“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

-Milton Berle (A very funny and smart man!)

Speaking of opportunity, here is an idea that will give you the opportunity to look like a star. You’ve heard of a Customer Service department. How about a Proactive Service department?

This idea is not really new. Companies and people have been doing this all along. It may not be an official department. As a matter of fact, it is common sense. Here are several examples of what I am referring to:

Recently I went to the Royal Oak Farmers Market. I was happy to see that the wonderful folks from McClure’s Pickles were there again.

A few weeks ago I tasted their fabulous pickles and bought a jar. My husband and I were overloaded with goodies and the bag that dropped right by our car was the one that contained those pickles. The jar was smashed into smithereens and we wrapped it in plastic to get it to the garbage at home. The car had the wonderful aroma of pickles but we didn’t get to eat any.

(By Chip R. Bell and John R. Patterson)

This is part 5 in a 5 part series on how to attract loyalty from customers in our new and changed world.

There are five key loyalty drivers we find fit most customers most of the time about most services.

Here is driver #5:

Inspire Me

(By Chip R. Bell and John R. Patterson)

This is part 4 in a 5 part series on how to attract loyalty from customers in our new and changed world.

There are five key loyalty drivers we find fit most customers most of the time about most services.

Here is driver #4:

Surprise Me

(By Chip R. Bell and John R. Patterson)

This is part 3 in a 5 part series on how to attract loyalty from customers in our new and changed world.

There are five key loyalty drivers we find fit most customers most of the time about most services.

Here is driver #3:

Understand Me

(By Chip R. Bell and John R. Patterson)

This is part 2 in a 5 part series on how to attract loyalty from customers in our new and changed world.

There are five key loyalty drivers we find fit most customers most of the time about most services.

Here is driver #2:

Protect Me

(By Chip R. Bell and John R. Patterson)

The landscape of customer loyalty has been re-contoured! Today’s customers are not like they use to be twenty-five years ago. First, customers get terrific service in pockets of their life and use those experiences to judge everyone else. When the UPS or FedEx delivery person walks with a sense of urgency, we expect the mail carrier to do likewise. Customers also have way more choices than ever before.  A quick trip to the grocery store for a simple loaf of bread and you are confronted with 16 brands and 23 varieties packaged 12 different ways. Two decades ago sliced bread came one way—white—produced by either Wonder or Sunbeam!

Prakash Sadagopan, Director of Product Strategy at Converges recently spoke at the OSS/BSS Asia Pacific Summit. His report was ground breaking. Through research he found that the customer’s experience was as important as the product being sold, and more important than brand or price.

This is the final post in a short series that describes my recent experience as a T-Mobile customer.

The situation started with my goal of upgrading my phone to a newer model but at a price that was no more than what a new customer would pay. Since I have been a loyal customer for almost 8 years, this seemed like a reasonable request. You can read the most recent prior article (Round four) here.

This is the fourth in a series of articles that detail my recent experience as a T-Mobile customer. As an 8 year customer, my goal is to upgrade my phone without paying more than a new customer would pay for the same phone.  You can see the prior article here.

This is the third in a short series of posts detailing my experience as a T-Mobile customer. My goal was to upgrade my phone without paying more than a new customer would. (Since I’ve been a T-Mobile customer for 8 years, it only seems fair.)  You can read round two here.

Round one was fast and smooth and earned T-Mobile 3 points. Round two was not as happy as they lost 5 points putting them 2 points under water.