Great Customer Service

It’s Halloween this Thursday, so originally, I thought I would write about something scary and spooky. But I did that two weeks ago when I wrote about crappy customer service, and what it means and its outcomes. I promised then that I would write a TMC with ideas around delivering exceptional customer service in the sponsorship sector.

First, let me tell you about Starbucks. I like Starbucks because I travel a lot, and I am assured of consistent and reliable products and services. I can get the tea I drink, the breakfast sandwich I prefer, and always working and reliable internet. Coffee shops are my offices. Comfortable, clean spaces with good clientele and reliable internet are critical when you spend as much time on the road as I do. These establishments are where I work, and meet prospects and clients. Several years ago, Starbucks switched from TAZO tea to the Teavana tea brand. In fact, they own Teavana, so it made sense. But as a loyal customer, I had my “go to” flavour—TAZO Zen Green. The switch to Teavana was disruptive, but I soldiered through it. The problem was that I needed to “make my tea” differently with this new brand. I wanted just a single bag (I like my tea weak) in their extra large (Venti) cup with water filled to the top. Unfortunately, their policy said that, when someone ordered a Venti tea, they always got two tea bags, which had a surcharge of 50 cents. I did not want an extra bag on the side (or otherwise) for 50 cents. I wanted one bag in the biggest cup they had! I fought with baristas, spoke with store managers and area supervisors, and sometimes it worked out great. I frequented those stories versus ones that “went by the rules.” I guess they had enough complaints, because about two years later, things changed—sort of. I was in the Starbucks in the Bridgeland area in Calgary on the site of the old General Hospital. I ordered a “tall Mint Majesty (Teavana brand) in a Venti cup, double cupped and sleeve with no room.” This is quite the mouthful, but to explain, it means a small cup of tea, which would have just one bag, and I wanted it in a big cup with water filled to the top. One of the area supervisors taught me that approach to ordering in order to encounter less hassles. The double cup and sleeve are because the boiling water added to brew the tea makes the single cup wall and sleeve too hot to hold for long. The barista said, “We can’t do that.” I asked to speak to the area supervisor. The barista said she was not around but gave me her card and email. I emailed Melissa who got back to me in about 12 hours, which was awesome. She explained that so many tea drinkers wanted what I was ordering, and past policy prohibited it, that they were changing policy to be more customer focused. In about two weeks, a national directive was coming down with the change. She said, “If you have any issues in the next two weeks or after that, have the barista or store manager call me.” I thought she was an area supervisor, but she turned out to be the regional VP. At that time, she had been with Starbucks for 12 years and she truly knew what great customer service really is—address the issue and solve the problem. She was awesome.

So, in sponsorship, what can we do to WOW or provide great customer service to our partners, be they a brand or a property? The list is not long—just two points. Hopefully you can deliver on both all the time!

• Do the little things they expect you to do and that you should be doing. Deliver on what is in the contract or offer a make-good before they ask. Be punctual. If the meeting is for 9:15 a.m., be at the office for 9:00. Or be on the Zoom call at 9:10 waiting to be let in. If it is at your office, don’t keep them waiting. Respond within professional and courteous timelines. That means a DM within three business hours, a text within six business hours, a phone call in one business day, and an email in two business days. If you are delivering a proposal, an ideation document, or activation concept document, get it to them on time or early. If it is going to be late, let them know before the due date Treat them and their staff with respect and dignity.

By doing these little things that are already expected of you, you are delivering great customer service. From my experience in the sector over the last 35 year or so, most partners fail to deliver consistently on all five of these elements. And these are EXPECTED of you. They are nothing beyond the basics!

• Do little things (or if possible, big things too, but little is fine) that they don’t expect. Follow their organization on Google alerts and LinkedIn. Congratulate and make notice when applicable on announcements, launches, etc. Talk positively about them and your partnership publicly whether on social media, in a newsletter, or at a presentation. Yes, the business world is small and it will get back to them. Share their content on social media, both as an organization and individually in your networks. Learn about their family and congratulate appropriately. If you know the dates of their wedding anniversary, birthday, or kid’s birthday or graduation, send a note, flowers, card, or something. Send tickets to an event you are hosting or are associated with for them, or them and their whole family, as appropriate. Praise the support you get from their team, and if they do a great job, highlight those individuals and explain what they did that was exceptional. Remember your partner’s team contact and stay engaged with them; do all the same things around birthdays, promotions, etc. Bring them ideas, concepts, insights, and information. Some may suggest they need to invest further, say, to do an activation or have access to a new asset, but at other times, it is just ideas for their own creative or insights you have access to.

These are eight little things you can do for basically no cost (for the most part) that will enhance your level of customer service to your partner and genuinely separate you from their other partners.

Customer service is about making your partner feel comfortable—allowing them to lower their guard, treat you like “family,” and gain trust. You want them to tell stories about you and your organization, and how to them, you are the gold standard for great customer service.

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