Digital Engagement Blog

Sound familiar? It should...And, if you’re a Star Wars fan, it most certainly does.

Various versions of “I have a bad feeling about this” appear throughout all episodes of Star Wars. For me, the most memorable occurs in episode IV, the original Star Wars from 1977, when Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie find themselves jumping into the Death Star’s trash compactor in an attempt to evade stormtroopers and certain capture. It gets eerily silent, except for some creaking in the walls. Just before the walls start to close in on them, Han Solo is a soothsayer, “I got a bad feeling about this.”

Remember. The Force will be with you. Always.

It’s been more than ten years since most of us paid much attention to The Force.

When was it last relevant? 2005? 2006? Back then, it was fairly simple to understand.Over the years, though, it has seemingly gone dormant, as if frozen in carbonite. What we knew back then has pretty much stayed with us until today. Not much has changed: why would it, right?

You are ready to embark on a journey, but there are many roads you could take. Before you take your first step, you must choose a road that will lead you to your destination. If you believed one road would offer the most pleasant journey to the best destination, is that the road you would choose?

DUH! Of course you’d choose that road. Unless you’re into self-deprivation, right?  

Customer engagement rocks. But only if you get it right. Our recent research on digital consumer behavior suggests that the music on hold when consumers call retailers for assistance might as well be The Rolling Stones classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”

It’s not what you’re thinking. This is a tale of customer experience in a time of remarkable change. It begins with showrooming, the despicable term that brick and mortar retailers utter with a sneer much like Jerry Seinfeld’s every time he greeted Newman. I bet you can picture a showroomer right now roaming your store. (Sneer) Showroomer.  

It takes a little luck to excel at customer engagement. I’m sure this notion doesn’t sit well with those of you who like to be in control, but America’s national pastime can shed some light on why this random perspective can actually help you improve customer experience and digital engagement.

Sensing danger, I glanced up from my smartphone and stopped dead in my tracks.  Between me and the department store exit lay a shopping man’s nightmare: The Fragrance Gauntlet. A long row of atomizer-wielding trigger-happy “consultants” stood in ambush, ready to interrupt my journey and douse me with free samples of cologne.  I wanted to turn around, but it was too late.  I had already made eye contact.  All I could do was take a deep breath and hold it. 

There’s a deli down the street from my office. It’s one of numerous restaurants within walking distance of where I work. Today I went for my usual order – roasted turkey, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and honey-mustard dressing on freshly baked, whole grain flatbread.

The two cows were standing next to a cage, with a scary, red-eyed, beast inside. The caption above the cage warned: "Eat Chikin, or Weel let this thing out."

I don’t know about you, but I usually don’t pay attention to highway billboards. But this Chic-fil-a billboard was quirky. It caught my attention, made me smile, and perked me up on an otherwise dull commute.

Have you seen that GEICO TV commercial where people are heckling two camels at the zoo?

…Hey camel! …Guess what day it is?”…

…Huump Daay! Then, one of the camels complains: “It’s not even Wednesday.” And the other camel says: “Let it go, Phil.”