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

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

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

Even though it’s one of the most powerful ways to build a business, most business owners don’t send out personal cards because they don’t know what to say or feel it doesn’t apply to them. Do they feel that their business is different from any other business?

Let me tell you.  It doesn’t matter what your business is, you depend on relationships and if your customers or clients aren’t staying with you over the years and referring your business, then there is a serious flaw in your system.

In order to create a bond, your customers need to be acknowledged, they need individual attention so that they feel they are genuinely appreciated.

Here are some ideas you can use when you send a card to build that relationship. 

1. After a consumer makes a purchase, send a “Thank You”: “It was a pleasure to serve you.  Our goal is to provide you with the best customer service you have ever experienced, so that you will return and refer all of your friends.  If we can help you in any way, please let us know.”

2. After a telephone Conversation: “Thank you for the time we spent today.  I just wanted to take this opportunity to ask you to let us know if we can help you in any other way.”

3. After receiving a Referral: “Thank you for referring (name).  It is an honor to serve your friends and family and you can be assured they will receive the highest level of attention and service possible.”

4. After a Networking Event: “I want to take this opportunity to say Thank You.  It was a pleasure meeting you at ABC yesterday.  Thank you for sharing your time and telling me about your company and what you offer.  I have been lucky to work with wonderful people like you.  If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know.”

5. Birthdays: “Happy Birthday Bob.  Its clients like you who make going to work every day a reason to celebrate.  Have a super day today and every day.  I appreciate you and wish you the very best.”  

6. Thanksgiving: “As this time of the year comes by, I reflect on all of the wonderful events and people in my life and think of you.  I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your business over the past year.  It is always a pleasure to serve you and I look forward to many more years of showing you my gratitude.”

I’m sure you can think of others like anniversaries and other special holidays and events.

A few cards a day will make such a difference.  You can have one of your employee’s take 30 minutes or so when they have a slow time.

These simple acts of kindness go a long way towards building that relationship with your customers and clients that lasts a lifetime and that leads to referrals.

Remember, replacing lost customers is very expensive and time-consuming.  Keeping them is inexpensive.

Let me hear your thoughts about this by clicking on the “Comment” link below and leaving your thought.

Technorati Tags: building loyalty, client loyalty, client retention, customer loyalty, Customer Retention, Getting Referrals, lifelong clients, Lifelong Customers, lifetime clients, lifetime customers, thank you cards

I personally feel that there is some sort of mediocrity that has infiltrated most businesses.  Needless to say, I hate shopping and only do it with my wife Barbara.  Over the last 6 months, I’ve created a list of some of the things I heard when shopping and that turned me completely off.  Here they are:

1. “If you purchase this item now, you will help me meet my quota for the month. “ It meant to me that this individual was not really successful and was using me instead of helping me with why I should purchase that item.  What he should have said was something like:  “This (whatever) has been very popular and our customers are excited about the results they are getting.”

2. “We can deliver your item sometime next week and will call you when we are in your neighborhood.”   This clearly showed that they were making it convenient for them rather than convenient for me.  Very selfish.  They should have said. “We can deliver this to you next week.  What day and time is convenient for you?”

3. “That’s not my department.”  They didn’t even tell me who or where to go to find my item.  They should have said: “I know the right person who can help you with that item.  Please come with me.”

4. “Oh my God.  It’s been so hectic for me this morning.  I barely made it to work, traffic was terrible, my Mom is sick and I had to take my dog to the vet, and my leg hurts.”  I didn’t want to hear about her problems.  I wanted to purchase what I was there for and get out.  All she had to say with a smile was, “Good morning, I’m glad to meet you.”

5. “You’re the first person who has complained about our service.”  This statement was made to make me feel inferior and to imply that I was a troublemaker and that the company could do no wrong.  He should have said,   “Even though we receive many compliments about our product, we know there is room for improvement, so I’m beholding to you for making me aware of the problem.”

6. Here’s another problem, one I encountered just this week while I was talking to a sales rep.  She said, “Tell me your name again and why you are here.”  It made me feel as if she didn’t listen to me in the first place.  We walked out and will never shop there again.  She should have said, “Mr. Varga, as I understand you, when you wife got home, she noticed a rip in the blouse where the security sensor was taken off. Right?   Then let me help you with that.”

7. When my wife wanted to exchange an outfit she bought for another one, she was told: “That’s against our policy.” Wow! Turned my wife completely off. She wasn’t asking for her money back, just to exchange to a different size.   The sales rep should have said: “Mrs. Varga, while that is against our policy, I believe we can find a way to accommodate your request.” Doesn’t that sound better?

8. Last but not least.  When we walked into a store we heard, “Sorry, it’s closing time; you can’t come in.”  This told me that this person wasn’t trained properly, as all of the above weren’t trained properly, and should have said, “As you can see, the store is closing now, but I will be happy to stay and help you.”

Could any of your reps be unknowingly telling your customers what they don’t want to hear?  Might you also say the wrong thing when you are having a “bad day”?  Or when you are rushed?  

How can you make sure this doesn’t happen in your business?  Let me know.

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

Customers may not remember what you said, but they surely will remember how you made them feel.

It is very important to cultivate direct connections with customers and clients. Give them your direct phone line. Invite them to call you and let them know you are willing to help them in any way you can.

When you offer advice or information without immediate return, you gain a huge amount of influence with that customer.

This to me is building for the future. It very well may be beneficial down the road. So treat each person well, and take care not to get sucked into your own importance or self-hype. 

Make people feel special and they will come back for more.

How do you make your customers and clients feel special? Tell me in your comments below.

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

Stop for a moment and ask yourself this question. “What is the purpose of any Business?”

Most individuals would say, “To Make a Profit.” Personally, I feel that is the wrong answer. It’s part of the answer, but not the answer. Profits are a result or an outcome of what we do and they only tell us if our business strategy and execution are viable.

Peter Drucker stated that, “concentrating on the belief that creating profits as a purpose was not only wrong, it could very well be harmful. “ He felt that it causes a business to make bad decisions and lose sight of those things that delight customers. He also said, “There is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer.”

The ultimate objective of a business is to satisfy customer needs and wants at a sustainable profit. The sustainable profit part is critical.

Customers are the ultimate asset for any profit making company. They really provide all of a company’s real value. Unfortunately, customers are one of the few aspects of a business that are not managed as an investment. We must always keep in mind that we must profitably provide a better solution for our customers than our competition.

There is an old saying, “A good salesman can sell anything once. The trick is getting them to buy again and again.” The reason I say this is because marketing gets translated most of the time into simply persuading someone to try something for the first time. Companies are constantly trying to change someone’s attitudes or behaviors.

Today’s customers buy competing products from multiple companies with seemingly no real loyalty. Therefore, the most important element in profits is designing ways to have your customers allocate a larger share of their wallets to you. In my Marketing Tips of the Week, and also this blog, I try to help you accomplish that.

So, in essence, the primary goal of marketing must be the creation of loyal, long-term customers out of first-time or occasional buyers. Accomplishing this requires a clear and precise understanding of what makes customers want to be loyal. Gathering and understanding customer needs is the job of marketing. Review the issues in my Marketing Tips of the Week that help you to accomplish this.

If you have any additional ideas to build loyalty, please comment.

Technorati Tags: business purpose, customer, customer creation, customer loyalty, Customer Retention, lifeling customers, profit, profits

Today is very uncertain. We wonder how our customers are going to have the money to purchase from us and constantly hear about the government taking more of our hard-earned dollars and wasting it.

When a market is crowded, burdened by a sluggish economy as we now have, only the fearless survive.

In economic times like these, the natural tendency for a business is to hunker down, cut back on expenses and try not to lose the business it has. Here’s a news flash—that’s exactly the strategy that will do you in and destroy you.

If you are not the business that is standing out, and standing for something important, your days could be numbered. Use the strengths of what makes you different to make a difference with your customers.

Now is the time to reward your customers for their loyalty, take them out to lunch, and stay connected through communications to them. This is the time and the moment, to deepen customer relationships to ensure your security and your business’ future.

It’s time to focus on what you do better than any other business and put that out there to your customers and prospects.

Businesses that shine a light on what is different about them are well positioned to make a difference in this economy. Getting behind a cause is good for business and makes you look like a hero.

Conformity is not distinguishing you as unique. You must keep reinventing yourself, changing with the times and with your customers as they change. You should be true to the essence of who you are, and giving everyone the image that you are brand new.

In these times of uncertainty, many individuals are confused about what to do and how to do it. Remember, uncertainty makes everyone, including me, question our own personal value and the value of our business, and why we are doing things. The fearless among us overcome these doubts by creating action, belief, and courage.

It is time to start raising your hand to make a difference. The story you convey about your company is what others will believe. You have a unique power to have others believe that you are indispensable; that is exactly what you will be, if you believe. So believe in yourself and you will overcome these times.

This brings up another important point: belief in yourself and what you offer is an important part of succeeding in this economy. Do you agree?

Technorati Tags: customer loyalty, customer relationship building, surviving the recession

A few posts ago, I wrote an article similar to this one.  I think this topic is so important, that I’m saying something about it again.

Businesses spend so much of their money acquiring customers, yet can lose them over one complaint.

All of us, at some point in our careers will have a few customers who complain.   It’s the way we deal with these dissatisfied, even angry, customers that makes the difference.  In my book, “How to Get Customers To Call, Buy and Beg for More”, I mention that one dissatisfied customer, through word-of-mouth, could cause 100 or more customers to stop doing business with you.

There are times that the customer is justified in their complaints, and other times they are not.  You all know that the handling of a dissatisfied customer can have a far-reaching impact on that customer.

I remember reading an article in the American Management Association magazine that the average satisfied customer tells three people about their experience, but the average dissatisfied customer will tell up to eleven other people.  Now with Twitter and other social media, that number can be in the thousands.

The first thing I would do when a customer complains is to make a positive reassuring statement to the customer.  I might say, “I want you to know that I will get something done about your problem.”

Then I’d acknowledge that the person is upset by saying, “I can see that you are very upset with us, and I am sorry you have a problem, but I’m very glad that you called it to my attention.

I’d then ask them, “What would make you Happy in settling this problem?”  Then I’d settle with them. I’d say that I was truly sorry that they encountered this problem, that I was going to do exactly what they requested, and that I wanted to keep them as a valued customer.

The reason I’m writing this is because a company I was doing business with just lost me as a customer; they didn’t resolve a problem to my satisfaction.  They have lost a lot of future money with me.  I don’t want you to lose business that way.  Handle complaints like they are the most valuable thing at hand…because generally they are.

 I won’t badmouth this company to other people I know, but I sure won’t be doing business with them anymore.  

Let me know what you think.

Technorati Tags: customer complaints, customer loyalty, Customer Retention, customer satisfaction, keeping customers, Twitter