Branding Done Well

Before I called Bank of America and Capital One, I had no preconception of which is a better company. After one call to each, I now love Capital One and despise Bank of America. It's the little things that make all the difference. Customer service is key. Without it, CEOs corrode their own branding.

Some corporations build outstanding goodwill with good customer service and rewards systems. They earn life-long customers who delight to give them business and tweet their love for the business. In addition to customer service, reward cards are one of the top ways to earn loyal customers.  Everyone wants to get enough stamps or points to earn free goods. When I get a punch card, I usually keep coming back to fill it. The cost of the free cookie, latte or even a burrito is surely negligible compared to the new loyal customers and the boost of goodwill. I'm surprised not all food services have such a reward system.

Some businesses have more creative forms of recognizing loyal customers. Shake Shack, for example, is one of my favorite places to go. They don't have any formalized system for rewarding loyalty, but they do sweeten the orders of customers they recognize. Although they operate in one of the busiest cities in the world, the staff is incredibly friendly and personable. I go to the same branch often, and I get all sorts of perks. I highly recommend them. Plus, their custards and burgers are fantastic.

Birthdays are also an excellent time to earn goodwill. Starbucks gives a free drink voucher to members to redeem anytime near their birthdays. Godiva club members receive a free truffle every month and an extra on their birthday month. Sixteen Handles gives a free cup of frozen yogurt to anyone who comes in their birthday. Who wouldn't like that?

businesses hit the jackpot with quality service. Consistently positive and friendly employees are rare but crucial. One bad experience can ruin a lot of customer goodwill, especially if it's tweeted to the world. When I called to activate my new Capital One card, I was floored by the wonderful customer service. On the other end of the spectrum, I've had terrible experiences with T-Mobile. It's consistently awful service; I'm often transfered multiple times, usually round in circles until they decide who I really need to talk to. A few times, I've hung up, frustrated that I couldn't get the help I was looking for. Quality service is hard to find.

I'm writing this in a Starbucks in London, which I'm usually not a big fan of. They are too expensive and not very good, in my opinion. But they just won my favor. Having just had a birthday, I had a free latte to redeem. None of the Starbucks in US airports would recognize the reward voucher. I was told that all airport Starbucks are managed by a major franchising corporation, distinct from normal Starbucks. Anyway, having returned to London, I discovered that US rewards are not honored here. But the barista gave me a venti pumpkin spice latte for the price of a shot of espresso. How nice! The little things truly do make all the difference.