The Power of Video
It looks like my wife will be stranded in Japan this week following the Icelandic volcano eruption. I thought I’d better look at her travel insurance provider’s website (a company I’d not heard of called Holiday Extras), prior to playing the inevitable game of IVR over the phone.
Frankly, I wasn’t holding out much hope for any actual customer service from the site (it’s Sunday in the UK after all), but I was pleasantly surprised to see their CEO on video explaining the situation and giving useful advice on what to do. Faced with juggling announcements from NATS and Finnair, as well as reading T&Cs to see if she’s covered, this was very refreshing.
I liked the video, and I think other people will too. It’s friendly, immediate and frank. A great example of lo-fi doing the job: get a camera, grab the CEO and get him talking. Who cares that it’s apparently in one take, that he looks a bit nervous, and it’s probably unscripted? It’s the head man talking to his customers straight up. This is what the web was supposed to deliver, and I think it’s a smart brand move for Holiday Extras too.
アウックセル君は？学校は。。。ご両親におねがいするかな？
Shyoganai ga, kare no tomodachi ni onegai suru to omou.
shame its at the bottom of the page, seems like an afterthought or they’re embarassed…
Ah, looks like they updated the page with loads of textual stuff now. The video used to be above the fold I think.
His mobile’s on his bio on the website. I’ve texted him with my thoughts.
True to form, he got back to me and the video is now higher up the page. Personally, I would have put it in the top right (where the volcano photo is), with the table of contents on the left, but hey.
Still in Japan? Or did you manage to safely return to London now?… :)
Got back OK. One week later than originally planned!
Looks like Iceland messed up with many people’s travels! ;)