A good men’s shirt has long tails (it keeps the shirt tucked in). A manufacturer can save millions by slicing a few inches off the bottom of every shirt. Bad companies look at this as a spreadsheet question: How much money can we save by reducing fabric quantity? But the most important data never shows […]
She left me standing there, and I don’t know why
January 23, 2012
I was a customer of a very good web hosting service for many years — until I cancelled my account last month. Cancellation was easy — I did it online and it was hassle-free and efficient. I left with a positive feeling. But they have no idea why I left. Why didn’t they call? Why […]
She left me standing there, and I don't know why
January 23, 2012
I was a customer of a very good web hosting service for many years — until I cancelled my account last month. Cancellation was easy — I did it online and it was hassle-free and efficient. I left with a positive feeling. But they have no idea why I left. Why didn’t they call? Why […]
I’d be embarrassed to work here
January 21, 2012
Check out this ad for a bank bragging about “90% customer satisfaction.” How is having 10% of your customers unhappy something to be proud of?
The Fastest Way to Lose Customers
June 24, 2011
68% of customers are lost because of bad customer service according to this fantastic chart from Andy Wibbels and our friends at Get Satisfaction. (See original.) Only 14% are lost because of a product problem. Lesson: Maybe you should spend some of your giant R&D budget on fixing your crappy call center!
There are 50 ways to leave your lover …
March 28, 2010
How hard is it for a customer to leave? Do you make them go through a big argument? Do you refuse to let them cancel online? Do you give them a hard-sell sales pitch? Do you charge an abusive cancellation fee? The exit experience is fundamental to how your brand is perceived. If you make […]
You can make any company extraordinary with great service
January 12, 2010
Headsets.com sells headsets. Not exactly exciting. But their customers love them — because of extraordinary, amazing service. When you call they spend as much time as necessary to make sure you get what you need. They know their product. They’re happy to send multiple models to try out. You get multiple follow-ups to make sure […]
Take it back! It’s worth it.
January 8, 2010
LensCrafters will let you exchange a pair of glasses. For any reason — even if you just changed your mind. They’ll re-make a pair of glasses again and again. Until you’re happy. Sears will let you return appliances, even after they’ve been installed. They’ll even deliver new ones, for free. This may cost the company […]
You can’t make all the people happy all the time
August 10, 2009
I just stayed in a hotel that didn't have a gym — but they gave guests a free pass to the full-service gym a block away. I was annoyed, because I didn't want to take the time to find the place. I'd rather just go downstairs, hop on a bike, and be back in my […]
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