I’ve been a road warrior these past several weeks, providing me with the opportunity to carefully explore the seat pockets in front of me. Beyond the used wrappers and barf bags, Delta’s SKY magazine is actually one of the better reads, and in their May issue, the cover story highlighted Macy’s CEO, Terry Lundgren.
Lundgren is credited with re-energizing the venerable department store chain, founded 157 years ago in New York City. Now with 775 stores around the U.S. and a global expansion plan underway, Lundgren is the model of corporate leadership, having come up through the retail ranks, first as a buyer and then a store manager.
In many ways, he’s analogous to a radio broadcasting exec (think Bob Pittman or Dan Mason) who started on the air or in programming, and went on to run a major multi-media company. And like leaders who started on the content side of the business, Lundgren likes to stay in touch with his customers.
So the intriguing part of the article is the moment that Lundgren leaves the C-suite and his comfy office to stroll through the store, talking to his salespeople but also eyeing and speaking with Macy’s shoppers.
Here’s the quote:
“I want to see who the customers are. I want to see if they’re being taken care of.”
In radio, we’re living in a world filled with big data, metered measurement, and programmatic buying, so there’s never been a more important reason for radio’s captains of industry to “walk the floor” – or in this case, stroll into the air studio, show up for station events, and talk to advertisers who rely on their stations for marketing.
It’s amazing what you can learn by walking into a control room and answering the request lines for a half hour. Or attending a station concert or remote to talk to fans, as well as the clients doing the advertising.
While perceptual and music research are always eye-opening, sitting in the back room to watch focus groups is an investment that always pays dividends. And if budgets are tight, any station can afford listener advisory groups, held in the conference room – a great window into the world of the modern-day radio listener.
And it’s not just about understanding how listener attitudes, media, and technology are changing. It’s also about hearing from audience members about why radio still very much matters in their lives.
You may remember the movie farce, Soapdish, starring Sally Field, Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Kline, and Robert Downey, Jr. from the early ‘90s. It’s the crazy story of a daytime TV soap opera and the whack-jobs who make it happen. Field plays the insecure, aging star of The Sun Also Sets. When she gets into a funk, her assistant (Goldberg) knows the antidote is to take her to an area mall where she always gets mobbed by adoring fans. Given our Macy’s story, it’s an ironic reminder that while it is easy to get caught up in the downdraft of bad ratings, mediocre sales, and the dark cloud over the industry, radio is show business, and our DJs and personalities are celebrities in their hometowns. Radio truly matters to millions and millions of fans all over the country.
It is always time well spent to watch and listen to the audience to hear their concerns, their changing media habits, and their overall outlooks. But the other value is the positive feelings you get from experiencing fan enthusiasm and energy. Too often, we end up talking about Wall Street, the agencies, and Pandora and Spotify. Sadly, the real players that matter – consumers – often aren’t heard.
As Terry Lundgren knows, the secret to great customer service is observing the customers themselves – how they interact with the brand and how they’re treated by our people.
Radio has the means to do this, while learning and benefittng from the process.
And we don’t even have to go to the mall.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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As usual a great read. The subject of customer interaction is something that radio talks about all the time as an one of our enduring strengths. But how many of us make it a priority everyday? Just like Terry Lundgren and Macy’s, radio’s customer engagement has to begin at the top. Market Managers have to set the example on a daily basis.
Here is a simple idea that takes me 15 minutes a day. We have all amassed some pretty good databases. Two and a half years ago I started taking five addresses from our three station databases each day (even weekends). Each day I write 15 emails that start out after the personal greeting “First, this is not a mass email generated from a database program. As always I write every email to a listener personally, one at a time.”
From there I address a particular subject with the desire to receive feedback. I conclude each email with something like this “Please….. Don’t hold back on anything. You will not hurt my feelings in commenting about any radio station subject. After all the buck stops at my desk.”
In two and a half years I have reached out to over 12,000 listeners. My initial response rate is over 80%. What I have learned is extraordinary. Even former listeners are pretty open as to why they no longer listen. How many times do you have the opportunity to engage in a dialog to invite “a former listener” back.
It is amazing how many of those initial database contacts have reached out to me over the last couple of years sharing the things they love about the station or the things that concern them.
Just think if market managers for 4,000 stations across the U.S. did this over the course of the year how many people would be touched by the person who is the leader the station. 4,000 stations X 5 emails a day X 344 days=6,880,000 potential interactions from one of their radio stations of choice.
Mike, this is a brilliant idea that, as you point out, takes very little time. But speaks to the value of customer service. Many of our stations have been encouraged to have the jocks make birthday calls. Each day, the webmaster prints out the list of those who have a birthday, and a simple call is made. If they reach voicemail, they leave a message. The surprise and joy for listeners is priceless. And for the jocks, it can come close to the “Sally Field in the mall” example. Thanks for the great comment and idea.
I don’t know you personally Mike, but I LOVE this idea and just instituted in my place…starting with me (GM) Awesome, meaningful and had the added side benefit of being “talked about”
Love it
It IS a great idea. Thanks for commenting, Dave.
I loved this article. the best research we ever did was having lunch with P-1 at a popular restaurant once a month. The information is so organic, and you learn from true radio fans what makes them listen, what makes them listen more frequently, and takes them away form the radio in the morning. People tend to love it when you ask their opinion.
Gene, thanks for the stories and the insights. If you take the time to listen to listeners, you learn. Appreciate you chiming in.