Category Archives: Customer Experience
(From Alina Wheeler) Building loyalty and lifelong relationships at each point of contact.
You and me: The Brand Relationship Theory
Do you love “the Office?” I do… In one of my favourite episodes, Michael Scott got herpes and wants to know who gave him the disease. He starts working backwards through his partners, chronologically. Michael Scott, being the man he is, instead of informing his past partners of his infection, he asks them relationship-related questions such as: “What went wrong? Did I make more of what we had than was really there?” You may ask “What does Michael Scott have to do with branding?” Well, everything, according to Dr. Susan Fournier’s brand relationship theory. Read the rest of this entry
Life. Simplified.
All of a sudden, the earth has started to spin too fast. So much going on in the world. We are all overloaded with information and choices. It is not a surprise that brands that simplify our lives are very successful these days. Googles and Apples strive by actually giving their customers less! About a year ago, we talked about “paradox of choice”. The more you give to your customers, the less happy they become. Sounds weird eh? I recently read a great article about this topic and wanted to write a follow up to my previous article. Read the rest of this entry
Scarcity and escalation of commitment as means of persuasion
Last weekend we went to a factory sales event of a clothing brand. Apparently, the event was so well advertised that the factory was jam-packed with warrior/shopper women. Honestly, I can’t remember how many times a lady hit me in the shoulder or stepped on my foot (Albeit, I don’t recall receiving a single apology). According to their ad everything was “up to 70%” off. But, I am fairly sure there was an item or two that were actually 70% off. The rest of the cloths were in the range of 30-40%. However, when you commit to spending at least part of your Saturday in a factory, you automatically convince yourself that everything is indeed 70% off. That was the trap we fell into. We tried on some jackets, but none of them were interesting enough. Then we said, at least let’s buy a belt! But, two days later we realized that we actually paid almost the full price for the belt! How did that happen? Are we that silly? Well, there were two psychological factors in play. Let me explain them. Read the rest of this entry
The role of respect in brand building
As a citizen of a developing country, I am used to being treated as an afterthought by my municipality. Usually, everyday people like myself feel “blessed” when the governing bodies of our cities offer us a new service. At least, that is what they “think” we should feel. If the City decides to extend the subway line, as a citizen you should just cherish even though the stations are eye soring, and trains are painted in hideous colours. Again, coming from a developed country, I am used to that. But, to my surprise, I learnt that things are not totally different in North America, particularly in Toronto. Of course there are some exceptions. And Montreal’s STM is a case in point. Read the rest of this entry
The role of customer experience in branding
Spoiler alert: Customer experience has become the bread and butter of branding. You can have a beautiful logo, a smart tagline, a wonderful package and a state-of-the-art product. Yet, if you fail to deliver a pleasant customer experience, your brand cannot go too far. This applies to all brands, whether they are B2B, B2C, product or service brands. Not surprisingly, customer experience is particularly important in hospitality industry. Now that the winter is upon us, let me share with you my observations on the Nordic spa experiences in Quebec. Read the rest of this entry
Brand as a status symbol
What is status? According to Wikipedia it is the honor or prestige attached to one’s position in society. (one’s social position) In consumer societies status can be achieved by owning certain brands. For instance, if you drive a Ferrari, you are considered as a higher status person than an owner of a Sebring because buying goods that others can’t afford has long been an ultimate status symbol. While this is still true, other forms of status are emerging. For example, suddenly you might get more social acceptance by driving a Toyota Prius, because caring about the environment is “in”. Who would have thought? Or instead of going to a three-star Michelin restaurant, you might prefer to show off your cooking skills at home and get more praise. After all everybody can cook but being a “chef” is a status skill. Read the rest of this entry
Branding lessons from a Chinese guru
There is a tea shop in Montreal’s Chinatown. Its name is Speacialtea. We found that shop totally by chance. Since then we have been regulars. There are a couple of things that make that shop special and it is very easy for your business to replicate those. Read the rest of this entry
Branded customer experience
In 1999, B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore wrote a book titled “The Experience Economy”. In a nut shell the book argues that merely offering products or services is not enough for a brand to demand premium anymore. Authors state that firms should deliver memorable events for their customers and that memory becomes the product – the “experience”. 11 years later this theory is more valid than ever. Read the rest of this entry
Indisputable rules of branding
Previously we defined a brand as a promise and we talked about the importance of your brand’s purpose. Defining your promise and purpose are the first steps of branding. Next, you have to deliver your promise and create a pleasant experience for your customers. Read the rest of this entry
