NameCheap.com is running a trivia contest over a period of time during Christmas. I signed up but after an early try I gave up. The amount of time required to win a domain name or some other prize was too much to make it worthwhile for me. It seems like quite a few people are wining things and it has gotten quite popular. Great. I like NameCheap and hope they do well. I mention them to contrast what they are doing with what Name.com is doing.
Name.com has an approach that I like much more. They are also running a promotion for the 12 days before Christmas, but they aren't running a content or giving things away (that I know of yet), they are just giving nice discounts on different things every day. Yesterday you could register .org domains for $6.99 and today it's .ws domains. Tomorrow something will be offered for $5.xx and I suspect it may be .net domain names or maybe .infos.
I'm impressed, because they aren't making me DO anything other than visit their site (What, no mailing list, or did I miss it?) and I don't have to "win" anything to get some benefit from there offer. And their cost is MUCH lower. Sure I like getting free things like anyone else. But if a company will treat me more like a "partner" and less like a girl they want to date (flowers, candy, etc.) the better I feel about the relationship.
And I am also impressed, because the other day I made a suggestion on their site. They are actively looking for feedback and suggestions, but I never expected to hear back from them. Well today I got a short message from the CEO in response to my idea. Sure, it could be a canned reply, but I doubt it since he used to post his ACTUAL EMAIL address on the site in the past. I have used it and exchanged a few emails with him after Name.com was launched.
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Hi Chris,
Good idea, we are thinking about it,
Thanks for sharing,
Best,
Bill Mushkin
CEO/Founder Name.com
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I don't know if Name.com can continue in this direction of making customers feel appreciated and conducting their business in a logical and common-sense manner, but I certainly hope so. Those that register domain names need a provider that understands them, will work with them, and not take advantage of them like some of the larger companies do. Most companies treat their customers as a necessary evil. They know they need them, but don't feel they are on the same "level". It reminds me of how workers were treated before we had unions.
Companies want loyalty from their customers, but few have any clue about how to earn it. Hint: How do you earn loyalty from a friend? Why should business be any different? Sure, a CEO cannot have a personal relationship with all of the customers, but if he was to take the time and call one customer a day and talk for 15-30 minutes, that company would see a massive return on a very, very small investment. And if all the employees were empowered to call one customer a day and shoot the breeze, with the ability to report back useful information to the company management, Whooo Boy! Now who's your "Daddy"...!
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