Raving Fans

Barry has said it himself: the underlying strength of Barry Manilow's long term success has always been his fans. They have taken abuse and ridicule over the years for being a Manilow fan. They have weathered the jibes, the critics, the naysayers and even family who can't understand why they want to go to show after show. In the past, they have been "raving fans". They have sold his music, his concerts, his character, and his integrity to all who will listen. Barry has always had the talent. That fact is undeniable. But it's the fans who buy the albums, attend the shows, and support the career. It's the fans who put up with the crazies that ruin the fan world. It's the fans who keep coming back after being attacked and ridiculed by other fans who are jealous, envious and hateful. You have to ask yourself...why? Why do any of us put up with it all? Why do we keep coming back for more and keep promoting the man and his music?

It was because we felt he cared. We felt appreciated. We felt that he valued our loyalty. In short, we truly were raving fans. If any business is to survive (and yes, Manilow is a business), and grow and keep customers, they have to embrace that concept. One raving fan for a customer, will bring you 20 more. An unhappy fan, or customer, will spread that unhappiness to hundreds.

The principles in Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles book, RAVING FANS, are simple: find out what your customer wants and deliver that to them plus one. In the past, that's exactly what the Manilow organization has done. The music was the basis for securing the customer. But the "plus one" was the added value: the personal appearances at conventions, the personal notes from him to his local fan clubs, the added value a fan club member received by joining, and the general feeling that they were valued for their undying support over the years. All of these bonuses created those RAVING FANS.

But today, there is another type of raving fan. The type of fan that drives away business. The type of fan that feels mistreated and devalued. The type of fan that spreads their dissatisfaction to others. The sad thing is, you can't silence those fans. You can delete their posts. You can ban them from fan sites. You can harass them so much that they leave. But, you can't silence their anger because they have been unfairly abused and cannot find any justification for that unfair treatment. Those type of raving fans will destroy a business. Those type of raving fans will spread like a cancer and influence others. And when they feel mistreated without a reasonable explanation, they will turn on each other.

From a business perspective, the recent happenings over the last few days in the Manilow world are disturbing. There are fewer and fewer "raving fans" and more and more fans who are raving about mistreatment and the lack of concern for their support over the years. And from a business perspective, it's a dangerous place to be. You can't constantly shift blame for poor customer service. The main goal is to make the customer feel that even though they were mistreated, you own up to it, apologize, and promise to remedy the situation by doing two things: 1) rectify the abuse by offering a reasonable recompense for their loss and 2) assure the customer that if they remain loyal, it will not happen again. But there comes a point when the customer will not accept excuses any longer and discontinue being a raving fan because of the unsastisfactory service. That time has come for many fans. "We're sorry" just isn't enough any more.

From a fan's perspective, it saddens me greatly. It's hard to listen when you feel so mistreated and discouraged by the person whom you have admired over the years. It saddens me because it muddies the waters and pulls fans away from the music. It drives them to find another avenue for their fandom and it assures that the music will not be available for everyone to enjoy because there is no longer a market for it. I can't even imagine a greater loss. But if things don't change, it will happen.

It's time for more than words,
Texas Fan

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. ~Bill Gates