Most marketers would agree that having and demonstrating they know the customer well is a key to great customer service. Nevertheless, it is possible to go overboard when trying to know the customer well. The signs I found in a Western Kansas Days Inn demonstrate that knowledge can also be a little disconcerting when it's less about providing great customer service and appears to be more about micro-managing the customer experience.
For instance, not sure I wanted to know—via this sign on the table by the television—that the customer experience of the previous occupants of my room had possibly involved cleaning game or boarding hunting dogs where I was walking around barefoot.
On the other hand, I found it interesting that those same bird-shooting, dog-keeping occupants were significant consumers of beauty aids that must be removed with a special cloth.
Finally though, I did appreciate that while the hotel management was going to charge me if I stole any of the linens, that they were going to check daily to make sure that I was following good hygiene practices.
How do you react when it feels as if a brand is micro-managing the customer experience? Do you appreciate the deep knowledge they have about you and does it translate into great customer service? Or would you prefer the brand simply back off and give you some room? – Barrett Sydnor
The Brainzooming Group helps make smart organizations more successful by rapidly expanding their strategic options and creating innovative plans they can efficiently implement. Email us at info@brainzooming.com or call us at 816-509-5320 to learn how we can help you enhance your customer service in a smart way without seeming as if you're micro-managing the customer experience.
