Bet you didn't know that gems in this case means the real deal -- baubles, jewels, and even more to the point -- engagement rings!
There's a young man disrupting the traditionally stodgy jewelry industry with his house calls, custom designs based on storytelling the romance, intricate one-of-a-kind wedding sets for the bride and groom, and an infusion into the family jewelry business (we hasten a guess).
Zameer Kassam is a millennial with a Harvard Business School education. Slated to jump into his family jewelry business, he decided to sow his oats elsewhere. But, his designer mentality beckoned, and he began designing custom engagement rings for friends who took his nuptual business viral. You know how word of mouth works, right?
Assam is bucking all the traditional roadblocks and taking the customer experience to the comforts of home. Using imagery, stories, interviews, and video all in the name of love, Kassam is developing a customer experience for life. He'll not only get the wedding ring to design, but what happens when it's the 10-year-anniversary, when the babies are born and when it's Mother's Day?
Probably the most uncomfortable customer experience for a man is having to open that door into a jeweler for the first time to find the engagement ring. POUNCE! The poor guy is assaulted by lurking sales professionals wanting to lure him into an expensive bauble with no prior knowledge.
Enter Kassam. He's taken the jewelry-buying experience to new and comfy heights. The professionals writing about him suggest it's a new way to do PR.
I disagree, but not so much in this episode. We in PR have been telling stories for years; it's just the packaging of the storytelling that makes people think it's new.
Thumbs up for Kassam, for sure. He's finally disrupting an industry so staid and old guard that hopefully those guys will sit up and take note. It's about time.
How can your business disrupt the tried, true and tired? Think on it as you listen to this week's episode of The Heart of Marketing with John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati.
Thanks for listening!
Resources
Read the Forbes post on Kassam's story.
A Word of Mouth episode to learn more about viral marketing.
Marketing funnels are not dead, contrary to what many think. Our guest today, Jeremy Reeves, is a direct-response copywriter who writes for the sales funnel. He has been so successful that in his career he has generated some $50 million for his clients...wowza. He is a podcaster, guest blogger, social media pro, and as stated an expert in funnels. How can you not listen?
John Gregory Olson tries really hard to get Jeremy's secret so The Heart of Marketing can be as successful, or perhaps just a smidgeon of that success, and he does succeed in getting Jeremy to spill:
Jeremy knows something about building trust to get the customer to tap into the funnel and the product at the narrow bottom.
Jeremy says that funnels need to be transparent or the intention needs to be such.
Funnels should add value, and customers should trust you and want to click deeper because everything you present and position needs to work hand-in-hand with the pillars of heart marketing (OK, maybe that's what Jayme Soulati said).
There is so much more Jeremy covers in today's episode on The Heart of Marketing podcast. If you have a question about funnels and whether you have to do one for your business, then this episode is for you.
And, as you listen, please don't miss The Wizard of Oz connection, courtesy of John Gregory Olson! It's his fault this episode is chock full of laughs (but only in the middle and end, heh).
There's no question Harley Davidson is an iconic brand with immense Boomer loyalty, but can it earn that loyalty among the newest generation of consumer that lacks extra income for luxury purchases the likes of Harley Davidson?
Harley is asking the same thing and expanding its reach abroad to other countries in the hopes of getting consumers to pay the sticker price for a brand new Harley Davidson prestige motorcycle. The company does not want to discount its merchandise at this point; yet, it continues to conduct giveaways of Hogs on its social media sites.
Enter RevZilla
As a relative newcomer to the motorcycle category (nine years), RevZilla out of Philadelphia is banging up the accessories market and earning intense customer loyalty among consumers of gear.
Born of three passionate millennials, RevZilla was recently featured in Bloomberg Businessweek in a story that showcases its amazing connection to consumers via culture, education, and commitment to customer experience.
Gear Geeks attend Rev U, an intense educational/university-type course to educate front-line associates in all things culture, product and the customer experience with satisfaction being numero uno.
John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati (moi) are non-motorcycle savvy, but that doesn't mean that we can't recognize a good marketing story when we see one.
The Heart of Marketing heart pillars of trust, relationship and helpfulness are indicative of RevZilla, and we're so jazzed to have you listen to what makes this company a success.
We are always seeking neat stories for our Go for Heart program, and we did invite Anthony of RevZilla to join us on the show; however, he must be on extended vacation as he never answered (lol).
Listen in if you love the motorcycle experience and see if you agree that RevZilla is banging up the category with the customer and safe gear in mind.
How many times weekly are you asked to take a survey, just a little one, to rank, rate and score someone's performance? Uh-huh, we too. On this episode of The Heart of Marketing, John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati explore the weariness of customer surveys and the ask for that '10' score...or else!
What is the true motive for all of these surveys, anyway? And, let's be clear, there's a difference between:
Surveys
Ratings
Reviews
We do dance around each one as they are all disruptions the customer is feeling about a product or service. Most of us can't get away from them, however, because there are robo-calls that never quit until you comply. There are surveys that pop up in seconds after concluding an online help chat; there are third-party companies assigned to make the phone calls for the auto body repair or the vehicle purchase.
At the end of the day, does all of this data help you better understand your customer? Are you truly using this information to create better widgets and put better customer service reps in the call center?
We may skirt this issue very well, but at the end of the day, the best way to get to know your customers' opinions is to do this very simple thing...take a listen to find out what!
In time for the Fourth of July, the Olympics and the critical U.S. Presidential election, Anheuser-Busch has changed Budweiser to 'America' through November 2016.
Budweiser ads have run the gamut from the Clydesdales to puppies to Millennials, and even a sexist ad that required an apology. The King of Beers is attempting to be all things to all people, but one thing is for sure, it's rebrand to America is all about waving the flag.
(And, a shout out to Mark Schaefer of Businesses Grow blog. Mark summarizes well what John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati frequently talk about on The Heart of Marketing podcast. We're thinking he probably gets a ton of his ideas from us! LOL)
The Trending of Branding
Should all brands wave the pink and the red, white and blue? There are pros and cons. Budweiser and Starbucks, for example, are saturated brands. Consumers are fully aware of these global brands, so what can a brand do in the marketing sense?
Budweiser has been consistently patriotic. It has a history of using the flag and Statue of Liberty on its packaging. When a brand owns packaging real estate, it has opportunity to get creative.
A company needs to understand its mission and also not to forget employee sentiment about events and campaigns. If a company's employees are a melting pot, then extreme branding toward an issue may not work. Getting buy in from all stakeholders is wise when it comes to branding for a cause or national event.
Were there enough hints in the title and sub-title to guess what John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati banter about today? You got it -- The Honest Co. and its trial and tribulations of being, well, honest. This is the Heart of Marketing.
Whomever names a brand Honest is striving for the holy grail, right? Especially in this disrupted age of category change agents, which, ahem, The Honest Co. definitely IS!
We're backing into this episode with cultural values and to say that if you want to be upright and honest with customers, then watch out for the packaging and ingredient vigilantes. They will have you for lunch.
What is a Brand?
Jayme let's John do the talking while she looks up the word 'cache' trying to catch the too-smart John in a mis-pronounciation that fails; alas.
Jessica Alba is a celebrity businesswoman with her own powerful brand, and the company she launched, The Honest Company, is struggling to reach IPO status. Hear what we recommend about branding, legal affairs, and the continuous struggle to keep it above board with all the eyes dotted and major claims that raise the eyebrows.
Today's special edition of The Heart of Marketing Go for Heart program includes Mr. Neal Kielar, owner and creative director at MidModMen+friends, a St. Paul, MN retailer of restored and modern home furnishings.
The award-winning store takes a fresh approach to retailing based on consistent quality of goods, everyday attainability, authentic customer interaction, and social and physical community.
Neal has parlayed his 30 years in brand and content marketing with some of the biggest brands in a variety of industries into his mid-century modern retail operation that puts customer experience and quality first.
Neal shares some of his secrets to keep customers coming back, not to mention is quite modest of the awards his business has won for its value, passion for furniture, approach to creativity in business, and more:
Take a listen as John Gregory Olson interviews Neal Kielar of MidModMen+friends. You will learn just how cool furniture can be.
Resources
Website https://midmodmen.com/
Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/MidModMen/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/midmodmen/
What does it mean to have a heartful business? Believe me it's not woo woo or Kumbaya, but it is being genuine and outwardly compassionate to customers from the inside-out.
When was the last time you explored your heartfulness inside your culture, eh? I'm betting it's been awhile, and perhaps never.
Today, John Gregory Olson and moi, Jayme Soulati, explore the ins and outs of being heartful in business. We have this discussion surrounding our 5 Pillars of Heart Marketing, and we encourage you to listen and understand the concept of what heartfulness means in today's disrupted, fast-paced world.
But, you know what? You can't fake it. If you don't abide by and embody a core of true customer care and compassion, people see right through it. It's not real; it's fake and phony. When you're labeled fake and phony, it's really hard to battle that.
So, listen in and especially guffaw alongside us both as I poke fun at myself, too, for the wrong word choice at the very top of the hour! (In fact, I laughed out loud at one point as I was listening to this episode before I sat down to write; wonder if you will?)
We cover a wide array of topics today all centralized in the end around the customer experience. It's something we've been consistently addressing on our show, and today you'll find some solid examples for your nimble business.
How do you greet your customer after disruption? Are you building new tech opportunities like 3-D printing or an Espresso Book Machine for those who want to self-publish on demand?
This episodes centers around the cool things independent book retailer, Shakespeare & Co., is doing. John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati jump start the conversation with this neat bookstore story and catapult (see that? jump start and catapult) the conversation into business models, customer experience, creating loyal customers, and understanding what customers need.
You might also like:
Tory Sport Exemplifies the New Customer Experience
We often forget that a website is still the face of our business. Too often, we hit a website that is not mobile responsive, has poor imagery, isn't appealing visually, and has no clear message.
Is that your website?
In this episode of The Heart of Marketing, John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati are back with a volley of tips to remind you that your website needs a refresh.
Do check:
1. Images
2. Message
3. Navigation
4. Interaction
5. What else? Take a listen to find out!
Thanks for tuning in!
It's guest appearance time! Today our very special VIP isMichelle Mazur, PhD who is one of those extraordinary speechconsultants (no, she doesn't help you with diction, although sheprobably could) who helps folks determine how to monetize theirspeeches.
So, is a speech the same as a presentation, and what's the best wayto get one cooking for real time, I asked Michelle in this episode.(I am Jayme Soulati, co-host of The Heart ofMarketing podcast with John Gregory Olson, my arch frenemy --because we always nag one another on the show).
BTW, the answer to those two questions are 'blowing in the wind!'(Remember that song??)
Then, I asked whether it was OK to write my deck in my head andthen hit the PowerPoint and create. I'll answer that one --Michelle said, " not usual, Jayme!" Oh, well, I never did conformto the rules, right John?
Michelle has a great story about helping people make money, or not,on stage as an edutainer. The operative word here is STORY. What'syour story? Is it good enough to hit the speaking circuit? How doyou make that leap from free to paid speaking engagements,anyway?
Honestly, I am stuck in the free. I have been paid to speak, butit's not consistent every time. Michelle shares her tips of thetrade, and her energy is boundless. We love this woman for all herexpertise. She has a book, she has a course, she is brilliant atemail marketing and community nurturing, and if I had designs onspeaking for greenbacks, I'd make her my coach -- in a heartbeat(soundbite, please, John!).
Resources
Why Try Viral Marketing?
John Gregory Olson is here today to make fun of me, Jayme Soulati, on this podcast episode on The Heart of Marketing. Listen for it; I promise you'll want to hit our website, click on the purple 'send voicemail' button on the right side of the site and tell John to be nice to me!!
Actually, we thank Al Strauss for listening and doing exactly that -- sending a voicemail from our website. Listen for Al's story in this episode!
But, back to my intense plea for help...
Seriously, Listeners. Let's launch a viral campaign to put John back in his place! I don't want him to pick on me any more, but if the shoe fits, right?Segue...
Is Viral Marketing For You?
There's a mosh pit (yeah, apparently that dates me) of marketing mutations in the jargon-filled world in which we work and play. Among them are:
Word of mouth
Influencer
Referral
Viral
Omnichannel
Even if you're not doing any of the above well, or you're trying desperately to capitalize on viral marketing, why try, seriously), it all boils down to one thing...you're gonna have to listen up to learn what that one thing is for your business -- small, mid-sized, large, or larger. There's a common thread, trust me.
And, while you're listening, do not laugh at my ignorance, dang it.
I am a self-professed Twitterholic -- that's someone who is addicted to Twitter. Truth be told, the changes on the channel have me keeping an eye on things from afar; yet, this remains my very favorite social media channel, and it should be yours, too.
For a global event, the Nuclear Industry Summit, ECI Communications was hired to promote the event with a website from scratch, a Twitter stream from scratch, public and media relations, and video production. It was a huge event with three months to pull it off. I was the Twitter peep behind the scenes for the entire event.
Twitter Nuclear Energy Story
This episode of The Heart of Marketing is a story about live tweeting for an event and what happens prior and beyond. It consists of my tips (I am Jayme Soulati, BTW) on how to use Twitter with best practice to realize the goals for the event.
There was strategy, a thoughtful approach to tweets, a very thoughtful approach to engagement, and a need to bone up on the subject matter quickly to be smart when tweeting. I can honestly share that Twitter was responsible for 90% of the traffic to the nascent website prior to the first multi-media news release being published.
Learn from this episode and please do consider Twitter as one of the best media for your event and even daily content marketing.
You Might Like
In this episode of The Heart of Marketing, John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati share some stories about their own customer experiences that resonate with value, emotion, and making someone feel special.
Jayme was recently a guest at the Grand Hyatt--Washington, DC for a global summit. As she social media-zed her experience in pictures and posted on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Foursquare, the Grand Hyatt was right there saying thanks. Then, a bowl of chips, dip and waters arrived in Jayme's room with a hand-written note of thanks. Can you guess how that made Jayme feel?
Yes, special. And, that's what Tory Burch Sport is doing in NYC -- shaking up the customer experience with a run-way feel in the store and a spa-like relaxed setting for customers to have a seat, speak with designers, have a beverage, and talk style. For its first non-line store experience, Tory Sport is approaching customers drastically different -- on purpose.
How can your business get in this groove? You do know that 'customer experience' is the new marketing buzzword, right? Well, we've talked all about this in Episode 55 on Experiential Marketing, with Trader Joe's and Grocers get local in Dayton, Ohio, too.
The thread that ties it all up in a bow is value, emotion, feeling, and heartfulness. Can you make your customer feel heartful? What do we mean by that, anyway? Listen in, and you'll soon understand what John and I mean. We couldn't resist bringing this story to you because even the Wall Street Journal is getting with the program and featuring Tory Burch Sport and customer experience.
Measuring the success of social media and content marketing is the Holy Grail; make that the illusive Holy Grail. Some do it extremely well, while others suffer attempting to put ROI against a content strategy.
The C-suite seems to ask for ROI against everything done within a company and that often comes without regard for the softer side of marketing (often called public relations).
In this episode of The Heart of Marketing, John Gregory Olson, the extraordinary producer of our show, and me (Jayme Soulati) wax and wane about what ROI means to content marketing and overall strategy.
This episode is my new epic favorite. I am so impressed with our topic as we cover:
1. Why ROI is not always the first best practice to put in place for content marketing
2. The empowered consumer and her control over the marketing funnel and sales decisions
3. Which metrics to put in place all the time that influence ROI
4. Why brands are failing in content marketing by attaching ROI to content
You Might Like:
Do take a look at Episode 2 on The Heart of Marketing where we address marketing ROI!
We never knew how much culture mattered until John Gregory Olson and I began to take a closer look at the goings on at Zenefits (the company with sex in the stairwells and alcohol every day) and Volkswagen.
We've been exploring culture in our Workplace Series because culture IS your heart core. It's the alignment of heartful business practice with values, vision, and mission. When culture heads into a downward spiral, then an entire business suffers.
In this episode of The Heart of Marketing, we take a strategic look at why culture matters and its impact on stakeholders from customers on the outside and employees on the inside.
In the examples we showcase, the impact of negative culture is obvious in how the CEOs made change following negative incidents on the companies brands.
When was the last time you took a good look at your company culture? If you're a small or mid-sized company, you have an opportunity to develop the how and why of your company and to also change it up should you need to.
It's the responsibility of a marketer to align with the intended culture leadership seeks to create, grow and maintain. It's also important to put the best foot forward so people on the outside of a brand want to align with that company.
This episode is a double-listen. It is likely going to take you a few times to grasp all that we have to say as you align your thoughts and vision from how your brand is positioned to grow your company.
Culture is a funny thing in the workplace, and John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati take an inside view at how the mission statement shapes culture shapes productivity shapes the bottom line.
Did you know that? John drops a bombshell with this little factoid about happier employees, happier profitability; sad employees, even worse profitability.
In this episode, another in our Workplace Series, we take a look at several examples of companies like VW, Radio Flyer, Starbucks, and Zenefits. (You know the latter, right? Its culture was so disastrous that...you'll have to listen.)
Our discussion is a sister to our most-downloaded episode 'Specialists v. Generalists,' and if you've not listened yet to Episode 21, do take a listen and tell us why you like that one? It's baffling to us!
Which company do you know that has a fitting culture? We believe Trader Joe's fits its culture very well (we did an episode with this #RockHot company, too), and Starbucks, golden child of Wall Street, is a maverick when it comes to culture; and, its culture is aligned to its mission...
Is Yours?
We are The Heart of Marketing!
Our guest today on the The Heart of Marketing 'Go for Heart' special edition is a genuine and natural heart marketer. Ms. Adrienne Smith joins us with her delightful Southern Belle drawl and her blogging intellect that puts community and connections first. Connect with her on Twitter, and her natural gratitude will invite you in.
There is no other blog on the 'sphere with a comment section so alive and well. When you visit AdrienneSmith.net, you'll find the love everywhere and especially in the oodles of comments she gets and answers daily.
Why is that?
Simply put, Adrienne is the consummate relationship builder. She treats everyone with genuine appreciation and gratitude. Even on Twitter when she thanks someone for sharing material, her gratitude shines through, naturally.
We are also grateful that Adrienne joined us to share her heartful story. We invited her here because she embodies the 5 Pillars of Heart Marketing -- helpfulness being one.
When you listen to Adrienne, you will learn from her tips, appreciate her course, get to work building your own blog community and develop a heart core that people automatically gravitate towards. Adrienne isn't stilted; she isn't phony; she's the real deal, and it's our pleasure to introduce Adrienne Smith to you.
This episode of The Heart of Marketing with John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati is a lot like our most-downloaded episode #21, 'Specialists v. Generalists.' And, we can't figure out why that one is so popular. Can you?
Here, we wax and wane on the topic of marketing consultants. Should you hire one? When is the best time? Why would you ever need one? And, most of all what benefit might you derive from investing in a marketing consultant.
Jayme and John paint the case for making the investment in a marketing consultant because they can:
1. Enhance an experience gap
2. Outfit bandwidth for a specialty project
3. Conduct an outsider audit to understand performance deficiency
4. Become the insider team
There may be a few more ways that come to light in this episode that you've not thought of in re your own growing business. Take a listen, and grab some thoughtstarters to push your business toward another growth goal.
This is a solid conversation with good perspective from the business and consulting sides.
We're delighted to bring you an Instagram expert in Jenn Herman, one of the top 'dogs' in Instagram marketing for newbies and established businesses. This episode on The Heart of Marketing has us (John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati) so excited.
Jenn Herman shares some basic tips that you can incorporate immediately into your Instagram channel, and here are some to whet your whistle:
1. You get 30 hashtags to use in each post; should you use them ALL? Listen to what Jenn has to say!
2. There's only one clickable link allowed in an Instagram profile/bio; did you know this? So what should you do if you want to promote a podcast episode or blog post? Jenn knows!
3. How frequent should your images be uploaded to Instagram? If you do 65 in one hour watch what happens to your followers! Jenn had that client experience and what does she recommend?
4. How much fun can you have with Instagram? Listen to what Jenn has to say about your bio and personality...can you be quirky or stodgy?
5. What if you're a service business? Is it possible to be successful with this unique channel?
6. OMgosh...those memes! Ever feel overwhelmed with peoples' quotes and memes? Jenn sets the record straight with the Instagram rules you should follow!
You're going to want to listen to this episode twice, no doubt. Jenn's talks rapidly and everything she says is a pro tip for Instagram power!
Resources
Instagram: Jenns_Trends
You've been hacked, now what?
Yes, it's inevitable. Your business will get hacked, whether solo, small, mid-sized, large, or largest. The Wall Street Journal published a story about Microsoft's new gazillion dollar cybersecurity center to fight off the hackers.
How are you going to manage your cybersecurity crisis?
This episode of The Heart of Marketing is really more about crisis communications and the preparation for an event much like a data breach. Jayme Soulati, that's me, is speaking to the Napa Valley Vintners to help wineries prepare for their response in event of a cybersecurity matter.
Regardless of which industry in which you play and work, cybersecurity doesn't care. Hackers will take you down if you lack secure passwords, have not updated your software, don't have firewalls, do not have security plugins, do not encrypt your data, and don't know what your third-party vendors do for security.
Once the crisis hits, and it will, how will you respond? A message map is number one, but there are also other basics like control your message, develop owned media with approved messages, stay calm and be accessible.
Listen to our episode with John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati and see if we can teach you a few tips on responding during a crisis. It doesn't matter if it's cybersecurity or not; you can use what you hear for whichever matter you're managing.
We owe Christopher Beam, a journalist with Bloomberg BusinessWeek great applause for his story, Ancient Branding Secrets of The Shaolin Temple, that provides the core of today's episode on The Heart of Marketing.
Jayme Soulati and John Gregory Olson take a reverse look at media relations from the perspective of the journalist as he shares the story about Shi Yongxin and his escapades to turn a small monastery in China, The Shaolin Temple, into a tourist attraction in Australia.
The commercialization of culture could be the crisis communications story because Yongxin does everything wrong and gets caught in the process (yet his plan continues). The story is so fascinating and Jayme intended to share the elements of national news you need to know before earning a story in BusinessWeek or the Wall Street Journal.
This episode shares more tips for companies and business owners about the pitfalls of being targeted by media to tips for preparation should it happen. Jayme, a former media relations agency pro in Chicago's PR firms, talks about story elements, whether the media can be trusted, how social media is a negative during scandal, and more.
Resources
IKEA and the New Rules of News
Take a seat, because you're in for a fast ride as John Gregory Olson permits Jayme Soulati to cut loose and ponder the brand.
That's a loaded sentence and when you listen, it applies, absolutely. It's a fast-paced episode about who's behind the brand and what is personifying the brand image and whether the call center even plays along.
The impetus for this topic we owe to Adam Toporek of Crack the Customer Code podcast and Customers That Stick. He began a discussion about whether brands can have a relationship with customers and especially millennials.
This led to a lively back and forth about who's behind Twitter. Is it the CEO or just a social media pro keeping the messages alive. If you interact with a brand, do you get to speak with a person? Should you?
In this episode, we talk about Chipotle, VW, Adam Toporek, Saks Fifth Avenue, Babolat, and more.
Today marks the first edition in our new Go for Heart program in which John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati feature heart stories from marketers making connections with customers.
What sets Katie Kiyo of Big Hug, LLC in Detroit apart from peers in her space is her natural desire to build an enduring relationship with her clients. She welcomes any complaint as a gift, and she gets very few, but it's how she handles them that differentiate her.
Big Hug, two powerful words that honor the gift giver and gift recipient, puts special touches on every gift that flows through the company. Katie, a former advertising executive, ensures that she stays fully connected to her clients. She listens to what they want and strives to create more innovative gifts to honor people and pets.
The Go for Heart program seeks heart stories like Katie's. The program launched to commemorate the first anniversary of the Heart of Marketing podcast and to recognize marketers and entrepreneurs in small-to-medium enterprises who deliver heartful marketing every day.
To submit your heart story, please visit http://getheartmarketing.com/go-for-heart-program.
Ahh, that always-headline-bait 'dead' thing everyone likes to toss out works, right? When you listen to The Heart of Marketing with Adam Toporek, author of 'Be Your Customer's Hero,' and podcaster on 'Crack the Customer Code,' he said so, for realz.
And, then he didn't.
Just because a Customer Service Expert says customer service is dead you need to listen twice and read more to ensure that someone isn't joking around, like Adam, the jokester.
Customer service is an investment, and the reason it may seem dead to many is due to the fact that there are bigger monopolies and consolidations in industries (again) and the largest corporations don't have the competition that requires them to invest in customer service and play nice with we who pay their bills.
Adam says that customer service is also a great equalizer. It allows the small-to-medium enterprise to compete for business from the big guns and retailers that command the largest market share.
Adam addresses a magic pill which may be very much like building a bridge to the customer experience.
Think about that.
When was the last time you got great customer service?
For me, it was when the smallest business and solopreneur called me to thank me for joining their digital community.That was Adrienne Smith, the consummate community builder and pro blogger.
Or, when the new email service provider we just got for The Heart of Marketing called to ask if everything was going well and did we need any assistance. That was Get Response, the best provider for customer service.
Adam lives and breathes customer service. He's a franchise owner, and MBA, and a really smart guy. We encourage you to get his book and listen to his podcast, too; after you listen to ours first, ahem.
Thanks, Adam! You're #RockHot!
Resources
http://twitter.com/AdamToporek
'Be Your Customer's Hero' by Adam Toporek
Crack the Customer Code on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and elsewhere