@ Best Buy, it’s the stuff that brings them in….

September 19, 2011

Since when have we become so ‘accessorized’?

Recently, I visited a Best Buy and expected to find wall after wall of big screen TVs, computers, electronics, stereos. I am not much of a gadget guy, so I don’t frequent these places very much. Well, I wasn’t disappointed. My preconceived notions were fulfilled.

The store’s perimeter is an electronic festival with flashes of light, color, images and sound.  A bank of TVs allure with stunningly picturesque pictures of bears swatting salmon in angry rapids, two children frolicking in a meadow of wildflowers, a fearsome linebacker delivering a knockout blow to the opposing team’s quarterback. I couldn’t help but look at every one, despite the fact that they were all streaming the same picture.

You could hear a pin drop in this aisle.

The store’s interior, however, pulses to a different beat. Let’s call it stuff (accessories): game cartridges, DVDs, CDs, gift cards, wires, cables, camera cases, Ipod skins. I am fairly tech-savvy, yet I almost felt compelled to ask for a translation guide. This accessory goes with what product? And why would I need this?

I used to think of Best Buy as the store of ‘Big Things’: TV, appliances, stereos.  It’s where I went with a friend’s truck because I knew my car wouldn’t hold my loot.

Now, it’s the land of small things. Five years ago, you walked out of Best Buy with something on a dolly for $500 pushed by a pimply-faced high-schooler. Now, you pack your cart full of ‘things’ and wonder how all of it cost $300. During my recent visit, the traffic condensed around the peripherals, add-ons, and accessories, not the big-ticket items.

The world’s become bigger. Its products, however, are becoming smaller.

Sure, we still buy the big things, but the ‘little stuff’ seems to be the locomotive in today’s economy train.

Until next time,

Dan Naden

1 Comment | advertising, Communication, communications, customer experience, Customer Service, knowing your customers, marketing, shopping, store design, Uncategorized, user experience | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Dan Naden

When’s the last time you talked with your customers?

September 5, 2011

Have you heard someone say?: “To have a friend, you need to be a friend.”

Can this quote be repurposed for a business setting?

How about: “To have customers, you need to act like a customer.”

Drop everything (even that briefcase) and call your customers asap.

Think about it.

  • Customers want to know that you care about them. Am I too small to matter to your company?
  • Customers want to know that their needs are being met. Am I being heard?
  • Customers want to know that you aren’t just pushing something at them that they don’t really need or won’t solve their problem.  Am I just padding their bottom line?

When you are in business, you aren’t ‘necessarily’ in the business of making friends, but it certainly couldn’t hurt to be friendly.

When’s the last time you actually picked up the phone and talked with your customers?

Go ahead right now and act like a customer with your existing customers; make a courtesy call with the following questions in mind: (Remember you aren’t selling anything; your goal is to listen intently and show genuine appreciation for their business.)

  • How’s business going?
  • How are things going with ‘Insert your product name’?
  • Do you have any questions about using our product?
  • Is there anything else we can do to help your company?

Close the call by sincerely thanking them for their business, setting the stage for future interactions.

Dale Carnegie said:
“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

There’s no reason we can’t replace ‘friend’ with customer:
“You can make more customers in two months by becoming interested in customers than you can in two years by trying to get other customers interested in you.”

Now, get out there and speak to your customers. (not just e-mail or text)

Until next time,

Dan Naden

Leave a Comment » | Communication, communications, community, Conversation, customer experience, knowing your customers, marketing, personal, personal connection, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
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Dell wants us to do more; I vote for less

August 8, 2011

Dell wants to expand footprint, yet are we already feeling squashed?

Standing in the long, plodding security line at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport, I glanced skyward. What else is an impatient traveler to do?

There, amidst the towering façade of the airport was a large banner advertisement: Dell: The Power to do More. (BTW: The companion ‘Do More’ web site is actually very vibrant; I sense myself wanting to get out of my chair and go for a run in a wooded area. ;)

Hmm.

More.

America’s become obsessed with abundance. More options, choices, selections, varieties, features, listings; more work in less time. More activities for our children crammed into a weekend. More items on the ‘to do’ list; more ‘go time’, less ‘down time’.

In a harried world, I opt for a little less. Not ‘sitting on the beach’ less, but a workload that yields quality output. I want to be the best at a few things, not mediocre at everything. I want to reflect on my day and think: “I got plenty of great work done today.” Not “I seemed busy, but what did I accomplish?”

Yes, we are pushing ourselves, our teams to do more with less, but at what cost? More mistakes, low quality, tense, frustrated people and teams are the norm, not the exception.

I get it; I understand the positioning for Dell mega-banner stretching across the interior of Austin’s airport; Dell wants to branch out from the ultra-competitive PC business into cloud computing, healthcare technology storage, services, tablets; they can’t and won’t survive by just selling dumb boxes forever. They want a larger share of wallet from existing customers. It’s easier to get ‘more’ from your existing customers than chase new ones.

If you poll 100 busy professionals and give them the following choice, what do you think the response would be?

  • Would you like to do more within a typical day?
  • Or do a better job with the work that’s already your responsibility?

I predict that the majority would choose the latter option. Many workers, already overwhelmed by the pressures and deadlines of the day, forget specific details around tasks, cut corners, push quality aside in favor or ‘getting it done’.

What do you think?

Dell may still sell more software and services and gain precious market share from this campaign from sheer brand identity and recognition on its home turf of Austin, Texas, yet its quantity over quality push seems off-target in a world that sometimes needs a pause button.

I say ‘mercy’ on more, and ‘all systems go’ for putting forth a quality effort on the ‘right’ work.

Until next time,

Dan Naden

1 Comment | advertising, Airport, Communication, experience, innovation, knowing your customers, marketing, merchandising, personal | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Dan Naden

Tell a good story and you’ve got a customer for life

July 11, 2011

I have plenty of fun doing nighttime baths with the kids. In kids’ bathtubs, animals, boats, floating books take up nearly every inch of the tub.

Our children’s imaginations run wild in the tub (amongst other places!). Recently, they’ve wanted to ‘create a story’ based on whatever toys they could grab in the tub.

rubber duck in the bathtub

This duck is sometimes privy to some very good stories.

While our daughter grabbed a floating duck and a cow and wove an intriguing tale about friendship, forgiveness, sharing; I sorted through the floating alphabet letters and selected ‘M’ and I was off….

‘M’ always felt stuck in the middle.

‘M’ listened as children recited the alphabet, but felt anxious. To ‘M’, children were also quickly rushing through the middle of the alphabet; it seemed as if it were a race to the letter Z. No one stopped to appreciate what ‘M’ had to offer.

‘M’ wasn’t a vowel.

‘M’ wasn’t glamorous like ‘S’ or ‘T’.

‘M’ wanted out of the alphabet. This ‘A to Z’ game just wasn’t cutting it anymore.

The other letters noticed his dejection.

“Hey M, cheer up. You’ve got nothing to worry about. Kids love you,” exclaimed the letter O.

“Yeah M; you start some pretty cool words you know. Think about how kids love the words: Monster, Marshmallow, Mustard, Monkey,” added K.

M began to smile. “You know what? You are right. I do bring happiness to children’s lives.”

As a business owner or marketing manager, I am not recommending bathtub brainstorming sessions. Your business, however, can benefit from some creative storytelling when it comes to matching customer need with the exceptional successes that you potentially already have at your disposal.

  • Do you have a small business success story that nearly saved a company from ruin and now they are thriving?
  • Do you have some customer stories that you could share from a few verticals where you’re continually losing deals? Show the prospects in this industry that have a proven track record of dealing value.
  • Is the founding of your company or product a unique story? People love to hear how Groupon, Google, Amazon got started. Why not dazzle your prospects and customers by taking them back in time?

Don’t be afraid to ‘break the mold’ and get those creative juices flowing to unlock some hidden stories that can help your business communicate its special offer in the marketplace.

It’s getting late. In fact, it’s close to kid bath time. I think there’s a letter Z that needs a little boost. I am hearing through the grapevine that he loathes being at the end.

Until next time,

Dan Naden

1 Comment | Communication, communications, community, Connection, Conversation, Conversing, group communication, knowing your customers, marketing, simplicity, Stories | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
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Play a game of Hide and Go Seek with your customers

June 20, 2011

Ready or not here I come.

The moment this phrase is written or heard, you know its context: Hide and Go Seek.

When I have some free time, there’s nothing better than playing a game of hide and go seek with my children.

The wonders of Hide and Seek can be introduced to your customers.

I'll deliver a great customer surprise in 10, 9, 8, 7...

My daughter’s on a mission to find the best hiding spot in the house. She’s hid under the bed, in the closet, behind the chair – all without making a whisper of noise. My son still hasn’t mastered the concept. He proudly announces his location after hiding.

It’s a great and treasured moment when you finally find the ‘hider’. You scour every corner and crevice before opening that secret door, and saying, “There you are!”

Can you surprise your customers in a lucky and memorable fashion? Can you have them open an e-mail, pick up the phone, read a blog post, and think, “Wow, this company really cares about me. I can’t believe it.”

How about trying these tips when you want to transition your customers from ‘ho-hum’ to ‘fiercely loyal’?

  1. Upgrade them at no extra charge: I know the economics don’t make sense to do this for everyone, all the time. Pick a long-time customer and move him up to your next level of product and service.
  2. Fix their problems: Surely as the sun will rise tomorrow, customers have problems that need solving. If a customer calls your support line, don’t shuffle him around on the phone tree. Fix the issue right there, right then.
  3. Ask your customers how they are doing: If the only time you call your customers is for renewal, you are missing a golden opportunity. Pick up the phone and ask them how business is going. Thank them for their business and ask if there’s anything you can do to help.

The joy of ‘hide and seek’ doesn’t need to only be a part of childish fun time; your customers are ‘craving’ some spontaneity, some respite from the mundane. Deliver it today without even counting to 20. ;)

My next quest: find a spot in the house that’s hidden from even the most curious and eager eyes. “Ready or not here I come.”

Until next time,

Dan Naden

Leave a Comment » | Atmosphere. Customer Service, Communication, communications, community, Conversation, customer experience, Customer Service, enthusiasm, experience, Ideas, knowing your customers, marketing, work/life balance | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
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