Question: What is blue and very cool?

“Again?” Printer cartridges always disappoint you on the wrong moment. Luckily many web shops today offer to have a new one delivered by the next day. Last week I went through this customer journey myself when ordering at Coolblue.be and discovered they are the perfect example of a company that deliberately organizes great customer experiences.

Deliberate

Great experiences don’t just happen by accident. They are the result of a clear choice to make a mark in the memory of the customer. At Coolblue somebody recognized the opportunity to do so at package delivery, which is their absolute moment of truth. Once the order is placed customers are continuously being informed; first with an online movie in which you can see staff members packing and shipping your order. Afterwards, an email or sms continuously informs you on the status of your order until you hear the delivery guy ringing your bell. Important to realize is that these messages have no direct use for the company, but they release the customer from the curious wondering about where the bloody hell their packages are, thereby reducing customer enquiries and contact center costs. Instead of wrapping your order in a standard brown cardboard box Coolblue invested in a nice-looking blue eye-magnet, covered in witty messages. Is this investment worth it? Absolutely! The signature box allows Coolblue to raise awareness. They evidence their presence by adding an interaction to a journey which would otherwise only be centered on the product inside.

Emotional

A great customer experience goes beyond the rational act of a purchase, but also includes an emotional element. Before you start thinking about romantic encounters or fluffy stuff; it’s about the smaller things that make you feel comfortable, make you grin and make you feel at ease. Continuously being informed about the status of your order allows you to relax. “Whatever happens, the company seems to know what they are doing and even if it does get lost, they have everything in place to find it back.” Not only is the box colored in the signature blue, it’s also full of small tongue-in-cheek jokes. They might make you smile and whether you’re aware of it or not, they will color your memories in a more pleasant way. The value of this for the company is in its conversation worthiness. Personally I got to know about Coolblue when a friend of mine shared these jokes.

Consistent

A customer journey polluted with too many negative touch points will not result in customers promoting you as I am now doing for Coolblue. Therefore it is important to map your customer journeys and identify the opportunities to align all touch points with a consistent set of brand values. “Can we be more proactive here? Should we add some fun there?” On their website you can find the values Coolblue tries to express; “just amaze”. Having experienced it myself they are doing a great job in letting their brand values shine through in each of their touch points and thereby effectively turning the commodity of a package delivery process into an enjoyable moment.

Did you order something at Coolblue before? Or maybe you know similar companies? Let me know!

Answer: http://www.coolblue.be/