Thor Muller | Photo by Thomas Hawk
Exactly. I will say, if a company doesn't respond over time, the tone can deteriorate. There's a real advantage for companies to respond in a human way quickly --it goes a long way to defuse ill will.
Can you cite an example where a company stonewalled users?
Facebook is a good example. There are a lot of people whose accounts get disabled by the company for various reasons. Facebook is very non-transparent about why people get disabled, and people get very frustrated because they spend a lot of time cultivating a network. Maybe they're college students, and they have all their friends on there. We had just a ton of people come into the Facebook area and complain and talk among each other about how it could be resolved. The company hasn't responded; it's a policy of theirs not to. The longer they don't respond, the more the voices of derision consolidate into this massive derision.
Who has responded effectively?
Comcast, who people see as a much more monopolistic type of company, is very human and responsive on getsatisfaction and elsewhere. It's doing a lot to change their relationship with their customer. When somebody from the company responds, it's immediately taken out of the context of company versus customer and into the context of people who are trying to work toward a resolution.
How is customer service the new marketing?
Companies like Zappos, which looks at every customer interaction as a branding opportunity, breed huge lifetime value. In a very basic way, we're seeing that customer service is the ultimate way of creating word-of-mouth marketing and creating lifetime value with customers.
How will your company make money?
We are going to be rolling out services that allow companies to increase their engagement -- communications tools for interacting with customers, analytics tools for understanding users and the problems they're having.
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Recent Comments | 58 Total
April 28, 2008 at 9:40pm by Marc Stender
wow...clear thoughts
and what a very cool company
Thumbs up!!
April 29, 2008 at 11:07am by Darin Phillips
Thor is forcing the vendor's hand with getsatisfaction, but he is doing it in a less threatening way than the other "login to complain" sites. While other sites claim to be Switzerland, they are actually only protecting the consumer and giving her/him a confidential voice. I like how getsatisfaction is encouraging a solutions-focused form of engagement and resolution. That is the real magic of the site.
By the way, Thor, I think that there is a great opportunity to generate revenue beyond the edge of your product. There is a great demand for best practices in service failure/recovery and you witness them on your site all day long (write a book and start a consulting practice). You could save companies the expense of having a large helpdesk and connect them with the super users who would probably love to get paid per resolution (you get the finder's fee/agent fee). You could partner with a call center company and provide customer survey services to the companies that have a critical mass of users on your site. They post then they get a call to find out more details about the situation and to complete a before and after survey that measures the customer's reaction to the resolution (did the company miss, meet, or exceed your expectations?).
Just a couple of observations,
Darin Phillips
April 29, 2008 at 1:21pm by Thomas Grounds
Great idea... it's like a Customer Service Intervention!
It would be in the company's best interest to be involved - there is a huge up-side benefit to them to see where their customer experience is lacking without having to pay for a study that would include customer satisfaction surgeys. They can certainly disagree with the comments - but to what end? The customer perception is the company's Customer Service reality.
May 13, 2008 at 3:35pm by Kemper Burt
When first reading the article I was a little skeptical because it seemed to center around customer service (as written in the title: Does a New Website Hold the Secret to Great Customer Service?). However, after further reading I feel like getsatisfaction.com is more than a customer service website. There is an opportunity to give the customer power to seek solutions and for companies to solve the age old issue of satisfying their customers.
Having worked both the front lines and corporate side of retail I have a very clear understanding of the importance of keeping your company transparent to customers. Unfortunately, in today’s age the term “customer service” means something different to everyone. Is customer service solving problems? Is it delivering a great sales experience on the sales floor? Is it about call centers or sales floors … or both? What I’m getting at is most companies and websites miss this and fall into the “I just want to bitch about not getting my Starbucks in a timely manner”. Getsatisfaction.com has a wonderful opportunity to connect consumers with companies and vice versa to solve problems or get new ideas.
Lastly, something else I experienced at a couple of brands I worked for was how retail executives gather customer information. Most often it was through the eyes of front line employees (sales associates and/or managers). Although this can be a good resource for doing a "climate check" for how a store/business is doing, this always baffled me because there was really no other resource (in my experiences). And although employees for the most part give very honest and candid feedback, it’s still going to be somewhat skewed or bias. Again, Getsatisfied.com has a great opportunity to fill a niche in which no other company is doing. Imagine the power of information from customers first hand in the hands of a CEO trying to drive growth or change of his /her company?
Even more compelling, imagine the power of customers knowing they are apart of driving the growth of their favorite products or services. Hmm, imagine that.
February 1, 2009 at 11:08pm by Eli Shapiro
What an excellent idea! Anyone who browses the user message boards of very large companies would instantly realize that their customers often have very specific problems that can't really be addressed correctly by an underpaid phone rep. I think getsatisfaction.com should integrate a customer satisfaction survey so that a company that adopts their system can also easily see how their service is stacking with their customer base, therefore being able to better serve them, through getsatisfaction.com and otherwise.
July 6, 2009 at 1:07pm by Simon Garfunkel
This is a great model for customer support. We have seen that the best of the companies have repetitively failed to supply superior customer in the least time possible. Also, we have seen them outsource support based works, to countries like India. So this model is a great answer to those problems. The community is always stronger than anything else, and its great to see getsatisfaction.com utilize it to its full extent. Kudos.
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August 9, 2009 at 3:36pm by Kurt Smith
This again shows that you can build a hugely successful business from scratch when you care enough and have innovative ideas. Muller's views and ideas are extremely clear, and again, shows the power of social networks. Not only is this a business for him, but the total model includes consumers and the service or product manufacturers, making it an impressive bond. Kudos.
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August 9, 2009 at 3:42pm by Karn Berto
If the customer is contracting your web site in search of service, you will have their attention, unless your site is too dificult to navigate and the customer can't find his answer fast. Technology has reduced the amount of time customers are wiling to wait for their answers. The faster somthing gets, the faster we want it to go. Customers, we've been saying, are never satisfied. Though i must say you have a fantastic model los angeles dj
August 10, 2009 at 9:51am by halloween швуфы
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August 11, 2009 at 4:00pm by fast office
I have a very clear understanding of the importance of keeping your company transparent to customers. Unfortunately, in today’s age the term “customer service” means something different to everyone. Is customer service solving problems? Is it delivering a great sales experience on the sales floor
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August 18, 2009 at 1:30pm by yut chan
The best business investment that anyone can do now is that, in light of the need for more firms to share efficient.thanks
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August 20, 2009 at 9:06am by Ben Gibson
Getsatisfaction are really awesome. The idea is so simple, yet they're the first ones to actually nail it. As a user, the feeling of getting a quick response from the company I have an issue with creates so much value...
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August 24, 2009 at 1:07am by yut chan
I have a very clear understanding of the importance of keeping your business transparent to clients. Unfortunately, today the term "Customer" means something different to everyone. Problem with problems, customer service? One of them was a great experience in sales and sales of land
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August 26, 2009 at 9:07am by bonunsa satuma
I think it is a great opportunity to income over the edge of your product to produce. There is a great demand for best practices in service failure / recovery and cookies on your site all day long (and to write a book), a consulting firm. You can save the company money with a help desk and the main link to the superuser, who would probably like to be paid for by the resolution (you will receive a finder's fee / Fee Agent). Could partner with a company call center and provide free customer survey for businesses that have a critical mass of users on your site.
. They show so they get a call to find out more detail about the situation and offer a full before and after the survey that measures the customer does not miss a reaction to the resolution.
August 28, 2009 at 11:19am by kunnawat saengmanee
I have a very understanding on your importance point of your business
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August 28, 2009 at 1:40pm by maxcoffee max
I think that is a great opportunity to revenue the edge of product. There is a great demand for best practices in service. You could save companies the expense of having a large helpdesk and connect them with the users.
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August 28, 2009 at 6:40pm by david spadoz
Wow, It's great idea.
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August 29, 2009 at 12:53am by krittipong kanjanapiboon
Great idea... it's like a Customer Service Intervention!
It would be in the company's best interest to be involved - there is a huge up-side benefit to them to see where their customer experience is lacking without having to pay for a study that would include customer satisfaction surgeys. They can certainly disagree with the comments - but to what end? The customer perception is the company's Customer Service reality.
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August 29, 2009 at 5:16am by Jimmy Tyler
I am an internet entrepreneur and innovations like this get me extremely encouraged. Not only getsatisfaction.com is an awesome business model. Wish them the best of luck. Black Hair Styles and London hotels
August 30, 2009 at 7:11pm by yut chan
Good idea ... This is a customer, such as when he took office!
It would be the best interests of society - it is a very up-side to them by their customers lack the experience, without paying for the study, which includes surgeys customer satisfaction. They certainly do not agree with comments - but what respect? Perceptions of services a reality.
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August 31, 2009 at 4:47am by Jirat Chamamahattana
It's great idea.
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August 31, 2009 at 5:30am by irnasme clarity
Good post. I’m getting at is most companies and websites miss this and fall into the “I just want to bitch about not getting my Starbucks in a timely manner”. Getsatisfaction.com has a wonderful opportunity to connect consumers with companies and vice versa to solve problems or get new ideas. Research Papers
Thanks,
August 31, 2009 at 7:00am by irnasme clarity
This is really a good support for the customers. The community is always stronger than anything else, and its great to see getsatisfaction.com utilize it to its full extent. Kudos. Research Papers
Thanks,
September 3, 2009 at 9:57pm by plaines wranger
I think that there is an great opportunity to generate. They post then they get a call to find out more details about the situation and to complete a before and after survey that measures the customer's reaction to the resolution. wings of war
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September 6, 2009 at 11:03pm by Jirat Chamamahattana
Best investments any company can do now that the light of business objectives efficient.thanks beyond the exchange are not. digg,digg,digg
September 11, 2009 at 10:49am by Michael Jameiosn
I've never thought of this idea for a website. It's quite brilliant actually.
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September 12, 2009 at 9:15am by Kasichai Bunsong
I will use this idea in my work.
Thank you for your idea.
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September 17, 2009 at 5:41pm by sompong yopana
It's great idea.
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September 17, 2009 at 5:43pm by sompong yopana
It's great idea.
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September 20, 2009 at 10:09pm by siam hothit
Now, My company will implement the customer service module. How can i see more information on the 'Valleyschwag' project? Thank your for your answer.
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September 22, 2009 at 3:01am by bagus wahyu
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September 22, 2009 at 3:01am by bagus wahyu
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September 22, 2009 at 3:03am by bagus wahyu
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September 22, 2009 at 3:04am by bagus wahyu
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Antwablog | Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang | Naruto
September 22, 2009 at 3:06am by bagus wahyu
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