The Ultimate Customer Formula

Part 4
The Ultimate Customer Formula
By Noah St. John, Ph.D
That last part is particularly vital today. The word we see everywhere now in marketing now is transparency. In the old days, you could hide behind a corporate shield and be immune to criticism. Those days are gone. People are amazed when I pick up the phone and call them to see if they're happy with their purchase, or personally respond to an e-mail they wrote me, or write back to them on my facebook fan page.
My feeling is, why wouldn't I?
But the beauty is, the "gurus" almost never pick up the phone and call people. When was the last time you got a phone call from one of these guys? I know I never did. Sure, it's more work for me. But it's work that I really enjoy doing. Plus, it cements me as a guy who actually CARES about how they are doing. So, use the Ultimate Customer Formula and see what you can do today, this week, this month, and this year to move people from Customer to Referrer to Evangelist. And isn't it amazing that the ultimate secret to success, yet again, is Love.

The Ultimate Customer Formula

My apologies for my absence ...computer problems!

Part 3
By Noah St. John, Ph.D.

Let me give you an example. I love Southwest Airlines. Why? There are literally dozens of reasons, but the most important one for me is that when I need to change my flights, I simply call their toll-free number, and an ACTUAL HUMAN BEING picks up the phone and says, "Southwest, how can I help you?"
Then I change the flights and there is NO service fee! What do you know? Southwest treats my money as MY money!
I've flown other airlines, and paid as much as $450 for CHANGE FEES. Ridiculous!
Do you see what I just did? I just told everyone who's reading this newsletter how awesome Southwest Airlines is. I went from Referrer right to Evangelist.
If I felt so-so about Southwest, I might tell one or two friends. That would make me a Referrer.
But because I love Southwest, I tell everyone about them (whether they ask or not).
How did it happen? I have a Want - inexpensive, reliable airline service to take me where I need to go, AND actual human beings who answer the phone, AND no fees when I need to change my flights.
From the very first time I flew Southwest, they not only delivered the fulfillment of my Want. They OVER-delivered, by thinking of things I hadn't even thought of to make my travel better and easier, and being a company of real human beings.
So I emotionally moved from I Trust Southwest to I LOVE Southwest.
So, the Ultimate Customer Formula again - this time with the thoughts that go behind it - is:
Want + Trust = Customer
I want something and trust that you will deliver it to me.
Want X Trust = Referrer
I want something and trust that you will not only deliver it to me, but that if I were to send a friend to you, you'd deliver it to them too.
Want X Love = Evangelist
I want something and not only trust that you will deliver it to me, you will over-deliver, take care of me in ways I hadn't even thought of, and you are a company of actual human beings.