Early in 2008, weak consumer spending provoked brands to re-emphasize customer service in hopes of capturing the consumers’ dollar during the recession. And since then, with every quarter that reported a drop in sales, this trend has evolved into brands attempting to differentiate themselves through outperforming one another in the area of customer service. This trend has snowballed to the point that the Institute of Customer Service (ICS) has launched an accreditation strategy to audit and measure the effectiveness of these new service tactics.
But where is the line between an ingenious plan that targets the consumers’ needs and wants, and a scheme that creates unnecessary gimmicks?
According to Retail Customer Experience, Sears is responding to the customer service trend by reintroducing a full-service cosmetic department after eliminating it about eight years ago. In 13 select stores, Sears will be staffing counters with attendants to promote an assortment of mass-marketed beauty brands – like CoverGirl, L’Oreal, and Maybelline – along with specialty and prestige brands. The goal of the Sears Beauty effort is to offer customer-centric environments that will create a fun shopping experience and allow for product testing and education.
But when brands start offering valet service for groceries shopping, or hand out free beer to men just for trying on jeans, are they actually hitting the mark? With these tactics that grab attention, are brands capturing consumer loyalty, or in effect, weakening their presence through gimmicky promotion?
According to the Marketing Spot, “Loyalty is an emotion and requires an emotional engagement, not a gimmick.” Brands should aim to differentiate themselves by developing customer experiences that engage thought and emotion, not by “manipulating the customer into