Customer Service:
It's Not Just a Department, It's An Experience - May 2010
Welcome to the May issue of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience." I just returned from a trip to Myrtle Beach where the weather was warm and the service was splendid! Was it just plain old "Southern hospitality" or do the business people down in Myrtle Beach really care more about their customers more than they do in New York? Oh, and did I mention that there were black napkins in an Italian restaurant I went to? That's no accident!
Do you hold business meetings at diners? I do, and this month I'll fill you in on what happened when I went to one on Long Island. We'll also talk about what is probably your favorite subject (getting new customers) and mine (keeping them).
Welcome to our many new subscribers and new clients. Our goal is to help you improve the service you are providing to your existing customers as well as prospective customers, increase customer retention and generate additional revenue through cross-selling, up-selling and referrals.
Enjoy this month's newsletter!
In This Issue:
The Diner Experience is Not Only About the Food | Customers: How To Get Them and How To Keep Them | Word of Mouse
The Diner Experience is Not Only About the Food
I work out of an office in my home, so when I need to conduct business meetings, I usually head to a local diner centrally located to myself and whomever I am meeting. There's this one particular diner that I frequent fairly often (the name shall remain nameless to protect the guilty!). I have a favorite waitress there (Margie) and she takes great care of me as well as whoever I am meeting with. She greets me like an old friend and knows that I drink decaf coffee with skim milk and she brings it over without me having to say a word. I feel like I own the place when she's taking care of me.
However, the service she provides is only part of the customer experience. The person behind the counter that greets me (or doesn't greet me!) plays a part in the experience as well. On a recent visit to this nameless diner, I was waiting in the lobby area near the cashier for the person I was meeting as I had never met them before. The man behind the counter barked at me, "Are you sitting or not?" I was a bit taken back by the abrasiveness of his question. I told the man that I was waiting for someone and would sit once they arrived. When my appointment showed up, we were taken to a table by a waitress (not my favorite one). She proceeded to throw the menus down on the table and walk away. Wow. Talk about being welcomed into their diner. Not!
Now, the food was pretty good as far as diner food is concerned, however, the service left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm sure there are many of you that can relate to that story when you've been a customer in a diner or restaurant. Now let's relate this story to YOUR business. Is your "food" pretty good but your service suffering? If so, your customers might be leaving with a bad taste in their mouth. Now would be a good time to find out what your customers experience when they do business with your company. Contact me if you are interested in having me mystery shop or place a mystery call into your company. In this case, what you don't know CAN hurt you!
Customers: How to Get Them and How to Keep Them
I just finished delivering several presentations over the last few weeks with two extraordinary sales trainers, Jeff Goldberg from Jeff Goldberg & Associates, and Rob Fishman from Sandler Sales. Jeff and Rob spoke about how to get customers and I spoke about how to keep them. We drew record crowds to all of the presentations since the topic is a hot one for anyone in business today.
If you're like most business people, you know that customers are the lifeblood of any business. Without them, you don't even have a business. There is such a fine line between sales and service. You can't have one without the other. Which actually comes first? Can you even get the sale without giving good service? Service is not something that starts after the sale has been made. It starts at "Hello". The presentations were filled with methods to get new customers and strategies to keep them.
Here are a few takeaways from the presentations:
-Establish rapport
-Be interested in your prospect
-Be a good interviewer
-Feedback what you heard your prospect say
-Ask for the sale
-Don't act like a traditional salesperson
-Keep your word
-Hire the right people with the right attitude
-Empower your employees to think and act like owners
-Make it all about your customer
-Smile
-Be a problem solver
-Go above and beyond
-Thank your customers
If you're interested in having us deliver a presentation to your organization or company, give me a call. Do it quick before your competitor does!
Word of Mouse
It used to be "word of mouth". Now it's "word of mouse".
It can be the cheapest form of advertising or it can be your worst nightmare.
Your customers are talking about you. They're talking if it's good and they're talking if it's bad.
And now their words are being communicated at the speed of their internet connection!
Within minutes, people can hear their stories. And the stories they tell are based on the experience that you provide to them.
When they're happy with your service, they're telling everyone.
When they're disappointed with your service, they're telling everyone.
The game is "word of mouse". Will you be a winner or a loser?
If you are on Long Island...
Join us at the HIA Trade Show on Thursday, May 27th from 9a-4p. The trade show will be held at the Suffolk County Community College Sports & Exhibition Complex, LIE Exit 53. There is no charge to attend the trade show.
In addition to the trade show, there will be seminars and workshops throughout the day. I'll be presenting a seminar on "Customers: How to Get Them and How To Keep Them" with Jackie Gernay from The Alternative Board. Our presentation starts at 2:30pm.
To learn more about the HIA trade show and to register for the event, visit the HIA website at:
HIA Trade Show
Hope to see you there!
In Conclusion...
Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience". It is our hope that you not only get the customer or client, but that you also hold onto them! If you have clients, colleagues or friends who wants to hold on to their customers too, do them a favor and forward them this newsletter.
Until next time, take good care of your customers, or someone else will! See you next year!
Sincerely,
Randi Busse
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