While labels typically are viewed as branding and information tools, they also can serve a vital customer service role – helping “humanize” Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and other frustrating tech-oriented customer support protocols.

Of course, achieving a warm-and-fuzzy label look and feel often is not feasible. Given the small amount of real estate with which to work, and the ever-growing amount of information appearing on labels, many manufacturers don’t have the luxury. But when it can be done, it merits strong consideration.

Sound hokey? Maybe. But many people are tired of being bombarded with high tech everywhere they look and go. Customer service can be particularly touchy, given that people often pursue customer support when they’re already frustrated or even fed up with a company product or process. The last straw can be complicated IVR systems that try to divert people away from speaking with a live rep. Anything softening the blow, including a friendly label and other branding, can help balance customer perspectives.

An article on TMC.net, which deals with all things tech-related, addresses how technology, including IVR, is frustrating customers. It reads in part, “Survey Examines How Customer Engagement Tech Impacts Customer Experiences…So often, we with a passion for the contact center solutions/customer engagement community get fixated on what is the latest technology. We tend to forget that customer engagement really is a two-way street where the bottom line is directly impacted by how people feel when they are interacting with a brand.”

The article is from a white paper entitled “Human Touch and the Customer Service Experience,” which notes, “People are Looking for a More Human Touch:  Regardless of which channel they use to engage a company, 90% of respondents said that they start the customer service journey with the aim to speak to a live agent. The last point is the one that should resonate the most: “Despite all of the automation technologies available, people still trust people to solve their issues.” The report concludes, “The benchmark for customer service is still established by live customer service agents, either on the phone or in person. A personalized experience is of utmost importance to most callers, who want to feel as though someone on the other end of the line is invested in solving their problem.”

What are some ways labels can help turn the tide favorably toward positively impacting the customer experience?
1. Make ‘em smile. Through words, pictures or both, come up with ways to make people smile or laugh. Of course, in doing this, think carefully about your audience. The Super Bowl commercial featuring Mountain Dew’s “Puppy Monkey Baby,” a hybrid pug, monkey and baby creation, undoubtedly stirred some smiles along with consternation and contempt. That might have had more sway with millennials than other age groups. In trying to be humorous or cute, don’t become so outlandish that you turn off many people.

2. Make ‘em feel wanted. Alienation, especially in a world increasingly dominated by automated systems, requires some soothing and softening. A statement or visual that demonstrates sincere appreciation for a customer’s business may be that one small spot that resonates the next time that customer is getting irritated while making a customer service inquiry. Space permitting, the verbiage could be something along the lines of, “When we started, one picture represented 10 buyers. Today, it represents 100. Thanks to you.”

3. Make ‘em feel safe. One of the keys to Costco’s success is the way it supports customers. With exceedingly generous return policies and customer service protocols, buyers feel protected at Costco in ways they haven’t found with any other retailer. At the local level, managers and line employees alike typically are extremely responsive and available.

This became clear to me years ago when I explained that I had broken a relatively new laptop due to my clumsiness and asked about their policy under such situations. They said to bring it back for a full refund. When I picked myself up off the floor (almost literally), I asked about customers who abuse their generosity. The employee explained that the amount of business generated because of their policies massively overwhelmed the small percentage of losses due to abuse. In essence, it was a good business as well as humanitarian decision.

Product manufacturers need to convey a similar sense of safety and protection to any degree possible on their labels. Perhaps referencing a customer satisfaction guarantee and pointing buyers to a website documenting the terms and reviews of people who have taken advantage of it is a good way to go.

Obviously, labels are just one part of the total branding picture. But having them front and center every time a buyer uses a product can prove to be a potent positive reminder.



Mark Lusky is a marketing communications professional who has worked with Lightning Labels, an all-digital custom label printer in Denver, CO, USA, since 2008. Find Lightning Labels on Facebook for special offers and label printing news.