Iriana Suraya Abdul Wahab

iriana.abdulwahab@newinti.edu.my

After learning this topic, students should be able to:

Identify why A-plus can help customer retention
List the Six A-Plus Opportunities
Explain the value in Six A-Plus Opportunities
Describe the information in Six A-Plus Opportunities
Outline the personality in Six A-Plus Opportunities
Explain the add-on in Six A-Plus Opportunities
Describe the convenience in Six A-Plus
Opportunities
Recognise where these ideas come from

Tell me what is your

favourite
restaurant, product or
service
Why is it your favourite?

The underlying theme: You achieve customer

satisfaction, retention and loyalty by exceeding in
positive ways, what customers anticipate.
The process of exceeding the anticipated is
called A-plus
Why customers do what they do?
People are motivated to act in a particular way
because their action will either result in a gain or
avoid loss

Equity Theory

A-plus is based on a theory from social psychology

called equity theory, its by Psychologist J. Stacey
Adams in mid 1960s.

It starts with the premise that human beings

constantly go into and out of various kinds of
relationships from intimate to cursory (lasting to
temporary).

Once in a relationship, people immediately asses the

relative equity or fairness to their involvement
compared to other customers.

Consumers check to see if what they give

to the relationship balance with what
they are getting out of it.

Inequity can be adjusted by having

rebalance in the relationship. (Example
by being courtiers, buy a gift)

When people sense inequity, he or she will respond

with one or some combination of the following
behaviors:
1.Ignore or rationalise with inequity (i.e. I am going
to fight for my rights)
2.Demand restitution (i.e. demand for fairer pay, or
customer wants money back when product quality
is poor).
3.Seek retaliation (i.e. tell other people about bad
experience, or sabotage)
4.Withdraw from the relationship (i.e. quit and dont
come back)

Another side of equity theory is that

people who feel that they are receiving
more than they deserve, they would want
to restore the balance of fairness.

Example: When someone give you an

unexpected invitation or gift, you might
also buy a gift in return.

VISPAC encompasses six categories of A-plus

opportunities which are:

V - Value
I - Information
S - Speed
P - Personality
A - Add-ons
C - Convenience

VALUE opportunity that creates

A-Plus Experiences
People

think these product as exceptional products

such as a Panasonic air conditioning, lasting watch
(Omega, Seiko) and etc.

This

product may exceed customers expectations by

value.

Buyers

of these products feel they got more for their

money than they would ever expected

Example:

Good price, long lasting or value added.

Methods to create a sense

of value:

An enhanced sense of value can

be produced via packaging
(wrapped nicely and presented
in an attractive box)
Example Perfume boxes

By personalizing the product (personalise note

included in the product)
Offering extended warranty (electronic items)

INFORMATION opportunity that

creates A-Plus Experiences
Every

product should have an informational

component.
Example:

A can of soup contains nutritional data,

ingredients, direction of cooking and recipe
Extra

information provided could create A-plus

experience as info is non standard and value
added, which will exceeds customer satisfaction.

Example: A car salesperson will

go beyond explaining the car
features but highlights the
technical capabilities and engineering mechanisms in
the car.

Best opportunity for A-plus is when the information

involves using different media than its customary.

Example: When Panasonic launched its microwave

ovens, customers were provided with manuals,
cookbooks and 10 free cooking classes to learn how
to use the microwave.

SPEED opportunity that creates A-Plus Experiences

Research

of customers turnoffs, shows that

customers dislikes having to wait too long for
products and services.
People

across all business want timely response.

Example:

DHL, promises to
deliver your packages by 10 the
next morning, but it usually
arrive at 9 or 9.30am.

The reason speed is such a powerful way of exceeding

expectations is that, in our culture, people often fail to
be time conscious.

According to Paco Underhill, waiting time may be the

single most important factor in customer satisfaction.

Offering service faster than expected

even when you originally set the
expectation- is a powerful form of
A-plus.

Example: Dominos offers to rebate

RM5 if the pizza delivered in more than
30 minutes.

PERSONALITY opportunity that creates A-Plus

Experiences
Personality

of people within the organisation could

be used to exceed expectations.

Some

behaviors such as friendliness, courtesy,

efficiency, professionalism and quality are
conveyed via both verbal and
non-verbal behaviors.

How can your company project positive

personality to exceed customer
expectations?

Example: Starbucks staff, meet and greet

customers before and after the purchase
with a smile. The public will perceive this
as pleasant personality.

ADD-ON opportunity that creates A-Plus Experiences

Exceed

customer expectations by adding on by

giving or selling customers something else that they
will need or appreciate.
Sometimes

effective

add-on are sold or given, both can be

Example:

If a shoe is purchased, the sales person

can suggest padded inserts.
Example:

Hotel provides a
fruit basket or chocolates.

Example: A doctor providing candies to kids.

The best kind of free add-ons are those with high

perceived value and low cost of business.

Example: Free home delivery service from

electrical and furniture stores

Example: Car service centers

provide free car wash,
Free drink refills restaurants

CONVENIENCE opportunity that creates A-Plus

Experiences
How

can you exceed customer expectations by

making your product or service more convenient
that expected?
Convenience

is one of the most

promising A-plus opportunity
areas because so much of what
customers face today is
inconvenient.

Example: Toyota Lexus recall efforts, arrange for pick

up and gave a loaner car for its design defect.

Example: Many fast food outlets offer delivery services

so customers dont have to go to the restaurant and
wait. With delivery services, customers enjoy
convenience.

Organisations could gain strong competitive advantage

by providing A-plus service in the area of convenience.

Example: Maybank2u, created

convenience for customers to pay
bills online.

A-Plus is the master key for building customer

satisfaction, retention and loyalty.
Ask

employees in all levels in the organization to

apply creativity.
Reward

good ideas and

brainstorm to gather new ideas.
The

best A-Plus ideas are from

alert and innovative people.