Why Brands Should “Hug Their Haters”: Jay Baer
Which-50’s Sahar Yazdani and Joe Brookes continue to report from the Uberflip Experience in Toronto. This time around they scored an audience with marketing guru Jay Baer who says, when it comes to CX, brands and customers have very different expectations…
The customer is not always right, but they must be heard — so says business strategist Jay Baer. To do this, companies need to flip their view of complaints as a problem and instead see them as a gift.
“People who complain are actually taking their time to tell us what we can do better and that’s a gift,” he told delegates to the recent Uberflip Experience Conference in Toronto.
There is also a huge disparity between how businesses see their customer service and how a customer sees it, according to Baer. He cited research suggesting 80 per cent of businesses believe they have exceptional customer service, while only eight per cent of the customers agree.
Shrinking this gap requires more attention to customer service. “Globally we spend about $US600 billion a year on marketing and about $US9 billion a year on customer service. That is probably a ratio that needs to be addressed.”
For marketers, great content is often compromised by the operational side of business, through poor customer service and complaint handling.
Baer says responding to complaints may be more important than resolving them. “No response is a response. To prospects who might become your next customers that silence is deafening.”
Baer affectionately refers to these complainers as “haters” and says businesses need to do more to address them. “Haters — the people that complain about your business — are not your problem. Ignoring them is.”
Two types of hate
He said complainers can be split into two categories: off-stage and on-stage. “Off-stage haters complain in private. They complain on the phone and via email.” While on-stage haters are usually younger and more tech savvy — taking to social media express their grievances.
“Off-stage complainers want an answer while on-stage want an audience”
According to Baer the key difference is off-stage complainers want an answer while on stage want an audience; “What they expect and what they want isn’t necessarily a response. It’s for all their friends to say oh that sucks, I’m so sorry for you”. That’s why online complaints are often outlandish, he said.
Research shows that only half of the on-stage complainers expect a reply. “In many cases they’re not complaining at a business, they’re complaining about a business,” says Baer.
Although there is a subtle and important difference, both complainers should be handled the same way, he said. And, importantly, Baer argued that on-stage complainers present a great new opportunity.
“This is the greatest opportunity to build customer advocacy that you can do right now, easily with very little additional cash,” Baer explained.
Answering customers online when they don’t expected it “blows their minds and wins their hearts” said Baer. This has the bonus of creating customer advocacy as well as retention. It’s hard for a customer not to get excited when a business finds and addresses a complaint that was never intended to solicit a response. “At any point in business … when you massively exceed expectations word of mouth becomes involuntary,” explained Baer.
Attention to on-stage complainers may become unavoidable as the ratio of off-stage to on-stage is shifting, according to Baer. “About 60 per cent of all complaints are still phone and email, but that ratio is changing very very quickly.” This change is because of the comparative ease of on-stage complaining and a shifting demographic.
“Eventually there’s not going to be any calls and it’s all going to be on-stage haters.”
Ratings and review sites are important and can’t be ignored, says Baer. “Eighty-seven per cent of customers trust, at least in some circumstances, as much as they trust friends and family members.”
The shift online means customer service now becomes a concern for marketers as well. Baer believes. “This is the new marketing. Customer service is the new marketing because as it shifts online it becomes part of the marketing story.”
Marketers need to be aware of customer service, and Baer sees the new task as critical: “Customer service is the number-one factor that impacts vendor trust.” Answering every customer, in every channel, every time — or, as Baer describes it, “hugging your haters’ — will prevent businesses from falling into the trap of blaming their customers.
Latest News
TV Ratings (18/04/2024): I’m A Celebrity Wins Prime Time And Key Demos
Aussie viewers can be a harsh lot at times. Only days after Ellie Cole bled her heart out, she has been sent packing.
Effie&co Launches New ConnectAsia Division To Help Aussie Brands Market To Asian Consumers Overseas & At Home
Not provided is advice on using chopsticks and not spilling ramen down your shirt.
Cashrewards Sets Out Stall For New CMO
Thinking of applying for the Cashrewards CMO gig? Here are some insider tips that, yes, are tantamount to cheating.
‘I Ask For The TV Industry To Stand Up And Defend Itself’ – Seven Boss James Warburton Steps Down
The Seven supremo heads for the exits after five years. Here's hoping the Spotlight team organised the farewell bash.
Poh! Jamie! Adriano! Paramount ANZ reveals its tasty plans for this year’s MasterChef
It's your fan's guide to this year's MasterChef! Although no tips on how to pronounce crudités or use a un fait-tout.
Dentsu’s iProspect Partners With MOOD Tea Ahead Of May Campaign Launch
We love a Mood Tea here at B&T. Although we do store old screws and nails in the International Roast caterer's tin.
Opinion: When Culture Starts Eating Itself: Navigating The Age Of Self-eating Nostalgia
Born boss David Coupland asks is adland going through a nostalgia period? But please, no repeats of Best Of Red Faces.
Who’s Going To Cannes?! The TikTok Young Lions Winners!
It's Aussie adland's next gen! They're off to Cannes with high hopes of bringing back a Lion & a foot-long Toblerone.
Adobe Launches Express Mobile App With Firefly AI
Want to be the coolest kid at Friday staff drinks but forgot your retro Nikes? This new Adobe wizardry may do the trick.
ThinkNewsBrands & IMAA Extend News Publishing Education In Brisbane
Industry duo takes its publishing roadshow to Brisbane. Was disappointed no male attendees were wearing walk socks.
B&T Chats With Wavemaker’s Provocative Pioneers On Their Cross-Pacific Sojourn
B&T TV heads to Wavemaker's Sydney digs to interview two staffers from its New York & LA digs. If that makes sense?
HoMie & Champion Launch “Give One. Get One” Campaign Supporting Youth Homelessness Via Town Square
Much like the fête's prized chutney wears a blue winners sash, so too should this top initiative from HoMie & Champion.
Thinkerbell Takes Us Back To Summer In Latest Work For XXXX
This beer ad wants to take you back to summer! Just minus any chance of a shark attack on your morning bus commute.
Cannes Lions Unveils 2024 Programme Featuring Queen Latifah, Jay Shetty & P&G’s Mark Pritchard
Are you one of the lucky ducks heading to Cannes in June? Check out the headliner acts you'll be queueing hours to see.
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Costa Panagos set to bring South American flair to the Scroll offices. Assuming that he is, indeed, South American.
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
Born around the 2000s? Need to amp up your AI creds? This guide's for you (although it's not really that age specific).
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
Do you rage about oversized American cars on our roads? You need to bail up Heath Walker at parties & industry events.
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.