how not to create a great brand experience

Several weeks ago I was in the market for a new laptop bag. Being a designer I wanted something really cool, but being cheap I didn't really want to spend more than $100. My good friend Joey turned me on to this bag from Oakley.

Immediately, the clouds parted, the heavens opened, and a voice inside said "This is the only bag for you" even though it was almost twice what I initially planned to spend. I promptly ordered the bag and even paid for the rush delivery. Not sense I got my MacBook was I this excited about a new purchase! (Okay, maybe not that excited, but close.)

The bag arrived and I was not disappointed. For the first week it was everything I hoped it would be... until the velcro started pulling away from one of the pockets.

Now I understand that these things happen. But when I called Oakley, they wanted me to pay to ship them item back to them so that they could determine if, in fact, it was a defective product. I told them this was unacceptable. They were the ones who sold me a (very expensive) bad bag; they should be the ones to bear the full cost of making things right. And it wasn't until I twice threatened to speak to a supervisor that they finally agreed to email me a merchandise return label. Unfortunately, by that point, their resistance to doing the right thing had soured me on the whole experience.

The reason I tell you this story is because of its tragic nature. This should've been a success story. Oakley made a great product that actually generated excitement in the consumer. Better yet, the sale happened because one consumer sold another consumer on the virtues of the product. Brands can't pay for that kind of advertising! And even after the product turned out to be defective, the consumer (ergo me) was understanding and still excited about the product. It wasn't until the customer support team got involved that the experience turned bad.

The lesson to brands is this: It is not enough just to build a great product and market it well. You've got to be in the business of taking care of your customers at every step of the process. Poor follow through and support can tarnish your brand - something that does not translate to more word of mouth advertising or more sales.