Technological Warfare: Why You Should Stop Stalking, Automating and Transacting Your Customers

Technological Warfare: Why You Should Stop Stalking, Automating and Transacting Your Customers:from Business 2 Community by Heath Shackleford
I continue to be mystified by the popularity of some things. Cat videos on YouTube for instance. I’m also at a loss when trying to comprehend some of the trends I see in marketing these days.  Because of the endless possibilities technology provides, a lot of companies have completely removed the consumer from their consideration. Instead, they are caught up in the technology craze, hurling spam, invading privacy and automating everything, just because they can.
Even if your organization isn’t guilty of the observations that follow, it’s important to understand that many others are. Which means people deal with this on a daily basis. We are creating a generation of skeptical, confused, jaded and short-fused consumers at a time when we have access to unprecedented tools and channels to effectively engage them, understand them and serve them well.
Personalization vs. Stalking
It’s great that companies like Amazon and iTunes can learn from my buying habits and serve up recommendations for books and music based on my stated and demonstrated interests. It’s also cool that when I search for a Starbucks on my phone, it provides me with locations that are close to me. I love it when personalization is done right.
Unfortunately, many of us can’t be trusted with the power of personalization. Instead, we use it to stalk our prospects. To pounce on them once they’ve visited our website and wear them out with calls and emails. We can get creepy really quickly. We can also come off a bit cheesy and/or desperate and/or disingenuous. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve received communications that say “Hey Arthur, hope you’ve been well.” Not for one day of my life have I used my first name.
I equate it to dating. It’s one thing if you like a girl, do some research, discover she really likes daisies and then send her a thoughtful bouquet. It’s quite another thing if you follow her around all day, track her to her house, wait for her to go inside, knock on her door to present them, and then hide in the bushes to watch what she does with them once she’s inside.
Convenience vs. Automation
Technology absolutely makes things easier for you and your customers. And while I’m typically happy about things such as online banking and self-check out at the supermarket, there’s always a moment in time when I want, or need, to engage with the brand.
I see a lot of companies hiding behind technology and using it as a way of automating their relationships with customers. Almost using it as a wall to keep themselves removed from customer interactions altogether. Like they’re saying to themselves, “Finally, we don’t have to deal with customers any longer. We can actually get some work done.” I know I sound like my great grandma here, but I miss the good ole days when you didn’t have to yell OPERATOR repeatedly into your phone before getting connected to a live person. Try even finding a phone number on a lot of websites today. Some companies do make live chat available, but even that can feel robotic. Too often, the chatters are parked in a call center somewhere, copying and pasting canned answers to common questions, with no true understanding of the brand they are representing. It’s an experience that rates just above an endless phone tree.
It’s not that I’m against automation. I absolutely understand the need for companies to direct inquires to the lowest cost delivery option, and that many questions customers have can be answered by IVR or web. But I do think we’ve swung the pendulum way too far in that direction.
Transactions vs. Relationships
We have become a data driven industry, which isn’t a bad thing in itself. But many times, we focus in on data, and manage the percentages and up the conversions with absolutely no regard for the customer. We A/B test, we apply psychology and science, and we focus on how quickly we can get the rats through the maze. And how we can convince them to go for the bigger piece of cheese at the end.
I went online several weeks ago to make a simple purchase. I knew what I needed. I found it. Great! I tried to buy it. And several minutes later, I was still fighting off upsell offers, special discounts and free subscriptions. I had to remove unwanted “extras” from my shopping cart 3 times. I had to click “no thanks” at least 10 times. There was no thought to the customer experience here, only the psychology behind how you get someone to buy more when they are buying something.
In the end, I abandoned my shopping cart. But the company already had my email address. So, what happened next? I received at least two emails a day for the next two weeks with more special offers, calls to action and “last chance for savings” messaging. I finally had to report the emails as spam to stop them from coming (after I unsubscribed twice). The company effectively ruined a potential relationship because they tried to squeeze as much as they could out of a single transaction.
And now for a novel concept…
What if we all did the following: Talk to consumers. Understand what they need. Build a great product that responds to that need. Let them know about. And then stand behind it with great customer service. I promise you, the rest would take care of itself.
Sure, you can be successful stalking, automating and transacting your customers. After all, millions upon millions of people have thoroughly enjoyed cat videos on YouTube. But I’m betting that your success will be as short lived as the 15 minutes of fame achieved by the latest talking, singing, dancing, flying, Kung Fu fighting feline. Cats can be fickle. And so can consumers.
That’s why I’m a dog person. And that’s why I believe it always pays off in the long run to keep the customer front and center, focusing on positive experiences and deep relationships with your brand. As a consumer, I prefer brands that engage me as a person instead of just trying to come up with creative ways to separate me from my money. As a marketer, I counsel clients to do the same.
It’s ok to be smart. Just don’t get crazy. Appropriately personalize options for your prospects and customers without stalking them. Provide convenience but stay accessible, particularly when a customer isn’t happy. And always put relationships above any single transaction.  Don’t jeopardize the next sell by gunning for an upsell. And to all you cat lovers, I hope there are no hard feelings.