As I've stated repeatedly, we live in an era of business shift.  Not only do companies have the power to know us better than ever before -- "We the people" have the power to make ourselves heard in an unprecedented manner.  We can do this when we are wronged, and bring a company to its knees like Dave Carroll did with United Breaks Guitars.  We can also make ourselves heard when we're happy, as my buddy, Shelley Ryan did this week to celebrate the Customer Service Wizardry of Chicos. I've embedded her entertaining story below.

Now, it's entirely possible that both Dave's and Shelley's stories are, in reality, rather un-unique in their facts --- if compared to the ocean full of good and bad customer experience stories out there.  After all, other people have had guitars broken, and others have faced great customer service.   However, Dave and Shelley have something in common in the way they handled their situations:  They coupled their unique skills with creativity and the low-tech tools at their disposal to tell compelling stories that resonated with people.  This added dimension, reality, meaning and emotion to what otherwise may have been considered every-day customer experience testimonials.  They created something compelling that was instantly sharable, likeable, spreadable....and they began to spread like wildfire.

This illustrates that it's not always what you tell -- but how you tell it, and who you  share it with that matters most!   This creative storytelling explains how Shelley and Dave drove a wave of interest, engagement from other people -- and why those people shared those stories, magnifying them and making them more grand with every like, tweet, share, view, comment.  In Dave's case, that magnification turned his story into a business legend!  In Shelley's case, well, hopefully it will yield a great pat on the back to the dedicated, customer-focused employees at Chico's. Kudos to them!

We can all (people and brands) take a page out of this book, and learn from Dave, Shelley and people like them.  We already know we'll be seeing this more and more.  The question is, will we ourselves shoot for legendary in our story telling?  Will we apply what we've learned here to differentiate our stories from the sea of sameness?   Just a thought -- or maybe a challenge -- for your day.

I got a tweet from Steve Rubel about Seamless Web giving away $100 worth of free food to bloggers who mention the company in a blog post. My first reaction was “Hmmm…good word-of-mouth marketing attempt, but is there really something worth writing about?” I decided to find out, and was very pleased with the results.

Seamless Web is doing some very smart things related to its business plan as well as its use of social media and word-of-mouth marketing. There's definitely some takeout (pun intentional) here for any smart marketer.

First things first. If you're not already aware, Seamless Web bills itself as the "fastest, easiest, and smartest way to order food online." The company enables users to order from more than 2,000 restaurants in 14 major US cities (including New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco) and other cities in the UK.

Simply visit Seamless’ website and anyone within a participating region can order from a myriad of restaurants in four simple steps:

1. Enter your address – Using a simple form.

2. Browse & select a restaurant – Based on your zip code, a list of restaurants will display. The list is programmed to allow users to order only from restaurants that are currently open. Users can mouse over restaurant names for a brief restaurant descriptions. They can also sort the restaurant list by price (up to five $), estimated delivery time, order minimum and customer rating (up to five stars).

3. Browse & select from a menu – When a menu is selected, the interface displays the menu items in a simple, two-column display. A third column shows the “shopping cart” or order in process, and also showcases the restaurant’s most popular dishes to support user selection. Site users can roll over menu item listings for full descriptions or click to view more information and add the item to an order. Users who click to view more, or add to cart may add optional items (e.g. “add bacon”) or request order customizations (e.g. “hold the mayo” or “no nuts- I have a nut allergy!)

4. Pay with a major credit card. Delivery fees range, based on the delivery service (in-house, third party). For some restaurants, delivery is free. For others, such as ones delivered by Takeout Taxi, delivery fees are $8.95. Tips may also be added to the order.

Participating restaurants utilize the Seamless Web infrastructure to print incoming orders, which arrive within seconds. In turn, the restaurants send customized order confirmations via email, complete with estimated delivery times to site users. Participating restaurants then prepare the food and deliver it to the site user. After ordering, users can save their order for “next time” and also post ratings of participating restaurants for the reference of other site users.

Seamless Web follows the example of other experience leaders by providing the basics of solid customer experience in a number of areas:

Business Focus. Seamless Web is operating within a core competency. Following my (link) “Three Word Rule", we’ll call the company a “food delivery facilitator”. They don’t mess with food preparation or actual food delivery. Instead, they provide a one-stop ordering destination for customers, along with a robust communications infrastructure extensible to restaurants and delivery services (like Takeout Taxi) which effectively facilitate the delivery process. Smart!

Customer Focus. Starting at a basic level, they make the food ordering process easier for the time starved. It’s more consistent than ad-hoc dialing and more customer-centric as a result. All site users get clear information. They can customize orders to accommodate for food allergies or personal taste. They can order a meal for immediate delivery or schedule delivery in advance. They can save their favorite orders to streamline future ordering. They are encouraged to rank the performance of participating restaurants performance for the benefit of the ordering community. The site caters to the needs of both individuals and corporations. Seamless Web also offers corporate accounts with catering services and discounts. The service Seamless offers is basic – but it’s basic done well!

The User Experience. From a high-level usability perspective, Seamless sites are easy to access and they perform well. The main ordering site’s feature-rich interface is simple, streamlined, and not heavily graphics-infused. It successfully displays a lot of complex data in a very clear manner without many hitches. The language is simple and uncomplicated. FAQs provide detailed information on just about every topic you can imagine – clearly and concisely. The navigation functions well. While I’d like to see the 2.0 ability to order directly from a menu listing (rather than clicking on the item), Seamless Web has done a great job taking the ordering process and making it very simple and consistent across a myriad of restaurants and service providers. The blog follows the simple approach and is very up-to-date, engaging and entertaining, as well. The Facebook site is your is a standard cacophony of images, features and links… but overall, the online experience works - very well.

Social and Word-of-Mouth Marketing. Probe into Seamless Web and you won’t just find a site for ordering food. You’ll find solid grassroots marketing, word-of-mouth initiatives and solid use of Social Media. Check out the Seamless Weblog. There you’ll see their streetwise marketing at work, hear updates from the team, find weekly announcements about new restaurant openings and capture the occasional unwitting celebrity endorsement. You’ll also find Seamless Web active on Twitter. There’s also a Facebook site for Seamless Web, where you’ll find several thousand Friends, a viral video serial called “Johnny and Cam Order Food” (one part obnoxious, one part informative), featured restaurants, maps, featured fans, user reviews, contests (more free schwag) and more. They're keeping these sites fun, interesting and up-to-date. Good stuff.

Also, with regard to customers and word-of-mouth marketing Seamless does two things right:

1. The encourage customer dialog on a number of levels, across channels.This is a recipe for success.

2. They reward customer evangelism. Tell your friends about Seamless Web, and they’ll send you a 25% off coupon the first time your friend orders (they even provide a contact widget to help). Become a fan on Facebook and enter to win an iPhone 3G. Write a blog post and get coupons for $100 in free food - in addition to cross links and recognition on their own blog. All great ways to encourage word-of-mouth.

If I were to offer any criticism, it would center on the brand name and design. It seems Seamless Web would be more suited as a name for a web development firm -- rather than a destination for ordering takeout. From a branding perspective, I’m just not sure why the company went with this name. It seems like a missed opportunity to me. Perhaps there was an executive desire to be a bit vague (ala "Amazon" - allowing for future business expansion into a non-food market) or some another reason, which defies my own pea-brain logic? From a design perspective, I don’t mind the color red, if it’s done well – but I’m not a real fan of the logo, or the tag line that fails to “pop” on the page. So, there’s definitely room for improvement here -- but in truth, this can be easily remedied for the company.

In conclusion, while Seamless Web is offering people free schwag for posts … I am not posting for the free food.

In my line of work, I am paid to be somewhat critical. It's easy to find reasons to be critical with regard to customer experience and sometimes it's easier to be more negative than positive. That’s why it is positively refreshing to find smart companies that offer solid and well-rounded customer experiences. Therefore, it's my pleasure to offer hearty approbation and best wishes to the folks at Seamless Web. It is my sincere hope that we all take away something tasty from the company’s example.

Every time I go to the Great Harvest Bread Company, I am greeted by the smell of freshly baked bread, an earthy, calming environment and a sign on the door that says “No shirt, no shoes, no problem!” No matter what city I’m in, I am welcomed by cheerful, helpful staff with strong knowledge of the quality ingredients that go into their products. The positive helpful attitude they exhibit is refreshing. To add to the joy, they also give out generous, free slices and samples of fresh baked breads, cookies and scones. While not so good for my waistline, it’s great for goodwill!

But what happened today at the Great Harvest in Herndon Virginia took the cake -- or shall I say bread -- for me!

The door swung shut behind me and I entered the bakery. The heat index in DC today is 102 degrees (gasp!). I immediately noticed the distinct lack of temperature difference from the outside to the inside. The air was terribly warm, and fans were whirred in the background. "Boy! It is really WARM in here!" I remarked.

A bright-eyed Asian girl in a blue tank top popped around the bread rack. With a twinkle in her eye she cheerfully spouted, "Yes! We know! Our air conditioner is broken!" I looked around the room. The three young hipsters attending the counter were, surprisingly, smiling and cheerful despite the heat. “What can I help you with?” she offered.

They were out of what I wanted - Bonnie's Low Carb Bread. However, Traci (as I later came to know her) quickly showed me a great healthly substitute. She also offered to reserve low-carb loaves (baked Wednesday) for me for pick it up on Fridays, and then taunted me with a fresh slice of Tomato, Herb and Cheese bread (not low carb!).

The happy team jokingly apologized about the lack of butter, explaining that it had become "drawn butter" the sweltering heat. Great for lobster or crab, Traci said, but not so great with bread.

I was amazed at the good mood that pervaded the sweltering room: After just a few minutes, I was "gaschvitzing” and uncomfortable in my jeans and t-shirt. “I hope you guys are getting a bonus pay for putting up with this heat!" I remarked. Traci winked and grinned, "Oh, it's okay! Management has been really nice about it! They keep bringing us ice cream and popsicles!” She seemed completely unfazed.

I paid for my loaf and thanked the gang - wishing them all a great day and a quick AC repair. Exiting the store I was smiling, too. What a cool, refreshing experience on a terribly hot day!

I was so impressed with this experience, I called Great Harvest a few hours later, and spoke to Traci. I explained that I was customer experience architect, and that I wanted to thank them for offering me such a great experience. I also asked her a few questions.

While it's just a glimpse into one store - and one person, I thought It'd be good to share the insider perspective given to me by Traci Brooks, a bread maker extraordinaire and student at NOVA. I asked her what it's like to work at Great Harvest and how that impacts the customers. Here's what she had to say:

About the work environment:
"I have been here for two years. This is the most fun job, EVER. I love it. We have so much fun. Management is very generous, we all have a good time, they let us play our music and everyone is really positive. They tell us if we're happy it shows to the customers, and I guess it does!"

About generosity:
"The way they gave us money for Dairy Queen and brought us ice cream when the air conditioning went out is a great example. They just do stuff like that. With the job, of course, we get free bread, which we like! Also, I love the people I work with - they hire really great people. I guess you could say they pay pretty well, too. In high school, you might start around $7 per hour [well above minimum wage] and they give raises. It's especially good considering that it's like being paid to hang out with your friends. It's a job but it doesn't feel like one."

About management style:
"A lot of us start working here in high school and continue until we leave for college, which is kind of cool. It works for us - especially on afternoon shifts when we get busy. The managers really encourage us to make it [the bakery] our own, and have a good time. They treat us well and they're fair. They're not just in the back office telling us what to do, they're involved, and actually doing the work, too.

About customer service:
” I gotta say, working here is a LOT better than working in a "Do you want fries with that" kind of atmosphere." Our managers really encourage us to be ourselves and to connect personally with each other and our customers. At first, this can take you out of your comfort zone; but it helps you in other areas, by making you more comfortable asking questions and getting involved in discussion. I have learned that I really like getting to know people and hearing about their lives and getting into real conversations. I really enjoy working with the customers.

The experience created for me by Traci and her team is a great reflection of the Great Harvest Philosophy, which can be found on their web site:

--> Be loose and have fun,
--> Bake phenomenal bread,
--> Run fast to help customers,
--> Create strong, exciting bakeries,
--> And give generously to others.

Sometimes executing the simple things well can make all the difference in the world.