Spread Some Happiness

Greatexample of experintial maketing from Coke to inject some happiness into a college campus

http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xbvde0?theme=none
Coca-Cola “Happiness Machine” by CocaColaHappinessMachine

– and spreading it virally

 

Great Service in Tough Times

Much has been written about the problems of the Big 3 auto companies – and while the future still looks dicey, Michigan has been portrayed as a place the recession hit a long time before the financial meltdown.  Having lived in Michigan much of my life, it’s not been easy to watch.

Still, small experiences and interactions tell you a lot more than what you can learn from a sound bite about a company, an industry, or a region.  While many dining establishments are struggling for business, it’s interesting to me to find both the pulse of everyday Americans and those in customer service at your local neighborhood breakfast place.

On a recent morning, I stopped into a local Ram’s Horn restaurant in the heart of Motown.  As I ordered the “hearty” breakfast of eggs, sausage and he first of a few cups of coffee, I watched the morning crowd slowly build.  My waitress was exceptionally courteous and professional, as was the bus boy/support staff.  My order was delivered quickly, and Karen stopped several times during my meal.  “Is everything to your liking?” ” A bit more coffee?”  “Yes!” seemed to be my frequent answer.  At one point I turned the question to Karen, “you do a great job and make customers feel welcome, feel at home.. what’s your secret?”.  She smiled, and said, “you know, there are a lot of people worried and hurting right now.  If I can make their time over breakfast one they enjoy, that gets everyone’s day going well, including mine!”

As I thanked her and thought about it, I thought about these servers not just as servers, but as people… who make the difference in whether I’ll stop by this or another Ram’s Horn the next time I’m in the mood for eggs and sausage.  I was impressed that the bill had a customer satisfaction survey printed on it.  Of course, I filled it out with high marks  and hope the manager reads it.

I recently rode an airport parking shuttle with a nice driver.  As we chatted a bit, I learned he had recently been called back to is job at National Steel, where he had been laid off eighteen months earlier.  He was hanging on to his shuttle driver role – in this case on the very late night shift – partly to hold the financial line until he had re-established his engineering job, but also because he wanted to support his parking shuttle company, who had been supportive and had seen him through his difficult time.  This driver, having walked the gauntlet of layoffs as many in the area and across the country have, was grateful to have both his old job back, but also to have worked in a very different capacity and in an appreciative way for his temporary company.

Having had my own “Up In The Air” moments and journey this past year, I reflected on how the effects of a difficult job market might impact customer service industries.  In these two instances, the connection I felt with these people was one of shared hardship – but also a renewed appreciation for being employed – for dedicating yourself to quality work, but also to good service.  Moving from what only a year or two ago seemed a time of abundance to a time of shortfall, I think you can find that employees will be more focused and determined in  getting the job done- but I urge you to also look at the web of issues clouding their professional and personal lives… and to take the opportunity to demonstrate why you are the company worthy of their dedication.  An old boss of mine used to harp, “You must inspect what you expect.”  True enough, but I think you also need to “inspire what you expect.”

It will pay off for all involved.

By the way, don’t believe everything bad you read about Detroit. The people of Motown and Michigan are pretty darned resilient.

 

Loyalty Clubs

There are a number of great movies out for the holiday season and I indulged in seeing George Clooney’s latest movie, “Up In The Air”.  In this unique tome about the transitory state many are experiencing as a result of corporate downsizing, Clooney’s character, Ryan Fitzpatrick, (hired to announce to different firms’ employees they’ve been downsized), crisscrosses the country at 30,000 feet accumulating thousands of miles and resulting points and perks in major travel loyalty programs, for which he is keenly a master and revered member. Those of you who have traveled for your business know the unique ins and outs of airline and hotel loyalty clubs, for better or worse.

I believe loyalty clubs are about more than accumulating platinum status. Many people find benefit in such clubs for a different sense – a sense of belonging.  I had the chance awhile back to visit several wineries in various parts of the country and the world.  Wine is becoming a fun passion for me, and I’m intrigued with the small business that is the family winery.  Like many of us who have small businesses, these wineries are owned by people who come to the business with a love and passion for the product, the industry and the client.  This is a challenging and tough business – one that often stretches and stresses the artful dreamer pursuing the business to the extreme.  I’ve noted that for many of the family wineries, the Wine Club or Loyalty Club is a frequent and great channel for building a following for the winery.

An example of the Wine Club done well is by a small winery in the Finger Lakes of New York called McGregor Wines. At McGregor Winery, the tastings are a little different – instead of standing at a long counter, you sit at indoor picnic tables, with your hosts coming by with wine and cheese. Tasting with you, your hosts come to feel like a friend who is sharing in the appreciation of not just a wine, but an experience that is a unique but familiar connection.  Kind of like connecting with a long lost friend you went to school with.  At the end of the tasting, which last almost an hour but seems to pass too quickly, you’re invited to join the wine club.

As you might expect, their club is actually called The Clan.  And while you don’t get a plaid kilt to wear for your membership fee, you do get a couple of great wines six times a year.  With each carefully packed shipment comes a letter from the McGregors, John and Stacey.  Together they share a perspective of the wine in notes from John and Jeff, the winemaker, on “the voice of the grapes”, that sense of climate and land  and place that is terroir – that so reflects their philosophy of winemaking.  Also, they include several great recipes of Stacey’s for pairing with the wine.  As a clan member, you are always invited to special events at the winery – picnics, harvest celebrations, first barrel tastings and of course, an annual winter celebration of the birth date of legendary Robbie Burns!  These gatherings draw quite a number of “clan folk”, and the photos included always convey the laughter and joy of the day or evening.  And while my Asian ancestry would belie my new Scottish affinity, I’ve come to feel like a kilt and bagpipes guy when I enjoy a bottle of wine from McGregor – that I’m proud to belong. Check them out on the web at: http://www.mcgregorwinery.com/ or visit them on Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes area of New York on a great weekend getaway!

I’ve told many friends and family about my experience at McGregor – and those that have followed with a visit and eventual entry into The Clan agree: they do a unique job of cultivating a sense of belonging, a sense of community.  The stories that I and my friends who have become Clan kin spread to others is exactly what your small business seeks – positive word of mouth.  In the face of dozens and dozens of choices – whether they be about wine or food, shopping or manufacturing, true advocacy features customers who not only stay with a firm, but recruit others for a business because they feel valued.  And while bad news about a service experience is always easy to spread, a positive advocate is like true gold and lightning in a bottle. True customer advocacy is a customer excited to tell a story about belonging into a community of clients and sharing in a product, service and or experience. People want to share a positive story about being connected. They want to be the one with the latest story about being a club member with a unique benefit. Give it to them!

How do you cultivate membership?

• Look over that frequent customer list and think about three things you could communicate with them about in the next thirty days. Lay out a four quarter plan for communicating through email or snail mail with your best customers.
• What “members only” event could you hold to show appreciation and give them a story to share?
• What “share your story” outreach might you do to gather stories and suggestions from frequent customers?  How could you use those      stories or feature and celebrate them?
• What perk could you provide to clients who bring three or four friends to experience your service or business?

When you think about your loyal customers, craft a strategy to keep them coming back for more, with an eye to giving them something special to spread – a positive message about being in membership with you.  Create connection.  Cultivate membership. Capture loyalty.  Join the Club.



 

Family Wine

Following a week of dog sitting for my “niece” Fergie, the Portuguese Water Dog (yes, the same breed as the First Family Dog), I  explored a bit of the California Wine Country for a few days.  Previous trips  took me on the now heavily populated roads such as the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley, and along the Russian River of Sonoma Valley.

This time I decided to explore the beautiful Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County.  As autumn is just arriving, the warm days linger and light the hills that special shade of gold.  In Dry Creek there are many smaller vineyards, and September is the beginning of the harvest, so an exciting time.  But the crowds of the summer have dwindled, so a visit to the tasting room is a relaxed chance to sip and explore the wine.  It’s also a chance to talk more with the staff.  I had the great fortune to stop and spend some time at Dutcher Crossing Winery on the northern end of Dry Creek Road.  Stepping out of the car, a beautiful garden envelopes you as you walk toward the tasting room.  The views of the valley and surrounding hills beckon you to drink in the scene as much as the wine.  There are  tables perfectly positioned under a pergola to make a picnic memorable.

Inside, huge windows frame the stunning view. I joked with the staff that having that view all day is a great perk of the job, and they agreed.  The Dutcher Crossing wines are great – luscious Sauvignon Blanc, rich Zinfandel, finely balanced Syrah – a reflection of the handmade and small lots care that goes into the wine by winemaker Kerry Damskey and assistant winemaker Dan Glover.  The staff are engaging, excited about their products, excited about you being there.

What is interesting about these smaller wineries is the story behind them.  Displayed in a couple of spots around the room is the story of Dutcher Crossing.  I learned much more about it in the tasting room from Leigh Behrens, the quintessential host. It is the fulfillment of a dream for Debra Mathy, the owner.  It is a longtime dream she shared with her father, Charles.  Sadly, he died shortly before they were to open.  Her tribute to him is evident, from the logo of the high-wheeled bicycle, his last gift to his daughter, to the special tribute wine, the 2006  Charles Mathy Syrah.

Exploring the stories behind these family wines, you get a deep sense of the commitment – to making interesting wine, to building a new life that in many cases is a new journey from previous careers.  There indeed is a romance to this idea of wine making – a romance that includes the land, the people – a sense of place.

Similar the many smaller businesses, the culture of a family winery shows through in the experience they create for customers.  The staff feel and act as family.  They wear many hats. There is a sense of shared commitment to excellence between ownership or management and staff. The ups and downs of business are real and deeply felt by each employee.

It is interesting that in the midst of much consolidation in the wine industry, many of the smaller family wineries I met are focused on making enough wine to fill the needs of their wine clubs, and pulling back from the retail distribution race.  These clubs are a great example of loyalty marketing.  They communicate through newsletter, blogs and 2.0 technologies.  Word of Mouth marketing is very powerful in growing the clubs.  Many have special events spread throughout the year to bring club members together at the winery to continue that connection.  For Debra at Dutcher Crossing, it is about the high wheeled bicycle and the journey it symbolizes.  A journey she invites customers and friends along.  For wine club members, receiving the bi-monthly shipments of wine is like receiving a gift from an old friend. I suppose it is a sense of belonging they cultivate.  A sense of membership.  A sense of family and the romance of wine. Cool.

Check out Dutcher Crossing the next time you are in Sonoma.  You can find them on the web at: www.dutchercrossingwinery.com

 

Pecorino Prose

On the fourth day of making the world, God took special care to put a sheep (or two) on a hillside in Pienza, in the Tuscan countryside of Italy.  And while the area nearby has wonderful grapes turned to wines called Nobile and Brunello, a special treat is made and aged in the cellars nearby.  Today this treat is known as Pecorino cheese.  In the U.S., aged Parmesan cheese is revered, and Pecorino is a poor cousin.  But in Pienza, there are many cousins of several ages, and they are unique, of wonderful texture and flavors that bring a smile to your soul.  Sitting on a hillside overlooking a Tuscan valley, you daydream about how wonderful a simple life of wine, bread and, yes, Pecorino cheese can be.  Many talk today about local and slow foods – here in Tuscany the wine and food have gone together for centuries, and it is as if the flavors themselves have carried on through generations of the land and those who find a harmony with it and with life.  In the cheese shops of Tuscany, the aromas, and flavors and the life of Tuscany all find their way into your being.

I suppose somewhere in time, God saw that we on earth could make Pecorino cheese, and God smiled.

Here ends the lesson!

 

A Sense of Place

The French word terroir describes the combination of site, soil, sun, climate and farming techniques and the resulting character they create for a vineyard and its grapes.   On a recent trip to the Tuscany region of Italy, I felt a great example of how the these elements come together to produce wines that are magical.  Brunellos of Montalcino, Chianti Classico and the wines of Montepulciano all reflect distinctive and engaging wines from their landscapes and vineyards.

It’s also interesting that the word terroir can also be loosely translated as “a sense of place”.  This is a great description of what you feel when you experience Tuscany.  On a wine tour with my good friends David Jackson and Kathy Troidle of Ripertoli Wine Adventures (www.ripertoliadventures.com) I soaked in all that Tuscany has to offer.  I learned that not only are the wines special and unique, but that the people of Tuscany find great celebration in the unions created between food AND wine of the region.  And they are such an integral part of life there, it becomes essential parts of the culture.  You taste it in the wines and food. You feel it as you travel small roads through villages and past a multitude of vineyards and olive groves.  A sense of place.

We had the great fortune to spend time at several wineries, but one in particular stands out.  Castello di Querceto is a special place in Greve in Chianti. Querceto, which refers to “the small forest of oak” it resides in, is a quintessential Tuscan winery – home not only to vineyards and winery, but also home to the family who has been making wine in the region for decades.

Our tour guide was Marcello, a gracious man and son-in law of Alessandro Francois, head of the family and the winery.  The Francois family which has been in Querceto since 1897, on land along the Via Cassia Imperiale, built by the Romans in 123AC.  As we toured the grounds, their XVI century castle and home, the vineyards and wine production facilities and the richly historic wine caves, I couldn’t help but feel the passion he and many other winemakers have for  their product.  But more than the product, the wines reflected their lives – their history, their love of land and life.  The kitchen staff produced truly beautiful food – elegant on its own, but simply special with their wines.  As one of our other hosts along the trip explained, “the act of sharing wine and food with friends and family is what life is”.  Indeed.

A version of this experience played out in the many wineries and restaurants David and Kathy introduced us to across the Tuscan countryside.  Their Tuscan wine tour is special in its way of creating a deep connection of  newcomers with the Tuscany they love. They do it by focusing on key elements of experience design: finding special elements in a product or place.  Creating a context where people are active in their engagement and exploration and crafting a deeper, more powerful experience for themselves.  It helps to have a rich pallete to draw from in a special place.

Tuscany. A passionate people. A sense of history. A sense of union between a land and its people, reflected richly in its food and wine.  A sense of place.  Terroir.

 

New “re-branded” Store for Starbucks

There was an interesting news story the other day:  Starbucks is replacing the name on one of its  stores in Seattle, it’s base city – and adding tea, beer and wine to its offerings.  Opening this week it will be called 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea. There are plans to open two new stores of  a similar concept in Seattle -and if successful, it will replicate it in other parts of the country.

I see the “neigborhood” coffee or team shop concept at work.  Some will see it as a counter corporate play, as some perceive Starbucks and its incredible growth to be.  Should be an interesting comparison: Starbucks, with many stores creating an experience that engenders a loyal and high frequency customer base – this “in-neigborhood” concept, and the neighborhood independent or small chain.

What makes people passionate about their coffee? Their coffee experience?  As we wrote earlier, the Third Place is a rich mix of product, experience, service and brand panache.  Your thoughts?

 

Home, Work, and the “Third Place”- your thoughts needed!

Some number of years back, Starbucks founder Howard Schultz talked a lot about his vision of Starbucks as the “third place” where people would spend time other than home and work.  While Starbucks is essentially about coffee, it has brought to life the “third place” described by urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book The Great Good Place.  The Starbucks community experience is defined by a good crowd, comfy chairs, good music and a pretty reliable delivery experience.  To top it all off, there is great consistency of product.  Starbucks is a company that is out front with strong business practices including fair trade, good employee benefits, and a well developed culture – all of which instill in people the desire to remain loyal customers.

In my travels around the world, I have seen many cultures use coffee drinking as a gathering time during the busy day.  I’ve found it interesting that, aside from the Starbucks stores now found in countless countries, you cannot carry out or take away coffee from many restaurants or coffee shops.  The act of coffee drinking in many cultures is about taking a pause, joining in conversation, and discussing business or life in person.  I don’t see many smart phones or laptops in motion at the cafes in Spain, Italy or Brazil.  Instead, people come together in the face to face form of communication that has been lost in our ever-growing digital age.  In this way, I think Starbucks has introduced a place for Americans to slow down just a bit, and get together.  Different from most current developments, Starbucks allows us to switch to a slower gear – a positive shift for today’s hungry culture.

Of course, many people are passionate about their favorite coffee or team shop, often with experiences very different from Starbucks.  What is your favorite “third place”?  How and why do you spend time there?  Weigh in with a comment!

 

How Much is That Donut in the Window?

Signage can almost always be a big plus or a big minus for consumers – and either help encourage product selection or make you wonder what a brand is really up to.

On a recent trip, I was hitting that late afternoon snack thing – and tempted by some of the airport concourse offerings.  Mind you, the selection and offerings have improved a lot over the years in most airports –so no quibble there.  The prices charged are another matter – they seem to scream “we know you are captive and can’t bring something to drink through the security checkpoint, so don’t mind us if we charge you that $2.99 for a bottle of water, or $8.95 for a pretty basic deli sandwich.  It’s kind of a baffling approach because I think they would sell a lot more volume if they made the price a little more similar to the outside world.  Ah well, I’m guessing everyone has to get their cut along the way.

But back to the snacks – I don’t eat many donuts any more, but something about the Dunkin’ Donuts display always at least catches my eye.   I’ve been impressed with DD’s re-branding in the past number of years, and think it’s great when older brands get remade and are successful after a lull.

Much has been written about their approach to coffee and the inroads they’ve made into Starbuck’s business.  And their breakfast and lunch sandwich offerings are finding success and competitive with McDonald’s and others. But late in the afternoon, or in early or mid-morning, a donut sounds just right.  At this airport kiosk, I glanced through the display case to find my favorite – french crullers!  Glancing up at the signs, I wanted to see how much they were – after all, you might have to pay a few cents more for a French cruller or a apple fritter or a custard donut than say a fried cake or a honey glazed morsel!  Let’s see, there is the coffee price, the latte price, the ice frappe-something drink,  breakfast sandwich, and even the bagels that I’m guessing no one has bought in several hours!  But not a mention of a price for a donut!  Not the fancy, not the plain, the glazed or the powder sugar!  Nor the donut holes (which I can’t believe they don’t even carry!)

Let me see now – the big sign over the display says Dunkin DONUTS but we won’t want you to know how much they are – because we don’t really want you to buy them?  Odd, eh?  Of course this was in New York, where all things on the sign have to include the calories associated with it – I think the law was passed to try and get people to think twice about how much work they’ll face in burning off that thing they just ate.  Maybe DD didn’t put donuts on the sign so they wouldn’t have to tell me it was also 500 calories.  I suppose that’s a story for another day.

At any point of the day (or late at night) a good donut or two with a cup o’ joe is the perfect snack.  A natural pairing, a “value pak” so to speak.   I think there’s an opportunity lost here.

Summary:  Brands (new or remade) should dance with the one who brung ‘em and feature the core of their brand – and cross sell the rest.

 

Hot Dog! Part 2

More baseball and hot dogs:

Tiger Stadium’s final demolition will at long last be complete this summer.  Comerica Park is it’s shiny new replacement – and similar to many new parks across the country like the new CitiField for the Mets and the new Yankee Stadium, stadiums are now more commonly  home to a rich wealth of all kinds of food – a lot of it good.  At Comerica, there are the hot dog vendors in the stands and a few coney island hot dog places,  but this is a story about a stand selling Chicago Hot Dogs.

A Chicago hot dog is a unique culinary delight in it’s own right – smothered in relish, hot peppers, onions, ketchup and mustard – a “kitchen sink” kinda thing.  Unique as well is the poppy seed bun that houses this creation! A friend of mine was sure this is what made the dog a delight – when I went to buy it, he said that whatever I got, to be sure to try it with the poppy seed bun.  I eagerly went to order it – “I’ll have a plain hot dog with a poppy seed bun, please”. I got a quizzical look from the guy taking my order.  “You can’t have a plain hot dog with a poppy seed bun – that is for our Chicago Hot Dogs” – I returned an equally quizzical look and asked why not.

“You can only have it with a Chicago Hot Dog.”

“OK, then I’ll have a Chicago Hot Dog, plain.”

“But that’s a plain hot dog – you’ll have to have the plain hot dog bun.”

“But I want the poppy seed bun.”

The guy was looking more exasperated, and I was intrigued.

With a frown, he looked down the line at the woman assembling the hot dogs and explained the situation

“He can’t have that.”, she exclaimed.

The line behind me was building, and while I would normally move on, this was now interesting – the manager intervened to see what the situation was and listened to the replayed dialogue.

“Why can’t I have the poppy seed bun?” I quizzed.

“The poppy seed bun is for the Chicago Hot Dog.”

“I want a Chicago Hot Dog then, with nothing on it.”

“That’s not a Chicago Hot Dog.”

So you can’t make a Chicago Hot Dog without anything on it?

“It will mess up my inventory.”

Stifling a laugh, I smiled and he finally relented, telling the woman to make one up for me.

For some of you, this will remind you of the famous Jack Nicholson scene from Five Easy Pieces http://www.youtube.com/Five Easy Pieces Diner

In the end,  it was a tasty hot dog with poppy seeds – though I have since come to love a true Chicago Hot Dog with all the fixings!

Here’s the important point:

1. Don’t constrain your people with rules that obscure your goal: to make a sale and win a customer.  Especially not for process or inventory concerns.
2. Stay focused on what’s really important – the quality and uniqueness of your product or offering, and the smile you can sell it and serve it with.