How Good Is Your Customer Experience?

Marketing Lesson of The Week

► Customer Experience Counts (Alot!)

What type of customer experience (CX) do you expect to have when you shop at low-price brand retailers?

To be truthful, my expectations are always low since they’re low paying jobs.

Unfortunately, drug insurance forced me to use one of the major chains and caused the local mom and pop drug stores to close.

As a result, I use the closest CVS for convenience. Despite bad experiences at other locations, I’ve been lucky to make friends with Yuki, the pharmacist, during COVID.

Since the store is moving one block away, they’ve let their inventory run low across all of their product lines.

So I wasn’t surprised when one of my doctors sent in a prescription for 30 pills and I got a call minutes later from the pharmacist. He explained that they only had 5 pills left and that the new pharmacy hadn’t opened yet.

Further, he couldn’t tell me whether any other nearby CVS might have the drug since the store’s computers weren’t connected with this information. If he had this information, he could have transferred the prescription and kept the sale for CVS.

After waiting on hold with another CVS for 20 minutes, I was told that the drug was in low supply across the city and that I should try a mom and pop store. But the pharmacist couldn’t refer me to one.

So I called the pharmacist at the Duane Reade (aka: Walgreens) on East 23rd Street , where I had gotten my flu shot when CVS and my doctor ran out of supplies.

Bingo! They had just enough pills to fill my prescription. But I had to wait 5 days for the pills from CVS to run out. The pharmacist promised that if my doctor sent him a new prescription for the new amount, he would fill it and hold it for until I used the 5 pills.

I’m not a fan of automated drugstore calls since they exist to remind patients who forget to take their prescriptions. As a result, the pharmacy and the drug company make money.

With Duane Reade, I got a reminder call which I ignored since I knew I needed to pickup the medicine. The pharmacist called me at noon since I hadn’t picked up the prescription. That’s what I consider above and beyond customer experience.

Actionable Marketing Lesson

Regardless of what kind of business you run, especially if you have a retail component, you need to provide a great customer experience. It’s not just me. It’s what research shows.

• 73% of respondents expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations; while
• 62% think companies should anticipate their needs (Source May 2022).

Consistently research shows that customers want businesses to provide personalized experiences. (Source)

Brand Beats

► Eat Your Heart Out: OREO Puts Your Mug On Their Cookies

In honor of Pride Month, OREO created a special edition of their famous cream-stuffed chocolate cookies embossed with the word “Pride” on one side. I was surprised that I didn’t see these Pride OREOs promoted in any cookie or checkout aisles I visited during the month of June, I went to their website.

A set of 2 Oreo Pride Cookies in a special themed packaging was priced at $5.79 per package, more than the cost of a regular family size bag.

Along with their Pride Cookies advertising, OREO promoted their statement of commitment to LGBTQ+ community through their partnership with PFLAG.

From a marketing perspective, I hope the proceeds from these treats were entirely donated to the related not-for-profit. Otherwise, OREO is playing on customers’ heart strings to increase sales.

Also, I was sent to OREOID from a Facebook ad. To be honest I don’t usually click on Facebook ads but the marketer in me had to see this promotion.

I had fun creating a “Heidi Cohen” decorated OREO cookie dunked in chocolate. But when I saw the eye-popping price, my credit card remained in my wallet.

From a marketing perspective, it’s a great office gift idea since it’s personalized and often the price isn’t an issue. Even better, OREO offers a variety of purchase options. Further when it arrives, it generates talkability. From an ordinary customer perspective, it’s pricey.

Actionable Branding Tips

• Provide the ability to distribute the fun cookie images visitors create. OREO usually brings its A game when it comes to social media. So I was disappointed I couldn’t share my OREO on Facebook and other platforms.
• Add a promotion for a future purchase. Had OREO considered some form of social sharing, they could have enticed participants to share their email address in return for a coupon for future purchase. This is important since CGP products often don’t have customer email lists.

Social Scene

► Are You Ready For A Facebook Falloff?

Is Facebook part of your social media marketing mix?
If so, assess how these revised forecasts may change your marketing plans.

After peaking at 179.7 million monthly users (MAUs) in 2021, Facebook is forecast to lose 2.1 million users by the end of 2024. Following that loss, the platform will remain constant at 177.6 million through 2026. (Source)

What’s causing Facebook’s dropoff?

• 1.6 million US 18- to 24-year-olds will stop using Facebook, a higher falloff than previously forecast.
• Millennial aged 26 to 41 will drop by 2.1%, Facebook’s first-ever loss of millennials.

Actionable Social Media Tip

• Reassess your social media plans for 2022 and beyond especially as they relate to Facebook. Consider how you can get your Facebook followers to connect with you directly to maintain contact with them.

Voice Notes

► Pay Attention To The Devices Your Audience Uses

US adults continue to spend more and more time accessing the internet via their mobile devices. This trend is expected to continue as consumers buy and use hearables and other wearable forms of the Internet of Things. In 2022, they will spend:

• 68.4% of their daily internet time on mobile devices and
• 31.6% of their daily internet time on desktop/laptop computers.

It confirms Canalysis’s Device Forecast from 2019:

• Consumers will increase their use of smartphones, the always available and content format indifferent personal device of choice.
• Hearables like earbuds and other Internet of Things like smartwatches will continue to grow as more of the population start to use them and prices drop over time.
• Computers, laptops and tablets use will decrease as they get relegated to specialized uses such as at the office or along.

Actionable Marketing Tip

• Offer your content marketing across content formats, platforms and devices to get the maximum reach.

NYC Marketing Minute

► Nostalgia Sells

If you want the best lox and bagel sandwich in Manhattan, there’s only one place to go. It’s Barney Greengrass on Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper Westside (aka:UWS).

What’s the proof?
There’s always a line out of the door every weekend between post-Labor Day and Memorial Day for their $19 Nova sandwiches. And, once you get a table inside, you’re practically sitting on your neighbor’s lap.

Barney Greengrass is an institution complete with rude, overworked and under-appreciated waiters. But they must love the place since many have worked there for years. Inside, the wallpaper has been re-glued in a few places but it hasn’t changed in decades. On the window, yellowed articles and photos of high profile guests remain.

Why does an outdated restaurant attracts a following at nose-bleed prices?
Because the locals like that it hasn’t changed.

Actionable Marketing Lesson

Before changing your offering, understand what your audience likes and dislikes about your products and services. At Barney Greengrass, it’s all about nostalgia.

If you run a local store or restaurant, you can learn a few things from Barney Greengrass beyond nostalgia.

Offer your product to go so your customers can enjoy it where they spend their time. For Manhattanites, it’s often the Hamptons. Barney Greengrass dedicated one of it’s chalkboard signs to promote this service. It remains up all year round in case someone is thinking of sending some of this amazing smoked fish to a friend or relative. As you can see from their list, they charge premium prices.

In addition, they created a set of Barney Greengrass branded t-shirts displayed on models above the cashier. At $12.50+ per shirt, you are paying a premium for these New York souvenirs.

Actionable Marketing Tips

• Assess how to increase revenues from existing customers. Known as retention marketing, it helps increase your customer lifetime value. Providing special services like delivery allows you to add special fees. Also, include a menu or catalog to prompt recipients to order more on their own.
• Promote additional offerings where customers can them.
• Build a housefile. Use it to remind customers about upcoming birthdays and other celebrations.

Marketing Reads

► Voice Consumer Statistics

Think your audience doesn’t use voice functionality?

Then, check out this detailed analysis of the 2022 Consumer Voice Index complete with charts, actionable marketing tips and examples.

Even better it’ll help you to make the case for voice marketing to your boss!

► 10 Point Branding Checklist

Do you integrate your brand into every element of your marketing?

Before you tell me that branding is something that only big brands do, think again. Branding is the cheapest thing that you can do to build recognition for your business. Even better, it adds to your business assets.

Plan Ahead: Mark Your Calendar

► MAICON 2022 – August 3-5th, 2022 in Cleveland, OH.

The Marketing Artificial Intelligence Conference (MAICON), returns to an in-person event this year. Check out MAICON’s schedule of upcoming webinars.

♦ ♦   Special AMG reader discount: Get $150 off — Use code: AMG150   ♦ ♦