Moshe Engelberg On Everything Marketing

Most of us assume customers want a lot of choices. Nobody likes being told what to do. Right? Maybe not.

In the book The Paradox Of Choice: Why More is Less, psychologist Barry Schwartz tells the story of going into the Gap to buy a pair of jeans. The salesperson asks him what kind of jeans- slim fit, easy fit, relaxed fit, or baggy? Stonewashed, acid-washed, or distressed? Button fly or zipper? On and on the choices grew. He replies - a bit confused - jeans, just regular jeans like he always buys. Then he started worrying, well maybe it matters and should he try on 14 different styles? The myriad of choices created an uncomfortable "need."

In our consulting work helping companies really understand what their customers want, need, and value, we invariably find that too many choices is just as bad as no choices. For example, when working with our federal Medicare agency (CMS) to investigate what choices seniors want in selecting health insurance plans, we found they tended to want two or three good choices. And they really valued a trusted resource that could present them with the best two or three options for their situation.

Therein lies the marketing opportunity. Sometimes people are overwhelmed by choices. They want to be told what to do, especially in a domain where they have little or no expertise, like say, evaluating healthcare systems. So step up and make it easier for your customers by reducing their number of choices. Call it "peace of mind" marketing.

P.S. This is where my marketing pseudonym "Les S. Moore" comes into play.

I just finished teaching a Global Marketing Strategy seminar to a great group of working professionals at University of San Diego.

The key theme was customer intimacy. Three things stand out for me: 1) How much I learn when I teach. 2) How the idea of customer intimacy resonates with people on a gut level, I believe because it is a fundamental human need to be heard, to be connected, and to matter. Which is what customer intimacy is all about. 3) How, when going global, the strategic decision about standardization (the same in every country - think McDonalds) vs. customization (think Four Seasons - you know what country you're in by just looking around your hotel room) is so foundational to corporate philosophy, product positioning, and success.

And there is a parallel in our everyday lives. How do we adapt to a different environment  or culture? Do we stay the same or change? My belief is that like companies, we as individuals need to be clear about our principles that are unchanging and those we can flex. And to know which are which.

One of my computer programs, Word or maybe Safari, just suddenly quit on me, and I got that cute little invitation to submit an error report. It looked something like this:

I have yet to submit one, despite numerous opportunities. Would some guy in a cramped cubicle in India read my error report? Or would a system-generated report be circulated to the error maven? Seems unlikely, that's all. Then I thought, I could be wrong... Maybe I'd get a response like this:

Dear Moshe,

On behalf of Microsoft, I am responding to the error report you submitted 12 minutes ago. I read it carefully and determined that in fact, unknown error #000000000623 did occur which forced MS Word to quit unexpectedly on you for the 54th time this month. And just as you were about to click on Save for your upcoming keynote speech at the White House. Bummer. But don't give up on us. We at Microsoft really care about you, so as a gesture of our appreciation, we will send you an e-certificate citing your toughness and fortitude as a veteran unknown error #000000000623 survivor. You can open it in MS Word, though it has been known to cause occasional system crashes. It is frame-able though.

Sincerely,

Ken

Unknown Error #000000000623 and #000000000624 Technical Specialist III

What a customer service opportunity and brand loyalty opportunity these error communications create!

The Chinese symbol for crisis is composed of two characters. One means danger. The other means opportunity (or some say "crucial point").

That's how I think about allowing cell phone use on airplanes. In a recent blog posting, the NY Times called it "The in-flight menace: Wireless chatter." Personally I agree.

However, from a marketing perspective, domestic airlines could seize the opportunity to differentiate by being the first to allow phones in flight, citing the success of several foreign airlines like Emirates that allow cell phones and other personal wireless devices for making phone calls. They would secure a loyal customer base, at least until it became an industry norm.

Or better, they could stand out - and avoid the danger of customer backlash - by proclaiming their opposition to using cel phones in the air, in line with numerous airline customer surveys. Then brand their action as a demonstration of customer intimacy. But the airlines should not just do nothing while waiting as their national union lobbies Congress for a ban on inflight calls.

I was on a Southwest airline flight earlier this year when they tested internet access, I thought it was great for e-mailing. But I found I could have a phone conversation too in the air via Skype. This I did not like.

Let airlines capitalize on the phone-free "escape" they provide. If not, then hey - offer cell phone and cell phone-free sections, like the old smoking/non-smoking sections. Let freedom ring (sort of)!

A Japanese utility company uses “smile detection” software made by Omron to scan their employees faces every day for smiles, and then motivates better smiling for below par grins. (It sounds like the same technology Sony uses in its new DSC cameras introduced last year. The camera waits until the subject is smiling to take the shot, and with its “Happy Faces” feature, can also edit non-smiling faces into big grins).

To motivate bigger smiles, the utility company’s "smile police" send out instant messages (IMs) saying "You still look too serious” or "Lift up your mouth corners.” And employees receive daily printouts of their smiles to inspire them throughout the day. How funny is that?! And imagine how customer service could be transformed if companies used electronic smile monitoring to understand and act upon what makes customers smile (and not smile).

Listen to the whole story on NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me news show quiz. It will make YOU smile!  

The main thing about blogging is this: Making what you''re reading meaningful, thoughtful, and practical. That''s the bottom line. We promise you a blog that''s worth your time and energy and we welcome your participation.

 Underlying this idea is what I believe is the core principle of effective marketing: Putting your ""customer"" in the center.

 When I teach, I illustrate this by drawing a circle with the word ""us"" in the middle (us meaning the company). Then I make a big X through it and say very simply: ""This is bad."" Next to it, I draw another circle and write ""them"" in it , and say ""This is good."" Them is the customer, the reader, the partner - those that the "us" serve. That''s what it''s about, this blog –putting you the reader in the center.

 It's all about YOU.