Tag: Customer Experience

From the desk of the Chief Happiness Officer

emmajmclean2 Comments on From the desk of the Chief Happiness Officer

booksBooks on my desk at the moment:

“Outside In” Kerry Bodine and Harley Manning, Forrester Research.
CHO Review: One word. Fan-tabby-tastic. This is my “go to” book on Customer Experience and the power of putting the customer at the centre of your business. Detailed case studies, practical advice and truly inspirational. Need it.

“Heart to Start” Derek Handley
CHO Review: I saw Derek speak at a conference once and thought he was a bit arrogant. But as much as I want to hate him (and that is mainly jealousy because he is a gazillionaire) he is a clever guy and this book is story of how he started up Hyperfactory and hints of turning your own ideas into action. I have not read this yet! But I want to!

“Steve Jobs” Walter Isaacson
CHO Review: One word. Genuis. Not a particular nice guy to work with that’s generally what you get when you work with a genius. He changed the world. Read it.

“The Thank-You Economy” Gary Vaynerchuk
CHO Review: How a guy built a business solely through social media. And realising that to go forwards today you need to look backwards to how our grandparent’s used to run their businesses. Read it.

“Extreme Trust” Don Peppers and Martha Rogers
CHO Review: From the Godfathers of CRM and 1:1 Marketing. Honesty as a competitive advantage. If you look after your customers, if you can prove to them that they can trust you – why would they go anywhere else? And how can a competitor compete? Get it.

“Groundswell” Charlene Li and Josh Bernhoff, Forrester Research
CHO Review: Published in 2008 to help navigate the “new” world of social technologies but still relevant today if you want to build a groundswell around your brand.

“V is for Vulnerable” Seth Godin
CHO Review: ABC for adults from The Master. Full of quotes from the man himself.

“Enterprise One To One” Don Peppers and Martha Rogers
CHO Review: An oldie but a goodie. The book that got me interested in CRM. Love it.

Friend or thief?

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farmersOne of my pet hates when I shop at Farmers is when they put that big piece of sticky tape over your bag to prove that you haven’t stolen the thing you’ve bought or to stop you stealing more. It really erks me but I try to keep it to myself. But the other day, it all went out the window, I just couldn’t help myself.

It was one of those 50% off childrenswear days so the place was packed and it was 10pm at night. I got to the front of the queue, handed over my ClubCard when asked, paid and then they put the tape over my bag. And then I just couldn’t hold it in anymore.

I asked the lady on the till if I could make an observation. (At which point all the people in the queue looked at me like I was a crackpot). This was my observation.

“In one breath you are asking me for my ClubCard which is rewarding me for my loyalty and thanking me for being a friend of Farmers. And then in the other breath you are accusing me of stealing something. Does that not strike you as being odd?”

At which point all the other ladies on the tills turned around and started nodding their heads in agreement. And the customers in the queue still thought I was a nutbag.

My beef wasn’t with the ladies on the till as I know they were just doing what they were told to do. My point was that I am sure in splendid isolation both these things make sense. Marketing are right to think that a loyalty programme is a good idea. And Risk is also right to think that tape can limit their stock losses.

However – when they come together at the customer – they just don’t feel right. Who looks after the experience the customer has? Who is in charge of that? If you don’t have anyone – you need to change that.

How are you making your customers feel?

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