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Category: Customer Expectations

Shareworthy Customer Service by Tim Miles

I wrote an eBook called Customer Service: From Weak to WOW!.  You’ve probably downloaded it already (it is free).

Tim Miles wrote one too.  His eBook – Shareworthy Customer Service – is definitely shareworthy.  I have read through it twice and I’m working on a third time.  I am going to use it in my next staff training (and a few more trainings after that).

Yeah, it is that good.  

Go check it out.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS  Tim and I think a lot alike.  If you have to choose between spending money on advertising or on raising the bar of your customer service, raise the bar every single time.  If you have enough money to do both, do the customer service first.

An Expensive But Effective Form of Advertising

I was doing my presentation Customer Service: From Weak to WOW! yesterday, talking about how to deal with unhappy customers.  Someone brought up the question…

“But what if there is a problem with the product and the manufacturer won’t back you up?”

I answered that I have taken a loss on products a number of times to make the customer happy. The only difference is that I did not look at it as a loss of money.  I looked at it as an opportunity to be her hero.  I looked at is an opportunity to be helpful, to make her smile, to turn her from unhappy into evangelical.

Do you know how much it costs to turn one customer from unhappy into evangelical?

Better to ask, how much more will it cost if you don’t?

The losses from that transaction are not losses. They are advertising expenses.  Think of it that way and you will never hesitate in doing the right thing.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS Yes, I have then dropped a vendor for refusing to back me up.  But that is a whole different story.

How Good are Your Sales Reps?

Maybe I am biased.  My sales reps are for the most part pretty good.  Maybe it is because I am a big account in this territory.  Maybe it is because we just have good reps in our area.  Maybe I am just lucky.  But I get frustrated when I hear other retailers complaining about their reps.

Sure, there are some bad reps in my industry, probably in your industry, too.  But I believe they are only bad because you have not trained them well.

What?

Yes, it is your job to train your sales reps to do exactly what you want them to do.  Do you want them to straighten the department?  Do an inventory for you?  Make suggestions of best sellers?  Steer you away from duds?  Communicate quickly and efficiently?  Accurately place orders and follow up on them?  Handle problems with shipments, problems with defects, problems with billing errors?

Let me ask you.  Do you…

Explain in detail your expectations of your reps?  Reply to every one of their emails even if just to say, “Thanks, I got it.”?  Show them how you want inventory or merchandising to be done?  Explain your product philosophy in detail so that they know what products will and won’t pass your scrutiny?  Keep them informed of how their products are (or are not) selling?  Give them details of what you expect once an order is placed (confirmation of order? confirmation of shipping?)?  Keep them in the loop when there are problems by cc’ing them all emails to the company?  Make sure they get commissions on your show order when they stop in but you would rather drop off the order at the booth to get the special?

I work with rep groups, independent reps, and in-house reps.  For the most part I know our reps well.  We talk about family and life sometimes more than we talk about business.  And even though they may get paid by the vendors, I consider them to be employees of my store.  And since I am responsible for training my sales staff to do their job the way I want it done, I am also responsible for training my sales reps to do their job the way I want it done.

If you are not getting the kind of sales representation you want, you have every right responsibility to train your reps to do it the right way, your way.  After all, you are the customer.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS  I challenge you to re-read this blog, only replace “sales reps” with your sales staff and consider “you” to be your customers.  Food for thought…  Are you doing things the way your customers want it done?

What Do You Sell?

I don’t think I know any toy store owners who didn’t like the movie Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium starring Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman.  It immediately made my top 5 list of all-time favorite movies.

For me, the beauty was in the name of his store which described what he sold with ultimate clarity.  Mr. Magorium did not sell toys.  He sold Wonder.  Pure and simple, unadultered Wonder.

I’m pretty sure that after a couple hundred years in business, Mr. Magorium knew a thing or two about branding, too.

I am not in the business of selling toys.  I sell Nostalgia, Education, Assistance and Smiles.
I am not in the business of selling baby products.  I sell Nostalgia, Education, Assistance and Smiles.

And when I recognize that, it makes it easier for me to choose what products to fill the store.  Does the product fulfill my goal of selling Nostalgia, Education, Assistance and Smiles?  If so, on the shelf it will go.

The easiest way to keep from being boxed into a corner is to change your thinking from what products you sell to what ideals you sell.  Products are fickle and have limited shelf life.  But ideals and values are lasting and unchanging.  More importantly, ideals and values attract customers who share those ideals and values, customers who will become loyal followers and evangelists for your business because you speak to their heart.

That is the true essence of branding and the true brilliance behind Mr. Magorium’s WONDER Emporium.

He sells Wonder.  What do you sell?

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS  For more about branding and core values, download my FREE eBook Understanding Your Brand and the accompanying Worksheets.  It may be the most worthwhile exercise you do for your business.

Be Proud of Your Pricing

How much?


Well… before I tell you that, let me tell you all that you get.

We’ve all had that moment.  The customer wants to get to the bottom line before you’ve had a chance to talk up the product.  You hesitate because you are afraid the customer will balk at the price.  You know it is higher than the competitors, but with good reasons.  You think, if only you could get those reasons out first…

But if you think that way, you are thinking wrong.  

Roy H. Williams taught this to me first.  Jeff Sexton wrote a great blog using Roy’s explanation.  Here is my take.

If someone asks you the price, be proud of your price.  Take a deep breath and answer with… the price.  Yes, tell them price right up front.  The first word out of your mouth should be a number.

Then immediately tell them all they will get for that price.

How much?

$259.99 and that includes the the cup holders and the security bar so that you have options for your older child to be able to climb in and out on her own.  It also includes these self-leveling wheels that are rubber so that it will be quieter while you walk, allowing your baby to sleep better and you not to be so annoyed at the clacking racket the plastic wheels make.  It also has this simple one-hand folding technique so that if you have a toddler in one arm you can still fold it and slide it into the trunk with your other arm.  It also includes...

Do you see how the price appears to go down the more benefits you list after saying the price?  When you start with the price and then list the benefits (all the stuff following the words “so that”), the customer thinks wow, what a bargain.  Reverse the order – tell the benefits first – and with every benefit you list the customer expects the price to go up.

Same price, same benefits, different perceptions.  Say the price first, then make it go down perceptually by listing all the benefits immediately after.  Plus, when you say the price first, you are showing that you have pride in the price, which instills confidence in your customer.  And that is always a good thing.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS  For more on how perception affects pricing, check out my eBook Pricing for Profit (free download).

Plan for the Crowd

We went out to eat last Friday at one of our regular eateries while on vacation.  Things had changed.  The spot where we usually sat was now occupied by two empty pool tables.  Other seating areas had been replaced with over-stuffed chairs. The capacity sign from the county said 139 people but we only counted chairs for 65 and not very many tables. Even though the place was only half full, they barely had enough tables of the right height and shape to put two together for the six of us.  They almost sent us away at 5:45pm. The pre-wedding party that arrived moments later had no choice but to sit out on the patio with the bugs.

We went out to eat on a Monday night at a small, off-the-beaten-path dive known for oysters and fried seafood.  We were a group of eight. Figured we would be largest group in the restaurant.  We tied for third largest (fourth if you count the baby in the car seat).  The waitress was running ragged.  Two of our party did not get served until well after the rest of us had decided to eat before our food went cold.  The food was great but the poor servers and cooks were struggling to keep up with the crowds, even though the two larger groups were from reservations.

Both of these restaurants left me wondering what might have been.  Although I have frequented these places multiple times in my years visiting this area, I am sure many of the patrons were there for the first, and possibly last, time.  Those same people are telling their friends,
“Don’t go there, they don’t have any dinner seating.  I think it is more of a bar place.”
“Don’t go there. The food is okay, but the service sucks.”

Yet the solutions are simple.  The first place needed more tables that could handle groups of six (not an uncommon number at a beach resort).  There was plenty of room for more tables and chairs.  The second place just needed to call in another server.  The two large groups were reservations.  They knew they had a crowd coming.

Sure, both of those things might cost some money up front.  But remember, your business tomorrow is directly related to how well you serve customers today.  Plan for success by making sure you are ready for the crowds and you will never send customers away unsatisfied.  Think of the message you send your customers when you can handle the really busy moments.  They will walk away thinking, “Gee, they handled the crowd well.  The store must have expected to be that busy.”  

That is a pretty good message to send out into the world.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS Crowds are your moments to shine.  You have the most potential people available to give you word of mouth advertising.  What would you like them to say?

Wild Caught Shrimp

I’m writing to you from Amelia Island, Florida near Jacksonville.  Took the wife and kids on vacation.  This morning we went on an Eco Tour and learned about the shrimping industry.  We took a ferry boat through the inter-coastal waterways and with the help of Andrea, our marine biologist, and Captain Sean, did some trawling.  We caught a sting ray, a butterfly ray, a couple blue crabs, some flounder, a tongue fish, two squid, and a whole bunch of shrimp.

At one point Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island was the shrimp capital of North America with over 3 million pounds of shrimp caught annually. There used to be 150 shrimp boats parked off the pier.  Today only five working shrimp boats remain. (Gee, sound like any other industries you know?)

The vast majority of shrimp sold in supermarkets is grown in gigantic shrimp farms – many located in China.  It isn’t that there aren’t shrimp available in these waters.  No one seems willing to pay the extra dollar or two per pound to eat wild caught shrimp.  Captain Sean says these waters could still support 3 million pounds of shrimp annually.

He should know.  He grew up in the area and still fishes these waters.  He promises that if you ever ate the wild caught shrimp and farm-grown shimp side by side, you would throw out the farm-grown shrimp immediately.  He is that sure of it.  And he believes with all his heart that the shrimping industry would come back if people did a taste test.

Would you pay a dollar or two more per pound for wild caught shrimp?  What if it did taste better?

What reason are you giving your customers to pay a dollar or two more in your store?  Does it “taste” better?

If not, you have some work to do.  If so, you just need to convince the public.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS Look for wild caught shrimp next time you’re buying shrimp in the market.  Try it, you’ll like it.  I trust Captain Sean.

We’re Here to Make You Smile

Every month at our staff meetings we have time carved out for “Smile Stories” – moments when you made the customer smile in a memorable way.  The staff keep notes throughout the month of their favorite stories just so they have something to share.  Some even take notes of the smile stories someone else on the staff created to make sure those do not get missed.

Most say it is one of their favorite parts of working here.

Can you guess how often Creating a Smile is on the top of my staff’s mind?

Always.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS  Want some tips for how you can get your customers to smile more?  Download the free eBook Customer Service: From Weak to Wow.

Two Things You Can Correct Right Now

Did 2011 go the way you wanted?

Do you want 2012 to be better?

Here are two things you can work on right now that won’t cost you an arm and a leg, but will make a difference.

BEAT YOUR CUSTOMER’S EXPECTATIONS

Your customer has a set of expectations of how she will be treated when she comes through that door. Either she knows what to expect because she has been there before, or she thinks what to expect based on your reputation or advertising.

And when you meet her expectation, she may smile, she may even say, “Thanks!” But that is as far as it goes.

When you exceed her expectation, however, magical things begin to happen. By the power of reciprocity she feels like she now owes you one.

She may repay that by feeling more loyal to your store and making a return visit.
She may repay that by gushing about you to her friends.
She may repay that by spending more the next time she is in.

One way you can exceed her expectations is Generosity. Is there something you can give away that will pleasantly surprise her? A classic example is the jeweler who changes your watch battery for free. Doesn’t advertise it, just does it. My favorite example is the expensive restaurant with the mouth-watering dessert menu. You and your friends have decided to split a dessert or two when the waiter comes to the table exclaiming how he is in a good mood and would like to buy dessert for everyone at the table. Do you think you’ll be bragging about this restaurant for a while? Of course you will. And you will be going back sooner than you think.

For more ways to exceed your customers’ expectations, download my free eBook Customer Service: From Weak to Wow.

SAY SOMETHING REMARKABLE

Your advertising is blah. How do I know? Because 99.9% of the advertising out there is blah. That is why it does not work. It has nothing to do with reaching the right people. It has nothing to do with the medium you are using. It has everything to do with you not being brave enough to make a bold statement.

Most ads are written not to offend. And they become so beige that they do not move the needle at all. Since about 90% of the population is not shopping with you right now anyway, who are you afraid of offending?

The best phone call I ever received happened last December. A gal called to tell me how much she hated my ads. At first I thought it was a prank. But when she did not break from this message, I asked her why she hated them. She said, “Because you make it sound like all the other stores sell crap.” Good! That is what my ads were supposed to say.

Spice up your advertising by saying something bold. Back it up with evidence. Make it interesting and relevant. Without spending a penny more, the money you are spending on advertising will become far more effective.

Do those two things and you will be praying the Mayans were wrong about 2012.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS Not sure what to say in your ads? You should read these three eBooks. Don’t worry. They are short, sweet, and best of all, FREE. Read them in order and email me if you have any questions.
Understanding Your Brand (and the accompanying Worksheet)
How Ads Work Part 1
How Ads Work Part 2

You ARE Making a Difference

Sometimes it is good to take your eye off the big picture for a moment and focus on those little things you do that are so wonderful.

This is a good time of year to do that.

The customer in front of you is one of those moments. She is stressed. The holidays can do that to a person. She has a million things on her mind. Give her your full attention. Let her know you understand, you care and you can help.

Solve her problem.

And be thankful for that moment to make her life just a little easier and a little less stressful.

Her family will be thankful, too. They may not know to thank YOU for that. But they will be thankful nonetheless. And you will know it. And that is all that counts. Enjoy all those little moments. There will be time to look at the big picture soon enough.

Merry Christmas my friends! Thanks for all you do.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS Here is a video of a song I wrote when my first son was born called The Greatest Gift