How Good is Your Customer Service?

A customer is the most important visitor on our premises, he is not dependent on us.We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so. Mahatma Gandhi

 Do you start and end your day — every day —thinking about your customers in this way? All too often we forget that the reason for our business is to support our customers, for without them we have no business.

A cliché we’ve all heard many times is, “it’s not rocket science”. But when talking about customer service it really isn’t. In fact, the way to create raving fans through customer service is really quite simple, but for some reason we often forget how to do it. In the next few pages I’llgive you some examples of easy things you can do that have a major impact on your bottom line!!!!!
A satisfied customer is no longer good enough for a business that wants to have raving fans. Instead, it needs to provide EXCELLENT customer service and the way to start that process is by asking “How May I Help You?”When you understand what your customer wants, and also understand what you can do to provide that, then you’re on your way.

How do you do this?

1. Customer Surveys

What better way to understand your customer than to ask their opinions and their values. By creating customer surveys and forms to get feedback from your customers, you can learn about how you’re doing. Remember, less than 25% of customers willtell someone when they’re unhappy — they simply walk away and spend their money with your competitors. But, ifthey feel that you care, and are listening to their concerns (i.e., creating ways to fix issues, and make things better), they will support you and keep coming back. When you acknowledge your mistakes, and show that you really want your customers to be happy, they will tell you when they’re not as they know it will get better.

2. Empower Employees — Attitude is #1

Employees need to be happy, act successfully, let their customers know they’re excited to serve them, and show those customers that they are King and Queen of the business. All too often employees aren't trained to show this type of behavior. They are trained to tell people, “No, we can’t do that”, “We’re not allowed to” and “that’s not part of our policy”. They have a bad day and they take it out on those that they should be most protective of. As the business owner, consider rewarding excellent service. Keep in mind that it is much more cost-effective to keep employees than it is to constantly hire and fire. By training and then rewarding good service techniques, your employees become loyal and in turn they create loyal customers. When employees are empowered to do whatever they can to help the customer -- that creates a win-win situation. Companies such as Zappos, GE, Southwest Airlines — these are three companies that are known for their customer service. When you have employees and policies that forge relationships with your customers, then you find yourself with raving fans!!!

3. Listen and Respond Positively

When the employee (or you as the boss) actively listen to your customer — and show them that you ARE listening to them, they will respond positively. But it takes more than just listening, for once you’ve heard what they are saying it is time for you to start a conversation. Use only positive words — even if you have to tell them that they can’t have what they’re asking for — say it without saying NO. Use words like Thank You, Appreciate, Please, I Understand, and so forth. Let’s see what we can do to work something out, and Iwill do my best to find a way to make this a win-win situation — these are all words that are geared to support a relationship, not send the customer running.

 4. Give ’Em a Pickle

All of the things we’ve been talking about are ways to give your customer just a little bit more than they’re used to getting. And that’s what’s meant by giving a pickle. A pickle is that something that is just a little bit more, a little bit special, a little bit unusual: geared at making your customer feel pampered,
appreciated and wanted instead of being put up with. And that’s what it’s all about! The pickle creates the raving fan. And while it’s not difficult, it does take time, thought and active pursuit to get it right.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!

  

Just Give 'Em a Pickle

Literally? Huh? What you talkin' bout? Why would I want to give anyone a pickle? 

No, I'm not seriously telling you to get out the pickle jar and hand someone a dill spear. What I am saying is that in terms of customer service, in order to have the BEST relationship you can with your customers, turning them into raving fans, you have to do just that little bit more, that unexpected, pleasurable action that creates a fan for life.

Let's step back a minute and look at how many businesses are run. I have an excellent example right here. There's a restaurant in my hometown that I eat at once in a while. It is owned by a friend of my parents and a colleague of mine. When you walk in you are greeted with smiles and "how are you today". Small talk and pleasantries are passed. Food is good and you leave with a full belly.

Well, my husband and I went in for lunch the other day. But you know how you get feelings of something not quite right? Our friend wasn't there to greet us. New people were everywhere. The waitress asked us what we wanted to drink, but nothing came to the table. We had to repeat our drink order 3 times before we got it. Then, she upended a basket of Mexican chips all over the people in the next booth and laughed at it. The food, when delivered, was cold and not very tasty. There was definitely something not right here. And then, we get the waitress telling us we had to sign for two separate checks as they rang up the order wrong first and then rerang it. Huh? I paid twice. And then was told that they had tried to void it but it didn't go through right. When asked where the owner was -- well there was a NEW owner, and he wasn't there. Sorry. End of story.

Now, here's where the pickle comes in -- There's a restaurant in Seattle, Washington (it used to be a national chain at one time) called Ferrell's Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor. And they were known not only for great ice cream but for GREAT pickles. One day a customer came in and order his usual lunch and asked for his additional pickles. The waitress, new to the restaurant, told him, "I'm sorry. I can't give you a side order of pickles, but I can sell you some for 75 cents". This infuriated the regular customer who in turn wrote to the head of the restaurant. "Mr. Ferrell, if you're telling your staff to do things like this now, you've lost a lot of loyal customers." Ferrell, on hearing this, got so upset that he started the slogan for the business, "Just give 'em a pickle." Of course this meant, give your customers EXTRA SPECIAL SERVICE. And when you do, you'll create raving customers for life.

Back to the story of my lunch -- I called the restaurant back and asked to leave a message for this new owner. Thankfully, he called back and was very apologetic. He told me he would even drive to my house to give me my money back. He was so upset by his staff that he was going to sit them down and explain how service was to be handled from then on. Whether this happened or not, I don't know; but I was impressed by his offer to meet me wherever. That was a sign of his caring about his customers. I think I'll give them another try after all!

Ask yourself what is the most important thing in your business. You can have many different answers. Money, good employees, a great product -- all of them are terrific responses. But, to me, I believe that customer service is the one and only true answer and I'll tell you why. 

You can have a terrific product that solves a big problem for your customers. Great. You can have decent employees that show up for work on time, do their job, and show respect for the owner and the business, (I could go on, but I bet you get the idea), but if you don't have customers (returning customers, and those who provide you with great references and referrals), you aren't going to have a big influx of dollars, you are going to lose all but first time customers, and you won't be happy with your business for long. You need to be sure that you are providing people with experiences that bring them back over and over. Experiences that they can't wait to tell other people about, and experiences that provide high quality products and services. When you give them that pickle, they will be satisfied for life.

Stay tuned for ideas on how to get out of your comfort zone, offer things that make for exciting adventures for your customers and bring them back again and again.

If I Only Had a Brain

Scarecrow: I haven't got a brain... only straw.
Dorothy: How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?
Scarecrow: I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?
Dorothy: Yes, I guess you're right.

I love The Wizard of Oz. As a child I remember sitting in front of the tv with all my neighborhood friends, prepared to scare myself silly as the wicked witch goes flying by on her broom, laughing, "I'll get you and your little dog too." I have watched that movie well over 100 times and I'm always seeing something that I've not seen before. Did you know that in one scene the scarecrow has a gun? I've still not seen that. And all the trouble and problems that manifested themselves to the woman who played the wicked witch -- she got burned badly when her broom got lit on fire. Buddy Epson was supposed to play the tin man, but had such an awful reaction to the metal that he had to give up the part.

What does this have to do with business you ask? Well from the standpoint of MGM, this movie cost $2.8 million and only grossed (originally) $3 million. There were over 600 actors and 1000 costumes. And it wasn't until the movie hit TV that it became the classic it is today. Until then, Oz was not seen as profitable and was considered a big waste of time and money. 

But there are other business linked lessons to be learned from The Wizard of Oz. At the time these books (yes, they were first written as stories to tell Frank Baum's children while he was on the road as a traveling salesman) were written, there was a wind of change politically and businesswise. The Populist movement was taking control, as well as the agrarian revolt of the 1890s. All this is seen in the dark and dreary start of the movie, filmed in black and white. The tornado hitting the homestead was a sign of the uproar happening politically in the area. Recently, scholars have debated this meaning of the book: since Baum died for many years, we may never know the true political meaning.

Another business related idea that has been hypothesized around Oz, is that of the yellow brick road. There was a great deal of controversy at the time regarding silver money as opposed to gold. It is reported that all the gold in the yellow brick road stood for the fact that silver would never replace gold  as this country's base monetarily. 

I look to Oz for smaller and more poignant business meanings -- for me and for those in business today. Dorothy comments “If we walk far enough, we shall sometime come to someplace.” And the scarecrow, while still on his pole, crosses his arms and tells Dorothy that if you don't know where you're going, anyplace will get you there. This is so true for businesses. When you choose NOT to have a plan, you actually are creating a plan of failure. 

I love so many of the lines in the movie. “True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid...” For many of us, we never make our businesses a success because we are afraid. Whether that fear is of failure, or success, or being laughed it, or not living up to expectation (the list goes on), we are content to ride it out in safety. We would have stayed in Munchkin land, never venturing off to the Emerald City, or to fight the Wicked Witch.

These are just a couple of lessons to be learned by The Wizard of Oz. Perhaps we should call it -- The Wizard of Business? I challenge you to watch the movie again, with new eyes, and see how you can put the story to use in growing your own patch of farmland.

You Do What?

You all know that I am a BIG fan of business reality shows like The Profit, and Restaurant Impossible. I watch Bar Rescue and my newest obsession is Kitchen Nightmares. I watch them because these wonderful experts come in to help small business owners with their problems and growth issues. Now I understand, this is television, but I see in real life a lot of the things that happen on these shows. Most often its the ego of the owners getting in the way of their own potential and possibilities. The one I watched last night (Kitchen Nightmares) was one of the worst I'd ever seen. The owner was absolutely adamant that her restaurant and the food she served were the BEST in the world, yet she couldn't figure out why no one was coming in to eat.

Chef Ramsey, her staff and even her mother kept telling her that she was in denial; and when Ramsey found a dead rat inside the restaurant's front door, she accused him of planting it there for tv reviews. It was only after he completed his makeover, got the staff working through plans and systems and the restaurant filled over and over with happy customers did she finally come to realize that what she was doing was actually hurting her business -- not helping.

Have you ever heard of secret shoppers? Its a great way to find out how your business is doing from the customer standpoint. If you have a store front, or a place where people can walk in, have a friend or someone that the staff doesn't know, come in and see how they are treated, and how good the business is being run. If you are a service organization, have someone call and see how you are treated on the phone? Does the phone just ring and ring, or does someone pick up on the 2nd (or so) ring? How is the phone answered? I'll tell you a secret (try it if you don't believe me). People can tell when you're smiling when you answer the phone. It comes through in your voice.

Ask whoever answers what the business does and see how they answer. Ask your contacts on Facebook and LinkedIn, Twitter or any of the other social media, what their understanding of your business is. Is it aligned with what your mission is? If not, you've got a problem. 

There are many business owners who believe they sell such and such a value to their customers, yet the customers (potential and regular) have an entirely different understanding. Do you know what makes you special and unique? What is the value that you provide your clients? Who is your ideal client? If you are not crystal clear on the answers to these questions you need to take some time and put in the effort to figure it out. 

Obviously the lady at the restaurant in last night's Kitchen Nightmares had no clue what she was offering her customers. She had one understanding, they had a different one. And it wasn't until she figured out that what she was offering was NOT what they were looking for that her business took off. Now, she's a restaurant success. And when you figure it out, you can be too.

Will YOU Ring the Bell?

In the military there are different training regimens that the candidates go through. And for many it is grueling. Using Navy Seals for instance, the program is months long and requires extreme physical and mental challenges. The average United States Navy SEAL spends over a year in a series of formal training environments before being awarded the Trident.  If there comes a time when the service member can no longer see their way to completing the program, they ring a bell, signifying that they quit. This is a real bell and sounds throughout the compound, letting everyone within hearing range know they have ended their struggle to meet the demands of the Seals program.

Those who make the grade are not the strongest men, nor the fastest swimmers, but those with burning desire to be SEALs. Their instructors have observed only one true predictor of which candidates will ultimately succeed – it’s those who want it the most — you can see it in their EYES!

This is not so different for those of us in business who really want to be a success. We can tell they're going to make it by the passion in their voices and the drive to accomplish their goals and dreams.

True business professionals may have to choose to miss a party or a get together because they have to complete a project for a paying client. They may have to say, sorry I'll have to catch up with you next time you're in town when a friend visits because there's a business invite that is very important to their growth prospects.  When asked to choose between spending money on eating out, or going to a networking meeting where your ideal clients will be, choosing the networking over the dinner is a sign of a business professional.

Ask yourself this question -- are you willing to go the distance to become a business SUCCESS or are you reaching out to ring that bell?

A Rose By Any Other Name ...

I had a very interesting experience the other day. My blogs have been getting pretty high numbers (at least for me) on Quora, FB and LinkedIn recently with anywhere from 200-300 on each post. Yet, the one I wrote last week had only a miserly number here on Quora, but pretty high numbers on the other social media sites. Could it be that those numbers increased because I changed the title of the post?

Here, I titled the post, Buy From Me, Buy From Me. PLEASE. Of course the post was all about not being able to sell your product or service properly and what we need to do to get out of that rut. 

Did I fall into my own argument? On the other media I titled it Who's Doing the Sales for Your Business? It got the highest number of views I've ever had on Facebook and high numbers of LinkedIn as well. Hmmmmmm, could it have been the name of the article?

If we look harder at this issue we can see from a psychological viewpoint, people don't want to be sold to (to the point where they didn't even take the time to see that this wasn't a sales vehicle, but a training post). It shows that we have to be mindful of what others are looking for and what they are interested in. 

A good example of this is all those phone calls we get all day long, trying to sell us things. How quickly do we get off the phone? It could be the BEST thing in the world but we don't even let them get into their spiel, because we KNOW that they are snakeoil salesmen and are trying to cheat us. Right? Isn't that the general feeling? I get calls for my 93 year old dad all the time, and because I am his first line of defense, I'm always the pitbull (sorry puppies -- I know you're not bad! LOL) waiting to attack. You're NOT getting to my gullible dad!

Does this give us a hint of what we need to do when we're trying to get people to buy what we're selling? I have been more and more aware of what and how I approach people and the words I use. Let's see how this title grabs you? Truly a rose by any other name in this business means SALES. Enjoy.

Buy From Me, Buy From Me -- Please

I'll tell you right now, I'm not very good at sales. I am passionate about what I do, and I KNOW that I am good at it. I can share my knowledge and experience all day long, but getting to the point where I say come and get it, you know you want it -- well, that's another story. 

As small business owners, even if we have a staff to sell our products and services for us, we are still the main sales person for the business and always will be! Yet, every person that works for you needs to understand that they are in sales, as well. 

From appearance to attitude, production to conversations, everything that is said about us and our business is sales (and branding). If you hear an employee badmouthing the company, why should you want to buy from them? And so on and so forth. You, as the business owner, are not only responsible for your own actions, but also for those of people who work with you.

That's important to remember if you have employees or it's just you. But if we go back to talking about you -- the business owner -- you have to understand that there's no one else selling you but you. Yes, you are selling you. People buy from (for the most part) those they know, like and trust. It's no longer about the cold sale or the 100 daily phone calls or knocks on the door. We must spend time getting to know our potential customer, understanding their needs, wants and must haves. 

But that's only the start. Once we have a connection we have to let people know that what you do is valuable and worth the cost to buy it. If we're willing to give it away, why would anyone want to pay for it? Also, the old saying, you get what you pay for is very true. Often, the higher the price the most people want it as from a psychological standpoint, the value is seen as higher too. 

If you're like me, however, even if you know how valuable what you have to sell is, it's hard to say you're missing out on a great deal if you don't buy it from me. We lack self-confidence, are afraid of something (fear or success), or as just plain shy. But, suck it up buttercup. If you want to be a success, you've got to get past whatever it is that's holding you back, and sell, sell, sell. 

With that, here's my attempt at sales. If you enjoy this blog, go to Executive Coaching - Business Success Unlimited and sign up for our newsletter where you're learn about the programs, tips and challenges we provide our clients to help them grow and become more and more successful. See you there. I guarantee its worth the time!

Easy Come, Easy Go?

I seem to have started a big debate on a group in Facebook today when I asked if those "Big Shot Gurus" really had a magic pill that could help someone make thousands and thousands of dollars in their businesses within X days or weeks.  Because if there really was one, darn I wanted the prescription too. I see so many ads for books, webinars and classes (and they ONLY cost $1950 a month with a 6 month commitment). Yikes. I'm guessing those who want to buy the pill don't have that kind of money YET. And that's why they want to know the secret. 

I feel really badly for those that actually come up for the money, expecting these fantastic results. I had a woman tell me the other day that it was no different than providing for a child's kidney transplant. The life of a child or a promise (unanswered) for swift business growth? I don't think so and was highly offended by her saying so.

As much as I hate to say it (but thank goodness the consensus on the discussion) there is no secret pill or formula to help you make millions your first month in business. It is, sad to say a sometimes long and hard struggle to get even to the point where you are ready to say, HEY! I'm a business owner! YIPPEE!!!!

But I do have a few secrets up my sleeve that I'll share with you for free -- when you figure these things out, you will be on your way. First, who is your target market? Who do you like working with? Believe me if you feel compelled to work with people who want fancy vacuum cleaners and you try to sell them brooms, you're not going to be happy, they're not going to buy, and you will not grow your business. Do NOT tell me that anyone is your target. In fact, it has been statistically proven...the narrower your target the better your potential. AND if you work with those that you feel drawn to, that helps as well. SO... the first thing you need to do is truly figure out WHO to work with.

Secret number 2: Do you know your finances? What do you spend on the various things you need to run your business? How much do you want to make? Do you know what you need to charge to not only break even, but to make a (here we go with a nasty word) PROFIT? Guess what guys? If you don't know these numbers, you're never going to get to the profit stage.

And finally, you need to understand and be able to share clearly and concisely what it is EXACTLY that you are providing to your customers. Again, not as easy as it sounds. You do NOT sell vacuum cleaners, you provide people with things that touch the emotional. Have you seen the television commercial for Febreeze? The woman wants her son's room to smell like he's away at boarding school. She doesn't want his room to smell clean. Or, another one wants her foyer to smell like a FOY-yeh. Fancy word for a fancy house. These are emotional senses and feelings. You have to figure out what resonates with your ideal client. Does this make sense? Not all that easy is it?

Sometimes my brain starts dancing, trying to help my clients figure this all out. But, again, I can guarantee, that when you do, you've just moved a step up on the success ladder, and boy is that worth while.

The final secret I'm going to share is that all this becomes much easier when you have a group of like-minded people that share your enthusiasm, passion, and where you can comfortably feel that you can share without recrimination or having your thoughts and ideas stolen. Mastermind programs, small business retreats, educational programs -- all are valuable ways to reach out and "touch" others to both help them, and yourself.

And, by the way, I really do have that magic pill that will make you an overnight success -- and it'll only cost you an arm and a leg. Want it?

Gratitude and Appreciation

I wake up every morning and the first things I say are Thank You GOD for another day to get it right! And, please bless all my human angels here on earth that support me, guide me, keep me accountable, and push me sometimes kicking and screaming into the future. This means that there have been times when I didn't always get it right. I've mumbled and grumbled and complained about things that really didn't mean that much, and I've not always shown appreciation for the things that have gone right. 

I've been in business since I was 12 years old -- in one way or another, and if you've been reading my blogs long enough you have heard me talk about those years. Can you imagine how exciting it is for a 12 year old to have their own business that's actually making money? Whoohoo!!!!

I didn't really take the time though to appreciate all that I had and was creating for myself. Even when I was in college and paying my tuition (and pizza) with money I was earning, I took it for granted. And then came the times when I really moaned and groaned. I was sick, I lost a client, my office had to get moved, and so forth. These were all things to complain about -- did I EVER look at the lessons learned or take anything good from those times? No, not really but looking back, boy did I learn a lot.

These days I have a lot I could be grumbling about (and there are times that I do!) my parents' failing health, my disability from being in a hit and run accident 18 months ago, and sometimes slow sales. Yet, I try very hard to always be thankful to God for wonderful opportunities like this beautiful new "office" I'm sitting in as I write this, and for good friends, wonderful colleagues, an understanding husband, and people that support me and back me up as my raving fans. Thank you. And my tip to you -- find something to be grateful and appreciative of every day!!!!