Loyalty is Overrated

When I receive communications from brands that begin with ‘Thank you for being a loyal customer bla bla bla…’, I feel like strangling the copywriter who wrote that opening.

But I am a fellow copywriter too, so perhaps just a smacking will suffice.

If I can’t find Coke, I’d probably drink Pepsi. No Pringles? Yeah okay, Mr. Potato will do. When Maxis sucked, I moved on to Digi.

Like most consumers, I’m hardly loyal. And I’ve repeatedly cheated on the brands that think I am their loyal customer. There is a significant difference between being loyal to a brand and being loyal to something that influences your life such as a loved one.

That difference is called emotion.

Mind of a Consumer
Brands can never ever evoke true loyalty, there's always room for cheating

Brands try really hard to make an emotional connection with their customers, but often fail miserably. There is just no way for a brand to replace what really matters; like family, friends, career and all other attributes that make up our personality.

So I feel annoyed at the capacity of brands to assume that I am loyal to an entity that is purely after my money. But the truth is:

I am not loyal, I have no choice.

I would end my relationship with you the moment someone offers me a better deal, and as long as I have nothing to lose by moving on.

Yes, the caveat is ‘if I have nothing to lose’. Which is why, mortgages have a ‘lock-in’ period that charges a hefty sum. Also the reason behind why telcos have contracts that impose a penalty upon termination.

And then they have the cheek to call me loyal!

If brand communications were truthful, then that letter would say ‘thank you for not going to our competitor, we really need your money to pay our inflated corporate salaries bla bla bla…’

Little Things…

You know, advertising isn’t always about big budgets, kick-ass creatives and mind-boggling strategies.

Sometimes, all it takes a little bit of genuine effort to keep customers happy.

Have you heard about an American restaurant chain called Red Robin? Neither have I, until I read about how they created loads of positive media attention for just USD$11.50 (about RM34.70).

Noticing a heavily pregnant customer at his restaurant, the manager of Red Robin, North Carolina did this:

redrobinreceipt
USD$11.50 discount with a very personal message

Yes, this was just an employee making a positive gesture, something that is severely lacking in Malaysian restaurants that for sure.

But the customer was so appreciative of the gesture that she decided to tell the world. That little piece of receipt went social and then viral, and ultimately made national headlines in the US.

You might think could have happened at any restaurant chain in America. Not really. Red Robin’s employees practice a culture called ‘Unbridled Act’, which encourages positive behavior.

Smiles Ahead
Smiles Ahead! Keep them smiling to get them talking...

And apparently, this wasn’t the first discount given at random to customers. They’ve been doing it for a while, it just so happens that this particular gesture made the news, probably because of the oh-so-sweet personal message.

Intentional or not, it worked. And worked in a way that even a big budget 30-sec TVC or a print ad with a catchy headline will never emulate.

Sometimes, it’s just about the little things. You know?

Funny Business

Advertising and humour often go hand-in-hand. But do funny ads actually work?

As you may be aware, I am a fan of comedy. I just love being humoured; by comedians, sitcoms, friends and sometimes, ads too.

For a copywriter like me, humour offers a much-needed respite from all the mind-numbing chaos.

So here’s a recent ad from Maxis that I thought was really funny. Yes, I am amazed at myself for showcasing a Maxis ad positively, considering how I whacked them the last time. But credit is due where it is due I suppose.

But wait. On with the ad first…

Now, if you are like me – someone who absolutely hates online videos that go into buffering mode – you may have found the ad funny. But did the ad compel any kind of action from you?

Again, if you are like me – someone who can be a real lazy arse sometimes – you didn’t take any action. As in call Maxis, look for more info online or run to the nearest Maxis outlet to register for this wonderful fibre internet.

Clowning
Don't clown around, unless you are promoting a clown...

This is the problem with funny ads. While they may steal your attention and be memorable; it doesn’t guarantee a response from consumers.

And don’t for a moment think being funny improves brand awareness either.

People usually only remember that a particular ad is funny, but often struggle to remember the brand or product. Think about your favourite funny ad; do you remember the product?

Ace Metrix – a television and video analytics agency – studied funny ads in the US for over a year and drew the following conclusions:

  • Funny ads were memorable and appealing, but were less likely to increase desire or purchase intent
  • Humour in ads work better when it is used as a supplement rather than a replacement

When consumers are not compelled to take action after seeing your ad, it usually means money down the drain.

So be funny at your own peril, or risk becoming a joke.

Popularity is Overrated

Many brands make the mistake of trying to be popular. They set out to appeal to everyone, but please no one.

Branding is not a popularity contest, but about finding people who will fall in love with your brand. Yes, there is a difference.

Mr. Mark
This was probably his screensaver when he was coding FB...

Being popular may put you on the map, but do people actually like you? For instance, Microsoft is a hugely popular brand but I am certain it’s the most cursed brand in the world as well – thanks to stupid-friggin-Windows!

What if a brand yearns to be unpopular? It means the brand takes a unique stand, which most people may hate, but can cultivate a devoted following from whoever’s left. Take UMobile for instance – probably the most unpopular of all the telcos – but they have 2 million registered customers.

Look at it this way, even the most popular brand in the world cannot claim their popularity extends to everyone. Like Astro apparently is Malaysia’s Brand of the Year, which would indicate a high degree of popularity. Obviously they didn’t ask for my opinion.

In a world where little niches appear every single day, there is no way a brand can appeal to everyone, making mass advertising strategies severely flawed.

There’s a saying in showbiz that aptly summarizes taking an unpopular stance:

“When 50% of the people loves you,
and the other 50% hates you; you know you’ve arrived

So it’s okay to be an unpopular brand, because there will still be a bunch of people who think you are absolutely awesome.

And before you think I’m some kind of branding genius, read Erika Napoletano’s The Power of Un-Popular for more insights. But I can still whip up decent brand strategies you know?

Brand or Friend?

I have been having many late nights over the last few weeks. Thanks to a dear friend that makes his appearance from abroad every year or so.

And this friend of mine wields a strange form of magic. Whenever he is around, he is able to round up the troops. I mean he is the only person who can gather all the friends and acquaintances that I don’t normally hang out with these days.

True Friend
Don't wanna spoil this image with a caption, it says it all!

He is the head of the clan of sorts; the guy that everyone wants to chill with – I call him ‘the chief’.

Needless to say, we all have a great time whenever the chief is around. To an outsider, it may seem like we all hang out together all the time.

But as soon as he flies back, I probably would not meet any of the clan members – except for a couple perhaps – until the next time the chief returns.

The camaraderie that we rediscovered will suddenly vanish.

You know what this proves? It seems we humans need something or someone we can all relate with – in this case a true friend – before we devote our Attention, Time and Effort.

And in advertising and marketing communications; we try to get people to devote their:

Attention to notice our product
Time for us to build relationships, and
Effort to actually buy our product

So maybe brands should endeavor to behave more like good friends to consumers rather than faceless, profit-driven entities.

Think about your favourite brand; is it reliable, offers comfort and makes you feel good? That brand is in fact your friend.

And to the chief, I bid you farewell and wish you the best till the next time. Now I need to repay some sleep debt…. Cheers!

So We’re Bashing Up Customers Now?

If you can’t serve your customers, bash them up. A method practiced by a certain KFC employee; allegedly of course.

But you can’t refute the video evidence. Even if he was provoked, this is still no reason for an employee of a global fast food chain to get all Bruce Lee with anyone; let alone a customer.

But strangely, I wasn’t all too surprised.

That’s because I’ve been noticing the lowering standards of customer service in Malaysia for many years now. I’ve also written about my own experiences and the possible reasons behind such dismal customer service.

The KFC tagline these days is “So Good”. I guess they are not only referring to the chicken (again, allegedly), but also to the whacking that one would get from disgruntled employees.

But that’s the problem isn’t it. The brand spends millions to say something and the employees – who are probably working long, unforgiving hours for pittance – say another. There is hardly any synergy between what you see and what you get from Malaysian businesses these days.

KFC is Smackin Good
He was, after all, a Colonel... don't be charmed by that smile!

And the worst part, no one is bothered.

Like the many customer service mishaps of the past, this video will be forgotten and conveniently dismissed as a one-time-only incident beyond the company’s control.

But I would really like to see is Ronald McDonald kick someone’s ass though… that would be awesomely funny!

One, Two, Many Coupons

They’re everywhere these days; those ridiculously low-priced coupon deals for everything from sumptuous 3-course meals to ‘spa treatments’ in dodgy parts of Kepong.

Value-for-money seems to be the favoured business model for many businesses nowadays. But how long before offering products and services on-the-cheap eventually becomes bad for business?

Discounts Galore
Coupon deals are great for consumers; but not so for businesses...

Yes, we all like bargains. But if the bargain does not live up to the intended expectations, most of us would rather pay slightly more the next time – be it for better quality or improved service.

Even if you are satisfied with a particular coupon deal; would you return to the same outlet and pay ‘regular’ price for the same thing? Which – if I may remind you – can be up to 70% more?

Highly unlikely.

If you’re a business, and thinking of jumping onto the coupon deals bandwagon to attract customers, consider these:

  1. Is it worth cheapening your brand or business by offering high discounts just to attract one-time-only customers?
  2. You might get a high influx of customers in a short period of time. Can you or your staff handle a flood of customers and serve them properly?
  3. You don’t usually make a profit, especially if you offer a high discount. Sometimes you won’t even break even. Seems like a pointless exercise.
  4. Don’t expect prolonged advertising mileage by offering coupon deals. The people who use coupons are bargain-hunters who forget you as soon as you go back to normal price.
  5. The non-bargain hunter customers (the ones that you really want as customers) will see you as desperate for business. Not the kind of image you want to portray.

So instead of ‘selling out’ your business to coupon deal sites, why not invest in promotions that are easy to create and implement. You get the kind of customers you want, and get to sell at the price you want.

You know who to talk to 😉

Lose the Ego or Lose Customers

You hardly get a ‘thank you’ these days. Service with a smile? Forget about it! Being served up to expectations is as rare as a working public payphone. Yet we let companies, businesses, service providers and brands get away with it.

The truth is we have become so accustomed to shoddy service that we don’t really care anymore.

“Just give me what I want, and I’ll be out of here” we say to ourselves.

30-minute service
Damn! It never crossed my mind to do this... but my time will come. Wuahaha!

Don’t businesses know that customer service is way too important to neglect? Businesses do know it, but the people who deliver the service don’t.

A business can make its employees wear as many “Service 1st” or “I Serve with a Smile” badges for the sake of improving service levels. But if the person delivering the service is not bothered, the badge may well be another piece of office accessory, and nothing more.

Humans, by nature are proud. We want to be recognised for our efforts and every mini achievement is celebrated like a roaring success. Over time, we think we are better than the people around us.

A simple example; how many of you think you are better-than-average drivers?

My guess would be that everyone thinks he/she is a good driver than the next person. It is this kind of thinking that has killed customer service.

“I am doing my best already”

“Nobody can do it better than me”

“You think standing behind the counter is easy?”

The practice of overestimating our ability actually serves as a confidence booster. This egotistical behaviour is great for overcoming challenges or problems but only makes one look disinterested and nonchalant when delivering service.

And a customer service personnel that looks or talks like he rather be somewhere else is exactly the kind of stuff we customers hate.

So get your customer service guys or front-liners to lose the ego or get ready to lose customers.

This was a slightly long community service message brought to you by a freelance copywriter who’s pretending to represent all customers.

10 Reasons Why I Hate Astro

When just one company controls a particular market segment, it’s called a Monopoly. And nothing says monopoly better in Malaysia than cable TV operators Astro.

As a consumer and an ad-man, I like competition.

When companies compete, consumers win. Usually with cheaper prices and better value; think about the hypermarkets and how they slash prices like crazy to pull-in customers.

And we freelance copywriters, art directors and designers get more work to do when companies compete; because they then have to run aggressive promotional activities that require our services.

Asstro
Don't be an ass, Astro!

Of course with Astro, there’s no such thing. Their only competition is free-to-air TV, which might as well not exist.

I’ve been a bill-paying customer of Astro for close to 10 years, so I think I have earned the right to speak my mind. Hence the reasons why I hate Astro:

  1. I now pay double in fees for the same package I have subscribed since day one. Remember, more channels does not mean more value; I can only watch one channel at a time.
  2. Astro always cite the rising costs of programming globally when increasing their prices. Why not pass on these costs to advertisers rather than us consumers?
  3. Sometimes it feels like I am paying to watch ads. There are way too many ads for a subscription-based service.
  4. The programming is much left to be desired. Repeats after repeats of old programmes. If you’re a fan of Jamie Oliver, you know what I’m talking about.
  5. Absurd packaging of channels. Only one or two decent channels in a package. The rest is garbage. Why not let us choose the channels we want, individually?
  6. Rain, solar interruption and sometimes even when it’s just very cloudy; you get the very familiar “services currently not available” message.
  7. Even the 45-mins of watching a live football match is littered with on-screen running tickers, cross-promos and ads. My 32-inch TV is often reduced to a 21-inch!
  8. The Box Office packages are a rip-off. They often show old, B-grade movies on regular movie channels and charge a premium for decent movies.
  9. I’d probably have more luck getting an appointment with the prime minister than getting hold of someone on the other end of their customer service hotline.
  10. They say Tutor TV helps school children learn better; but in actual fact they are just turning kids into TV addicts.

Ahhhhh… it’s nice to get stuff off your chest. Now where’s the damn remote!

Love Thy Customers, Not Screw Them!

A lot of you liked my post on how I whacked Maxis for pretending to be customer service oriented. But what’s the real issue here?

I must admit it; I was rather cheesed of with Maxis to start with. And then they go and air that stupid ad claiming they put customer service first. Of course, I sharpened my pencil and gave them a piece of my mind lah.

Maybe I was slightly rash and less eloquent in that post. And since this is a blog about marketing communications; let’s see what really went wrong with Maxis in that perspective.

Screws
Screws come in many shapes and sizes. So who's screwing you?

Here’s what my favourite branding blog – Brand Strategy Insider – had to say about Brand Arrogance.

“Consumers don’t value brands; they value the idea the brand represents to them. This idea will always be worth more than the product, or the actual bricks and mortar of the business enterprise. When marketers behave arrogantly, the value of the idea people care about is instantly diminished. And once this happens, the road to redemption is long, difficult and expensive”

Simply put, you like a brand not because the logo is red or that the product is great. Consumers actually value the personality that the brand projects more than anything else.

It makes sense because telcos offer essentially similar products and services. But what made you choose Maxis or Digi or Celcom? Think about it.

It’s like making new friends. You only click with certain types of people; as you do with brands. But once a ‘friend’ crosses you, it becomes really hard to be good friends again. There is just something intrinsic about this process that science can’t explain.

Once you screw up with a customer (especially a loyal one), you usually have to work really hard to win him over again. And most times, the defected customer will never return.

There’s a classic Direct Marketing adage that goes like this:

It’s more profitable to retain a loyal customer,
than to attract new customers

For all the advertising and promotions brands conduct to conquest new customers, why not sincerely care for existing customers instead? Those who are already customers may even advocate the brand to their friends and family for free.

And we all know nothing beats the power of word-of-mouth communication.

Clearly Maxis does not see it that way. I guess we are nothing but Ringgit signs that make their cash registers go Ka-Ching!