Your Customers Are Talking About You
Friday, July 20th, 2012
Some days experience brings us face to face with a worthwhile lesson even when we’re not out “digging for dirt.” This recently happened to me when I was browsing the SmokeRing forums and came across a very sad thread. The story of a victim of bad customer service. This poor guy had purchased a smoker from one of our most popular competitors, but he was having a terrible time communicating with the pit maker. Finally, he got so tired of waiting, he asked for a refund. Even then the company was not keeping their word, and the last I heard, he was about to get a lawyer.
Of course, I haven’t validated whether all the details of this story are true, but it certainly seems authentic. Either way, this story is terrible for the brand.
In small business the stories people tell and how your market perceive you is your brand. If you were Pepsi or Nascar, you could afford to spend millions on a 30-second commercial, but you’re not. Build your brand by creating a good experience with your market, the people you are targeting in business.
Some days experience brings us face to face with a worthwhile lesson even when we’re not out “digging for dirt.” This recently happened to me when I was browsing the SmokeRing forums and came across a very sad thread. The story of a victim of bad customer service. This poor guy had purchased a smoker from one of our most popular competitors, but he was having a terrible time communicating with the pit maker. Finally, he got so tired of waiting, he asked for a refund. Even then the company was not keeping their word, and the last I heard, he was about to get a lawyer.
Of course, I haven’t validated whether all the details of this story are true, but it certainly seems authentic. Either way, this story is terrible for the brand.
In small business the stories people tell and how your market perceive you is your brand. If you were Pepsi or Nascar, you could afford to spend millions on a 30-second commercial, but you’re not. Build your brand by creating a good experience with your market, the people you are targeting in business.
