Customer Service: Should All Companies Make it a Focus?

A few days ago I was walking into my local Shaw's when a staff member greeted me at the door with a "How are you doing today, sir?" . . . WTF?!

I know Walmart has employed store greeters for years and some other places have caught on as well (Best Buy and Crate & Barrell are two others that come to mind) but a supermarket? Really? But you know what? I liked it.

All through business school, professors pounded the importance of customer service into our heads, declaring that any company or business with poor customer service wouldn't necessarily be doomed to fail, but it would be destined to underperform. In my experience as a consumer and as an amateur analyst of businesses, I've found this to be fairly accurate. In fact, I'm no longer surprised with the amount of variability and lack of consistency in customer service that I experience on a daily basis; some companies are good at it, others suck at it, and some just can't figure out what type of customer service they're supposed to provide. Perhaps what resonates with me most is the lack of inconsistency you'll find in customer service within a chain of retail stores or other type of business.

For example (cringing), you can walk into one J.Crew store and be greeted warmly by someone at the door, be approached by someone once to see if you might need any help finding anything, and are then left to enjoy your department(s) of interest at your leisure. You go into a second J.Crew store and you are ignored when you first walk in, approached by no less than five different staff members before you've even made it to the men's section, and you don't get offered a bottle of water or cookies when you're at the register! Ok, so the last one is something they only do during the holidays but you get my point, right?

For a long time now, many businesses have included customer service in their corporate values or mission, hoping that this will help recruit the right employees and also create a focus on providing good customer service throughout the company. However, clearly this isn't enough. In particular, many companies have gone a step further and started to tie customer service to performance ratings, both at the business unit and the employee level. I think this is a good strategy and should help ensure that employees will focus on providing good customer service . . . well, in theory it will; if you were being judged in part based on your level of customer service, and knew your compensation and/or likelihood for advancement was directly tied to it, wouldn't you focus on it?

With today's economy, not to mention the numerous and varied drivers of revenues and profits, how much should companies invest in customer service? I know the short answer is "it depends" but I am curious as to whether or not there have been formulas or algorithms developed to help answer this question . . . I am sure many academics and executives have already researched and written on this topic but I am too lazy to go to Google this morning . . . additionally, I completed this blog post last night but it was mysteriously lost/deleted by Blogger so . . . yeah, I just want to get this thing posted, haha.

Another thing to consider is that the definition of what makes customer service "good" can vary from person to person so a form of customer service that can be catered to the individual may be more likely to succeed in the long run . . . but then again, it depends :) Furthermore, the level of customer service anticipated varies considerably depending on the business . . . if you call Comcast, you expect professionalism and efficiency - if you complain to someone at McDonald's that your fries are too salty, you're really just hoping for a set of replacement fries . . . a smile, an apology, and a free gift card as well? Probably not happening. After all, isn't all customer service at McDonald's like this?

So what do you all think? Which companies and/or services can get away with shoddy customer service? Which ones wouldn't exist today without great customer service? Which ones need to improve? Which ones need to dial it down a notch? As for Shaw's, will I visit this particular store more often b/c of their store greeters? Nope. But will my experience there be a little bit better and is it possible there will be some day in the future when a "How are you doing today, sir?" upon my arrival will help turn around a bad day? Yup. In particular, even if customer service programs and initiatives don't impact the bottom line, they can still help with customer retention and satisfaction.

I'll leave you with this clip which I love because it captures the way I always deal with bad customer service: humor.

Have a great weekend and see you next week!

CL

CL

I feel like it may turn out be Acronym Week as I thought that in today's post it would be fun to discuss (and perhaps introduce to some of you) a term my friends and I used to quote many moons ago . . . and that we'll still sometimes bring to the table on special occasions: CL.

CL stands for caught looking and as you may have quickly surmised, it refers to the act of being caught looking at a member of the opposite sex. At this page, you'll find the greatest collection of CL shots I've ever seen and after scrolling through it, I gave up trying to pick one to place at the header of this post . . . they're all just too amazing for words.

I can't take credit for CL and I'm not sure who is the originator but I remember my buddy Mark introducing me to it back in middle school . . . or maybe it was elementary school . . . although I'm pretty sure none of us were scoping girls in elementary school and given I was regularly sporting a NKOTB T-shirt like this one at that age, you can bet that girls were not what I was regularly getting caught looking at . . .

In what may be the greatest capture of CL in modern film, we see both the excitement of a daring look and the distress that can occur if one gets caught. Granted, this particular example shows a pretty bold move on the part of Michael Cera as not only does he have the girl behind him, but he's also holding his look for a good couple of seconds; this is quite daring and I'm not sure I would have tried this back when I was in high school . . . but that's probably b/c I was always too focused on the blackboard (nerd alert!)

One thing I will say about CL is that it's definitely something you can grow out of and in particular, something you can develop strategies against. Alcohol often helps with the shame of being caught looking because let's face it: if you're out at a bar, single, and drunk, isn't the whole point to lock up as many CL moments as possible?! Also, I think that as you gain experience interacting and flirting with members of the opposite sex, you develop a little more tact when it comes to stealing glances and looks at one (or some feature of one) who interests you . . . I say this because giving a quick glance at a girl on the treadmill next to me (without getting caught) is infinitely more manageable than it was back in college . . . then again I now run marathons for fun so perhaps this ability is in some way tied to my running skills.

Rather than go into detail about my all-time greatest moments in CL history (or dive into further analysis on the trials and tribulations associated with the CL experience), I thought it would be more fun to hear from you about the times and situations in which you've been caught looking; I'd love to hear about your funniest or most embarrassing CL moment so I hope you'll share them here!

Flirtweet

  

In other news, I've recently started a company. Well, I guess I haven't officially incorporated anything yet but that might not be too far away . . . I guess you could say that I've started the process of creating a brand. Last night I went onto the USPTO website and filed a trademark application for the following word:

Flirtweet

Actually, I shouldn't be taking all the credit for this because the concept and idea of Flirtweet has been bounced off of several friends, family members, and former B-school classmates already . . . in fact, a discussion with the latter group of folks last night is what prompted me to go ahead and attempt to secure the trademark.

Does the Flirtweet brand have any specific meanings attached to it yet? Nope. Do we have ideas? You betcha! Some of the potential meanings: witty, naughty, original, intimate, pressure, love, sex(y), safe, less risky, saving face, voyeuristic . . . and many more.

We envision the foundation of Flirtweet as an online community platform that will provide both content we create, as well as a hearty supply of user-generated content. What that content will be remains to be determined (if only we could nail down those darned brand meanings!) but what we do know is that it will revolve around flirting, dating, relationships, love, sex, and intimacy . . . and how it is driven by, influenced, facilitated, and intensified through social media . . . curious yet?


Are we going to educate people on how to flirt online? Maybe . . . but probably not. Are we going to offer information, media, and opinions on all things related to flirting and romantic interactions that are occuring through social media . . . might be getting warmer . . . once we have our brand meanings locked down, we'll start thinking (as well as soliciting and generating) content and from there, we'll move forward.

Are we going to have a mobile app? Yesh . . . I mean, yeppers . . . but do we go with something for the iPhone along the lines of this or do we work with the Android? . . . we're thinking the 'Droid.


A brief competitive analysis finds that someone on Twitter attempted to call out the concept of Flirtweeting but their activity, as well as that seen on their blog appears to be a little lackluster . . .

What's also good to see is that a quick search reveals how people are using social media to share their romantic lives with others. Even celebrities are getting into it! (well, if Alyssa Milano still counts as a celebrity) . . . in fact, it's clear from this that Alyssa and her hubby aren't the only celebs getting into the mix.

The bottom line is that social media has completely transformed the way people interact on a romantic level. Can you imagine what flirting, dating, and relationships would be like today without Match.com, Facebook, Twitter, eHarmony, or any other number of social media services? Is this is a phenomenon that people are aware of? Of course. Have numerous academics, media folk, and other educated people written, debated, and discussed it? Absolutely! But is there a brand that defines, captures, and promotes this phenomenon? Nope. To that end, we want to be clear right out of the gate and say that we're thinking bigger than Twitter and hoping to capture things in this vein that are happening throughout the social media world.

In closing, look for me to be sporting a white cotton T-shirt with the Flirtweet logo on it before the week is out; there's nothing like the power of guerilla marketing to get the buzz going. After all, if these two girls can make money with something like Flirtexting, we're going to do just fine. That being said, it's clear from this that not everyone has been impressed with their work. And lastly, if you check out this interview with the Flirtexting ladies, it's clear that if someone with their intelligence level is aware of flirting in other social media outlets, it won't be long before someone brands this behavior and makes a whole lot of money doing it . . . I've got a feeling that someone is going to be us :)

The DHG

The DHG

Many of the things I'll write about in this space are ones which I've considered sharing with a broader audience for a long time. In particular, many of the topics I'll cover will revolve around things my friends and I used to spend countless hours debating and discussing, for no compelling reason other than they were either:

A) fun to talk about while drunk
B) a way to pass the time at lunch
C) a way to pass the time during work (don't long and pointless email chains rock?)
D) fun to talk about while getting drunk

The first such topic I'll cover will be The DHG.

What is the DHG you ask? Well it's an acronym I coined several years ago (no really, I coined it) to capture the most mysterious of phenomena: the Disproportionately Hot Girlfriend. A little confused? Perhaps this picture will help:

Still not clear? What about this one:

Ok so these really aren't the best pictures to represent what I'm trying to capture (well, maybe the second one is) but unfortunately, these were the best I could come up with after searching Google Images with strings like "hot girlfriend ugly boyfriend" and "cute girl ugly guy" . . .

I can't tell you how many couples I've seen where a DHG is involved . . . now I know there are several arguments and or hypotheses behind why the DHG exists and I'll try to summarize the majority of them here:

1) she's insecure and being with an "unattractive" guy makes her feel more comfortable that he won't run around on her
2) he has a trust fund
3) he has certain abilities that are prized by the superficial woman (he's great in bed)
4) he's really "nice"
5) he has other indefinable qualities that transcend the norms of what she's expecting from a man . . . (he's REALLY great in bed)
6) they have a long history together, probably got together in high school and/or college when she wasn't capable of realizing she could do "better", and the comfort of their bond keeps her from leaving him

I know there are countless other reasons why she could be with him but for now, I think the list above will suffice. Also, I know that by calling out such a phenomenon (as well as the aforementioned reasons for it), it might sound like I'm an overly critical, disrespectful, and inconsiderate jerk . . . and anything but a romantic . . . however, nothing could be further from the truth . . . (although opinions vary).

In my mind, our calling out and discussion of the DHG was (and always has been) rooted in fun but more importantly, I think that in the back of our minds, the curiosity and wonder was always based on our fascination with relationships, and with why we were single and the "ugly" guy wasn't. In particular, rather than work harder on meeting someone or try to improve our own dating situations, we chose to critique and blast those more fortunate than us . . . I guess you could call this "taking pleasure in the fortune of others"? Better than "taking pleasure in the misfortune of others" . . . right? I say pleasure because there would always be an absurd amount of laughter involved . . . up until one of us would get serious and say something like "NO REALLY - WHY THE ^$%#* IS SHE WITH THAT GUY?! IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! WHAT THE $#^#!" . . . (for the record, the guy that usually brought this to the table was the single one).

At the end of the day, I think the DHG speaks to the beauty and randomness of relationships and how what might appear to be strange and/or visually disconcerting on the outside can possess something very real and compelling beneath the surface . . . or the guy could just be good in bed :)

Creative Visualization

Over the last few months, I've found myself using creative visualization a lot given I've been training to run the Boston Marathon. However, as I've been doing this, I've realized that I've also been using this tool a lot in other areas of my life.

For example, when I used to approach a woman at a bar, I'd picture a couple of buddies firing me up with a monologue like this, imagine myself making attractive facial expressions at just the right time, envision being just charming enough, and ultimately, doing everything I could to leverage my strongest asset . . . my sense of humor (please insert any and all jokes here).

Another example: job interviews - even before a phone screen, I go beyond thinking about what I'm going to say and actually picture myself saying it. Additionally, I visualize the person on the other end giving me positive feedback, good follow-up questions, and generally sounding as if they'd like to hire me on the spot.

A third example: exercise and sport - an obvious one and especially critical for me given my marathon training; within this setting, it is probably having the biggest impact. The other day I was out on the Boston course, in the snow and the wind, running up and down the first hill over . . . and over . . . and over. At each sign, telephone pole, or other marker, I tried to picture someone or something drawing me in - first it was Mary McManus, one of my inspirations for running Boston and the consummate example of perserverance and courage - next it was my coach Jeremy with his fire and enthusiasm for my training and progress, telling me not to quit - then it was me back in 2002, laid up in a hospital bed and unable to move my leg, heavily medicated and feeling like I would never make it back to reality . . .

The reason I think creative visualization is so powerful in exercise is because it helps to manage pain. In particular, it doesn't eliminate anything I'm feeling physically when I'm on mile 16 but it helps make it a little bit more bearable from a mental standpoint. I've been told that some people can take creative visualization to a level whereby their physical pain can actually be reduced (or at least feel like it is) and this is a place I'm striving to get to.

I wonder how many others out there take advantage of creative visualization in the parts of their lives I've identified above. Even more interesting is to consider other areas of our lives where we could use it: non-romantic relationships, day-to-day activities, job performance, etc. - based on the number of books and publications I've seen on the topic, my hunch is that many people are using it throughout their lives and I certainly hope this is the case.

In fact, as funny as this scene was (Apollo Creed at the piano?!), it really does have a lot of meaning behind it and I can't think of a better way to capture it; creative visualization can be a very powerful tool and I plan on leveraging the hell out of it!

I'm signing off for the weekend but will be back on Monday with a new post so be sure to check back here next week!

Also, don't forget to tell your friends, family, and other peeps about my alter-ego (TMWDoBaJ.CrewM - http://tinyurl.com/yjvqob9) and if you haven't already, to show your love for Spaulding Rehab Hospital and Mary McManus here!: http://www.firstgiving.com/russforspaulding

J. Crew or Bust

As you may have already heard, in my latest act of shameless self-promotion, I've started a fan page for myself on FB entitled "The Man Who Dreams of Becoming a J.Crew Model" . . . I know what you're thinking: IS HE SERIOUS?! Well for starters, I am. And second, if a FB page entitled "Can this pickle get more fans than Nickelback?" can get nearly 800,000 fans, score a T-shirt deal, AND get press on Billboard . . . in just over a week's time . . . the question is: why shouldn't everyone start a fan page for themselves?

Now I'm guessing some of you probably want to punch me in the face right now and the truth is, the Russ of a few years ago would probably punch 2010 Russ in the face as well . . . but the bottom line is that this makes sense on several levels. Allow me to explain:

1. I've been a J.Crew brand champion for the past ten years, remaining incredibly loyal to their image and style, while spending countless thousands on their men's and women's clothing, accessories, and other products . . . much to the chagrin of my parents and (former) financial advisor . . . and yet I digress.
2. It looks like models have a lot of fun
3. Can there be anything more satisfying than creating a fan page for yourself on Facebook and then becoming a fan of it?
4. During each of the past two summers I've hosted a "Preppy Party" in which my primary focus (aside from drinking heavily and entertaining my ultra-preppy guests) was to try and sport  J.Crew's entire men's summer collection . . . in one evening. The shot below is from the first party when I "successfully" pulled off a seersucker, plaid, and pinstripes ensemble . . . while rocking Nantucket Red shorts . . . amazing, right?
5. After recently scoring an audition for a New Balance commercial, I feel like the timing for self-promotion couldn't be better . . . but maybe I should have waited on this until I actually got the job? . . . whatever, I'm putting the NB audition on my CV either way. 
6. I love the idea of making it into a J.Crew catalog and having countless readers see me and think things like "Really? This guy got in here?", "J.Crew must be cutting back on their sales and marketing budget . . .", and "If this guy can be a J.Crew model, Kramer should have gotten that CK gig!"

In all honesty, I've always wanted to try and get into modeling and as much fun as I think it would be to work in J.Crew's marketing organization, I'm pretty sure I'd have more fun modeling for them . . . then again, given I'm already 31 going on 81, any modeling career I can establish is likely to be a short one. Thus, I should probably start hinting at my interest in marketing the minute I get my foot in the door . . . don't you just love my confidence?

Why the swagger? Well in less than 12 hours after going live, the page already has 6 fans (including myself) with the good news being that one of those fans actually works for J.Crew so . . . at the very least, this fan and I will share some uncomfortable laughter the next time I visit her store.

Wish me luck!

The Top Ten Guys at the Gym I Can't Stand

(in no particular order)

1. The Comedian

For some reason, sometimes the gym environment will bring out the comic in a guy . . . let me paint the scene for you: two to three guys surrounding another one who's telling a story or a joke, with his "audience" erupting in loud, obnoxious and boisterous laughter every 10 to 15 seconds . . . if this were to happen once or twice with this group while I was around, I probably wouldn't give it a second thought. If it happens 20-30 times within a 45 minute workout, I'm pretty sure this guy should be on stage somewhere.

2. The Doting Boyfriend

He helps her stretch, he winks at her in the mirror while doing bicep curls, he holds her hand while escorting her to another area of the gym, he pecks her on the cheek when she comes over, he helps her up after she's completed a set on the mat, and he waits for her outside the women's locker room while she's changing . . . all with an expression that's a cross between "I'm the luckiest guy on the planet" and "FML".

3. The Homeless Man

There's a reason they have locker rooms at gyms (and as you'll see below, my feeling is that it's not for a place to rock nudity) and while I know we can't all afford locks and/or may just feel more comfortable if we keep our possessions close, does a guy really need to keep a PILE of his stuff with him at all times? Against the gym wall or by his treadmill? Next to his bench? On his bench? The next time I see this I might just ask him if he'd like to share my locker with me . . . you know, for the unintentional comedy that would ensue afterwards.

4. The Creepy Guy

Every gym has one and while they can be young or old, fit or fat, and/or with friends or a loner, they've all got one main objective: creep every decent-looking girl out (and secretly creep many of the other guys out too) . . . now it's fair to say that I probably wouldn't pick up on The Creepy Guy's activities if I wasn't looking now and then myself but prolonged staredowns, following specific girls from room to room ("subtly" of course), and eavesdropping have never been part of my gym repertoire . . . ok, well maybe the staredowns have been but the fact that I'm hearing impaired precludes any eavesdropping.

5. The Naked Guy by the Locker

I know, I know - it's a locker room and if a guy has just showered and/or is changing clothes, he has to be naked at some point, right? Well that's not this guy. This is the guy who is at total ease with his nudity while by his locker - he may sit on a stool for a few minutes while listening to his iPod (while naked) - he may pack up his bag after getting out of the shower, organizing things and making sure everything is out of his locker (while naked) - he may even try and strike up a conversation with someone nearby (while naked) . . . put some f*cking clothes on already!

6. The Naked Guy at the Urinal

If it isn't the middle of the night, you aren't in your own apartment, and you haven't fallen asleep naked after sex, there's no reason why any guy should be standing at a urinal and/or toilet and using it unless he has some clothes on . . . I'd even settle for a t-shirt!

7. The Naked Guy at the Sink

Have I ever shaved naked? A few times . . . Have I ever put product in my hair while naked? Maybe once or twice . . . Have I ever flossed, brushed my teeth, trimmed my nose hair, applied hand lotion, combed my hair, rocked some cologne, and trimmed my beard while naked? . . . at the gym sink? . . . let me check . . . NOPE!

8. The Dirty Towel Guy

Based on my experience, I'm pretty sure that ~98% of guys at the gym would fit the description of "Dirty Towel Guy" - the definition? - it's pretty simple really: this is the guy that comes into the locker room after his workout, takes off all his clothes, wraps a clean towel around his waist, walks to the shower, showers, then uses the towel he just had wrapped around his sweaty, post-workout pelvic area to dry off his face, his neck, his hands, and the rest of his freshly cleansed body . . . after years of banging my head against locker room walls, discussing this phenomenon at length with friends, and being flabbergasted in general by the behavior, I've finally stopped caring . . . but it wasn't easy.

9. The Reader

If you aren't using a piece of cardio equipment, please leave the newspapers, magazines, and books at home on your coffee table.

10. The Big Stomach Guy

We all know who this guy is: he's in pretty good shape overall and in many cases, he's got a pretty muscular physique all around . . . until you get to his stomach. I know that we're all different and that there could be any number of reasons why a Big Stomach Guy has that big stomach (genetics, diet, medical condition, a love for big stomachs, etc.) but there's just nothing more puzzling to me than a guy who will spend all his time on every other part of his body and then devote not a single rep to tightening up his abdominals . . . HIT YOUR CORE ALREADY!

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Now one must bear in mind that this list is based on my personal experiences (and the gyms at which I've been a member) however I'd be shocked if some of you hadn't run into one or more of the characters above . . . for other fun (and more in-depth) lists in which you may find several other guys (and gals) you've bumped into at the gym, click here and here.

To support my Boston Marathon 2010 fundraising campaign for Spaulding Rehab Hospital, click here!