Given everything going on in the world at the moment – sometimes we need a bit of a distraction. So here’s a picture of a set of unusual place mats…
This set of Volkswagen place settings (why?) were given out on a press junket to a car journalist in the late ’70s. Back in the day press launches were always known for their exotic locations and lavish gifts – although it has to be said that a set of place mats featuring a Passat, a Scirocco a Golf and a Polo are probably one of the more surreal items to be created to support the launch of a new car…
But what does this have to do with customer service? Quite simply it’s all about creating lasting memories. The journalist who was given that gift still uses them today – 40-odd years later and that neatly parallels what great customer service should be all about.
Great customer service cuts through by being different and unusual (see above) but more than that it has to be something that is useful and of benefit to the recipient and importantly it needs to be genuine and authentic.
It’s difficult to forgot those principles if you just remember these three words: Volkswagen Place Mats.