e-BAY Meets Buns!
The poof of silver hair that lives at the center of my life walked into my office and maneuvered into position just over my left shoulder. Out of habit I puckered my lips and turned expecting a smooch. I had been so involved with the project at hand I miscalculated, turned a hair too quickly, and the smooch evaporated, turning itself into an air kiss.
Before I could reload and come around for a second pass, an excited voice said, “Look what I just won on e-Bay!”
I never thought about “winning” on e-Bay. I thought the process was 1.) Find what you want, and 2.) Buy it. But then, I’m a buyer not a shopper and it never even occurred to me to bid on something I was going to buy anyway. Wrap it up. Hit my Pay-Pal account. Let me move to the next item on my to-do list. (Chili’s really had me with their Get in. Get out. Get on with your life, campaign.)
When I saw how excited Buns was over “winning” on e-Bay, I was compelled to look.
Two of the many lessons we can learn from e-Bay: First: there isn’t any service system that can’t be turned into an experience. And second, when you measure customer service, it improves.
In the world of the ordinary you post photos of the product, maybe add a few descriptors, and wait for the phone to ring. Then you slap it into a box, haul it to the post office, and wait patiently for the next one. e-Bay turns the relatively boring business of business into an auction, a competition, an experience. And that’s what propelled Buns into my office waving a print out as if it were a trophy.
In the weeks that followed we had an opportunity to experience less than satisfactory service on e-Bay. Anywhere else, poor customer service causes us to steel ourselves for an unpleasant confrontation leading to an uncertain resolution. Not on e-Bay.
E-Bay merchants have a perpetually posted customer service rating that tells prospective purchasers the probability that they will be pleased. Merchants who intend to continue doing business on e-Bay will do almost anything to protect their score. And that leads to an ever-rising customer service standard. e-Bay has it dialed in.
Two questions that we should all have a burning desire to answer: 1.) How could you turn doing business with you into an experience, and 2.) How could you keep and post your customer service score?
Now, if you will excuse me, I’m going to e-Bay to see if I can win a photographer’s back drop!
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