The most successful service companies in the world don't have to do as much marketing as you might think. They acquire the bulk of their new customers from referrals. They earn word-of-mouth with hard work and something extra that cannot be bought or faked ... a remarkable experience.
My wife Christine and I recently had such an experience when we hired Alair Homes Calgary to renovate an old home that we purchased in an established neighborhood in Calgary. The experience that we had with the Alair team, and the end results, were so good that I am sitting here now in my office writing this post so that I can share my experience with others.
One of my heroes, marketing legend Seth Godin, calls companies like Alair Purple Cows because they create experiences that are worth sharing because they are unique and rare. (Cows beside the road are not interesting - but a purple one you would notice and tell others about) When you experience a purple cow you feel compelled to tell others. In fact, for me it is almost a duty because I am a believer and I am trying to build my company in this image. I have to share this story.
So exactly what did this local reno company do to compel me to share their story?
1. They nailed the basics
Being remarkable starts with consistently doing what you said you would do and nailing the bare minimum for any proud service company: on time and on budget with high quality. Alair made this part look easy even though it is not. Anyone who runs a service business knows it takes talent, processes and crazy hard work.
2. They became invested in the outcome
Understanding WHAT your customer wants is part of the bare minimum. But to be remarkable you have to understand WHY the customer wants it, and that it is much harder. You have to lean in, get to know them and most of all listen.
3. They communicated - a lot
Your customer can't have a remarkable experience if they don't know what is happening. Alair knows this and has hired great communicators (Jessie the lead for our project... amazing) Through the entire project Alair was in constant contact with us. We never had to wonder about anything or nag them to get answers and we never felt surprised or confused.
4. They went the extra mile
This is what separates great experiences from good ones. It is so simple yet so rare today. It does not have to be grandiose or charitable. It can be the little things, the nice touches and the thoughtful gestures. We experienced several of these and they left us feeling that we were getting the "premium package", an elevated experience created just for us.
This is what remarkable means to me and why I wanted to share this story. The Alair team got to know us and became aware that this home renovation, small by their standards, was a BIG deal for us - a new beginning following some challenging times. They dug in deep and absolutely blew us away.
My hat is off to you Alair Homes (Dustin, Leigh, Jessie and the rest of the crew). You are purple cows and we will be telling your story for years to come - every time someone sets foot in our beautiful new home.
Sincerely,
Brad & Christine Peterson