In an interview with Forbes.com, the EVP of World Service at American Express, Jim Bush talked about why the firm is raising the bar on customer service and quoted these findings from a company study done last Summer:
We found that a majority of Americans would spend an average of 9 percent more with companies they feel provide excellent service, and in 11 other markets around the world, we saw the same kind of trend. So clearly, there’s an incredible opportunity for revenue growth if companies get service right no matter where a business operates.
But, we also found that only a quarter of Americans believe companies value their business and will go the extra mile to keep it. The findings were similar in other markets. To us, these numbers confirm that there is tremendous opportunity for companies to improve service, build customer loyalty and ultimately grow their business.
Amazing isn’t it? Only 25% of Americans believe companies value their business.
For companies like American Express – with millions of customers worldwide requiring service – there is clearly an opportunity to convert customer service into a loyalty building tool that grows the business – and it is encouraging to read about the concrete steps they are taking to do just that.
Of course, there’s another way to get people to believe your brand values their business: by always connecting to them on a more meaningful level through meaning and feelings.
Through the emotive branding process, you can successfully bridge the gap between the needs, beliefs, interests and aspirations of your business and those of the people vital to your success (customers, employees, partners, etc.).
By then injecting meaning into, and evoking feelings during every brand moment, you can reach out in a way that speaks volumes to people.
Creating meaning holistically – not just in customer service – sends a powerful signal that you care about people.
By generating a “full circle of meaning”, from the way you imagine your products and services to the delivery and support system you provide, you surround people with truly different feelings about your company.
And, best of all, they will gladly pay you back with more business.
Read the entire Jim Bush interview here: http://bit.ly/es1FJy
