Why being nice is less successful: 20 tips for the asshole factor

A topic on which the minds differ: How much customer service is good to be successful? The more the better, most will say. But now consider the most successful ones Companys our time or various Berümtheiten, then you may come to a different answer.

Your company as a real brand! Do like Steve Jobs

Dealing with customers. How else should we learn that better than when we are customers ourselves and that Behavior of those who analyze us something merchandise want? Some time ago Wolfgang Hanfstein reviewed the book “Inside Apple”. Its author Adam Lashinsky analyzed the secret of Steve Jobs' success and then gave his readers the following advice to be successful: “Be arrogant. Don't listen to your customers. Treat your employees like they're idiots. Act like an asshole. "

Does this only work with stars? I think that's a mistake: The tactic of making yourself a myth in this way works within certain limits even for many would-be stars.

It depends on authenticity and authenticity

The books on the subject (advertising)

But also in the Italian Bologna, I have recently run an example of this: Is there a rather crazy Osteria: run down, loom, no food and customer service is a foreign word. But the store is running like greased. What is his success secret?

if over Marketing and customer service is talked about, fall fast Buzzwords such as always ready or the customer's every wish from the Eyes read off. What is often forgotten is that authenticity is also important – and how it makes an unmistakable brand. After all, customers don't just want good service - they always want what everyone else wants.

Is customer service too nice? Help, penetrative seller

In addition: Who does not know the penetrating Seller, who cajoles you until we flee in exasperation.? Or the “nice” employee who loudly trumpets his remarks on the phone (Brand: my ear falls off) – but we needed a small one Information. But there are also examples where we deal with customers negative stands out because, for example, customer service doesn't exist in the first place.

One thing is clear: if we consciously and openly Welt run and look at the numerous, daily visual examples a little analytically, we learn practically at first Hand, which marketing methods affect customers positively act – and we also find out again and again what better not to do with your customers. But we probably notice the negative things more than the positive ones - that's completely normal, but one more reason to consciously pay attention to the positive things.

Courage wins: yelling at customers is allowed

Discounts for your success (advertising)!

The former Executive that osteria in Bologna took exactly that to heart: it only opened when it Lust and guests who didn't suit him, he sometimes yelled at them or threw them out entirely.

And while all other osterias also offered food to their guests, to more Money zu to earn, the Osteria del Sole stayed with the original Conceptto only serve wine. Guests can buy and bring their meals to the nearby Mercato di Mezzo, for example.

Courage to be snotty: score points with authenticity

Exactly this one Courage the guests seem to love the snottiness: the pub is now run by the grandson. The guests are no longer shouted at, but the osteria is known throughout the area - and attracts a colorful mix Audience of managers and students, old and young.

Why? Because they range from the standing toilet, whose key is hanging on a pipe, to the somewhat run-down overall location authentic is. And known.

The asshole factor: oasis in the service desert Germany?

What does that mean for marketing? Certainly not that you should yell at your customers more often, then they'll probably be gone at some point. companies do, especially in the service desert of Germany, for sure good at responding to the wishes of their customers.

That works with really good ideas – but not with cheap marketing tricks. In the latter should probably this Idea,fall which sounds really cool at first glance: free massage for passengers in local trains! The railways have done this on certain routes and provide service to passengers on local trains! Strange but true!

How useful are hype actions?

The SALE The train apparently aims to get people off the road who have only driven their cars up to now and to make the train palatable to them. Because the train passengers had the opportunity to register for the “Autopause” campaign within a project. The winners each received a monthly ticket for bus and train, left their car at home during this time and thus had the opportunity to test local public transport without obligation.

Sounds good. But: Doing something for local transport is long overdue, because the tickets are the most expensive here in relation to the Performance the worst - from the lack of comfort to the constant delays (e.g. because the ICE had to pass by again). But Deutsche Bahn also knows: many Peoplewho use local transport are dependent on it. And since she has these customers as good as in her pocket, she doesn't have to do them any favors, but can happily continue to raise prices.

Why the campaign misses the customer

Of course it's nice when the passengers can now enjoy a free massage. Theoretically. In practice, I imagine that this is a little difficult if the masseur is to give relaxation tips in a crowded train. Actually absurd.

And it's a shame that many such media-effective campaigns are always about one thing: awareness irritate. And thereby attract new customers. While the loyal existing customers are neglected again. Sure, they might benefit from the massage action too - although not too much, since a masseur is used for each train, long queues are inevitable. However, customers would have benefited from cheaper fares in local transport sustained more and that would also convince more customers to switch to the train.

Better a real asshole than a bad kindness

However, such supposedly nice actions are only about the short-term hype. Too bad. A wasted opportunity. Incidentally, it also fits that I do not find a reference to the action on the start page of the website, but first have to click through it carefully to finally find the reference here:

It makes much more sense if companies keep their own unmistakable character. To own Opinions standing, even if it is sometimes slanted. Definitely and sovereign stay and not let yourself be choked. This is especially true for the little ones who are not yet stars. A little bit of an asshole is part of it. Because such idiosyncrasies also fascinate people to a certain extent. You don't have to overdo it.

22 tips for more asshole factor when dealing with customers

A Bonn transport company, by the way, took it quite literally with the asshole factor. In response to a complaint made over the phone, the employee said the customers were "beating his ass". From this I developed the following eight pieces of advice - seasoned with a little irony, of course. So if you are looking for the right asshole factor, you should definitely take the following tips to heart:

1. First, launch a product with full-bodied promises
2. Then instruct your employees to provide only half-true information about the offer. Or even better: inform your employees only halfway.
3. Create a complicated coupon system that your employees cannot see through
4. Give your customers various options to get their product guaranteed to get confused.
5. Make sure that your employees make false and contradicting statements about this sales channel.
6. Set an end date for the purchase of the product and confusingly create another date, which is also the end date.
7. Then install a 0180X number that really costs your customers something
8. And now you are happy when many confused customers call and bring money into your cash register or that of your call center.
9. Don't take your customers seriously and assume that they are lying
10. Be as rude and pampy as possible. The best way to do this is probably on days when everything went wrong anyway - or you are a person with a low tolerance for frustration anyway. The customer should calmly notice what he has from complaining.
11. Show your customer that you don't know what you're actually doing. Ask your customer: "What should I do?" - In this way, you pass the responsibility on to the customer and are fine. She does not have to worry that the customer thinks she is someone who does not master his job.
12. Talk yourself out: "We have so many customers / products / services" (the list is infinitely expandable) - "do you think I can take care of everything personally?" With a little luck, the customer will see through your cheap diversion and will never complain again.
13. Tell the customer things that don't interest him. Actually, the customer only wants one thing: See that you take care of his matter. If you tell me something else instead, the customer will pull away.
14. Do not offer compensation. Studies show: Most customers are already satisfied if you offer them compensation, no matter which one - and that without asking. If you are too stingy even for a little something, this is the most efficient way to make the customer dissatisfied.
15. Make sure that a complaint never arrives. Make complaining as difficult as possible for your customer (occupy telephones, expensive hotlines, cumbersome mail forms, complaints that are lost on the way - there are no limits to your creativity). Because what you don't know doesn't make you hot - only the customer.
16. Particularly clever: name your complaints department quality management. The customer then initially thinks that you really care about their concerns - and with a little luck, if things go wrong, they look for the mistake.
17. Reject the responsibility for a damage / defect flatly: you are only the supplier / middleman / thin board drill / transporter / delivery agent / cashier or have no idea what.
18. Be amazed when the customer expects you to refer you to the appropriate department: “Who am I?”
19. Just be reluctant to find the right contact person: "Actually, that's not my job .."
20. Show your incompetence to choose the right data set from a wealth of data: "I have no idea how to do this ..."
21. What to do if you as a retailer have given a three-year guarantee on an item, but the supplier has since filed for bankruptcy and spare parts are no longer available? Of course, they do not offer to take the item back for a full refund.
22. What to do if the customer does not want to return the item because he would not get an equivalent replacement at the price? You insist on your point of view and do not negotiate a kind of discount in a friendly and competent manner and do not give the customer a voucher for a partial amount.

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