What would happen if a company known for outstanding customer service took over for a company known for America’s worst customer service? What if Zappos, who identifies themselves as a “service company that happens to sell shoes,” took over the customer service for Comcast, a telecom provider who has become one of the most hated companies in America due to their lack of customer service?
I am sure a lot of companies have tried to emulate Zappos customer service, but if Zappos is a customer service company, why aren’t they selling their customer service training or buying companies to take over their customer service? Certainly this would be easier to execute by acquiring other online retailers that sell goods or even improving Amazon’s good customer service to excellent customer service (Zappos is owned by Amazon). These are within their boundaries and existing narrative. But I’m going to challenge that Zappos could reach much farther by running customer service departments for telecom companies and fix the worst customer service in America…Comcast.
Key Zappos Assets:
- Owned by Amazon – Amazon has power, influence, and money – Amazon could even leverage their newly created video content to make a larger deal with Comcast, beyond customer service
- Reputation – Zappos is known for unbeatable customer service. I’ve never shopped there and yet I know they give great, newsworthy, customer service. If I bought shoes online, I would probably shop there.
- Training – Their 4 week employee training program and 3 additional weeks of training for their call center has been carefully designed for maximum effectiveness.
Key Comcast Assets:
- Infrastructure – Comcast is one of the largest telecom providers in America
- Cable & Internet Service as a Product – Comcast delivers a great product
Zappos’ Boundaries:
- Keep jobs in America. All employees are based in Las Vegas, NV.
- Pleasing the customer and providing excellent customer service takes priority above all else.
Comcast’s Boundaries:
Zappos’ Narrative:
Despite calling themselves a service company, Zappos’ current narrative really is we’re a service company that happens to sell things online. If thy can’t add it to their website, it doesn’t fit the scope of company. What if they change their narrative to we’re a service company that sells our customer service?
Comcast’s Narrative:
We’re a telecom company. Making money is our priority. What if Comcast was a service company that happened to provide telecom services?
Can you see all of the roadblocks of resistance Comcast would erect?
Comcast: You want me to layoff our entire customer service personnel and have Zappos re-hire only those they believe they can re-train to operate under their method?
Me: Yep! It’s going to hurt at first, but I promise, it will be worth it!
Comcast: You want me to let Zappos give our customers anything they want to make them happy? That will cost millions!
Me: Yep! Imagine Comcast 12-24 months from now. With a great telecom product and knock-your-socks-off customer service that your competitors can’t match. Customers will flock to you in droves.
Instead of spending money on commercials bashing the competition, selling their product, or promising great customer service and failing to deliver, what if they focused their money and effort on being a customer service company? Be known for your customer service and the customers will follow. Instead of the news being “Comcast Tops Customer Service Hall of Shame List,” the news could be “Comcast has Record Year After Completely Uprooting it’s Customer Service Department.”
What if every consumer company was a customer service company that sold something instead of the other way around? What if...