Service Archives - Messages On Hold

It’s Always Personal, It’s Business

“It’s nothing personal, it’s just business” is a phrase that, unbelievably, still lingers in some modern business owners’ lexicon. The reach of social media, the rapid rate at which consumers can communicate and the speed with which they can congratulate or condemn means that whether you’re in customer service or marketing: business is always personal.

When customers use social media to query or complain, the business is presented with a unique opportunity: to personally engage with this one customer. Studies into complaints made over social media indicate that 50% of customers give a brand only one week to respond to a complaint before they stop doing business with them. The same study indicated that 89% of customers began business with another company after a poor experience. Can you afford to stay silent?

The most common words on a major airline’s Facebook newsfeed.

It would be unreasonable for a business to completely change their terms of service on the whim of one customer… but prompt acknowledgement and resolution of a complaint online can help a customer to not only forgive the grievance, but flip their view of the company from negative to positive, thereby strengthening brand loyalty.

Another study indicated that after having two-way interaction with a brand over social media, 90% of customers would recommend the brand to others. In developing an emotional connection, a sense of loyalty, between customer and brand, social media is an invaluable and incredibly effective approach.

Still not sure just how “personal” it can be? In 2008, United Airlines were shown just how effective social media can be as a weapon when it was used against them with humiliating and ruthless efficiency. After irreparably damaging musician Dave Carrol’s guitar during a flight, and refusing to reimburse him despite 9 months of negotiations, Dave released a song on YouTube which blasted their business and customer service. The song went viral, and four days after its release, United’s stock had dropped by 10% – an estimated $180 million.

As more consumers choose social media as the means to communicate with the brands they use, the age old adage “it’s nothing personal, just business” should recede from all minds serious about strengthening brand loyalty, and increasing their customer base.

– Kyle

Constructing From Criticism

This year I was lucky enough to be treated to dinner at one of Australia’s best restaurants. And while it wasn’t my first visit, it was the best. Surprisingly, what elevated the experience above others wasn’t the quality of the food, beverages or service. It was the fact that the restaurant team has acknowledge the single criticism that has been leveled at them in the past, and have adjusted accordingly.

Let’s rewind the clock back to my first visit. While the food, matched wines and service blew me away, the dining room was plain: with the walls, floor and ceiling all covered in shades of grey. In stark contrast to the menu, it was boring. I looked through a few reviews and noticed the same criticism popping up time and time again: “unbelievable dining, boring room”.

Now snap back to my most recent visit. What was once a dull room has been subdivided into multiple smaller chambers using both walls and natural wood dividers, giving rooms more intimacy and warmth. Tasteful art has added colour, and even the plates on which dishes are served have been revamped to add more personality, variety and even quirky optical illusions that work with the food. I daresay it’s the only truly perfect dining experience of my life, and it’s the result of constructing from criticism.

In the Messages On Hold copywriting department, we make it easy for clients to give us the good, bad and ugly of the scripts we’ve written. It can be done by email, phone or even through social media. Plus, at the bottom of every script there’s a clear feedback form to complete, to give us a customer’s view of our work in a nutshell.

Getting a script written right the first time is a priority, much like giving a diner the perfect meal at a restaurant. We’ll go through a copy brief in depth over the phone, covering every possible component of the scripting, and even voices & music. But unlike death and taxes, a perfect script is not a certainty. What is certain is that we’ll move heaven and Earth to acknowledge any customer feedback on the scripts we write, and will do everything possible to ensure the product that ends up on a customer’s phone system is exactly what they were looking for.

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”

Next time your business receives feedback, remember the above quote from Bill Gates, then go forth and improve your service!

– Magnus