Stopwatch Marketing Blog

I recently suffered through a complete computer crash (while presenting to a client), requiring Dell to FedEx some parts and dispatch their local technician to replace my laptop’s motherboard, display, etc. This is the second time in four months this has happened. Dell’s premier-level customer service center (that is, the one I pay extra $$$ for) behaved atrociously, as usual, requiring me to re-phone several times, losing or “forgetting about,” or failing to follow-up on, my service calls more than once. I’ve posted blogs on Dell’s horrible service before, so I won’t belabor that issue here. If you follow Dell, you know that they give considerable lip service to the idea that they understand they’ve had some customer service lapses in the past and are working hard to address them. Michael Dell, himself, has publicly taken responsibility for assuring that some fixes get executed.

But, I do want to make two points about how these ongoing, truly lousy service lapses are affecting Dell’s business:

First, it cannot possibly be profitable for Dell to have their people on the phone with me for hours (I am not exaggerating here) and to have TWICE FedExed parts to Connecticut and paid a third-party service technician to visit my office, spending a couple of hours rebuilding my laptop. So, on the specific transaction – my purchase of this new laptop last September – Dell must be losing money.

Second, Dell is asking me to tolerate an awful lot. They have probably lost me (and my little consultancy) as customers FOR LIFE. No matter how well the thing works now (I’m typing on it to compose this post) I feel burnt by the service experience. This, of course, is Marketing 101: No amount of outstanding advertising, distribution, PR, etc. can overcome poor product quality and/or lousy service experiences. Moreover, I simply don’t have the TIME to deal with Dell’s lousy service over and over. My stopwatch doesn’t tick that slowly.

For a very good discussion of consumers’ “tolerance levels” see Drew McLellan’s recent post on this very issue.

Now, for the more positive part of this post:

The local, third party technician allowed as how he thought Dell was completely wrong in their estimation of the problem. He thinks it’s simply a matter of too much heat and recommended that I get a chill mat. For those of you who don’t know, a chill mat is a computer accessory about the size of a place mat that contains two fans and sits beneath your laptop. It ensures that the laptop “runs cool” so it performs better and faster day-to-day and doesn’t overheat, thereby crashing at the precise moment you are making your brilliant strategic summary points to your boss. The chill mats also serve the purpose of keep the desk or table from absorbing a bunch of heat.

Here’s a picture of the one I quickly purchased:

 

Full disclosure: I pointed out to the local technician that I have a client who makes chill mats, namely Targus. He said – again, I am not exaggerating – that Targus’s are the best and the ones he uses and recommends. Targus markets a whole range of computer accessories. Check them out.

So, two more, final, marketing lessons:

First, a company (in this case, Targus) can build a whole business around accessories to the base product built by some other company. Targus has a nice business in mice, power adapters, backpacks, etc. This strategy can, of course, be applied to tons of other businesses: I have a client, for instance, who builds cup holders for cars.

Second, marketers should diligently communicate directly to such third party gatekeepers and thought leaders, such as those local technicians that Dell so frequently sends out to do repairs. They can important recommenders and, occasionally, channels of distribution to lay people. Like me.

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