Great Customer Service Leads to Profit
Ask any store owner and I’ll bet they will tell you that they work hard to insure that their store provides good customer service. That’s as it should be. But here’s the problem: In today’s competitive arena good customer service is simply not enough. It is not a point of differentiation because everybody expects it and rightfully so.
Here are five ideas to elevate good to great:
- Make sure your entire staff knows what you expect. I know, this seems like an elementary point, but you’ll be surprised the number of stores that I work with in which the staff had no clear understanding of what was expected of them in the customer interface process. Explain in detail the things to say and how sales are conducted to create a positive experience for your customers.
- Schedule regular meetings to insure that everybody stays on the same page. Often a manager will have a single meeting and think that a point is covered. Repetition and redundancy are great teaching vehicles. When a person hears a message once it is often forgotten. Repeated enough, however the message becomes engrained in their thoughts and manifested in their actions.
- Recognize and reward superior customer service. People are motivated by a number of things, not the least of which is recognition. When you see one of your employees providing superior service let that employee know that you appreciate the extra effort. It is also good to recognize this person in front of her fellow employees.
- Ask for input from your employees. Those working the front lines can often recognize improvements that can be made to your customer interface. Ask for and welcome ideas from this most important source.
- Develop a report card on which you regularly grade customer service performance. The report card should include things that are common in your industry and things that are unique to your store. Remember good grades on the common things is simply not enough because good grades on common issues will not differentiate your store.
Remember that in order to separate your store from the many choices that your customers have, you will have to differentiate. Good customer service does not differentiate–great customer service does!
The bottom line is that Good Customer Service leads to Happy Customers Which Means More Profit! Kay Peck
Secrets of the Biggest Selling Launch
First, I have to admit I am not in the Apple tribe – never owned a Mac and probably never will. As I watched the recent iPad launch, I wondered if it would be successful given our tough economy and a market full of tech gizmos.
As it turns out, Apple announced that on the first day they sold more than $150,000,000 in iPads. Yes, that’s $150 million or 300,000 units in one day! That’s incredible news which demands an explanation or insight.
When I’m curious, I go to a master teacher for answers. So, I’ve found an overview of how this was accomplished at Seth Godin’s Blog.
Seth’s first two points are significant and points everyone should consider:
1. Earn a permission asset. Over 25 years, Apple has earned the privilege of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to their tribe. They can get the word out about a new product without a lot of money because one by one, they’ve signed people up. They didn’t sell 300,000 iPads in one day, they sold them over a few decades.
2. Don’t try to please everyone. There are countless people who don’t want one, haven’t heard of one or actively hate it. So what? (Please don’t gloss over this one just because it’s short. In fact, it’s the biggest challenge on this list).
Let’s apply these two points into our businesses.
1. Get your customer/prospect contact information and develop a relationship. Build a database, create an e-mail system, communicate and build your own tribe. A successful business, like Apple, treats it’s customers like friends. They talk and share information over the long-term. It takes time and effort, but it pays off over and over again.
2. Determine what you do best and stick with it. Don’t try to be all things to all people. Specialize. Become an expert in one niche area. Keep working to be the best in what you do, improve, streamline, innovate. Don’t get distracted with the “next big thing” – be the best in your area and the profits will grow.
Will you use these ideas to improve your business today? Let me know if I can help you with a plan to build your tribe. Or, maybe your niche market needs to be defined and promoted. Think about it and do something today to increase your profits. Kay Peck
10 Biz Ideas with Low Startup Costs
A recent study by the SBA found that when unemployment is high, the number of sole proprietorships goes up. Some people who are laid off from their jobs decide to start small businesses.
If you find yourself in such circumstances — out of a job and thinking about starting a business — chances are you won’t have much money to start up with. So Business.gov put together 10 businesses with potential for growth in 2010 that require little startup capital.
1. Consulting for your former employer or in your old industry
2. Web businesses
3. Virtual assistant
4. Online social media consulting; online content production
5. Convenience services for consumers
6. Pet businesses
7. Kids products or services
8. Mobile apps development and mobile consulting
9. Specialty foods
10. Landscaping and handyman services
All 10 of these businesses can earn profit quickly if a potential buyer can be easily identified. I would encourage everyone to take these basic ideas and customize them into something unique. A niche market is much easier to dominate than a generic one.
I suggest going to Google and doing some research to get ideas. Many people don’t know that Google tells you the subjects that people are searching for information about. If you think about it, where there are people with problems, there are people with open wallets. I’ll explain…
Let’s explore idea #7 – children’s products or services. When I first typed in the word “children”, Google made several suggestions – books, dictionary, museum. “Child” resulted in health, development and tax credits.
Next, take these 6 ideas and do more research to learn about existing business models and how you can tap into these markets. Surf all over the web – look locally and globally for examples. Keep notes about what you found. Think about your personal interests and how you can combine some ideas to make your business unique.
I don’t want to make this sound overly simplistic, but it can be. Open your eyes, take notes and think creatively.
I love this stage of business development, the whole world is out there - how can I profit? Send me your ideas and I’ll help you brainstorm. Kay Peck
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