A couple of days ago I had to call my bank to get some information as I had locked myself out of the online account -- how many passwords can you really remember before they all jumble? My bank is ING Direct and I chose it first because I liked what I heard about the way they do business: no fees for their Orange Savings Account with great interest rates, no application fee for the Orange Mortgage and a simple application. Then I met Arkadi Kuhlmann, the bank's President and CEO -- see a video with some of his remarks about the bank here.
We were at the last Fast Company Real Time live event and I passed him in the hallway after he spoke. I had to tell him how much I enjoyed doing business with them. He had just asked us to pick the one TV commercial they were going to air -- and they did use that one -- and it felt as if we could chat amiably as colleagues do. We did. I've even used their Cafe' in Philadelphia as a venue for some of our events: Dan Pink spoke there about Free Agent Nation and so did Ben McConnell about Creating Customer Evangelists.
As a marketer, I also like the way they get the word out about their mission: to help you save money. Simple, highly creative and memorable. That is secondary to the experience of their service. Clever marketing cannot substitute behavior -- you actually need to do what you say you do. And that's why I say that customer service is a mindset in today's post at FC Expert blogs. Communication of any kind needs to be followed through with action: walk the talk. Is ING Direct fun to deal with? Absolutely. So that's why sitting on a Harley Davidson and leading 700 other riders over 60 miles in San Francisco for the Freedom Ride is not a stunt. It matches the company's service mindset.
posted a comment on fast company. see there.
Posted by: gianandrea | February 23, 2007 at 09:26 AM
You were wowed by the experience! Imagine that? When will all businesses recognize that it is first and foremost about the experience?
Posted by: Lewis Green | February 23, 2007 at 10:39 AM
Gianandrea -- You say you worked with ING Direct and that they are not scared by innovation. Flexibility, the ability to learn from listening to feedback and observing behavior, and the willingness to "let go" of central control are all hallmarks of innovative thinking.
Lewis -- Do I have other choices for my banking needs? I surely do. Do I want to bank somewhere else? Why would I leave a good experience?
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | February 23, 2007 at 10:45 AM
You've raised this point more than once, but it just can't be said enough: brand image must harmonize with the reality of the product.
A lot of marketers think people are stupid. They're not. Consumers are distracted and inattentive, which is an altogether different thing.
So gild the lily if you wish. You might get someone to buy your product or use your service. Once. But when it fails to meet their expectations -- as it will, since marketing doesn't reflect the true ethos of the product -- you're in trouble. You'll never correct that buyer's disappointment, and they'll be more than happy to influence those around them not to buy again.
I always wondered why Microsoft released the Zune media player under their own brand. When I think Microsoft, I think business software: spreadsheets, Exchange, Word, and so on. Not the too-hip-for-the-room, latter day hippie conceptual marketing that was floated to launch Zune. It's tough to be hip when you've got a well-deserved and lucrative image as the bean counter company. It made Zune an uphill fight and didn't add value to their main brand.
It hasn't worked. Anyone surprised?
Posted by: Chris Baskind | February 23, 2007 at 03:52 PM