At one time, I embodied the old adage: “The cobbler’s children have no shoes.” I spent 20 years as a design and branding consultant—a successful visual communicator—yet didn’t have business cards for most of those years. Though I believed in their merit and designed them for most of my clients, crafting my own was a low priority.
When I transitioned my business focus from products and services to the people behind those products and services, I found that an exchange of business cards was a ritual of nearly every introduction and handshake. Yet there I was, scribbling down an email address on the back of a diner receipt, promising to forward my contact information—and then, probably more often than I knew, getting lost in the grey world of someone’s inbox.
Shame on me.
At long last, I decided it was time to honor a different old adage: “Practice what you preach.” It was time for a business card. Mine!
A business card is important. It’s a miniature marketing tool that reflects your brand. A footnote of your specialty. A tickler for someone to remember you.
It’s a “tangible.” A thing you get. A souvenir of a hopefully wonderful exchange. And a conduit—hopefully—for a continued wonderful exchange.
Introducing MOO, my business card heroes….
I don’t remember the first time I clicked on a MOO ad, but I do remember that once I did, they were everywhere. (Thank you, internet retargeters.) Once I visited the MOO website, I was hooked. MOO’s products are special; their marketing tone of voice is warm; their promise is impossible to forget. But, most of all, their customer service stands out in my mind as one of the most superb I’ve ever experienced.
As a longtime designer with a penchant for independence, I opted to create my own card. I followed production specs to a tee. Once I submitted art, I got a thumbs-up that my order was in the works. A couple days later, I received my cards, packaged in a striking white box, wrapped with a burgundy ribbon and secured with a wax seal. Unfortunately, half of my cards were flawed.
I reported the problem to MOO via their 3-question survey that invites feedback upon delivery. Within a day, I received an email from a customer service rep who was completely transparent about the mistake and had already initiated a reprint, at no charge. As luck would have it, another rep inspected the second reprint and still wasn’t satisfied. So she printed the cards again, before I had to ask.
Impressive.
MOO’s honesty, accountability, initiative and swift resolution took all the sting out of the mistakes. Despite the errors, I became a fan. Plus, MOO’s product line is delicious.
So, I’m paying homage to a shining example of customer service presence by spreading the word about an organization I have found to be worthy.
I chatted with Dan Moross, MOO’s Director of Customer Service and brother of MOO’s visionary founder, Richard. How did I reach him? Simple. I asked the last rep who helped me to put me in touch. She did. He called. Dan is smart.
I asked Dan how he and his team sustain such high levels of customer service in an era where technology has reshaped communication and where any number of things can go wrong.
Dan makes it sound easy. “We’re fortunate that the building blocks of our company have always been customer-focused. We don’t want to put ourselves on one side of the table and our customers on the other side of the table.”
The leadership of MOO started the business with a promise and has honored it since.
The MOO Promise: “Satisfaction Guaranteed” When we say we’re not happy until you’re happy, we really do mean it. So whether it’s a typo or an image that didn’t print quite the way you hoped, we’ll do everything we can to fix it.
To be sure MOO delivers on their promise of satisfaction, they blend the best parts of technology (speed, automation, analytics) with the best parts of working with people (warmth, dialogue, connection).
Plus—drum roll—MOO gives their customer service team total autonomy to “freestyle” their approach. There is no rule book. There is no script. Why can they do that? Because they hire people they trust, give them soft skills training about managing calls, and allow them to make decisions swiftly without lots of hierarchical red tape. Sales from nearly 200 countries and fast-growing revenues tell you that MOO is doing something right.
Beautiful.
My compliments, MOO. Great customer service starts with clarity, excellence, efficiency and kindness. Service stays great when all parties in the engagement chain are clear, efficient, excellent and kind—from the beginning of contact, throughout, upon conclusion and after.
Thanks, MOO! Best wishes for continued success.