Comments for 678 Partners http://www.678partners.com 678 Partners Welcomes You! Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:37:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Don’t Call Dibs On Your Customers by Sarah http://www.678partners.com/2012/01/17/dont-call-dibs-on-your-customers/#comment-563 Sarah Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:37:34 +0000 http://www.678partners.com/?p=564#comment-563 Great post, Parissa! I agree we have to treat our customers as if they could leave the next day. Never take your customers for granted. I really enjoyed your anecdotes about calling dibs in Chicago. Thanks for sharing! Great post, Parissa! I agree we have to treat our customers as if they could leave the next day. Never take your customers for granted. I really enjoyed your anecdotes about calling dibs in Chicago. Thanks for sharing!

]]> Comment on Employee and Customer Engagement Lessons… From A Gospel Choir by Parissa Behnia http://www.678partners.com/2011/12/12/employee-and-customer-engagement-lessons-from-a-gospel-choir/#comment-224 Parissa Behnia Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:27:58 +0000 http://www.678partners.com/?p=455#comment-224 Hi Natasha! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the comment. I loved how the leader and choir fed each other - Their performance was more than just consistent practice. You can tell they act as one. Hi Natasha! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the comment. I loved how the leader and choir fed each other – Their performance was more than just consistent practice. You can tell they act as one.

]]> Comment on Employee and Customer Engagement Lessons… From A Gospel Choir by Natasha Gabriel http://www.678partners.com/2011/12/12/employee-and-customer-engagement-lessons-from-a-gospel-choir/#comment-223 Natasha Gabriel Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:06:48 +0000 http://www.678partners.com/?p=455#comment-223 Leadership is so important as organizations just like this choir feed off of their energy. They drive the culture of the organization. Great post! Leadership is so important as organizations just like this choir feed off of their energy. They drive the culture of the organization. Great post!

]]> Comment on 1 Tweet Quoting Aristotle by Britt Michaelian http://www.678partners.com/2011/10/31/1-tweet-quoting-aristotle/#comment-215 Britt Michaelian Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:45:24 +0000 http://actonweb.us/678/2011/10/31/1-tweet-quoting-aristotle/#comment-215 Happy to inspire a very well written piece! One point that you made that I strongly believe in is the power of inspiration. In order to keep moving forward in the pursuit of excellence, we must seek inspiration. <br />I highly recommend building a 15 minute inspiration practice into your day (especially for writers) so your creative well is always full! Passion and inspiration draw from the same heart. ;) Thanks for a great reminder, Parissa! Happy to inspire a very well written piece! One point that you made that I strongly believe in is the power of inspiration. In order to keep moving forward in the pursuit of excellence, we must seek inspiration.
I highly recommend building a 15 minute inspiration practice into your day (especially for writers) so your creative well is always full! Passion and inspiration draw from the same heart. ;) Thanks for a great reminder, Parissa!

]]> Comment on Are You A Copycat? by Parissa Behnia http://www.678partners.com/2011/10/09/are-you-a-copycat/#comment-212 Parissa Behnia Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:34:03 +0000 http://actonweb.us/678/2011/10/09/are-you-a-copycat/#comment-212 Hi Michele! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for sharing the post! I agree that Panera does a bang up excellent job of what they do. I've been a fan of their product and in store experience for a while. And that's makes me more depressed... Excellent work deserves excellent and original creative that makes me think of Panera and Panera only. Hi Michele! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for sharing the post! I agree that Panera does a bang up excellent job of what they do. I've been a fan of their product and in store experience for a while. And that's makes me more depressed… Excellent work deserves excellent and original creative that makes me think of Panera and Panera only.

]]> Comment on Are You A Copycat? by Michele Price @Prosperitygal http://www.678partners.com/2011/10/09/are-you-a-copycat/#comment-211 Michele Price @Prosperitygal Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:11:27 +0000 http://actonweb.us/678/2011/10/09/are-you-a-copycat/#comment-211 Great point Parissa and yet what I think has been Panera's success during a down time is that they have been able to gain market share from Starbucks here locally because... (which I imagine has served nationally as well)<br /><br />When Starbucks charged for wifi with AT&T, Panera gave it for free.<br /><br />Panera offers free refills on their coffee. (Saving you a huge amount of money over Starbucks)<br /><br />They make fresh breads and sweets in their store daily- hmm Starbucks outsources. Now Starbucks was smart they stuck to what they were good at coffee. Yet, Panera found where their holes in what they offered and served them up well. Great point Parissa and yet what I think has been Panera's success during a down time is that they have been able to gain market share from Starbucks here locally because… (which I imagine has served nationally as well)

When Starbucks charged for wifi with AT&T, Panera gave it for free.

Panera offers free refills on their coffee. (Saving you a huge amount of money over Starbucks)

They make fresh breads and sweets in their store daily- hmm Starbucks outsources. Now Starbucks was smart they stuck to what they were good at coffee. Yet, Panera found where their holes in what they offered and served them up well.

]]> Comment on A Customer Experience Oasis by Parissa Behnia http://www.678partners.com/2011/09/27/a-customer-experience-oasis/#comment-210 Parissa Behnia Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:06:14 +0000 http://actonweb.us/678/2011/09/27/a-customer-experience-oasis/#comment-210 You're right that it's easy to dismiss good service by saying "oh, that's just the nature of XX industry." I think there are multiple examples in retail (Nordstrom and Zappo's) that are more "accessible" which would be good counter arguments. <br /><br />At the end of the day, we make good servicing and experience seem like more effort than it actually is. It really can just be a heartfelt "thank you" instead of an over the top display of affection. You're right that it's easy to dismiss good service by saying "oh, that's just the nature of XX industry." I think there are multiple examples in retail (Nordstrom and Zappo's) that are more "accessible" which would be good counter arguments.

At the end of the day, we make good servicing and experience seem like more effort than it actually is. It really can just be a heartfelt "thank you" instead of an over the top display of affection.

]]> Comment on A Customer Experience Oasis by Brian Mayer http://www.678partners.com/2011/09/27/a-customer-experience-oasis/#comment-209 Brian Mayer Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:36:12 +0000 http://actonweb.us/678/2011/09/27/a-customer-experience-oasis/#comment-209 That's exactly my point :) I think great CX IS in the details. To me those are the "that was cool" moments that get people talking. I guess my point was not so much tho about big or small moments as it was about which examples/environments we choose to highlight. When we use the example of a cruise living up to the hype, does say a product manufacturer or supplier or bank then dismiss the ideas because they see them as irrelevant? Do we lose voice? I'm not saying we necessarily do or even needing a response, just thinking aloud. That's exactly my point :) I think great CX IS in the details. To me those are the "that was cool" moments that get people talking. I guess my point was not so much tho about big or small moments as it was about which examples/environments we choose to highlight. When we use the example of a cruise living up to the hype, does say a product manufacturer or supplier or bank then dismiss the ideas because they see them as irrelevant? Do we lose voice? I'm not saying we necessarily do or even needing a response, just thinking aloud.

]]> Comment on A Customer Experience Oasis by Parissa Behnia http://www.678partners.com/2011/09/27/a-customer-experience-oasis/#comment-208 Parissa Behnia Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:02:03 +0000 http://actonweb.us/678/2011/09/27/a-customer-experience-oasis/#comment-208 Hi Brian! Thanks for stopping by and for your excellent points! Your question is a good one but I'd suggest that the success Zappos has had in delighting customers with small moments of experience, for example, could be a good counterpoint. <br /><br />I think the biggest mistake we all make is that we have to be over the top 100% of the time to make people happy. Truth be told, the best moments I had on this cruise were the very small niceties extended to me by their staff such as this one, "if you go on this excursion, bring extra sunscreen with you as the wind can burn you as the sun can burn you." That didn't come from the excursion manager, that came from a server. <br /><br />The best experiences, IMHO, are a blend of the small and big moments. If all we had were big moments, we'd stop appreciating them or categorize them for others as you rightly suggested. Hi Brian! Thanks for stopping by and for your excellent points! Your question is a good one but I'd suggest that the success Zappos has had in delighting customers with small moments of experience, for example, could be a good counterpoint.

I think the biggest mistake we all make is that we have to be over the top 100% of the time to make people happy. Truth be told, the best moments I had on this cruise were the very small niceties extended to me by their staff such as this one, "if you go on this excursion, bring extra sunscreen with you as the wind can burn you as the sun can burn you." That didn't come from the excursion manager, that came from a server.

The best experiences, IMHO, are a blend of the small and big moments. If all we had were big moments, we'd stop appreciating them or categorize them for others as you rightly suggested.

]]> Comment on A Customer Experience Oasis by Brian Mayer http://www.678partners.com/2011/09/27/a-customer-experience-oasis/#comment-207 Brian Mayer Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:29:01 +0000 http://actonweb.us/678/2011/09/27/a-customer-experience-oasis/#comment-207 I love the post. You're right it is a great example of what we were discussing. All of those "that was cool!" moments are ultimately what makes the experience rise above and totally fits with the "why not" expectation that was set. <br /><br />I have a devil's advocate question for you. I don't really know the best way to phrase it, so I hope it's clear. When we talk about these over-the-top experiences (things where the experience element is obvious), do you think some of the principles of great cx get lost on those who need to hear it most? Do the owners and executives then dismiss CX as something for cruise ships, restaurants and theme parks? I ask these not to challenge, but as honest thoughts I've recently had, and you post just brought them again to my mind. I love the post. You're right it is a great example of what we were discussing. All of those "that was cool!" moments are ultimately what makes the experience rise above and totally fits with the "why not" expectation that was set.

I have a devil's advocate question for you. I don't really know the best way to phrase it, so I hope it's clear. When we talk about these over-the-top experiences (things where the experience element is obvious), do you think some of the principles of great cx get lost on those who need to hear it most? Do the owners and executives then dismiss CX as something for cruise ships, restaurants and theme parks? I ask these not to challenge, but as honest thoughts I've recently had, and you post just brought them again to my mind.

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