Have we Gone too Far or Not Far Enough?

Ah, the webs we weave! Yesterday marked the first day at Supernova where a group of smart and progressive thinkers is having a conversation around the future of work. Deborah Schultz poses some intriguing questions around a behavioral code of conduct that takes into consideration the impact of the network (or the new network, as they dubbed it) on business and relationships. In particular:

How will companies and customers find each other in the future?

To which I add, who services the new network?

I've been thinking about this after a conversation I had with Fast Company Senior Editor Charles Fishman last week at a Fast50 event in Philadelphia. We talked about my post What if Customers WERE the Service? and he wondered out loud why we should let companies like Best Buy get away with doing even less than they are doing now.

If customers are doing all the work in terms of self service, and now increasingly of self check out -- how many times have you called a number to learn that you could purchase a ticket or make a reservation online only? -- where do companies fit in? And what is the new role of marketing? I have some ideas, but I would love your take.

My inquiry at this week's FC Expert blogs provides more examples of what I'm thinking about. The bottom line is, have we gone too far or not far enough? What do you think?

Comments

[mvellandi]

Marketing for the big boys and girls will continue to be about sugar-coating the features of price, deals, ease-of-use and selection. Anything that has to do with human-relational experience will continue to be thin-coated and superficial...especially if it's a weak area of the company or the industry as a whole (like employee turnover is in retail). After all, is it not worse to give a strong impression and then underdeliver?

Even if I appear to be a bit pessimistic on the subject, there are glimmers of light in my eye when I consider companies like Southwest and Wegman's. Their indirect human marketing is a result of the development of a unique culture over years. Lastly when it comes to marketing the service, I like to look at the banking/financial services industry where friendliness, empathy, "I'm there for you"-ness and trust are quite important.

[Mike Wagner]

For five years I helped design Internet business models which were often based on the cost-savings of self service. The customer in turn began to expect that prices would reflect this cost savings in some measure.

Rightfully so the customer figured that if they were doing all this work they should be compensated with a lower price.

Another question that forms in my mind then is this: - "are we as business owners "OK" with the bifurcation of the marketplace into self-service, commodity-like sales experiences and high touch, premium brand-like sales experiences?

The implications of "self-service" on business strategy and marketing models ought to be considered.

This is a brain spinning worthy question - thanks for extending the conversation!

Keep creating,
Mike

[Valeria Maltoni]

Mario -- I read your comment and I wonder: why does it have to be that way? Maybe it's because I've spend many years of my corporate career marketing financial services. To me being there for a customer is a must.

I think that part of the conversation is one of interest, as in is the company interested in being in that business? If so, is management willing to own accountability? Etc. I do like the folks at Wegman's a lot. The staff at Trader Joe's is pretty good, too. The environment makes me want to shop there. So it CAN be done.

Mike -- Bingo: "The implications of 'self-service' on business strategy and marketing models ought to be considered." What message are you sending? We've educated consumers and clients to watch the cues and act accordingly. Are you launching a big advertising campaign and then being cheap on the service side?

[gianandrea facchini]

valeria, probably there will be more than one model to be applied. it is my european approach, maybe, but i do believe that human interaction goes along with the value of the stuff you buy. more the commodity a good is perceived, more the self service approach s welcome. if you approach high value services or goods, the voice of an expert may be helpful if not mandatory to support the choice.

[Steve Roesler]

Hello, V,

A topic dear to my heart.

1. If I have to do all of the work myself (as a customer), I expect a significantly lower price for the product or service. That's not usually the case, and then prompts me to...

2. Decide what products or services I consider important. For those, I am willing to pay full price for full service (a human contact). Full service means the name of a contact with whom to speak if something goes wrong, reasonable resolution, and some kind of ongoing relationship that proves beneficial to me in future transactions.

An example would be airline travel. I have reduced my airline travel from 40%-50% to about 10%. Why? I have to do all the work myself, fares continue to increase, service is horrendous, airplane seats are hideously uncomfortable and aggravate my back, and the airport experience is unpleasant.

What does that mean to me as a business person?

I've made a conscious effort to change my geographic target audience and am developing new methods of product/service delivery. It's also made me more aware of the importance of ongoing personal contact with clients and prospective clients. I've always been relationship oriented; now it is exponentially magnified.

Good conversation, Valeria...

[Valeria Maltoni]

Gianandrea -- you would know, of course. We tend to select carefully or pick our battles, so to speak. I find that I do not mind spending a little more if I'm buying service. If not, then I may even do without. I think we will see more of this in the near future. People choosing to opt out of stuff because they cannot deal with the hassle.

Steve -- well, I think I just made the same point in response to Gianandrea. I'm with you 100%. My energy and my time are limited and I choose to invest them in pursuits that are worth them -- this includes purchases. Gone are the days that I would spend hours trying to get service for something. These days one can research a company's or product's track record online. And air travel stinks, I agree with you. When I go overseas I fly only Lufthansa. I find that they are still making an effort and succeeding most of the time.