on their candor and honesty. The results can be tremendous.
