What can we learn from Sainsbury'sand their letter from a 3½-year-old suggesting the U.K. market rename their tiger bread to giraffe bread? A lot. We see how customer service is an integral part of public relations. Many times, the stand-out stories involve poor customer service. Sainsbury's illustrates just the opposite.
In this letter, 3½-year-old Lily writes to "Sainssssssssbbbbbbbbbburyyyys," asking why their tiger bread isn't called giraffe bread instead. Most customer service representatives would have smiled and tossed the letter aside. Sainsbury's customer service rep not only responded, but (unwittingly) created a shining example of public relations that would later get the store unprecedented media attention when the letters went viral after Lily's mother posted them on her blog.
What makes this such a great letter?1) Taking the time to respond.
The representative, Chris King, took the time to respond, without caring "who" the original letter came from. Lily wasn't a shareholder or a major customer. Lily was a 3½-year-old girl.
2) Listening to your customer.
Mr, King listened to Lily's idea and agreed with her. "I think renaming tiger bread giraffe bread is a brilliant idea."
3) Providing a meaningful answer.
Mr. King took time to research and explain an answer, as to why the bread was called tiger bread.
4) Speaking in the language of your customer.
Mr. King had an amazing understanding of his audience, as he wrote the phrase, "loooong time ago," and later stated his age in his signature just like Lily had, "age 27 & ⅓." His response wasn't an adult talking to a child. Mr. King met Lily where she was, and answered at her level.
5) Giving your customer something.
Mr. King included a modest gift card so that Lily could return to the store and buy some tiger bread on her next visit. Often, it's the gesture that counts. A gift doesn't need to be much. A simple gift of a $5 voucher or a 10% discount goes a long way in telling the customer you value their continued business.
Chris King was likely doing what came naturally to him (as the company reported that he's since left to continue studies to enter the teaching profession). For other pr professionals, this kind of finesse may not come as naturally, but the above techniques certainly can be followed and mastered.
Sainsbury's received so much attention once these letters went viral, that they decided to actually change the name of their bread per Lily's suggestion. Sometimes the best public relations examples arise from things that haven't been plotted out by a pr flack at a conference table. Sometimes it takes someone like Lily, Chris King and a loaf of tiger bread to remind us what public relations is all about.
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