Ever realise you’re trying to solve the wrong problem?
As an online marketer, its easy to get hung up on distractions.
If only I had more traffic / backlinks / budget / talented staff (insert your own pet peeve here)…
By which I mean, it’s easy to forget that providing damn fine service (or products, or user experience) can work wonders as a marketing exercise.
Take London’s biggest minicab company, Addison Lee. They built their reputation by providing a service that’s a cut above London’s countless seedy cab companies.
Not only can you rely on your cab arriving – usually a few minutes early – but they’ll send you an SMS to let you know when your car is on it’s way, and when it is waiting. The message even tells you the car make, model and plates.
More impressive is one of my own experiences as a customer. I took a taxi back in November 2007 en route to Barcelona. I mentioned on the journey to the Gatwick Express that I’d be out of the country for the rest of the year.
Back in London on 11 January, my doorbell buzzed unexpectedly. It was the Addison Lee taxi driver who’d picked me two months earlier. He explained that I’d left a book behind in his car and, well, he wanted to make sure I got it back.
Unsurprisingly, I always recommend Addison Lee in London (and, let’s not forget, here I am blogging about them, too). A quick Google search turns up dozens of other happy customers at Tipped.co.uk, Qype.co.uk and Ciao.co.uk.
Another example of great service: RightBanners.com, who design banner ads for webmasters.
I placed an order, completed their simple design brief and paid by PayPal. My order took all of two minutes. And a mere 3 hours 43 minutes later, I received the first drafts.
I should add that they are based in Las Vegas, and that I’d placed my order at 4am Nevada time…
The first draft banner designs were spot on, and I needed no further revisions. I’ve placed two more orders since. And, like Addison Lee, I’ve started recommending RightBanners to friends.
What are your favourite examples of exceptional service?
PS. If you are interested in sharpening your linkbait skills, I suggest Lyndon Antcliff’s LinkbaitCoaching.com forum.