Marketing Consulting Blog

I just returned from eating a quick meal at Q-Doba, and I'm rather disappointed in the experience during this particular visit. Usually, Q-Doba is very tasty and scratches my itch for quick Mexican as long as there isn't a line out the door (I'll go elsewhere), but tonight the "process" was discouraging even though there was no line at all. Here's why:

For starters, I walked in a good 45 minutes before closing time so it's not like the employees were going to have to stay late because of my 15 minute (tops) pit stop. Plus, the employees have to stay afterwards to clean and close up shop so they're going to be there anyway. Initially, I was thinking "maybe I am at fault for cutting it close on the time," but that wasn't the case upon further review.

The guy taking my order acted as if it was a MAJOR inconvenience to slop some rice, beans and chicken on a plate. Apparently, to get "back" at me for making him work, he royally skimped on the portions (especially the chicken) to the point I left almost as hungry as when I entered. Then the guy taking the money acted as if it was an inconvenience to take my money since he was having a conversation with one of his co-workers. Sorry, but your conversation about your test in a couple of days isn't what you're paid to do especially when paying customers enter the building.

All of this got me to pondering, "if Q-Doba's CEO was watching all of this take place, what would he or she think?" Chances are, the service would have been extraordinary, and the portions would have been in line with their quality standards had an executive been monitoring the process.

This brings me to the take-home message: if you're in a line of work where you interact with the public, pretend the CEO is watching every transaction, then ask yourself if you represented yourself in a manner that would please the CEO. If not, what would you do differently?

Providing quality service isn't an inconvenience; it is part of your job, and it shouldn't be that difficult a task to execute.

PS--this experience won't dissuade me from visiting Q-Doba again, but a few more similar visits will chip away at an overall good impression of their chain.

The group I have been partnering with has been working with a local (Louisville, KY) franchisor to help with their marketing efforts. We've met with the franchisor four or five times, and we seem to struggle with getting our arms around everything his franchise needs from a marketing aspect. They need a lot at this stage, but our approach has been to offer certain things while pointing him in the right direction on others. (Most franchisors have similar needs so this project isn't vastly different from the ones we may face with others as we move forward.)

It dawned on me during a bike ride last week that our approach is flawed--he doesn't want us to point him in the right direction for this or that; he wants us to take over solving marketing problems for him. He wants the "easy button" where he can push it and we make his life easier. Isn't that what we all want when we seek out a solution to a problem? Don't we want someone to magically fix it? I believe we're going to be much better off if we take the "easy button" approach with him and his franchisees than we will by offering some of the services and providing guidance on the rest. What do you think?

After a lengthy bike ride last Saturday, I had some serious neck/upper back pain. It's somewhat common for me after longer rides (3+ hours), but I somehow aggravated the injury while I was (of all things) taking a shower the next morning. I figured it was muscle fatigue or a mild strain that would disappear after a couple of days. Didn't happen. After three days, it was time to bite the bullet and visit a professional.

There's a new chiropractor/massage/rehab facility that opened less than a mile from my home so I figured I'd pop in on them to see if they could help me. There was even a sign in the front window stating "now accepting new clients." Excellent! Not only are they convenient, they're actively seeking people like me right now. Or so I thought. I entered and told the girl behind the desk that I thought I needed a massage to work the kink out of my neck. She said "great, let me see who is available and if we can get you in today." Mind you, NO one else was even in the place from everything I could tell, and I saw three doctor/therapist types walking around as if they had some free time on their hands. After the girl looked at the computer schedule, she sheepishly looked up to tell me they could fit me in two weeks later, but they had nothing open until then. Another girl walked over as if she found that bit of information a little erroneous and suggested they might be able to fit me in the next Tuesday (today). The other girl said "no, that's not right because he's on vacation (meaning the therapist) so that wouldn't work either." They both agreed then looked at me like "sorry about your luck pal."

If I had agreed to go through testing with a doctor and undergo x-rays, an hour questionnaire, poking and prodding, I could have seen someone the next day, but I couldn't get anyone to help me with my immediate problem--the damn kink in my neck that was making it difficult to move my head around to see. If I had agreed to sign up for a treatment "program" (read: more expense), they might have magically found a massage therapist available. I left the joint a tad amused and a lot put off.

This incident was a further reminder that if you're going to open the doors and welcome in "new" business, be prepared to take it in whatever way it comes to you. Suggesting that you welcome new clients is suggesting you're not booked solid. Judging by the parking lot (I was the only car) and the doctors shuffling around as I stood there waiting to see if someone would be able to help me was further evidence that they definitely had room to take on more paying clients. They just don't have room to take on new clients that don't do things THEIR way (setting up an appointment weeks in advance, PLANNING for nagging injuries or aches, going through an insurance carrier, etc.) I was a walk-in customer that was prepared to turn over my credit card to receive immediate attention. I essentially had an open "budget" when I walked in there because the pain was strong enough, and I wasn't in a mood to haggle over pricing or fee schedules. To me, immediate attention (time constraint) was more important than what it might cost (budget constraint). I had no idea what quality might come from being a walk-in, but I was willing to roll the dice to get rid of the kink so I wasn't a difficult customer to please at that moment. They couldn't even mildly accommodate me though.

Having read all of this, what are the odds I'll return? They weren't prepared to do business on my terms--take my credit card, some information, and administer a damn massage. They wanted me to jump through their hoops at their pace JUST to do business. I wasn't a complicated case--just a simple massage today, please. Tomorrow I may decide I need x-rays and doctor assistance, but let me make that decision. Your policies and procedures shouldn't prevent you from taking someone's money and giving them what they want (within the broadest objectives of your overall business) as quickly as reasonably possible.

I worked in outside sales for two technology companies that I frequently challenged during sales meetings with this question:
"If a customer walked through that door RIGHT NOW and offered us cash to buy something we have in stock, could we sell it to them in less than 20 minutes?" You'd be shocked at the answer each time--it was "no, we're not setup like a retail outlet like that. They'd have to fill out customer information, a credit application, references, etc." What?!? To pay cash, they'd have to do all of that? Asinine and utterly amazing yet extremely true. That's how some businesses set themselves up though. Don't be one of those--be prepared to make it easy for someone to do business with you. Complicating things just to have a process or system in place is one of the dumbest things you can do if it doesn't make it easy for someone new to do business with you. That's common sense, but it's amazing how uncommon that is anymore.

I found this post worth sharing from "Creating Passionate Users" blog.

Michael Wade of Execupundit originally found this, and it's good stuff indeed!

Earlier this afternoon, Brown knocked on my door (UPS). Initially I thought to myself "I didn't order anything so what could this be?" Upon accepting the package I noticed it was from Total Training.

For a little background, Total Training makes software tutorials for a lot of different Adobe titles such as Flash, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, etc. They also make an ASP tutorial. I have used their Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop and ASP products to date, and I would recommend them all. I really like their stuff.

The package that I received today was their ASP training which I already had a copy of so I began to think that they had made a mistake in my favor--I had already started thinking about what I wanted to charge on E-bay to sell the "spare." Then I discovered a note inside explaining that they had received some complaints about some of the ASP tutorials and figured out there was a problem with some of the DVDs. Their solution was to send out updated copies to everyone who had purchased the title prior to a specific date--I hadn't noticed any problems with my copy, but I found their solution refreshing to say the least.

The reason I found this so refreshing was they didn't communicate in any way that they were doing this. They just did it! No questions asked. No expectations set to where I might be waiting for the update to show up at my doorstep. It just "magically" appeared today.

This got me to thinking--if you or your business discover a problem with one of your products, it may be easier to be proactive and just fix it for every purchaser within a specific timeframe versus calling or e-mailing around to try to figure out the impact then doing something. I was already a Total Training fan before this incident, but I'm becoming more of a loyal customer now that I see they operate this way. This is how great customer service should be done.

As Nike's slogan has suggested for so long, "Just Do It!"

In the spirit of poor customer service as journalized on this blog about Tumbleweed, it seems my newly found friend Paul McEnany of Hee-Haw Marketing blogging fame has created quite a following with his Hurricane Kohls postings. They haven't died--Into PR has another commentary on the situation today.

It's good to see things like this spread in order to force businesses to react, and it's also nice to see these things carry on a life of their own. Hurricane Kohls hasn't died down yet!

Found this over on IntoPR.com: Zappos.com: 3 Steps to Great Customer Service


It's good to see KY based companies doing well and getting positive reviews from the public.

Lately, I've been harsh on a few companies for their lack of service or, far worse, uncommitted executive leadership. Today, I experienced the flip side of that and wanted to share the experience to demonstrate equality.

I just returned from a visit to the local Big-O Tire Center around the corner from me because my Cherokee driver's side front tire had been losing air the past few days and was affecting the drive-ability of the vehicle. I figured I must have run over a nail, glass or whatever and was prepared to have to shell out for at least one new tire if it was glass which meant two new tires (to me) to balance everything out. I felt guilty for not visiting the Goodyear store a friend of mine happens to work, but the tire was awfully low (i.e. flat) so I didn't want to push it. The Goodyear is at least 15 miles away so that eliminated that from consideration rather quickly today. Not many gas stations offer tire repair these days so the choices are rather limited.

To my surprise, according to the technician, there was nothing wrong with the tire other than the lip had slightly bubbled under the rim just enough to allow air to slowly escape. He said SUVs and trucks have that happen every now and again. Ok, great! The beauty of it all--they didn't charge me a dime to fix it! Even though I have that friend that works at a tire shop some 15 miles away that would undoubtedly give me a good deal should I need tires or work done on my vehicle, I'll likely go to Big-O the next time I need tires for two reasons: 1) this act of uncommon kindness and 2) it's within walking distance of my home so it's extremely convenient.

Big-O has at least earned my business the next time I need tires without even doing anything to market to me or hook me to come in. They showed me they might actually care about their customers and doing the right thing even if it doesn't translate into immediate revenue or profits. I've already told three people (friend, girlfriend, and dad) about this without prompting from the folks at Big-O--I'm happy to share this kind of news because it's so rare. It beats the hell out of griping about something, too.

What's the last uncommonly good encounter you've had with a business lately? Hopefully some folks find working with my consulting company worthy of frequent unprompted praise at some point along the way.

Yesterday, I noticed a television ad for a local Tex-Mex chain named Tumbleweed that is based here in Louisville promoting a website (Tell Terry What You Think) to tell their CEO (Terry Smith) what you think. A couple of months ago, I had a rotten experience in one of their restaurants simply trying to place a carry out order when I dropped in on my way home one night, and I wanted to tell someone higher up within their company in hopes they'd do something about it. I decided to tell the CEO about my experience via his new website. I figured if the guy was willing to shell out the money to generate a television ad, he must be serious about fixing the company's many problems.

Tumbleweed's Main Problems: Tumbleweed used to be a thriving chain that packed customers in every day. There have been several upper level management changes over the years, and the chain has struggled mightily due to Authentic Mexican restaurants sprouting up all around in addition to the fast casual Mexican segment including Q-Doba, Moe's, LaBamba, etc. I used to LOVE Tumbleweed, but their customer service has been consistently poor, and their chips (always stale tasting) and salsa pale in comparison to their top competitors. Their burritos are good, but that's not enough anymore. Anyone can make a pretty good burrito--it's a lot like pizza. Even when it's bad, it's still good enough.

Back to the story: my e-mail outlined my experience in pretty good detail and even offered to help by consulting with the company since that's what I do. I tried to offer solutions to the problems, but it's apparent that all the money spent advertising the website is in hopes that the complimentary e-mails come flooding in because the complaints will be dealt with much like this:
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Roger,

Thank you for making use of my new website and for providing comments on your experience at our Springhurst Tumbleweed. I will pass your comments on to our team in Springhurst and know that they will be disappointed to hear of your experience. It does sound as if one of our team members "dropped the ball" during your carry out order and for that I am deeply sorry and apologize for the inconvenience that it caused you.

If you were to visit one of our restaurants today you would find a guest comment card asking that you request a manager's presence at the first sign of a difficulty in one of our restaurants. We have a new management team in Springhurst and the performance at this restaurant has been well above average over the past few months.

Again, I appreciate your comments and hope you have an opportunity to try Tumbleweed again and tell me what you think.

Terry
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First off, how does his recommended solution of trying Tumbleweed again (on my dime I might add) benefit me in any way? Obviously, in spite of his website and TV ad designed to welcome feedback, the guy doesn't get it! I have little desire to go back, and that's why I e-mailed him in the first place about my unpleasant experience and to offer consulting help. The place needs someone that understands placing the customer first, and this guy is out to lunch if that's really his genuine recommendation and not some detached assistant's. I sincerely hope a CEO doesn't think that's a viable solution to a customer service problem!

I don't like Tumbleweed enough to tolerate rotten service and a brush off from their CEO that basically says to me "get over it" and "visit again because we have new management." Who gives a damn that you have new management? How does that help me with my daily decision making when it comes to choosing a place to eat? I don't choose eateries based on their management team! There are far too many quality competitors out there to lower my expectations to help some self serving organization that doesn't give a rat's ass whether I tell you about my bad experience or not.

Guess what? I'm now telling anyone who will listen in the most public of forums because they neither listened nor cared enough to pay attention. I honestly could care less if they take me up on my consulting offer--I have plenty to do without having to educate this chain that customers pay the bills, and poor customer service is a sign of poor training, poor management, and/or poor hiring practices. In Tumbleweed's case, I vote for all of the above. Add to that: lack of committed leadership.

Lesson to be learned: if you're going to give people a forum to tell you what they think, be prepared for people to take you up on it by telling you exactly what they think--good and bad. If someone complains, take the time to listen and try to provide a legitimate solution as quickly as possible. Don't waste people's time with some canned response that shows you don't really read the complaints. If you only want compliments and positive referrals, it’s best to selectively target only those folks which will tell you what you want to hear. Those that tell you what you need to hear are obviously of little value to you anyway so why bother opening up the lines of communication to everyone?

Tumbleweed, you let me down. I honestly thought you might be trying to recapture some of your past glory by welcoming feedback of all sorts this time and actually doing something about the poor customer service that has marred your chain for years now. Oh well, have fun filing for bankruptcy within the next 3-5 years. It was good knowing you!

I just received another e-mail from Terry (or is it one of his assistants?)

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Roger,

Here's what's in it for you; a juicy USDA choice ribeye steak aged 21 days and grilled over a superhot mesquite wood fire until it's juicy flavor is just right for he your palate. Get this with two great sides and you have one of the best meals for the money found anywhere in Louisville.

If that's not reason enough to visit Tumbleweed you'll just have to guess at what you are missing.

Terry
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WTF?!? If he actually is the one reading and responding to the e-mails, he's more out to lunch than one could ever imagine. This is getting downright comical!

We all have a common set of expectations from certain industries we do business with that we won’t compromise if those expectations aren’t met.

• We expect to hear a dial tone when we pick up the telephone when no one else is using it.
  
• We expect our cars to start in the morning when we get ready to leave for work.
  
• It’s implied that a restaurant will prepare our food properly and follow satisfactory sanitary guidelines.
  
• If we pay our electric bill on time, we expect the lights to work when we flip the switch.
  
• Same goes for the water bill—we expect water when the faucet or shower is “started.”
  

These are expectations set, in part, by the industries providing the service, but they are also engrained in our culture as things to gripe about quickly should there be any form of disruption.