Of course we’ve all heard the sentiment that a satisfied customer will tell a few people but an unsatisfied one will tell anyone who will listen. When the Internet started to become a more social place, companies started to realize that their customers now could tell the world about their negative experience – just look up any company with the word “sucks” after their name. Companies that already had good customer support realized they had to do even better while those with crappy support were at least more exposed.

There is no doubt that this is good for the consumer, but recently I was giving a speech on customer service and I gave a tidbit from my personal consumer life that seemed to really resonate with the crowd. I explained to them that there is transparency in the levels of customer service that current customers are receiving and that as a potential consumer it is actually pretty simple for me to gauge the number of support issues and the way they are handled. This transparency can and does impact sales well before the point of purchase. Continue Reading…

As someone with an entrepreneurial mind I often have business ideas, marketing sparks or even just insights that I think might prove valuable for a future article, book or speaking engagement. Sometimes I am able to work through the idea on my own, either pursuing it further or deciding it was best as a passing thought – but often I want to get some real world opinions or reactions and I certainly am not about to pay a real focus group. Problem? Absolutely not…

If you’re looking for a variety of opinions or a sounding board for ideas, sometimes your best bet is to turn your thoughts inward to your own life and to your real life group of friends and other contacts. Something I have recently been able to do with different groups of people in my life. Continue Reading…

If you have picked up a Starbucks coffee lately and noticed that there is a new little gadget in place to ensure your drink does not spill out of the hole cut in the lid, then you have already experienced a customer inspired innovation that cost the company the grand total of $0.

We live in a time and place where often consumers complain that companies do not listen to them or that their collective voice is not heard. While I do not claim to know anything about the Coffee business and to be honest, I do not even drink coffee (I am much more of a soda guy myself) Starbucks has caught my eye with their My Starbucks Idea website.

The idea is simple enough, give your customer’s a platform from which they can proffer ideas and suggestions about how to improve everything from their breakfast options to having a shelf in the bathroom to put your cup on. It seems as though consumers are really engaging with the site and they’re no dummies over at Starbucks, they are taking the time to not only listen to the ideas, but to respond and implement the best ones.

While the site has only been up for a bunch of months, there have been thousands of suggestions (some ridiculous and some ingenious) and as important there has been a ton of feedback from consumers and Starbucks Corporate on the ideas put forward. As of when I actually wrote this post originally (months ago) Starbucks already notes that they have twenty (20) of the ideas being implemented or at least tested in stores.

From a business perspective, could anything be simpler yet more innovative at the same time? Your consumers are often the best source of suggestions and insights that you being so close to your product end up missing. Many of the ideas have the potential to be revenue generators and the others will no doubt please many consumers.

Startbucks has often talked about its relationships with its customers and the idea of creating a consumer based culture, I can’t help but think this is a tremendous example of both.