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Victoria's Other Secret
If you’re male, I’ll bet you’ve been accused more than once of “having just one thing on your mind.” If you’re female, I’m willing to bet that you’ve made that accusation, yourself. Do men deserve this stereotype? You don’t have to ask women to get consensus on this issue; ask any father who has a 16-year-old daughter what he thinks. Contrary to comic male stereotypes, men aren’t completely clueless about what animates their nature, even if we act that way sometimes. In addition to helping assure the survival of the species, our impulses have also helped assure the survival of comedy clubs everywhere, and also the lingerie category.
As I’ve worked in brand strategy over the years, if I’ve learned anything of vital importance, it is that nothing trumps the brand promise. When it comes to the lingerie category, the category leader - Victoria’s Secret - found itself in a very funny situation recently - well, at least it’s funny to me.
Now, let me confess that I’m not privy to Victoria’s Secret’s actual brand promise, but I have my own ideas about what it is: “If you want to ensure that your mate has just one thing on his mind - YOU - shop here.” Let’s face it. Victoria’s Secret is not in the undergarment business, they are in the romance business. If there is any company out there that should understand the role that the sex drive plays in driving their business, it is Victoria’s Secret.
So, when well-intentioned Victoria’s Secret executives changed their customer associate closing question to “Have I been able to satisfy your needs today?” surely they might have been able to anticipate that this question might be heard differently than it was intended.
Think about it. You’re moving from one sexy undergarment to another to another, et cetera. You’re seeing these apparel-apertifs displayed in variously evocative settings. You’re imagining these satin, lace, and silk delicacies on the object of your desire, or imagining yourself playing that role.
The whole shopping experience has been a long, visually-inspired, and imagination-enriched set-up to a saucy, if inappropriate, retort. When you finally decide to pay for those silk-and-satin-promises-of-paradise-to-come, then head to the payment counter, whereupon you are asked “Have I been able to satisfy your needs today?” it is no wonder that shopping needs aren't the only needs that come to mind.
I’m not implying that customer associates should have to put up with hundreds of people all channeling Rodney Dangerfield. I tried to imagine whether or not I could resist uttering some witty aside if I were asked that question. I would probably say nothing, but I know myself well enough to know that I’d grin, raise my eyebrows, and laugh. I can also imagine the withering look that my reaction might inspire. I’m talking about the “Grow-up-and-act-your-age-not-your-IQ” look that my junior high biology teacher wielded so masterfully upon me and my adolescent pals.
This is why Manuel Diggs, Victoria’s Secret Direct Customer Service Director advises that customer-service employees should be involved in developing and approving key customer-service messages. In a Frost and Sullivan Customer Contact Conference last month, Diggs reported that the question lasted about a week before it was changed. (Here is a link to my source article)
Cultural sector managers can take a great lesson from Diggs’ insightful, if amusing, advice. We need to involve more of those people who keep the brand promise in the process of making it.
"The customer service organization really needs to be involved with every organization that's involved with the customer," said Manuel Diggs, Victoria's Secret Direct Customer Service Director, in a panel discussion. As an example, he explained that customer service agents proofread upcoming catalogs to check for verbiage that might be confusing to the customer. That way they can prevent issues that might cause a customer to call. He added that agents also provide input on packaging and feedback about upcoming promotions.
His division is also heavily involved in customer interactions, so customer feedback plays a big role in company strategy. Diggs relies on post-purchase surveys to gain customer insight. In addition, associates hold regular roundtable discussions to share what trends they're seeing on calls and offer suggestions to management on how to improve the customer experience. "Feedback is a gift," he said. "Associates like the opportunity to share with the leadership team what customers are saying."
Thanks to Catrina for the link.
Posted on November 2, 2007 10:38 AM | Permalink
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