When a brand delivers a remarkable experience that leaves you wanting more, we call it a THIRST® moment.
As customers, we’re counting on the relationships a company builds with us to last long after the product or service has expired. In the world of creating brand experiences, there is a backbone of people just doing their job – and then there are the THIRST makers. These are the people who infuse their profession with passion and pride – these are the people that will move your brand forward.
To the following three 2014 THIRST makers, we applaud you.
Wick Morgan, The Spectacle, Raleigh-Durham, NC
One of the strongest signs of great customer service is when your customer claims ownership of you or your brand. “Go see my guy” is the mark of a worthy referral.
Chris Lien writes,
At R+M we’re big on referrals (80% of our business comes from referrals). We work hard to make the referrer look good, because giving a referral is putting your reputation on the line. If it goes south, you look like a chump. But if it turns out well, well, you’re a star.
On one such referral occasion, a colleague asked where I got my glasses. I didn’t hesitate. I said, “Go to The Spectacle. They carry awesome frames you don’t see every day. Talk to Wick, he’s the man.”
Wick’s a straight shooter. He knows what looks good and he’ll tell you if it doesn’t. I respect that. I could hangout at The Spectacle and listen to him talk all day. His shop is pretty cool too, replete with custom motorcycles, surfboards and killer frames.
Some weeks later the colleague approached me and asked how I liked his new glasses. They were really cool. “I went to see your guy, Wick. He’s the best. Thanks for the referral.”
I beamed. I have a guy, and he made me a star.
So if you live in the Triangle and you’re in the market for a new pair of specs or sunglasses, go see my guy, Wick, at The Spectacle in North Hills. He’ll take care of you.
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Julie Maresco, Headset Advisor, Headsets.com
This is a reminder that every opportunity, even a negative one, can be remembered in a positive way.
Ethan Messier writes,
I tend to be wary of companies with “.com” in their name, but in this case, purchasing headsets from Headsets.com was one of the best decisions I made all year.
The first headset I ordered was on a steep discount, but we had some minor technical difficulties trying to get it to work with our older phone system. When I reached out to Julie, she was quick to replace the original headset with a different brand of headset for the same promotional price. She made the swap as easy as possible by walking us through the process step by step and providing a shipping label, free of charge.
The second headset we ordered was a technical unsolved mystery, and when we reached out to Julie, she sent us a replacement with the same speed and efficiency. No hassles, just easy and simple solutions. And, here’s the kicker, every box we received from Headsets.com came with two heaping handfuls of Tootsie Rolls instead of void fill.
We let Julie know how pleased we were with our experiences. Her response? “We make it our business to keep customers happy.” Humbly awesome.
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Jay Magolan, Service Advisor, Leith Porsche, Cary, NC
Sometimes, creating a memorable experience means hanging on through the ups and downs and being in it for the long haul.
Beverly Murray writes,
For years I’ve been driving a matchbox car (also know as a Lotus Elise). With the closest dealership more than 100 miles away, it seemed reasonable to find someone “local” to service the vehicle. Special equipment and training requirements narrowed my list. Though I had a referral, I arrived at Leith Porsche a little skeptical. Could they actually service my car? And if they could, what would it cost?
From addressing tire issues to completing routine maintenance, the team at Leith Porsche not only checked the requisite boxes, but also showed me they are true problem-solvers. Let’s just say a handmade car comes with a rattle or two. When I asked the folks at Leith to find what others could not, they were up for the challenge and handed me the keys to a new Porsche Boxster at no charge. They test-drove my little car. They called Lotus dealerships. They put on and took off parts. One week passed. Two weeks passed. And, yes, they insisted I keep the Boxster. Though they weren’t able to find the rattle, what used to annoy me now reminds me of the great team I have at Leith. They’re doing more research. I’m listening more intently. And the next time I visit, I know we’ll find it.
If you drive a high-performance vehicle in the Piedmont, I recommend you give Jay Magolan with Leith Porsche a call. There’s no pressure to accept anything but the highest quality of service.
We’re proud to call these THIRST makers Referral Worthy. Post a comment with your customer service experience or tell us how your company’s brand foundation is primed to create THIRST moments.