Service design is about ensuring brands offer the same
experience across touch-points. That is, approach to service, language, tone of
voice, and overall message of what the brand represents are consistent whether I visit a brand's website, talking to the staff in one of their stores, or
getting a letter through the door. You may think that this is basic stuff and
that brands, especially multichannel ones, know how to do this. Not really; it is so often that brands deliver a confusing and disjointed message,
one that only helps undermine their core values, whatever they are.
Here is an
example: I recently bought a phil&teds (notice the lower case) buggy and
had to contact their customer support.
By the way, I knew nothing about the brand and had never bought or seen
any of their products before. So, I went online and came across a brand that uses
a lot of colour, humour, and language that says ‘we do not wear suits here’, (see
Image).
‘Brilliant’ I thought, they must be a really friendly company and will
have no trouble dealing with them. Which was true but after I submitted my query
I received the following message:
“The correct course of action is for you to return your
product to the place you purchased it from. The retailer will assist you in resolving the issues that you have and if necessary they will then refer to us for further assistance. As your contract of sale is with the retailer, this course of action must be followed in every case and should allow the matter to be resolved as efficiently as possible. “
Confused? I was; my perception of the brand was completely reversed.
While there is nothing wrong with the message the image it portrays is one that
says “we definitely wear suits here’. Which only leads me to question whether
the website is the result of some wacky design agency or worse, the brand is being
dishonest.
Think building a consistent brand across touch-points is
easy? Think again.
