WOWEDSighting: Cafe Press

WOWEDSighting Alert!  Occurred at Cafe Press: www.cafepress.com, described on their web site as: "The world's favorite place to find or make unique T-shirts and gifts."  I believe it!

My daughter had a shirt sent out for my birthday (Vandelay Industries ala Seinfeld) and chose the wrong size.  Just called there to ask about exchange and they said, "We'll send you the Medium. And, because you're a first timer, we don't want you to do through the hassle of sending back the Large, so you keep it!" WOWED! What a class company.

Firestone
firestone@wowedamerica.com
314-863-4000

WOWEDFactor Foundation: EthicalFactor

I am the principal of the Ethical Selling Institute, a subsidiary of Sempact, Inc. We provide training, speaking (keynotes, breakouts) and coaching services to businesses and organizations on how to pull ahead of the competition by building more of the EthicalFactor, which is comprised of Trust (genuineness), Credibility (believability) and Partnership (customer focus and accountability), in to their products and services. We believe that the ability of entities to deliver the EthicalFactor has much more to do with crucial interactions employees have with customers/clients/guests/patients than with what's in a mission statement or customer commitment policy. (Hereinafter, any reference to businesses should be read to include organizations and any references to customers should be read to include clients/guests/patients.)

WOWEDSightings: Bottom-Line Impact

What's the business impact of WOWEDSightings (humanizing, engaging or connecting brand ambassador interactions) that deliver perception:

• You’re as concerned about my welfare/business as I am.
• You want to be fully accountable.
• You really understand what I’m dealing with.
• You want me to have the best solution even if it means less business to you.

Depending on the industry, the bottom-line impact can be: greater differentiation; more sales overall; more sales per customer; greater customer count; testimonials and referrals.

Firestone
firestone@wowedamerica.com
314-863-4000

I Don't Get Sinclair - They're Missing an Opportunity

Recently I went to Phillips to do a "partial" fill up.  I noticed that the Sinclair station across the street was a full cent cheaper.  Further, I noticed that the cent cheaper got you "full service," whereby an attendant does the gas pumping -- twas not the case at Phillips.  (Note: I know this about Sinclair.  However, if one didn't know they did the full service, it easily could go unnoticed because there are no signs, etc. making the public aware.)  And, I also noticed that the Phillips station was completely full ... people waiting in line, not so with the Sinclair station.

WOWEDFactor Programs: On Target to Impact What Types of Businesses?

Here are some some types of businesses/organizations whose front-line people's ability to deliver the WOWEDFactor could significantly influence business value through enhanced loyalty and word-of-mouth advertising (as well as additional sales):

    * Banks.  Teller's are the front-line interface.  Their ability to engage is crucial to building brand.

    * Hotels.  Service image has everything to do with all the interactions guests have with employees.  Article that explores example of where hotel front desk clerk delivers: Adding Value to Your Products and Services: Learn to Differentiate Your Offerings

Value of the Wal-Mart Greeter?

I'm a Wal-Mart fan.  My wife and I have a Friday-night ritual that includes a grocery shop there.

My favorite part: the Wal-Mart greeter. Most of the time, I get a WOWEDSighting (a humanizing, engaging or connecting customer service interaction that positively influences my staying a "fan"); some of the time I don't.

Recently, I had an experience where the "greeter" looked right thru me and mumbled a plastic, "Thanks for shopping at Wal-Mart."  It was an "OW"edSighting -- the inverse of a WOWEDSighting.  (See Post) My thought:  they'd be better of not having a greeter, than running the risk of an "OW"edSighting.