Enjoy the free suntan, sir (like it or not)

"You have to do it 3 days in advance, sir", said the customer service personnel at Aeroline in 1 Utama shopping mall. I walked away dissapointed because I left office early with the hope of changing my bus seat before the counter closes for the day. It was a Friday and I was supposed to depart the following day.

I have to say I disagree with Aeroline's statement, "The Aeroline brand is thus driven by the key thrust of being People Focussed".

The more apt statement should be, "The Aeroline brand is thus driven by the key thrust of being Policy Focussed".

And I am totally fine if Aeroline is policy focussed. At least, I set my expectations upfront ie. my request or needs are not Aeroline's focus (1st priority).

Just in case, Aeroline decides to be people focussed, Zappos is a great company to emulate.

"I listened to one Minnesota customer complain that her boots had begun leaking after almost a year of use. Not only did the rep send out a new pair - in spite of a policy that only unworn shoes are returnable - but she also told the customer to keep the old ones, and mailed a hand-written thank-you.

The bean counters fully support such gestures: "Seventy-five percent of our purchases are from repeat customers," says Zappos chairman, COO, and CFO Alfred Lin. "There are a lot of things we do that seem overly costly. But we have always been focused on the long term when looking at whether something should be cut."
- Jeffrey M. O'Brien, senior editor of Fortune.

Well, I don't expect free shoes or bus ticket, at least allow me to change my seat from the free-suntan seat of 1A to suntan-free seat of 8A (based on my convenience of time, not 72 hours ahead).

cc. Aeroline management,
Hope you will aspire to become Zappos. Boleh,tak?

Remedy to declining profits and share price

At last, Dell is listening to the customers. Sometimes, it takes continuous declining profits and share price to force a company to listen to its customers. It makes me wonder why it is not natural for companies to listen to the customers. Have they not heed Sam Walton's advice? He said "There is only one boss. The customer, and he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else."

Recently, Dell launched several Web2.0 initiatives with the hope of reviving the company, i.e.

1. Self-awareness program

2. A site that lets anyone offer suggestions and vote other people's ideas up or down

3. A self-help site

4."Dear Michael" postcards with the computers he shipped. (A pre-Web2.0 feedback mechanism)

The self awareness program has a squad of 42 employees who spend their workdays engaging with the communities on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. I wonder which profit-driven company would put 42 people on the payroll to surf and chat from 9am to 5pm.

The self-help site is my favourite because it allows people solve one another’s tech problems. Dell should take it further by allowing the users to rate the ‘helpers’. The 5-star ‘helpers’ become ambassadors of Dell. Every aspiring tech support geek would love to have a badge of honor.

Interestingly, here are the results of these initiatives :

"The latest quarterly figures from the University of Michigan's customer satisfaction index show that Dell is at the top of the rankings again for Windows PC makers, as rivals HP and Gateway sink. According to a study Dell commissioned from measurement firm Visible Technologies, negative sentiment toward the Dell brand has dropped from 48% in 2006 to 23% today. Even some of Dell's harshest critics are softening a bit after the company's recent online moves. Ben Popken, editor of the Consumerist blog, says, "They've been downgraded from evil to bumbling."

Can a Malaysian company emulate Dell? Boleh, tak?

Service us. Listen to us. And in return, I will pledge my loyalty!

Are you a good listener and a better "actor"?

Most companies proclaim in the mission statement that they listen to the customers. The toll free numbers, walk-in counters, dedicated email address, blogs are proof of its commitment towards listening to the customers.

However, not many listen and act on the feedback. Majority of the companies introduce products or services based on their years of working in the industry (I call it gut feel), casual opinions from focus gropus (participants are paid to talk right?) or by suit wearing consultants flow in for the job. Interestingly, Soothe Spa is one company that didn't use those approaches. Proabably because spa owner, London Elist doesn't have any gut feel or money to pay focus group participants or hire consultants. Instead, she uses a simple technology to her advantage. She listens and acts on the feeback.

"After an appointment Genbook sends an e-mail to the customer asking for feedback. One client wrote that Soothe's salon beds were too hard, so Elise added more padding. Another client said the rooms were too cold, so Elise adjusted the thermostat. And after one woman wrote that the wall paint in the salon's bathroom looked shabby, Elise enlisted a painter to give the walls a new coat that same week.

"Our clients are participating," says a giddy Elise. "It's what I always wanted."

This approach enables London Elist to invest in areas (padding, wall paint) that are most relevant to the customers. Sometimes, limited resources eg. money is a good thing.

I can't recall the last time a company I patronises send me an email.

Can a Malaysian company out there take up the challenge (and send me an email or a sms)? Boleh,tak?

Tips : How To Lose A Customer In 30 Seconds

Step by step instructions :

1. Place an ad on 'How to write' workshop in a national paper.

2. Describe how interesting and beneficial the workshop will be.

2. Provide a contact number in the ad.

3. Make sure the person who picks up the call is totally clueless on the workshop.

Believe it or not, that was exactly what MPH Bookstore did recently. My mum saw the ad on 'How to write' workshop and she dialed the telephone number provided in the ad. The person who picked up her call had no idea of the workshop. Naturally, my mum said goodbye within 30 seconds.

Sometimes, I wonder why companies waste money on advertising.

cc. MPH Management,

Do your customers a favour. Help us save a telephone call. Boleh,tak?

What's your thank you strategy?

Companies understand the importance of showing appreciation to customers. Most companies encourage (and enforce in some instances) the employees to say thank you to visiting customers. However, the thank you stops when you walk out of the store. I have yet to encounter an experience where I still feel appreciated the following day. The pleasantries stop right after you walk out. Ironically, companies know that regular show of appreciation fosters better relationships. It is like courtship. A business courts a customer. Constant appreciation keeps your partner (or customer) happy and loyal.

With the availability of bountiful technologies, companies have greater variety of thank you techniques. For example, a thank you email or sms or the old fashioned way, a thank you card. Besides, technology allows a company to track the effectiveness of each technique through marketing ROI.  Moreover, companies can throw in a coupon or discount to entice another visit. Yet, I have never receive such thank you sms or email as a customer. Probably, the lack of such privileges is due to the absence of a thank you strategy.

So, what is your thank you strategy, Malaysian companies? Can you make me feel appreciated? In return, I will show you my loyalty (in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part). Boleh, tak?

Make us proud!

When Heidi DuBois-Robinson, 43, came in for a hair coloring, her suit got stained. She took it to the cleaners, but the stain remained. So she called DiJulius, who sent her a $385 check for a new suit, no questions asked. He also threw in a free facial and pedicure.

Have you ever experienced similar service recovery by any hair salon in Malaysia? If you have, please tell me. I will be a loyal customer.

Probably that explains the absence of Malaysian companies around the world. Naturally, a company or salon sets up shop in every city if demand for its service is immense. 1st class customer service cuts across cultural boundaries, language barriers and income groups. McDonald is a classic example. Starbucks is another. Can you think of a Malaysian brand that commands worldwide demand?

P.S. If you have international ambition for your company, read about John Robert's Spa and 5 other companies on how to deliver world class customer service. Simply put, how to treat customers well. Make us, Malaysians proud! Boleh,tak?

How To Win Friends (and Customers)

HSBC is an epitome of 1st class customer service. I decided to become loyal to them after an encounter with a call agent few days ago. I’ve been using HSBC credit card since year 2001 and I foresee myself using it for another 30-40 years. What will be my customer lifetime value to HSBC?

Just the other day, I realized my credit card was due few days ago. I hate paying unnecessary fees. In this case, a RM5 late payment penalty (for being forgetful). Without haste, I paid the full amount at the cash deposit machine after my office work. Then I call HSBC to request for a waiver of the RM5. Without hesitation, the call agent agreed to waive off the RM5 on the spot. I was surprised that the call agent had the power to make that decision. I was expecting the call agent to replied, “I will put your request in for consideration”. Instead, the call agent considered it on the spot and made a decision. A decision which I favored and appreciated. Rarely, companies favor the customer’s request or needs. Most times, companies’ needs or policies come 1st. Customers come 2nd. Sometimes 3rd too. In Malaysia Airlines case, passengers from developing countries come in 3rd.

With that pleasant and satisfying encounter with HSBC call agent, it made me wonder whether the justification of merging several local small banks into a large bank in order to compete with international banks (HSBC, Citibank) makes logical sense. Chances are if you are a big bank with every branch or ATM in every city, town or fishing village, you will never have my business if you cannot understand the importance of putting me 1st. If you refuse to waive of the RM5 late payment penalty when I request it, I’m walking into a HSBC branch.

Can the local large banks rise to the occasion? The way HSBC rose to the occasion when I called. Boleh,tak?