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In your customers’ shoes

January 27th, 2009 in Marketing by


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Yesterday was a public holiday in Auckland, so we went out for breakfast. It’s the law here that you have to give staff overtime rates and an extra day off for working public holidays. That’s 2-3 times minimum wage, more or less, but still expensive, so it’s become the norm to charge an extra 15% on normal prices. Anyway, here we are in a crowded restaurant and I’m wondering how many of us get annoyed about being nickel-and-dimed like this.

Not as annoyed as we were on another occasion. After waiting in a long line for ice creams at a city beach, we were told when we reached the counter that they were an extra 15%. To cover the extra cost? Yeah right. They didn’t have extra costs, they had extra opportunities – a hot summer day, holiday crowds and a monopoly position. I reckon they were probably close to doubling their normal margin on a huge sales day.

…And everything I’ve said is probably wrong. But I’m a customer. I’m not always right but I always have an opinion.

Times are tough so this is a great time to consider how many of your business policies and touch points aggravate your customers. And fix them.

Cheers, Ian

PS I know we’re not perfect, so if you reckon this is the pot calling the kettle black, please leave a comment or email us.

 

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    • Mark Miller

      Ian,

      This is a great post, but I’m sorry to say in my recent experience it’s the Pot calling the Kettle Black.

      I was one of the top 20 Beta testers for PJ remix and I was given a very kind gift of a lifetime subscription. The reality is I’d never have needed it because I always intended to be a Queensberry customer. Then PJ went free to everyone so my gift (and the other 19 Top Beta testers’) was totally worthless anyway.

      Fast forward a few weeks to the Christmas rush. 3 Albums I ordered had queries – 1 because I had put different dates on the title/motif and 2 because I had ordered DVD cases but had not specified the lining colour. Of course there is no place to specify the lining cover – it’s a free text entry. For all 3 of these orders I did not get the PJ credit.

      The problems were sorted out and the PJ credit applied but I’m still left with a bitter taste over this. It would have been nice to get an email, or even a message saying “Sorry, we were a bit over zealous with our systems” – but I didn’t. Instead I got a justification for why these systems are in place. I understand the need for systems, but I also know the need to value your customers. The DVD case issue is, I believe, a farce. Given that there is no form, or check box within PJ, I may as well have sent an email asking for it to be added to my order. I wonder, if I’d sent an email, but had not specified the lining colour, would you have charged me extra?

      You sent an email out at Christmas thanking your customers for their friendship. I would love to be friends with Queensberry and have tried to offer you my friendship and loyalty, but I’m increasingly of the view that, on the subject of friendship, Queensberry take a similar approach to the US President in ‘Love Actually’ – “I’ll give you anything you ask for – as long as it’s not something I don’t want to give.”

      BTW – my criticisms are not directed at any individual – everyone I deal with at Queesnberry is lovely.

      Mark

    • Mark Miller

      Ian,

      This is a great post, but I’m sorry to say in my recent experience it’s the Pot calling the Kettle Black.

      I was one of the top 20 Beta testers for PJ remix and I was given a very kind gift of a lifetime subscription. The reality is I’d never have needed it because I always intended to be a Queensberry customer. Then PJ went free to everyone so my gift (and the other 19 Top Beta testers’) was totally worthless anyway.

      Fast forward a few weeks to the Christmas rush. 3 Albums I ordered had queries – 1 because I had put different dates on the title/motif and 2 because I had ordered DVD cases but had not specified the lining colour. Of course there is no place to specify the lining cover – it’s a free text entry. For all 3 of these orders I did not get the PJ credit.

      The problems were sorted out and the PJ credit applied but I’m still left with a bitter taste over this. It would have been nice to get an email, or even a message saying “Sorry, we were a bit over zealous with our systems” – but I didn’t. Instead I got a justification for why these systems are in place. I understand the need for systems, but I also know the need to value your customers. The DVD case issue is, I believe, a farce. Given that there is no form, or check box within PJ, I may as well have sent an email asking for it to be added to my order. I wonder, if I’d sent an email, but had not specified the lining colour, would you have charged me extra?

      You sent an email out at Christmas thanking your customers for their friendship. I would love to be friends with Queensberry and have tried to offer you my friendship and loyalty, but I’m increasingly of the view that, on the subject of friendship, Queensberry take a similar approach to the US President in ‘Love Actually’ – “I’ll give you anything you ask for – as long as it’s not something I don’t want to give.”

      BTW – my criticisms are not directed at any individual – everyone I deal with at Queesnberry is lovely.

      Mark

    • nigel

      Hi Mark

      Thanks for your comments. We’re sorry for your frustration and take your feedback seriously. We’ll definitely be looking into these issues and will be in touch with you soon.

      Thanks again for your thoughts

      Warm regards, Nigel

    • nigel

      Hi Mark

      Thanks for your comments. We’re sorry for your frustration and take your feedback seriously. We’ll definitely be looking into these issues and will be in touch with you soon.

      Thanks again for your thoughts

      Warm regards, Nigel

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