Best Buy Geek Squad

If customer service is a part of your brand proposition, then I've got a little "best in class" to share with you, IMHO.

"Buy a Laptop, Get a Geek.": the new campaign from Best Buy that offers ongoing technical support with every laptop purchase.

What a great way to alleviate the fears of every new computer buyer ... that fear that once you get home, you won't be able to figure out how to use all this cool stuff.

Best Buy really revolutionized itself a few years back by re-inventing its customer service, and continues to do so. Like many big box electronics retailers, it was languishing for being just so "me-too". Couldn't tell one retailer apart from another. But their management nailed it by starting a subsidiary called "Geek Squad", an on-demand service arm that comes to your home and help you address any technical issues. They amped up their customer service, and not just in store, but post purchase too.

I used the Geek Squad once or twice myself, and I have to say that it was really good. You can even use the Geek Squad on items not purchased at Best Buy. I had them install a tv! What a great way to lure in new consumers.

But Best Buy didn't stop there. Then came Twelpforce, customer service using Twitter. As a customer, you can tweet in your questions when you get home and your customer service rep helps you. Such a great idea for all those little questions that come up. The best part? Instant gratification at the speed of 140 characters. You can even tweet in questions before you buy.

(As a side note, Twelpforce will be getting a special mention in a book that a friend of mine is writing, profiling brands that go "above and beyond". You can read some other examples, and his whole concept, here -- it's pretty fascinating.)

The latest "Get a Geek" promotion isn't necessarily a new idea for Best Buy, but just a carefully crafted way of serving up customer service and adding value to a big ticket purchase. You can see the television commercial here.

So if customer service is a part of your mix, which I'm sure it is on some level, consider how to amp it up. It can quickly become an important part of your marketing plan and a vital way to differentiate from competition.

What's your experience? Jim