The AJ Factor
Posted by Meredith on 27 May 2008 at 01:21 pm | Tagged as: Marketing
I often think about how customer service might be the only industry that technology hasn’t benefited. We’ve all heard (and experienced) the horror stories of “pressing 1” and getting nowhere, “pressing 4” to be told you’ve reached the wrong department and asked to start over again, etc. etc. etc. So it was refreshing when I got an email about a wonderful example of superb customer service!
My mom emailed me a few months ago about an experience she had calling the Bruins’ customer service line. (I know, I know, I shouldn’t be bringing up stories back from when there was still hope for Boston hockey fans this year, but I just have to share this story…) Below is the “excerpt” from her email -
“It was so funny… before they made the playoffs, I randomly called the Bruins direct # & got this young guy AJ. We chatted for several minutes…he joked and asked if I was a “true” fan and not just “dusting off my black & gold for the playoffs!” He took my # and email & said that he’d call as soon as they made it in. Sure enough, he called me on my cell Monday morning… I thought that was excellent service!”
Not only did ”AJ” connect with her on a personal level, but he kept his promise to call her back. It sounds “small,” but how many times has a random customer service representative promised to call you back just out of generosity and then actually done so!? Who knows, maybe the Bruins have some sort of policy for their employees to be that courteous to all customers. Or maybe this guy AJ is just a really nice, great guy. Either way, his friendliness leaves me with a great impression of the Bruins’ organization.
I’ve been reading Seth Godin’s new book “Meatball Sundae”. (The title really does make sense, I swear.) Like some of his previous books, Godin talks a lot about word of mouth marketing. My mom’s experience with AJ is a great example of how one encounter with a customer service rep can do wonders for the positive word of mouth about a company.
Big companies may have gotten rich throughout the past few decades by cutting costs and creating cookie-cutter ways of dealing with customers. But we’re all yearning for personal connections. Going forward, I think it’s clear that the “AJ Factor” is going to increasingly define consumers’ opinions of a company.
Calling any company these days (especially a pro sports franchise) and speaking with an actual flesh-person is indeed a rarity - and a welcomed one if they’re polite. Although, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to find out that “AJ” is not a well-mannered customer service rep, but in fact some hip new version of the computerized phone operator; one that can crack jokes about the Bruins’ playoff woes, carry on banter in everyday English, secure premuim loge seats and call back when it’s supposed to (patent pending). Seriously though, you’re right about the value of personal connections, and until Bill Gates steals my idea, it’s something technology will not be able to replicate.