Change Is Here

Breaking news:  An historical change is upon us.

No it is not the Rise of the Planet of the Apes (wow that movie was bad).  It is a cultural shift in the way business is done.  It is happening now.  And if you are a fan of doing things "the right way" then you should be excited for the future.

The change has been coming for some time.  For years, companies have worked to automate all of their "service" services.  They have consistently tried to cut costs with outsourcing phone centers, one size fits all websites or even getting rid of human contact all together.  We have all experienced it at one time or another.  We have spent endless time on hold coming to the realization that customer service really had nothing to do with the customer at all.  

Maddening.

From a marketing standpoint, the change has been coming as well.  We have lived in an age of "push" marketing forever...since the beginning of time.  But the internet--and social networks--is changing that.  Right now.  Now, more than ever, the customer has a voice.  The customer has clout and power.  

And the customer wants better.  We want better.

So the shift is beginning.  Companies are beginning to understand that they need to humanize.  They need to engage.  They need to provide value.  They need to GIVE before they ask.   

What this means is that this large world is becoming small again.  Each customer needs to be treated as if we are business owners in a small town!  We might see them again in the grocery store.  If we treat them badly, they can tell their friends.  So as businesses we need to re-visit service and marketing.

We need to GIVE first.  We need to work at providing value to our customers so they trust us.  We need to think "small" things first.  

This is an excerpt from the upcoming book, Delivering Marketing Joy!  Coming Soon!