Welcome to the Why to Wow newsletter, which is all about the Power of Differentiation in our world of AI and commoditization. I thank our power readers who find our messages worthwhile. If you need a keynote speaker who will challenge your audience to think differently, I have a few openings available yet this year. Click here for information on booking me for your next event.
Companies work hard to earn customer loyalty, yet a poorly handled service issue can put that entire relationship at risk. According to Zendesk’s 2026 Customer Experience Trends Report, despite advances in technology, 83% of consumers believe customer experiences should be better than they are today. Even the most advanced systems and technology cannot replace a company’s commitment to truly human customer service. I’ll share a real-life experience when I called “The Pope” (I’ll explain below) and found he actually cared.
I’ve been a loyal owner of a luxury car brand for decades. My 2017 model, which I’ve kept in pristine condition, developed a problem: the leather on the dashboard suddenly detached and bunched up. After a phone call with an expert (a former service department client at that luxury brand), I learned this was a design flaw affecting many cars of that era. Evidently, they used a special adhesive to affix the leather instead of stapling it, thinking it would save money and time. Unfortunately, that adhesive gave way, and the leather shriveled up, requiring replacement rather than a simple repair. I called the manufacturer’s customer service line and, after navigating their automated phone system, ended up speaking with three pleasant reps. (Why three? Because they lost my case number the first two times, and I had to repeat the story, my information, and VIN number.)
I was told by each rep that, based on my car’s maintenance records (and my having owned seven of their models), I surely “qualified for goodwill assistance.” I was relieved and hopeful that my local dealer's five-thousand-dollar estimate to fix it would be reduced substantially. Then the lead customer service rep called to tell me that my “situation did not deserve goodwill,” but if I signed off now, she would offer a one-time 15% “courtesy” discount (about $750). I asked to speak to a supervisor. She said, “No, this is it.” Within minutes, I received an email from her reiterating the offer. I politely but clearly expressed my disappointment and refusal to accept.
That was 18 months ago, and I’ve been driving my once-perfect but now flawed car, disappointed in the brand and vowing never to buy from them again. This is a rule I discuss in my book: we do not distinguish between the brand and the brand experience we receive. Then, I made one more attempt to resolve the issue.
I called their customer service department again and spoke to yet another nice person, who referenced my case number but quickly informed me the case leader still wouldn’t budge. I asked to escalate it to a supervisor and was promised they would call within 24 hours. Three days later, no call. My final effort? I went to LinkedIn and looked up the CEO, and to my astonishment, I was already a first-degree connection with him. It was time to "talk to The Pope” (or, in this situation, send him a LinkedIn message).
I composed a brief, pleasant note to the CEO and asked for his consideration, expecting nothing. At 5:35 p.m. the same day, I saw a call coming in from the manufacturer. The person on the other end said, “I’m the Executive Customer Experience Manager. Our CEO has instructed me to connect with you to see if we can help remedy the situation.”
Their CEO actually cared enough to ask his team to look into this. If my request had gone unanswered, I would have given up. The customer experience manager asked if I expected the manufacturer to pay for the entire repair, and I replied, “Absolutely not; I am prepared to share in this as well.” She thanked me, and for the first time in 18 months, I had hope that my previous love for that brand would be restored. The next business day, she called with an offer to split the bill with me, which I happily accepted. Shortly after, I messaged the CEO thanking him and sharing how impressive his representative was. Maybe customer service is not dead after all.
Difference-Maker #1: Systems and processes alone do not create loyalty.
It is smart when a company streamlines its customer service process to make it easier for their people to do the job. But the desire to solve and remedy issues must also be embedded throughout the organization for it to work. If customer service reps know that the leader is serious about customer satisfaction, they will activate their humanity. And ideally, a customer should not have to reach out to the leader to receive reasonable treatment.
Difference-Maker #2: It’s not that difficult for a leader to respond to a customer issue.
The issue may be complex, but a leader has the easiest job in this situation: Do you respond, or do you ignore (or ghost)? Great leaders respond and ask their intelligent people to solve the issue by listening, caring, and thinking clearly.
Difference-Maker #3: Err on the side of solving.
We all know the value of a loyal customer, so I will not go into that. What we don’t think about is the softer side: If we solve this problem and it turns out we were “too giving,” how much will it hurt us? My experience is clear: take a chance to make the customer happy (or at least happier), and I bet you won’t regret it.
One of my dearest friends, the late Tony Mikes (a brilliant business consultant), said one thing about me that I will always remember: “Barry can talk to The Pope.” He marveled at my ability to reach out to the right person (usually a high-ranking one) for assistance or connection. It’s not a natural talent; I have had to do it, despite discomfort, to make progress. It has given me a glimpse into some great people…leaders who actually care and who have moved mountains to help others. I suggest that when your next customer reaches out to The Pope (you), you respond with care. And even better, that you inspire your entire company to truly care for the customer so that The Pope is never needed.
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