The PR Value of Good Customer Service

by lisa ~ June 8, 2009

June 8, 2009 - Inc. magazine’s cover story this week, about Zappos.com head Tony Hsieh, mightily demonstrates the importance of empowering employees and serving customers fairly. Although online shoe retailing doesn’t seem like the type of business that would inspire devotion, the article makes clear that customers as well as employees are inspired by his non-corporate management style.

To take the anxiety out of ordering shoes online, the company offers free shipping and free returns. Its web site allows customers to make comments about shoes for other buyers (”They run tight; order a half-size larger.”). These common sense moves allowed the company to achieve $1 billion in gross sales in 2008 - 20% above the prior year - according to Inc.

There are many signs, in fact, that Zappos values its customers. For example, unlike many companies doing business online, it prominently displays its customer service number. “Because the company could not afford to spend money on marketing, the sales strategy involved making customers so happy that they bought again or told their friends or both,” Inc. wrote.

Many companies have developed service strategies that indicate the customer is an annoyance rather than an integral part of their business. Although it’s more cost effective to keep the customer at arm’s length, it certainly doesn’t inspire loyalty. Have a question of SurveyMonkey? Send an email and someone will get back to you; if that person doesn’t answer your question thoroughly, you can send another email and hope for the best. With Apple, customers are forced to engage in an online chat. Because Apple’s expert is also chatting with dozens of other customers, it can take hours of back and forth instant messaging to resolve a problem.

Hsieh is acutely aware that the company’s employees are its best brand ambassadors. There is no customer service script, no formulaic response to problems. Just intensive training and encouragement to take initiative and be make customers happy.

In short, Zappos is one of a small number of companies that truly understands the public relations value of its customer service decisions.

To read the full article in Inc. magazine, “The Zappos Way of Managing,” click here:

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20090501/the-zappos-way-of-managing.html

Lisa Tibbitts  is a New York-based corporate communications professional with an MBA in marketing. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FinancialPR.

###