posted on January 19, 2010 16:59
By Joe Borgstrom, Director
Specialized Technical Assistance
& Revitalization Strategy Division
Michigan State Housing Development Authority
I have a confession to make. I am a customer service fanatic. No, you don’t understand. I’m so much of a customer service fanatic I don’t even use the term “customer service.” I use the term customer experience. Whenever my wife gets home from the weekly trip to the grocery store, I always ask, “How was your shopping experience?” In all seriousness, I probably need help.
Southwest Airlines is renowned for making the ordinary into an experience. You might have seen the YouTube video of the Southwest steward rapping the safety information. Or maybe you’ve seen Volkswagen’s Fun Theory videos replacing ordinary subway stairs with piano keys or its bottle recycling game. These examples give us a laugh when we see people’s reactions. They might even incite a little jealousy of, “Man, I wish that would happen to me.” Well, it can.
We’re very fortunate here at MSHDA to have receptionists that take the charge of turning the ordinary into an experience seriously, though they don’t think of it that way. They saw a problem. When people turned in items found in the parking lot, state cars, and things left in rooms that people just plain forgot, they would send an “All MSHDA” email. The problem was no one would claim anything because the emails generally went unread. Their solution: Make them worth reading. Just this morning we received this email:
This week’s parking lot find is a black, fuzzy ladies glove. This classic, only run over once, hand warming device can be yours for the low, low introductory price of just $49.95. Checks may be made payable to ’MSHDA Receptionists’ and left at the front desk. In 4-6 weeks, your barely dirty black glove will be mailed to the destination of your choice (postage and handling extra). Thank you for choosing ‘MSHDA Receptionists’ as your ONLY used glove outlet.
Their emails have resulted in many more items being claimed and have brightened the days of numerous employees. I, for one, make sure I open every email labeled “FOUND” not because I’ve lost anything, but because I want to see what they’re going to say about what they’ve found.
What can your district or business do? Plenty. Look for the little things that everyone takes for granted and make them special. Old Town Lansing’s October Moon gift wraps every purchase and garnishes it with a fresh flower. The Ideal Kitchen in Manistee does cooking and product demonstrations. The Boyne City Motel offers free Wi-Fi, complementary DVD loans and if the owner leaves the property for some reason, he leaves his personal phone on the door so you can call him to tell him you’re there. Those are just a few ways retailers in Michigan Main Street communities are creating unique experiences.
Every day we have opportunities to make the ordinary into an experience. Downtowns businesses need every advantage to compete for customers, providing a unique experience in one of the biggest advantages they can have. What are some of your favorites? Share with us below!