Making slaves out of kings

AGKSPEAK

Customer Intimacy is the new mantra to engage consumers.

What I've liked
There is always something magical about radiant little children in ads that when you see them, you forget all about the whys and whereofs of advertising.

Suddenly you find yourself justifying the entire TV commercial just because you have fallen in love with a totally adorable little performer! And that silly spot in every body's hearts is what some clever marketers gun for.

There is a TV commercial on air for some time now "" it's for the re-launch of 501 Rin detergent bar. The one where there is an open-air classroom of tonsured tiny-tots who answer to a roll call. When it is number 501's turn, the child is shown arriving late as he has planned a dramatic entrance for himself in his sparkling white kurta-pyjama.

As he stands at the entrance, looking like a little angel from heaven with a smile as brilliant as his clothes, he has not only his screen classroom enthralled, but all the mothers and grandmothers in countless drawing rooms across the country as well.

So impactful is this little icon, that mothers now boast that their tonsured kids are as cute and as adorable as him. Just like Rasna's little girl's 'fountain ponytail' was a favourite style for nearly a generation, it looks like tonsured little boys are now the rage! Just goes to show that when the market is crowded with logical reasons to buy, a little bit of charm can trip the customer to fall headlong for your brand.

What I've learned
King, till you buy. Slave thereafter?
We are all aware of the very popular marketing dictum "" 'The customer is king'. Marketing companies bend themselves backward to woo us, who they call their 'king'. Unfortunately, as I learnt when I made a purchase in an electronics store, you are king only till the sale is made. Do I sound like a bitter buyer? You bet I do. I am the recent victim of 'pre-purchase wooing 'and 'post purchase disillusionment'. I have been through a similar experience with a bank as well! That is what got me thinking about how critical it has become for companies to nurture their customer relationships.

At present most service-oriented companies are trying to train their personnel to nurture their customers, not just woo them. It is because they have learnt first-hand, how bad word-of-mouth can result in revenue loss. Bad word-of-mouth acts like a virus. Not only is that customer infected, he passes on his dissatisfaction to everyone he comes into contact with. I, for instance, will not only be put off from going back to that bank, or to that retailer, but will also dissuade every one I know from going there too!

It is this behavioural pattern that is giving rise to a new dictum "" 'Customer Intimacy (CI)'. Defined as the primary strategic relationship for sustaining income and creating growth, the test in CI is achieving the trust necessary to lead customers to opportunities they never considered.

For instance, your new products and services will have a ready-made interested customer, if you have his trust and goodwill. And the only way you can earn your customer's goodwill is by continuing to treat him well.

Since growth is intrinsic to survival, this new approach is fast becoming the marketing mantra of the day. In these days of intense competition and myriad tailor-made choices, the customer wins again. And gets to be the king, not just for the day, but at least till his wallet remains full!

Email: agkbrandconsult@yahoo.com