Author: Bill Rogers

What Brand delivers the best Customer Experience?

THE ONE BRAND CONSUMERS RECALL FOR HAVING PROVIDED A GREAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE? Companies that offer a great customer experience (CX) are remembered for many years and rewarded with repeat business. Brands that fail to deliver great experiences are also remembered for years, but they are walking away from repeat sales. Why does this matter and why should brands care? Phoenix MI and its strategic marketing communications partner Direct Choice, Inc. recently uncovered powerful evidence that consumer memory of highly positive (and negative) brand interactions does not fade over time. Consumers looking to repeat a purchase will quickly recall positive experiences creating a short-list of where to go. For brands lucky enough to be on that list, they will be paid back again and again for their customer experience optimization. WHICH BRAND HAS CREATED THE BEST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE? According to our co-sponsored survey, all four generational segments mentioned Amazon most often as their go-to brand for a great overall purchase...

Continue Reading

Spotlight on Patricia Uhrich, Marketing Manager

How long have you been with DCI? Patti: I've been with DCI for almost 2 years. Prior to this, all of my experience has been on the client side. It seems most people tend to move in the other direction (agency to client side). What attracted you to the agency life? Patti: I like the fact that I have opportunities to work with clients from a cross-section of industries with a variety of goals and campaigns. I also enjoy DCI because I’m able to work with a more tight-knit group in a less corporate environment. It’s challenging yet more enjoyable and relaxed at the same time. As trendy and current as you have to be in the marketing world, I hear that you enjoy kicking back with a classic movie when you’re at home, right? Patti: Within the past few years, I've become a Turner Classic Movies nerd. I probably watch at least 2 old...

Continue Reading

Spotlight on Kathleen Halligan

You’ve been in the print and direct mail business for over 30 years. What surprises you most about how your career has changed or hasn’t changed? Kathleen: Technology. When I was in print sales I had to purchase cars large enough to fit full spread mechanicals into the trunk. Now, I can put 25 jobs in my handbag. What hasn’t changed is the importance of relationships. My greatest career accomplishment is the deep and long-standing relationships developed with clients and vendors. What aspect of your job at DCI would your colleagues find surprising? Kathleen: We are only as strong as our weakest link. That could be as simple as the pressman that’s distracted the day he runs your job. We live in the weeds and are responsible for many details. Every single bit of production minutiae is important to us. I suppose that can become pretty nerve-racking. Does it keep you up at night? Kathleen: Rarely....

Continue Reading

Optimizing your Customer Experience to lay the groundwork for premium pricing and higher margins

Have you noticed how brands are obsessed with asking us about us, “How did we do?” Despite this apparent interest in Customer Experience (CX), most brands fail to capitalize on our responses with anything more than a paltry thank-you at the end of the survey. Case in point: I recently received six text messages requesting my feedback on how a DIRECTV (AT&T) Service Technician did in his effort to get my many TVs working correctly again.  But after responding to a couple of the texts I hear crickets…nothing. Between the excessive messaging and the lack of follow up, DIRECTV has sent this Customer Experience backward. Our latest research reveals the value of guaranteeing a good Customer Experience. Direct Choice, Inc. and our partner, Phoenix Marketing International, recently completed the 2018 Customer Experience Research Study.  Coming out of that study, Lane Mann of Phoenix has published some actionable insights. In his last blog post, “How...

Continue Reading

The Best of Eagles Victory Week … and why we loved Dundee

Like our fellow members of the Eagles Nation, we are still glowing green over here at DCI. It was seriously difficult to focus on anything else with fighter jets buzzing your office and team members tweeting pics from the parade. So, before we get into an overdue commentary on the Super Bowl ads, here are our favs from the Eagles mania of last week: BEST HEADLINE: PHINALLY!Newsday Sport BEST SLOGAN:From Wentz we came. In Foles we trust. BEST CELEBRITY TWEET ABOUT VICTORY:Hard to explain if you’re not from Philly. The joy. The joy. THE JOY. #FlyEaglesFlyRob McElhenney BEST COMMENT ON OVERLY-HYPED MAYHEM: The knucklehead contingent was extremely small. ~ Mayor Jim Kenney BEST VICTORY SPEECH: Jason Kelce Now, about those Super Bowl ads… Our top pick goes to Tourism Australia’s Crocodile Dundee remake. Between the online release of a movie trailer and the subsequent Super Bowl ad, pretty much everyone was thinking, “Is this for real?” Objective achieved! ISpot.tv found that...

Continue Reading

Spotlight on Salvatore Favazza

If this were a LinkedIn review it would be full of details on Sal’s incredible work ethic, industry experience, and technical accounting savvy. We decided to get a little more personal as we turned our spotlight on the man behind the numbers: The title “Controller” sounds all knowing and powerful. How would you describe it (in brief)? Sal: The title of Controller, in my instance, is mostly related to finance and human resources and ensuring those areas of the company are properly managed. I’m certainly not all-powerful… If anything, I feel as though everyone here is my boss! In DCI’s holiday sweater competition, you went for the real deal – a classically hideous holiday garment. Was that sweater already hanging in your closet? Sal: The sweater was not hanging in my closet but in my friend’s closet.  I was not about to go out and buy a garment I would not wear ever again. Call...

Continue Reading

One Last Toast to a Banner Year

Our New Year’s celebration would not be complete without raising a glass to our clients in thanks for an amazing year. If we could bottle success, DCI’s 2017 would become a much sought-after vintage. Here’s a short list of why we are incredibly thankful for the past year… RECOGNITION of our growth: The Wharton Small Business Development Center, the Entrepreneurs’ Forum of Greater Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Media Network’s Philadelphia 100® ranked us as one of the region’s fastest-growing, privately held companies Philadelphia Business Journal’s Soaring 76 honored us as on the region’s fastest growing companies HONORS for our work: Two awards for our healthcare clients from the 24th National Health Information Awards Program Two awards for excellence from the Insurance Marketing & Communications Association Conference and Showcase Three Benny awards from the Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association CAMARADERIE in serving the community: Joined together in numerous activities supporting the For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation Volunteered...

Continue Reading

Spotlight on Beth Harvath

We’ve been trying to tear Beth away from her clients for a short interview all summer long. Eventually, we stole her phone and locked her out of her computer, so she had no choice but to answer our silly questions. One morning when the coffee maker was on the fritz, everyone was calling to order coffee for meetings. You chose to go to work on the coffee maker and had it fixed in no time. What do you think that says about you?  Beth: I am always up for a challenge! From coffee makers to find the right approach to marketing popsicles to Eskimos – I believe we can solve anything we put our minds to. Besides, fixing the machine was much faster than leaving to pick up coffee. What’s the most common problem you have to solve for clients?  Beth: Making sure that we align our overall solutions or campaigns with a measurable...

Continue Reading

Direct Choice Inc. awarded among the Philadelphia 100

This week we had the pleasure of joining a number of growing businesses at the Crystal Tea Room for the Philadelphia 100 awards gala. For those unfamiliar, The Philadelphia 100 is a merit-based program. Only companies that are among the region’s fastest growing, privately-held companies are eligible. We were beyond thrilled to learn that Direct Choice Inc. was among the top 100. Being ranked in the top 100 is such an honor given the history of the awards, which were founded in 1988 by The Entrepreneurs' Forum of Greater Philadelphia and the Wharton Small Business Development Center. All applicants must be an independent privately held corporation, proprietorship, or partnership and are required to provide a full three-year sales history. Although we cannot claim to have originated this phrase, it could not be truer for DCI: The success of our clients is the only valid measure of our own. “It’s been exciting and fruitful to play a role in the growth of...

Continue Reading

Had a fun and informative time at the @BCAPhilly Hospitality Breakfast last Friday. Speaker @TarynSouthern gave a thought-provoking presentation focused on how AI is changing our world. #ai #aimarketing #bcaphilly ...

8 1

Proud to report that Direct Choice picked up 2 Benny Awards last night in the digital/social media marketing categories - Congrats to All!! #pdma #bennyawards #socialmediamarketing #digitalmarketing ...

7 3

This holiday season, we’re continuing to support @philabundance to help them end hunger in our local communities. Happy Holidays from Direct Choice Inc! #philabundance #happyholidays ...

2 0

Kudos for Direct Choice at the PDMA Benny Awards last night. DCI won the top award in 3 categories PLUS WON BEST IN SHOW! Congrats to ALL #PDMA #bennyawards ...

10 2

Here`s something many of us can relate to in the era of virtual meetings - enjoy a good laugh and Happy Holidays from the DCI team! #virtualbloopers #Happyholidays #happyholidays2021 ...

0 0

Way to go Reem, our resident @Peloton aficionado, for recently completing 500 RIDES!! #peloton ...

4 0