When Service really is a USP
I meet with many businesses when I’m designing sales proposals and the first thing I ask is “what makes you different?”, and “why would anyone buy from you?”
The answer often is ‘our customer service’. When I press further, there is not much forthcoming. Nothing that I can feature, because there is nothing significant or unique about the customer service, other than they try hard to please.
I try to explain that service is usually something you can only experience and, unless you can bottle it, and describe something special and unique, then it carries no weight with the customer. After all, how many times have they heard ‘our service is outstanding’ only to experience something really not that good. No-one says ‘our service is lousy’.
But when service is the core product, and it is exceptional, then you really can write it up. You really do, though, have to have something different and exceptional. The following is a good example.
Yesterday, I revisited Alexandra Sports with my wife for her to purchase a new pair of tennis shoes. These people specialise in sports footwear and they do it in a very unique way.
Sports footwear is very important. Get it wrong and you suffer pain and injuries elsewhere. Knees, hips, back etc. Alexandra Sports know this and they make sure that you always walk out with the right footwear for you. They are only a small outlet but they have many consultants all busy giving individual, specialist attention to customers.
Each customer walks up and down a special walkway, barefoot, under the watchful eye of the consultant. Then they’ll be asked to walk faster. Then they’ll be asked to jog. Until the consultant is satisfied that they have seen the customers gait and established their requirement. Then they fetch the shoes.
You try them on until you feel real comfortable, and then you are invited to repeat the walking / running exercise on the walkway. When you and the consultant are sure that you’ve got a comfortable pair of the right shoes, you’re invited to run up and down the road outside.
Time and again they‘ll put you in another pair of shoes until you are absolutely certain that you’ve got it spot on. Then they’ll box up your shoes and you’ll pay for them.
The cost of the specialist consultancy. Nothing. You just pay for the shoes.
What’s in it for Alexandra Sports? The shop is always busy, and satisfied customers spread the word.
Now that’s what I call service, and it’s the kind of service you can write about because it really means something and carries value for the customer.
Tags: Customer Service
