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Great Customer Experiences Light Up Your Brand for Many Years

Customers experiencing service so good that they want to put it in print and tell the world is every business owner’s dream. It's publicity you can’t buy.


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James L Katzaman

2 years ago | 7 min read

Be ready anytime people happily sing your praises

Photo by Greyson Joralemon on Unsplash

Customers experiencing service so good that they want to put it in print and tell the world is every business owner’s dream. It’s the type of publicity you can’t buy.

That’s exactly the outcome Dan Gingiss describes in his book, “The Experience Maker: How To Create Remarkable Experiences That Your Customers Can’t Wait To Share.”

A customer experience and marketing keynote speaker, Gingiss has a 20-year corporate background at companies such as McDonald’s, Discover and Humana. He helps businesses create experiences that customers can’t wait to share with friends and social media followers.

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Gingiss talked with digital marketing expert Madalyn Sklar about making customer experiences sharable.

Social media professionals should care about customer experience. That practically defines their role — encouraging people to like and support a brand while not being broadcasters.

“Much of a company’s customer experience — good and bad — ends up shared on social media, requiring social teams to listen and respond,” Gingiss said.

“Social media has given customers a ‘voice’ that they didn’t have in the past,” he said. “When I was younger, the only way to communicate with a company was to write them a letter. Today I can tweet and expect a near-instant response.”

He noted that social media is a channel both to collect feedback on customer experiences and to create them.

“Providing a great customer experience is part of what attracts people to your brand,” Sklar said. “People are more inclined to purchase from brands they find to be trustworthy, supportive and reliable.”

Unsolicited Goodness

Anytime a customer states happiness about an experience, marketers should do their best to get the word out. User-generated content is free and most credible.

“Customers share the experiences at both ends of the spectrum — very positive and very negative,” Gingiss said. “What doesn’t get shared is what my millennial friends call ‘meh.’ No one shares an ordinary experience.”

Research from digital experience platform Acquia found that 30 percent of consumers say they would share a negative experience on social media, but nearly 50 percent say the same thing about a positive experience.

“Therein lies the opportunity for companies: Create more positive customer experiences,” Gingiss said.

“Data from Acquia says the people are more willing to share positive experiences than negative ones,” he said. “The problem is that there aren’t enough positive examples to share.”

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Gingiss’ book, “The Experience Maker,” introduces a framework called WISER, which contains the keys to creating experiences that people want to talk about. WISER stands for Witty, Immersive, Shareable, Extraordinary and Responsive.

“If you go above and beyond for your customers, they’ll be more likely to share that with their audience,” Sklar said. “Consider how you can take your overall customer experience to the next level as a way to deliver something that’s truly unique.”

Business owners can encourage customers to share their experiences on social media.

“The key is to create an experience where customers spontaneously pull out their phones and take a picture or video,” Gingiss said. “This is usually accomplished by doing something unique or unexpected.

“What we don’t want to do is overtly push for shares: ‘Follow us, share this, tag us, use our hashtag’ — too many instructions,” he said. “Customers don’t want to be told what to do.”

Pull Positives From Positives

Rather than that, prompt people to take action.

“Understanding that customers are willing to share positive experiences than negative ones, companies must find more opportunities to deliver positivity,” Gingiss said. “Let’s face it: The world needs more positivity right now.”

Sklar emphasized the importance of just asking for endorsements.

“Let them know it has a huge impact on your brand when your customers share about their experience,” she said. “Invite them to do the same. For many, they’ll be happy to share with their audience.”

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When customers share positive experiences, there is an easy, sensible response.

“First and foremost, you must actually respond,” Gingiss said. “If I got off stage after a keynote presentation and someone said they loved my speech but I ignored them, how would they feel? Yet, companies do exactly this every day on social media.

“Say thank you,” he said. “Share some love and appreciation back to the customer.”

That shows you appreciate their time and effort.

“When someone takes time out of their busy day and uses their personal social capital to compliment your brand, the least you can do is respond to them and say thank you,” Gingiss said.

Responses to customers should be heartfelt and meaningful.

“When customers share positive experiences, express your gratitude,” Sklar said. “Say thank you. Let them know how appreciative you are of them for being part of your community.”

Fast to the Rescue

Negative experiences especially need quick responses. Find out the nature of the problem. Then follow up promptly with a solution. People throughout social media are watching how you perform.

“This was the topic of my first book, ‘Winning at Social Customer Care: How Top Brands Create Engaging Experiences on Social Media,’” Gingiss said. “The first step is to respond to everyone with a legitimate complaint. Show empathy and a genuine desire to solve the problem.

“Answer complaints on the same channel,” he said. “Do not make customers switch to a different channel for your own convenience. Can you imagine if a telephone agent asked people to tweet instead? Yes, countless companies ask customers who tweet to call instead.”

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Depending on sensitivities, not everything has to be out in the open.

“Answer as much as you can publicly,” Gingiss said. “If there are privacy issues, direct the customer to the direct-message area of the same channel, such as Twitter DM.”

Take advantage of any lessons that come along.

“With negative experiences, it’s important that you learn something from the situation,” Sklar said. “If a customer is sharing constructive criticism, take it to heart and see if there’s something you can do to improve the situation.

“You always want to deal with these negative situations quickly and respectfully,” she said. “Don’t leave them waiting. Never engage in an argument with someone online. That’s never a good look.”

Verifiable Truth

Sharing experiences on social media gets worldwide attention to your brand, showing why it deserves everyone’s support.

“Ratings, reviews and customer feedback on social media are much more credible than a company talking about itself,” Gingiss said. “Especially if we are creating positive experiences for our customers, we should want them to share.

“I like to say that a remarkable customer experience can be your best marketing strategy,” he said. “When companies do it right, their customers or clients become their best source of referrals and new business.”

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The source of a review adds to its credibility.

“Authentic customer commentary is far more credible than anything a CEO or marketing department can say,” Gingiss said. “People want to know ahead of time what it’s going to be like to do business with you.”

For that, they need not go further than their online feeds.

“Customers sharing their experiences with your brand essentially provides social proof,” Sklar said. “Through positive messages, they’ll be able to see that you’re a trustworthy brand that provides value and cares about its customers. That’s key for potential customers.”

Those who share positive experiences can be rewarded in tactful ways.

“One of the best ways to reward customers is to acknowledge them publicly,” Gingiss said. “Who doesn’t love it when a brand mentions them on Twitter? Sometimes all it takes is a simple like or retweet.

“I have seen fun examples of companies offering a ‘surprise and delight’ to customers who share positive experiences,” he said. “Think of a free room service dessert at a hotel. It’s not promised or guaranteed. It’s intentionally spontaneous.”

Intangible Thanks

As with any well-meaning gift, it’s the thought that counts.

“It’s not necessary to reward customers with anything tangible,” Gingiss said. “In fact, that could backfire and make it look like the company is paying for compliments.”

The outcome of good engagement has long-term benefits.

“Rewarding those customers can lead to repeat sales and encourage them to share more about their positive experiences in the future,” Sklar said.

“You could offer these customers a discount or even send a small gift in the mail,” she said. “Something simple to show your appreciation goes a long way.”

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After getting customers’ permission, incorporate their favorable reviews throughout your marketing content. Don’t be surprised if they come up with better messages than high-priced professionals.

“Take screenshots of the messages you receive from customers,” Sklar said.

“You can occasionally share them on your social media platforms in the form of graphics just to let everyone know what others have to say about your brand,” she said. “Be sure to ask for permission first.”

There is no statute of limitations for being courteous.

“Respond to everyone who ever made a suggestion you implemented, even if it’s years later,” Gingiss said. “Highlight customer feedback from social media in other marketing channels.

“Retweet the best customer comments,” he said. “It will make them feel like your №1 customer.”

That applies to those who first engaged as critics.

“A bad customer experience is often fixable,” Gingiss said. “It can easily turn a brand detractor into a brand advocate.”

About The Author

Jim Katzaman is a manager at Largo Financial Services and worked in public affairs for the Air Force and federal government. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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James L Katzaman

Jim Katzaman is a charter member of the Tealfeed Creators' program, focusing on marketing and its benefits for companies and consumers. Connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn as well as subscribing here on Tealfeed.


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