My family and I were sitting around the dinner table for Mother's Day a few days ago and as it usually goes, it's loud and everyone is talking over the top of everyone else. Dinner with the Brown family is fun. Just don't expect to get a word in edge wise. It came to my attention that my sister was rear ended earlier in the week, in a hit and run accident. She's got a couple of bruises, nothing serious, but her Nissan needs some body work. She asks if I know a good body shop. I began to say a name but suddenly realized I was drawing a blank. I thought back, attempting to delve deep into the recesses of my vault like noggin, and... I... drew... a... blank. Not because I haven't had body work done before but because I was not loyal to anyone in particular. I didn't have a relationship stored in my long term memory to allow me to give a good referral. This is when I realized, I can't remember the last time I gave or asked for a referral for anything.
This was a little disturbing, because I am a highly relational guy. I like people, I respect good service, and superior products, I am happy to share the knowledge if asked, but nobody asks anymore. Now there is the rare occasion that your buddy may have some back pain and you are in the middle of a round of Chiropractor visits and happen to be carrying the Doc's card but unless that encounter happens naturally you're not giving a referral to your friend. Because before he calls or texts you for the name of your Chiro he's pulling out his smart phone and looking at the top four or five Google rankings. I came to the conclusion that it takes less time and effort for us to find the information we need ourselves then it does to ask for it from a friend or family member.
Without trying to sound like a doomsdayer, I want to be clear, this new reality can be catastrophic for many companies if it's not embraced. Especially if your company's product or service is not needed on a regular basis. Such as attorneys, doctors, plumbers, car dealers, etc.. One of the the other problems that exists now is the consumer is exposed to so much advertising, marketing, and information between needing your product or service again that our loyalty is shifts. Not to somebody else necessarily but back to neutral, as if they don't have any kind of relationship with a particular company. This is the case with me and my sister's body shop question.
There's nothing like a blogger to point out a problem and not offer up a solution, right? Well I believe I do have the solution. It's not like the consumer won't be loyal under the right circumstances. We are human and we like to have relationships, and usually we resist change. The answer is really two fold. The first part is obvious. You have to have world class customer and client service. I mean world class, not as good as the next guy but world class, and it needs to be offered at a competitive price. Not cheap, because it's hard to offer world class customer service if you're only competing on price. The second part of the solution is, and this might be new so some of you, but you have to be we're your customer is looking for your product or service. They have already used you, they just need a reminder as to why to go back. If you're one of the first options when they hop on the Google, or you've stayed in front of them with your social media campaign then you have a real shot of getting their business again. If you're not, there's a great chance that they find what they are looking for in one of your competitors.
E:35 Creative specializes in marketing to this new consumer. Call or email us for a free consultation.
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