How to underpromise and overdeliver...

Out of all the different business segments I have transactions with the catalog industry is constantly at the top when it comes to exceeding my expectations as a customer. Here is a good example.

A couple weeks ago I received a catalog from "Penzeys Spices" (www.penzeys.com), and as you can tell from the name they are a catalog company that deals in culinary spices. As I've gotten older I've found a greater appreciation for what quality spices do for a meal... but anyway. My wife and I went though the catalog, jotted down some products and placed an order for $40 worth of stuff. The box arrived yesterday.

The first thing I noticed when opening the box was the packing slip on top. The computer generated packing list was signed by two people, one with a "Thank You". While they didn't identify their positions I assume one was the "picker" and the other the "packer". The signed packing slip was a nice touch.

The second thing I noticed was that they included a "shipping" catalog. A shipping catalog is just a copy of the companies catalog tossed in with the rest of the order. At one catalog company I worked with, we use to "create" a shipping catalog by just making a new cover for an existing catalog.

This part is pretty important. Having a shipping catalog is perhaps the best reason in the world, for any type of business what so ever, to create a catalog. The response rates to shipping catalogs are astronomical... I've seen the numbers for several types of businesses and "shipping" or "delivery" or "fulfillment" catalogs can mean a big difference for your bottom line. I'm shocked that few businesses outside the catalog industry use them. They make the job of upselling or cross-selling so much easier.

As I pulled the items out of the box and unwrapped them I soon found I had unwrapped 5 items--while I knew darned well we only ordered 4. I picked up the "odd" item and found it to be a bottle of Italian Dressing herbs that could be used to make our own dressings. I looked at the packing list to see if I got hosed and found the bottle of Italian herbs to be a "freebie" for just placing an order.

The hand written "Thank You" was good. The addition of the shipping catalog enthralled me as a marketing geek. But the "free" bottle of spices put me over the edge. They exceeded by expectations as a customer. How often do the companies you deal with exceed your expectations? Probably not many. Everyone seems to do just enough to get by or to meet the level of the competition.

I'm ashamed to admit we did exactly that with our retail store... that's probably why we no longer have a retail store. We didn't do anything to exceed the expectations of the customer. We did what everyone else did. Unfortunately most retail, restaurants and other face to face type businesses commit the same sin. They are in the perfect position to underpromise and overdeliver but few do...

The catalog companies realizing they don't have the same face to face contact go all out to overdeliver. Amazon seems to overdeliver but few Internet based companies or individuals I deal with ever do. I don't consider a follow-up email to be an overwhelming event... and certainly not something that will separate one company from another.

What was the last company you dealt with that knocked your socks off?

Take care,

Mike Winicki

> Out of all the different business segments I
> have transactions with the catalog industry
> is constantly at the top when it comes to
> exceeding my expectations as a customer.
> Here is a good example.

> A couple weeks ago I received a catalog from
> "Penzeys Spices"
> (www.penzeys.com), and as you can tell from
> the name they are a catalog company that
> deals in culinary spices. As I've gotten
> older I've found a greater appreciation for
> what quality spices do for a meal... but
> anyway. My wife and I went though the
> catalog, jotted down some products and
> placed an order for $40 worth of stuff. The
> box arrived yesterday.

> The first thing I noticed when opening the
> box was the packing slip on top. The
> computer generated packing list was signed
> by two people, one with a "Thank
> You". While they didn't identify their
> positions I assume one was the
> "picker" and the other the
> "packer". The signed packing slip
> was a nice touch.

> The second thing I noticed was that they
> included a "shipping" catalog. A
> shipping catalog is just a copy of the
> companies catalog tossed in with the rest of
> the order. At one catalog company I worked
> with, we use to "create" a
> shipping catalog by just making a new cover
> for an existing catalog.

> This part is pretty important. Having a
> shipping catalog is perhaps the best reason
> in the world, for any type of business what
> so ever, to create a catalog. The response
> rates to shipping catalogs are
> astronomical... I've seen the numbers for
> several types of businesses and
> "shipping" or "delivery"
> or "fulfillment" catalogs can mean
> a big difference for your bottom line. I'm
> shocked that few businesses outside the
> catalog industry use them. They make the job
> of upselling or cross-selling so much
> easier.

> As I pulled the items out of the box and
> unwrapped them I soon found I had unwrapped
> 5 items--while I knew darned well we only
> ordered 4. I picked up the "odd"
> item and found it to be a bottle of Italian
> Dressing herbs that could be used to make
> our own dressings. I looked at the packing
> list to see if I got hosed and found the
> bottle of Italian herbs to be a
> "freebie" for just placing an
> order.

> The hand written "Thank You" was
> good. The addition of the shipping catalog
> enthralled me as a marketing geek. But the
> "free" bottle of spices put me
> over the edge. They exceeded by expectations
> as a customer. How often do the companies
> you deal with exceed your expectations?
> Probably not many. Everyone seems to do just
> enough to get by or to meet the level of the
> competition.

> I'm ashamed to admit we did exactly that
> with our retail store... that's probably why
> we no longer have a retail store. We didn't
> do anything to exceed the expectations of
> the customer. We did what everyone else did.
> Unfortunately most retail, restaurants and
> other face to face type businesses commit
> the same sin. They are in the perfect
> position to underpromise and overdeliver but
> few do...

> The catalog companies realizing they don't
> have the same face to face contact go all
> out to overdeliver. Amazon seems to
> overdeliver but few Internet based companies
> or individuals I deal with ever do. I don't
> consider a follow-up email to be an
> overwhelming event... and certainly not
> something that will separate one company
> from another.

> What was the last company you dealt with
> that knocked your socks off?

> Take care,

> Mike Winicki

greetings Mr. W.,
i, like you had similar service from a book co. a few weeks back by the name of Canon Press out of Moscow, Idaho. these folks included a 125 pp book in addition to the two i ordered @ no charge. doing the same thing you mentioned, i scanned the sheet looking for the 'charge' of the third book. imagine my surprise and delight as it indicated FREE! these people know what they are doing. they are building customers. i'm sure they see down the road to their giving away things in lieu of doing the same old stuff. becca. p.s. i'm at the age now that i'd rather pay for quality, both in product and service , than run to the nearest you-know-who :D !

> What was the last company you dealt with
> that knocked your socks off?

Hey Mike,

The last company I dealt with that really impressed me was a lil company called Jeg's. They are a mail order performance auto parts company for anyone who doesn't know.

I've ordered quite a bundle of goodies from them. Seems like almost everything but an engine block.

One pleasant thing with dealing with them is that they send products out via UPS in Ohio and I get them in Indiana the next day before 5:00 (Usually before 3:00). True, this is somewhat of a pat on the back to UPS's reliability and speed (at least on that route).

But it doesn't fail. And I forgot to mention, this is not overnight shipping. This is free ground shipping. They have an $8-$9 charge for handling with each order and the whole load goes out well packaged via UPS.

And to my delight, I open it the next day.... only to then be disappointed by the sight of a v6 factory roller timing chain. Not an error of theirs, but mine. Of course, returning it is a no questions asked breeeeeeze.

The shipping catalog they include with each order is a huge back end money maker. I find myself looking through it searching for something to buy when I don't NEED anything. When I do, I quick put it down and shake it off, but sometimes I've already ordered via their super easy online ordering system.

In contrast, my recent experiences with Jeg's largest competitor in the mail order market, Summit Racing, has been dismal. They started dividing their inventory between their original Ohio facilities and seom new warehouse in Nevada. Now that may be convenient for those on the west coast, but when they divide my order up into different parts and ship some of it from nevada, I don't see that stuff for around 5-6 days.

And online ordering is impossible at summitracing.com for me because their address verification software can't recognize my little tucked away small town address. So I have to order via phone. Angrily.

Those are some recent experiences of mine.

-Erik

P.S. For anyone curious, it's headed towards drag car and away from inexpensive, good gas mileage, and quiet. What the heck was I thinking?

Chevy 383, big cam, aluminum heads, higher stall converter, and of course electric cutouts (it's just a youngster thing I think/ I'll grow out of it, right?) - due out by the end of September (fingers crossed)