"We sent the board game Scrabble to one customer who discovered a spelling error." Alex Brontsema of VodafoneZiggo's customer contact department says that the company hands out many 'random acts of kindness' (RAK). "A dog lover whose dog mistook the remote control for a bone, for example, was given a bone for their four-legged friend. And if we find out in our phone conversations that someone has just had a child, we often gift them a pair of baby socks."
Are these mostly to make up for mistakes?
"I’ll be very honest: of course it includes those, sometimes. But the starting point of RAK is always to put a smile on someone's face, to create a wow moment", says Alex. "With RAK we reward customers for their patience, friendliness or sharp eye. Although sometimes such an extra simply stems from a great click that our colleague has with a person calling, emailing or texting."
Which partners support VodafoneZiggo with this?
"Many of our presents come from suppliers who value diversity, inclusion and sustainability. For example, the Verspillingsfabriek supplies soups and sauces, composed of vegetables that normally end up in the waste bin, for example because they are imperfect. We also do business with the Philadelphia Foundation, which has candles, paintings and glassware made by employees with an intellectual disability. The company Complementair is one of our long-term partners. The company’s mission is to strengthen people's position in the labour market. Finally, we support the Knuffelfabriek [Cuddle Factory], which, motivated by social commitment, allows a wide variety of people to contribute to the production of its stuffed animals."
Random acts of kindness. Alex would no longer want to go without it. "Every company has a business side and a human side. All these small acts form a grand gesture. Many customers are stuck at home unwillingly due to corona, the holidays are very different, and tensions are running high. Customers see our unexpected little gifts as a kind gesture in this difficult time. The fact that we’re simultaneously supporting our social partners is also nice."