What Companies Do I Like to Promote?

January 24, 2007 by Mary Wynne-Wynter 

In response to Tom Peters’ question: I’ll promote the companies that make me feel great when things go bad and who have the guts to say “we were wrong and we are sorry and we will make it right immediately”

This week two companies blamed me for what was 100% their screw-up. (I’m too nice to publish names). One is my hosting provider (I’ve been with them 8 years) and the other sold me RAM (I’m a repeat customer). Both caused me a great deal of wasted time and frustration and it didn’t have to be that way. I get a lot satisfaction working with a responsive company that steps up, admits responsibility for the error, and most importantly, that acknowledges the cost to me in terms of my time! Both failed abysmally. Note: autoresponder-type platitudes about “we value our customers..blah blah are not only worthless, they make companies look lazy.

Costco and AMEX both came through. Costco took back a phone system that I hated, no questions asked. One quick call to AMEX and I got immediate full credit for the RAM.

It will be easy to find a good RAM supplier. Maybe not so easy to find a hosting provider. Its my perceived switching cost in terms of time and aggravation that keeps me with my current provider, and it pisses me off to feel trapped when they treat me like crap. Its a commodity to them, its a critical business system for me. Would I pay a premium for a hosting company that guarantees a smooth transition, quick support, takes responsibility for their mistakes and acknowledges my time?…in a heartbeat I would, if could find one.

Update 1/26/07
My post on TJX is relevant to this question, and finally, relevant to reporters.

What Companies Would You Like to Promote?: “

Rather than wait until the Chinese New Year to start my new year’s resolutions (normally I’ll use any excuse to put this off), I’ll make one pledge right now: to promote companies that truly ‘get it’ about customer experience! I’m referring, of course, not to what a company does with a customer (a transaction) but what the customer is feeling and thinking as a result of that transaction (an experience). This is where a brand has to walk the talk. As Steve Yastrow says, ‘Your brand is not what you say you are, but what your customer thinks you are.’ As James Carville might have said, ‘It’s the EXPERIENCE, stupid!’

So what companies would you like to promote, which consistently provide you a great customer experience?

Posted by John O’Leary |
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(Via The Tom Peters Weblog.)

Filed under: Consciousness, career, going solo
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