Employees of Arrow Limo in Monmouth, NJ Deliver the WOWEDFactor

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to present my seminar: WOWEDFactor – You Are the Difference for Arrow Limousine Company in Monmouth County, New Jersey. (They service the NYC metro area.) What an impressive company. They get the WOWEDFactor and the business impact of regularly and consistently delivering it. If you're looking for some WOWEDSightings and are going to be in the New York area, give them a call: 1-800-88-ARROW.

My favorite story ... the driver who picked me up from the airport explained that whenever he has an early pickup, he'll call the customer the night before and explain he'll be stopping by Starbucks and would like to know what he could pick up for them! WOWEDSighting big time. Customer wins. And, inasmuch as a significant amount of his earnings are tips, he wins. And, inasmuch as a significant amount of business comes from referrals, Arrow wins.

Employees MAKE the Difference

I worked with a computer distributor who was selling the same products with the same bells and whistles as everyone else in the computer business. In discussing how they differentiated their offerings from others who sold the same products at the same prices, they told me their best differentiator was the person who installed the computer system, who decided to gently place it, not slam it down, on the customer’s table. Their mission statement reflected their attitude: “Our sustainable advantage will come from our people.” Put another way, “Our sustainable advantage will come from our first customers delivering the WOWEDFactor to our external customers.”

A company can spend many dollars on advertising, décor, mission statements and brochures. The ultimate influencer of service image, however, is the company person you’re dealing with. Do you know anybody who walked into a place of business, looked at the company logo or decor and said, “Wow, that looks great, I’m going to become a customer for life”? I’ve seen a lot of mission statements and can’t recall one that read, “Our sustainable advantage will come from the colors we use in our brochure.”

Firestone
firestone@wowedamerica.com
314-863-4000

WOWEDFactor and Shell Dealers

A few years ago I was doing a series of “how to add value” workshops for Shell dealers across the country. I always started off with the question: “Is service good or bad today?” The overwhelming response: “It’s bad.” My follow-up question: “Is that good or bad for you?” Overwhelming response: “It’s bad.” My response: “It’s good.” Overwhelming response: perplexed looks … which, by the way, is not an unusual response in my workshops!

Applying the core – outer core model, I explain that if the core is small – people don’t expect much from the typical service station experience, what an opportunity to stand out, to differentiate .

Differentiation Strategy: Foundation for WOWEDFactor

• Do you believe your company has a competitive advantage?
• Do your prospects perceive your company has a competitive advantage?
• Do you know that you’re more right for your prospects than your sales numbers reflect?

Alka-Seltzer time?

If a business or organization continues to do what it has always done, it will get what it has always gotten. As demand for your category increases, your numbers will grow as long as you continue to get your share of the market. If, however, demand shrinks in the category, which so many have in this economic down-turn, in order to thrive (or survive), you have to take somebody else’s share. Businesses and Organizations pull ahead of the competition by further differentiating the customer experience.

The first step is to clearly establish compelling reasons why your offerings are more right for your prospects than the offerings of your competition. Whether one’s business is accounting, gasoline, groceries, healthcare, finance or insurance, clients/customers place value in two areas. They place value in your ability to solve a problem they’re experiencing. And, they place value in a client/customer experience that delivers on the EthicalFactor – trust (genuineness), credibility (believability) and partnership (client/customer focus and accountability).

How I Used the WOWEDFactor and Two Five-Cent Mints to Get On a Southwest Flight

I read in one of Tom Peters’ books about the individual who hurried into Beltramo’s Liquor Store in Palo Alto, Calif., told the clerk what he wanted and threw down his American Express card.  He wanted the clerk to move. That day American Express’s processing time was inordinately long. Customer became extremely frustrated. At whom -- American Express? No. His anger was directed at the clerk behind the counter. Finally, Amex approved. The clerk realized the customer’s frustration and how Beltramo’s service image was in jeopardy. He reached behind the counter and brought out two five-cent mints and put them in the customer’s bag. He thanked the customer for his business and asked him to accept mints as a small token of appreciation for the customer having to wait so long. His sincere words and action went beyond what the customer expected. The customer walked out feeling good about the clerk and Beltramo’s.  The clerk differentiated Beltramo’s by delivering the WOWEDFactor at a crucial touch point.  

Jack Buck and the WOWEDFactor

For two years, I had the opportunity to get to know the late, great Hall of Fame Sportscaster, Jack Buck.  Jack was the honorary chairman of the St. Louis Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, of which I served as Executive Director.  For all his “fame,” he was one of the most down to earth, caring individuals I’ve ever had the opportunity of knowing.  He consistently delivered the WOWEDFactor in his personal interactions by providing those he hardly knew with a “humanizing, engaging or connecting” experience. Three incidents come to mind.

• Whenever we would go to lunch, the first thing he would do, as soon as we sat down, was to give a few dollars to the bus people – not the wait staff.  He engaged these people and they responded in kind. Great move, Jack.
• Jack did a book signing at a local bookstore for the benefit of the Foundation.  There must have been 200 people lined up for his autograph and it must have taken a good two hours to do the signing.  I watched him for the duration and he never failed to talk “with” not “at” each individual.  What a gem.

WOWEDSighting: Kurt Chambers - USBank Ladue, MO (Kurt's Certificate of Sighting pictured here)"When I spoke with Kurt about the issue, his response in effect was ‘I’ll take care of it as if it was my account.’ Wow."

Kurt's Certificate of Sighting

WOWEDSighting Recipient's Testimony: "Within the last year I moved a business account to USBank, where I had some personal accounts. I have been extremely satisfied, in large part, because of my relationship with Kurt Chambers, Customer Service Manager, extraordinaire. Case in point: Recently, my accountant had a problem in assembling my business tax return because I inadvertently paid some business bills on-line from a personal account and recorded them incorrectly. When I spoke with Kurt about the issue, his response in effect was ‘I’ll take care of it as if it was my account.’ Wow. His detective skills in figuring out went wrong, coupled with his very timely response to my concerns and his focus on sincerely and genuinely wanting to help, makes USBank a pleasure to do business with. He is the brand. WOWEDFactor delivered - USBank value enhanced significantly. If you’re looking for an interaction with your bank … not merely a transaction, call Kurt @ 314-889-1724.”

Shoe-Swap Man

I’m always asked for a favorite WOWEDSighting. My pick Brent Zorensky, a manager at an up-scale hotel. A guest called the front desk and was frantic because he was supposed to attend a black-tie event in a half hour and he had failed to pack his dress shoes. All he had were his beat-up running shoes. He wanted to know where he could buy the shoes in the neighborhood. Brent explained that there was no place nearby, but finding they wore the same size, set up a shoe-swap for the night. What a move. WOWEDFactor delivered; business value enhanced.

Firestone
firestone@ethicalselling.com
314-863-4000

WOWEDSighting: Kelvin Edmunds - Cafe Cornucopia"He could bring the decimal over a couple of digits on the price and I’d still come out the winner."

WOWEDSighting Recipient's Testimony: “This guy is one of a kind. He’s literally the first person I see every morning and what a way to start the day! His enthusiasm for life, his focus on the development of his kids and his employees, his ‘I only play with my cleats on!’ approach to life (which Teddy Roosevelt would be proud of) all bring so much value to my cup of coffee. He could bring the decimal over a couple of digits on the price and I’d still come out the winner. Quite simply, he personifies the WOWEDFactor.” Kelvin's Certificate of Sighting

WOWEDSighting: Hayatt Mohammed - Mastro's Steakhouse, Chicago"Hayatt made us feel special. We will go back to Mastro's and insist on working with her!!"

WOWEDSighting Recipient's Testimony: “Mastro's is an upscale California based restaurant group that just opened their first Chicago location in October, 2010. Two female friends and I visited Mastro's strictly for drinks after having dined at a different restaurant. Oftentimes a group of 3 women visiting a restaurant solely for drinks is not welcomed by wait staff. My friends and I are not big ticket drinkers, and the wait staff cannot wait to turn our table to make more money. Not Hayatt! She could not have been more welcoming! Truly cared about our drink selection and it appeared that the portions she served us were generous. She chatted with us and was totally engaging. We did not order dessert--all of a sudden Hayatt appeared with an entire butter cake, a Mastro's signature dessert, that was complimentary for our group. Delicious! We devoured the entire cake! Hayatt made us feel special. We will go back to Mastro's and insist on working with her!! I called her Manager, David Place, to obtain her contact information, and he is aware of the ‘WowedAmerica’ initiative.” Hayatt's Certificate of Sighting

WOWEDFactor Truisms - Impact on Bottom Line

WOWEDFactor:  a customer service experience that was so extraordinary, "humanizing, engaging or connecting," your perception of the person you were dealing with, and consequently the business or organization, became significantly enhanced

We believe the following to be true about the WOWEDFactor: 

•  Service is manufactured at the point of delivery.  To my knowledge (and our research is considerable), not one customer has approached a business, asked to see the mission statement and then declared, “Very impressive, I’m now a customer for life.”
• The service image, is influenced in large part by employees interactions with external customers.
• Employees are the company in the minds of customers.
• The extent to which employees perceive themselves as stakeholders within that organizations or business (having a piece of the rock) has a direct relationship on their ability to deliver the WOWEDFactor.
• Managers’ first customers are their employees who interface with external customers.  Number one objective is to set up a culture where employees perceive they are stakeholders for the reason set forth above.
• Research clearly substantiates that the reason why customers quit a business has much more to do with not receiving the WOWEDFactor than anything else.  A recent survey of consumers shows that sixty-eight percent of all lost business results from the indifferent, uncaring attitudes of employees toward customers and only fourteen percent is lost because of product dissatisfaction.  The results on Why Customers Quit:

68 percent - indifferent attitude of employee

14 percent - product dissatisfaction

9 percent - competitive reasons

5 percent - other friends

3 percent - move away

1 percent – die

If customers quit a business in large part because of an attitude of indifference on the part of employees, it stands to reason that the antithesis … delivering the WOWEDFactor, would be a significant reason why customers stay.  Put in other terms, customer loyalty could be enhanced as a result.

Firestone

firestone@wowedamerica.com

314-863-4000

©2010 Ethical Selling Institute. All Rights Reserved.
©2010 Fred Firestone. All Rights Reserved.

Anheuser-Busch: Transitioning the Customer Call Center to the Customer Relationship Group

I had the opportunity to do a series of WOWEDFactor seminars for Anheuser-Busch on transitioning their Customer Call Center, which was staffed by 50 full-time Customer Information Specialists, to the Customer Relationship Group, staffed by 50 full-time Customer Experience Professionals. Their vision was that they could enhance brand loyalty if they set their sights on developing relationships vs. merely providing information. This was consistent with their mission: "Making Friends is Our Business." In essence they wanted to transition from being in the Transaction Business to being in the Interaction Business.

What an exciting project to work on and people to work with … they “got it.” They realized that when they were in the Customer Call Center business, the litmus test for a successful call was simply: did they provide the right information. They also realized that the potential value of each call was underutilized with only providing the requested information. If they could create a call experience by delivering the WOWEDFactor, they would build brand loyalty and company value.

Joanna and the Drive Through - Is Everyone Capable of Delivering a WOWEDFactor Experience?

Joanna Firestone

I’m often asked if everyone capable of delivering the WOWEDFactor.

Definition: "a customer service experience that was so extraordinary, 'humanizing, engaging or connecting,' your perception of the person you were dealing with, and consequently the business or organization, became significantly enhanced"

My answer has always been absolutely, everyone. I believe that every employee, if put in the right corporate culture set by his/her manager, is capable of bringing it home. I hasten to add that there are some people who have greater abilities than others.

Late one night I was having this “everyone is capable” conversation with my 18-year-old daughter, Joanna, and she took issue with my position. (Imagine, a teenager taking issue with a point made by her parent?) I was feeling ever so bold and suggested to her that she pick anyone and that I could engage them into engaging me with the WOWEDFactor. Let’s make it interesting, I said, you pick the person and you pick the wager.