You want feedback? I’ll give you feedback Zendesk!

Enough already.

There is a time for a simple generic letter that you mass use, but in responding to a complaint it sure isn’t it.

In business we all struggle to allow for scalability in our services but also retain the personal touch. This is never harder than in a services business.

Today I received an email from a supplier of ours, that annoyed me for being too generic, too false and totally without context. And it was in response to a complaint I made in a feedback survey. In my mind that is a massive marketing fail.

Zendesk this is about you!

Upfront I am very unhappy about how their pricing has evolved and how illogical it seems. That is not what this post is about. I have twice now using official channels highlighted my dissatisfaction. I am no longer a raving fan. (Note I have recommend four other companies that have signed up and are using it. I was a raving fan. I am no longer and recommendations have stopped)

I understand they have to make their decisions and calls, and I tried to be as practical as I could in my thoughts. I provided detail on why I was unhappy and expressed that I was looking to move away and was already evaluating other products.

Frankly I never expected to hear another word back.

What I didn’t expect to get was a note like this:

I wanted to personally thank you for taking our survey. I’ve read through all the answers (so has Mikkel, CEO). Your feedback is helping us redesign part of our website among other things.

I’d like to thank you again with a t-shirt if you would like. The t-shirts we have right now are, well.. I’ll let you take a look…http://yfrog.com/4567897159j

If you want one, please let me know your size and address to send to by filling out this form: [link removed]

If you want some other kind of Zendesk swag, fill out your name and address (keeping t-shirt size blank) and I’ll find you something.

Happy Friday,
Amanda

Not sure I feel so peaceful anymore

Well Amanda and Mikkel, the last thing i want is a t-shirt or a bad joke for one. And what i don’t want are form letters. See I wasn’t offering you advice to “help you redesign your website“, as you put it in your letter, I was providing you with feedback from a current paying customer, who just told you I was looking at your competition.

What I realised was that all your social media talk and your gimmicky tactics are just that; TACTICS

I don’t mind getting tactics from Richard Branson, in fact that is exactly what I expect, but when I complain to one of his businesses I get responded to in a very personal way.

Here’s some pointers for handling feedback in a survey:

• Read them all. Don’t just say you do
• Use a rating system. Grade each response as “Raving”, “Good”, “Neutral”, Bad, “Postal”. Group everything like this
• If you are going to send bulk messages only send it to the happy folk.
• if you cannot physically handle the bad ones, then at least target them with empathy in a bulk email that they feel you took notice, ideally make it very personal
• For the postal use it as an opportunity to look at what you do, be VERY personal and at least let them move away thinking you are a professional caring business, and see it as an important reputation management exercise. Don’t give them reasons to start blogging and talking.

MOST importantly take note of everyone in each group and see how you can move more to Raving Fans, keep the raving fans, and understand the others so you can make your key decisions about who you want to serve. You cannot please everyone, but it doesn’t mean you need to piss them off when you let them know that.

The biggest mistake I see at present in business using online and social marketing tactics or techniques, is that it is even more obvious now when you are faking it.

Don’t tell your customers you care unless you do. Don’t be something you are not.

We recently have been comparing a bunch of US based hosting providers, and have started using a company that is quite clearly a bunch of sysadmins who don’t get customer engagement. But they do get servers and up time, and bandwidth and performance. We now use them for some servers over another company we originally chose because of their responsiveness and caring side. Their servers were crap and the performance overall was a lie.

Be real. Don’t fake it. And don’t send a form letter like this Zendesk one above, or like this political one from Peter Dutton MP, who still hasn’t answered his questions properly.

Sorry Zendesk but you just helped me move on, enjoy my credit card for the next few months while I find my alternative.

Well that’s what Ireckon anyway!

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