HAYWARD, Calif. — A new book describes fabric restoration company FRSTeam as a franchise that “…Wows Its Customers the Apple Way.”
In The Apple Experience: The Secrets to Building Insanely Great Customer Loyalty, author Carmine Gallo explores the methods and practices used by Apple and other innovative service pioneers like FedEx, Disney, The Ritz Carlton and Zappos.
FRSTeam was honored to be in the company of these leaders and singled out for the brand culture that has created “goose bump” moments, FRSTeam’s internal name for its “wow” customer service experiences.
In the narrative on his first meeting with FRSTeam President Jim Nicholas, Gallo reveals a common misconception after learning that FRSTeam is a fabric restoration service brand that restores clothing and other items after a smoke, fire, or water loss.
“Don’t you just pick up the damaged goods, restore them, and return them?” Gallo asks Nicholas.
“On its face, you wouldn’t expect the ‘experience’ to play a huge role in the success of such a franchise,” Nicholas replies. “This is a very competitive industry, so we must define ourselves by the experience we provide. Yes, it’s true; anyone can show up to pick up damaged items. But insurance policyholders often judge the quality of their insurance carrier by the vendors the insurance company sends out. If a client has a satisfying experience, it will get back to the insurance company and the company will continue to hire us instead of our competitors. Positive word also spreads quickly throughout the industry.”
Gallo reveals how the successful customer service approach employed by FRSTeam’s “customer-facing employees” mirror the steps creating the gold standard for customer service in the Apple stores.
“These goose-bump moments are now a part of the FRSTeam culture,” Gallo writes. “They happen every day. But it starts by asking the question, ‘What can we do to create a wow moment for our customers?’”
Complicating this effort is the fact that FRSTeam is trying to create such moments during one of the worst and most stressful times in a customer’s life.
“When a family suffers a fire in their home, the impact is devastating,” FRSTeam CEO Courtney Nicholas adds. “It is imperative that we not only help these families restore their personal property, but we challenge ourselves to go even further and help them restore their lives. Given our extremely high and consistent customer service ratings across the country and the genuine personal gratitude we receive, FRSTeam is making a difference for families and communities during difficult times, and that is very important to our company vision.”
Gallo’s book is available in major bookstores and from online retailers.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].