Customer Service in Advertising: They Picked Me Up

Perhaps I’ve too many frustrating experiences at our neighborhood Rite Aid, at which employees can’t help me find something or even answer questions such as why they don’t seem to have any toilet paper made from recycled paper. “Would you consider getting even some?” I then asked. The person behind the register didn’t care, the assistant manager simply shrugged and blew me off. Naturally, I went home and submitted a comment to their web site and tweeted about it to their account. I got a fairly quick response to ask which store I had visited. I answered and got another follow up that someone would contact me. No one did.

It’s not unique to complain about customer service. You probably have at least one or two bad experiences a week like me. They make us skeptical of customer service claims in advertising since it’s usually a throw-a-way line about how much they care about you or how much they loan to small business.

So when I saw the Enterprise Rent a Car spot in which employees proudly said they don’t have to find a manager and can solve issues right then and there, I took notice. What a specific claim that nails a true pain point.

Enterprise is connecting with a nerve in the culture and reflecting it authentically through their culture —something successful brands do. And Enterprise isn’t a premium brand like American Express, Danny Meyer restaurants or Starwood from which you expect and usually get good service. Enterprise is just a regular brand, like Citibank or Starbucks, so hearing that they can solve a problem on the spot stands out and deserves applause. Especially if they mean it.

This wasn’t a one-off either. Recent Enterprise commercials all star employees, with a focus on listening and being customer-focused. Scanning about 50 customer reviews on blogs and sites gives me the impression it’s fairly true.

I plan on trying the Enterprise brand next time I need to rent a car. I even wouldn’t mind a problem to experience its resolution. Hopefully quickly.

Comments