A friend of mine, Ron Beard, sent me the link below and I was so impressed with the message that I would like to share with you what I believe to be the most cost effect and creative way to make you business stand-out from the others.

Be Creative With Your Customer Service.

Make your business Stand-Out!

Once in a great while you will see something that will bypass the brain and go straight to the heart. I guarantee that this short, 3-minute movie will be one of those times.

I’ve probably watched it 20 times, and each time I love it more than the last. Not only does it bring service into perspective, it brings life into perspective.

Just click this link to watch: Creative Customer Service

Don’t forget to pay it forward, by sharing this with friends, family, and co-workers. They’ll thank you for it!

I would suggest that you forward this link to all of your employees and ask them to watch it. I will guarantee that it will make a difference in your Customer Service.

Let me know your thoughts after watching the video. Also let us know how it has helped you and your business.

Technorati Tags: creative customer service, customer service, stand out, standing out, wowing customers

An ongoing challenge for any company is the retention of customers. It is well known that getting new customers costs much more than maintaining ones already doing business with you.
Here are just a few things you can do in the customer care arena to retain customers:

1.  Be Responsive: respond quickly when a customer contacts you or your business through your employee.  Provide a way for customers to have easy access to any information they might need.  Be sure all employees recognize the value of each customer and then take the time to teach them to go after lost customers.  Also, you must empower the employee to make good decisions for the customer and not just for the company.

2. Be Reliable:   This means consistent follow-through and execution.  UPS and FEDEX, are prime examples of this.    Reliability means repeat business.

3. Be Empathetic: empathize with your customers and mirror their emotions.  If the customer is anxious, reassure them. 

4. Be Credible: credibility is seen when you do exactly what you say you will do, each and every time. Don’t even attempt to imply that you are in business just for fun.  Customers know you are in business to make a profit.

5. Train your staff: constantly train your employees.

6. Make it Easy to do business with you. Search out the things that give customers difficulty and solve them.  Work at reducing a customer’s paperwork.  Their time is also valuable. Make it all a simple process.

7. Hire Well: hire great employees.  This is the last one, but one of the most important.  Hire great people with great attitudes then teach them the skills needed.   I would actually steal an employee of another company if I felt they were exceptional.

I know I’ve listed quite a few things, but they will lead to a greater profit for your business.

Let me know what things you are doing to make it easier for your customer’s to do business with you.

Technorati Tags: client retention, Customer Retention, keeping clients longer, keeping customers longer

It always surprises me that most companies never put themselves in their customers’ or prospects’ position.   I say this because I see so many companies that make doing business with them so hard.

For example, if someone calls your company and a telephone operator is their first contact, can that operator make a compelling response to the prospect or customer’s request?

When people come into your place of business, how well versed are your sales clerks?  How much time have you spent in preparing dialogues, questions, and advice for your people to use in interacting with your customers?

How easy is it to find things in your place of business?

How much do you take your customers and prospects for granted? 

By merely stepping outside your office and pretending like you are a prospect or customer, you should see a lot of the flaws in your operation.  Like the TV program, “Undercover Boss.”

Remember that once they are taken care of and remedied, you can dramatically improve your current and repeat business potential.

You should make sure that your place of business is inviting, informative, non-threatening, easy, educational and fun to do business with.  When this happens you will leave your competition in the dust.

Here’s a list of to do’s:

1. Educate your customers. You cannot educate too much.

2. Inform them.  Let them know what you are up to.

3. Make calling or coming in to your business desirable.

4. Make ordering easy.

5. Over deliver in your service.

I’ve always said, “Inspect what you expect.”   I always called my own offices to make sure the phones were answered the way I wanted them to be answered.  Have you done the same?

Have you called your own restaurant to make reservations and listened to the way your staff answered the phone and responded to you?  Try it sometimes. 

When you make the corrections you will see a remarkable difference in the growth of your business.

Let me know what you think.

Technorati Tags: customer experience, customer loyalty, Customer Retention, customer satisfaction, customer service, loyal customers, retaining customers, Undercover Boss

Every business owner and entrepreneur, knows that if they want to attract and retain more loyal customers, they need to provide high-quality customer service. 

Today, the successful ones focus heavily on communicating how valuable their customers are to the company. 

But the real question is—do they really value their customer? 

Each of us, at some point, has experienced a company telling us that we are a valued customer.  Yet we didn’t feel valued at all with the way the business communicated with us. 

Here’s an example—

I called a company to order one of their products and I had to enter what I call “the electronic triage system” where I was put on hold and every few minutes was told, “ Please stay on the line, your call is important to us.”

If you are like me, most of the time we hold awhile and then just hang up. 

Here are some tips for you.

1. Have a real, live person answering all of your calls.   If you can’t have someone answering the phones, then subscribe to a service where your message says that you will return all calls within one business day.  Then do it. 

2. Make sure you clearly understand the customer or prospects needs and priorities.  

3. If there is a problem, acknowledge it quickly, apologize and do your best to fix the problem to the customer’s satisfaction. 

4. Always keep your word and promises you make to your customers.  When you say you will do something, do it when you said you would do it. 

5. Never expect the customer to understand that you are busy or short staffed.  They won’t and actually they shouldn’t have to.

Right now you are probably thinking that this is obvious.  Unfortunately it’s not always practiced.

Without consistent and excellent customer care, customer loyalty is doubtful, especially in this Economy where buyers are also more cautious.

Now more than ever, every business must find ways to differentiate itself from its competition.  Customer service is one way to do that.  Think Tony Hsieh and Zappos.

Let me know your thoughts.

Technorati Tags: customer experience, customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, customer service, loyal customers, tony hsieh, zappos

A significant number of people are what I call “participators.”  They appreciate and desire being part of a special group.   They value being with others that have a special or common purpose.  

Smart marketers find ways to create this special group and offer exclusivity to that segment of their customers.

I call such a group “The Inner Circle Group.” 

Every business has a segment of their customers that create most of their profits.  You could invite that segment of your customers to join your “Inner Circle Group.” 

It is a way to bond customers to you and communicate with them in a more effective way. 

When I consult with companies, this is one strategy I find that is often missing.

When missing, I suggest to the company owners that they find out who those “participators” are and to create an inner circle for them. 

As an example, in the banks I started, I created an inner circle of business owners.
 
Those owners not only felt special that they were invited into this exclusive group, but they also worked very hard to recommend the bank to all of the business owners that they personally knew. 

Almost any business can create an “inner circle group”. 

How can you utilize this strategy for your business?

Technorati Tags: Customer Retention, customer satisfaction, grow sales, increase profits, increasing profits, lifelong customer

In my various seminars, I’ve heard one statement made over and over again. “Nobody likes a complainer." I differ. I like complainers.

Why?

Because a complainer is doing me a favor. They are the extension of any research I could ever do. And research is very costly.

And they also are not paid but providing every one of us with invaluable and often real time feedback on what isn’t working in your business or your relationship with them. How can anyone put a price tag on that.

Through various surveys we find that customers voice their displeasure with their feet…they just walk away from your company. They simply go away. One day they are dissatisfied and the next they are gone. They disappear.

By the time you realize they are gone, it’s too late.

This is why I like and celebrate the “complainer.” The data they provide makes the improvement I need to make in my company possible.

Most of the time customers are convinced that you don’t care and won’t correct the problems, so when you find a customer who cares enough to share with you how you could improve, they should be valued and rewarded.

Recognize the long term value of fixing a problem that a customer has experienced. Remember this. For each customer that complains, many more have already left you as a customer/client or…and this is important…they will if you don’t’ fix your problem.

Set up a system to make it easy for your customers/clients to give you feedback and listen intently when they do come forth. Telling a customer “ nobody else has complained” misses the point and is probably a lie that they will see through.

Here are some steps you could take to leverage complaints and turn them into constructive improvement.

1. Thank the customer for taking the time to let you know of the bad experience they had in doing business with you.

2. Honor their courage to speak up and let them know that you appreciate it.

3. Reward them for coming forth by giving them complimentary items, preferential treatment, or discounts. I’m sure you can think of others things to reward them with.

4. And when you have corrected and acted on their complaint, communicate with them and tell them. Your responsiveness will strengthen the bond between you and them.

If you really think about it, a complaint is really a compliment. They cared enough to let you know about the problem and to allow you to fix it. They will now think that you are capable of doing so in the future and will be happy when you do. They now become a lifelong customer.

What do you think? Let me know in the comment section below.

Technorati Tags: customer experience, customer loyalty, customer research, customer satisfaction

I recently had an experience I want to share with you.  It could have turned out badly, but I want to share with you the way the problem was handled.

The week before Christmas I was visiting my daughter in California and we decided to have lunch in one of her favorite restaurants.  It is called, “the Grill on the Alley” and is located in Westlake Village, California. 

My daughter ordered a salad, and my wife and I ordered a chicken pot pie.  When they brought it over, my wife noticed a white string in the dough on the top of the meal.  I called the waitress over, told her about the string, and explained to her that this often happens if the chef uses the same towel to cover the meal while they are baking the top part.  (Of course, I got this information from my wife.)  They then brought over another freshly cooked chicken pot pie. 

It could have ended there but it didn’t.  The manager, Quin Anderson, came over to our table and apologized about the mishap and offered us complimentary deserts, which we declined.

When they brought the bill over to me, they had only charged us for one Chicken Pot Pie. This was the surprising part, since they had already brought us a new pie. 

As you know, “stuff” happens, no matter how good your intentions, how well you train, or how well you prepare.  So train your staff how to handle problems when they occur.

Obviously this restaurant had done so.  The waitress got the manager and he immediately tried to set things right.  When we turned down the dessert, he wanted to make sure that somehow we were “compensated” for the inconvenience.  So he went a step further and removed the charge for the meal. 

He was determined that we walk away with a good experience of his restaurant.

There is a good lesson here…no matter what the customer says when things go wrong, make sure that they leave you with an experience that makes them want to come back.  Don’t listen to the words that “everything is ok”.  Instead, create a good experience around what happened. The good experience is what will create a lifelong cutomer and grow your business through word of mouth.

If you are ever in Westlake Village, I recommend you visit the restaurant (www.thegrill.com ).   They also have a wonderful dinner menu. 

So, what is one of the memorable experiences you have had where you recommended a business because of how they handled a problem? Tell us in the comment section below.

Technorati Tags: customer experience, Customer Retention, customer satisfaction, lifelong customer, word of mouth

In my opinion, a newsletter is the most useful tool in maintaining relationships with customers and keeping them interested in you, your business, your products and your services. 

Since “publications” get better readership than “sales materials” and articles get more readership than ads, it just makes sense to put your messages into the format of a publication, and insert your “sales message” into the context of the article.

If you already have a newsletter, then my advice is to make it into an informative vehicle for getting your message out to your customers and prospects.   Your message should be weaved into a story that your readers can relate to; don’t make it “salesy”.

 Remember to keep it about your customer—make it primarily educational.  If you are going to promote a product, make sure the promotion is within the context of the “good” of the readers.  If you make it primarily about you, you’ll lose.

If you don’t already have a newsletter, start one.  If you are not ready to start one, send helpful articles or reports like I talked about in my blog post, “The 1000 List And 90% conversion”.  Here is the link for those of you who haven’t read it: http://www.kenvarga.com/news/the-1000-list/     

If you market B2B, another alternative would be to use my newsletter articles while you plan out and develop your own. 

 You can use my newsletter as a jumping off point for developing your relationship with prospects.  For instance, you can forward one of my weekly marketing tips to them with a note that says something like:

“We not only help our customers with (your products or service), but we also help them to grow their business and create more customers. “

“When I came across this article, I forwarded it to our customers/clients.  But then I thought of you and how it would help you grow your business, so even though you aren’t currently one of our customers, I know this article will help you create more customers and perhaps you would think of us when you need (your product or service.) After applying the ideas in this newsletter, please let me know how it has helped you with your business and in generating more customers.”

This now opens the door to start developing a relationship with your prospect, which could lead to them becoming your customer. 

When you forward the articles to customers, just send them a note letting them know that you found the article helpful and you thought they might also.

Again, this type of communication will help you build relationship.

So take a look at your newsletter and add items that will help your customer/prospect with their business, health, family, and many other things that are happening in their lives.  And if you don’t yet have your own newsletter, find a way to be in front of your customers and prospects regularly using at least one of the suggestions I just gave you.

Let’s hear what you think in the comment section below about using the power of newsletters.

Technorati Tags: Customer Conversion, customer relationship, Customer Retention, newsletter, newsletter marketing, newsletters, prospect conversion

Close to 90% of the businesses I consult with never precisely determine the needs, desires, or the requirements of the people to whom they are trying to sell.

Few companies seek to meet their customers’ needs. How can you expect to fill someone’s needs and desires, if you never take the time to understand them? 

The companies that understand their customers’ needs, desires, and attempt to satisfy them always end up with all of the business.  Have you noticed this?

You can end up with all the business too—only if you will take the time to learn what your customers’ needs and desires are.

Let’s go into this in greater detail.

To persuade someone to favor you with their business, you normally have to offer to satisfy some need or desire.  Here are just some possible needs people would like fulfilled: 

• Convenience

• Lasts longer

• Looks better

• Better quality

• Saves time

• Performs better

• Saves you money

• Makes life less difficult

• Etc .

I can go on and on, but you get the idea. 

Ask yourself this question: “What do your customers want or need most in the product or service you offer?”

Do they want the top of the line product or service? Or, do they want highly personalized service, attention, advice and/or instruction?

Do they want the convenience of knowing they can go down the block and get if from you, or the knowledge that your company stocks or offers more items, sizes, or products than any other company?

Perhaps they want to acquire the kind of goods or services you sell at the lowest price. Or maybe price isn’t what they are after.  They might want the best guarantee or service to support the sale.

I don’t know what needs or desires your potential customer seeks more than anything else, but that customer does want fulfillment of some definitive need or a combination of needs.

Start by realizing that no one can be all things to all people.  You will dilute your image when you try to do that.

To begin with, you must determine which needs you can fill, consistent with who you are, and what your business is.

Then confirm by asking your clients, prospects, and customers.  Have your salespeople do the same. 

Let your customers tell you which specific needs they most want fulfilled and then determine which of these needs you can actually fulfill.

Remember this though.  Don’t do this in silence or behind the scenes.  Make sure your customers and prospects learn that your business listened and that you finally did something to satisfy the fulfilled needs of your customers.  You must educate and point out that your company is fulfilling those needs for your customers.

Once you determine precisely what your customers’ needs and desires are, you must commit to fulfilling them.

If you determine that service is the critical element, offer the best service, the fastest service, the most skilled service people, the most knowledgeable staff, etc.

If you promise the lowest price, keep that promise. Integrity requires that you keep your promises.  If you don’t genuinely fulfill the needs and desires you say you will, your customers will soon abandon you.

Above all, just ask your customers what their needs and desires are.  Their answers could result in a million dollars worth of business for you.

Technorati Tags: what client needs, what client wants, what clients need, what clients want, what customer needs, what customer wants, what customers need, what customers want

When I started my first company, it was a struggle.

Over the years I realized how difficult it was to create a customer, so I decided that I wanted to create companies that would keep customers longer and have them spend more with me. This way they would spend more money with me. I became very successful because of the relationship I built with my customers and I treated them all as dear friends.

After 5 years of doing this, I wondered why I was putting all the time and effort into building these companies. After some “quiet time” I realized it was because I had a “passion” for what I was doing. There were times I couldn’t wait to get into my office.

What is your passion?

You must find it if you don’t know what it is.

It will keep you motivated and keep you going in the bad times. We all dream, so it will keep your dreams alive and keep you on track in order to accomplish your goals.

There is an old saying, “without a driving passion, you will become one of the “95% group.” Those are individuals without dreams, ambitions, and goals.

I’d like to offer a suggestion…

Right now, this minute, list the 10 things you have always wanted more of. Then rank them in order of personal passion to you. Review that list and look for the one that jumps out at you and gets you in the gut. That’s the one that will change your entire life.

I promise you that when you find your driving passion, everything in your life will start happening faster and faster.

Now, let’s get to your customer’s “why”…

Why do your customers purchase from you? It could be because of the great service you give, the great product you offer, or it could be a multitude of things. Whatever it is, you must find out why they purchase from you.

Once you know why, your job becomes about how to satisfy that "why" in a way that gets your customers to be passionate about doing business with you.

This is probably something new for you to try. But trust me, when you create a passion in your customer for doing business with you, you will have created an advocate for your business and services. Passionate customers will do business with you over and over and will refer everyone they know to you.

So your objective in dealing with your customers is to create passion in them for what you do.

When you are passionate and your customers are passionate, can you think of a better way to do business?

Let me hear your ideas about this.

Technorati Tags: customer experience, customer loyalty, Customer Retention, customer satisfaction