|
|
Can Small PR Firms Deliver Huge Results?
Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1040 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly ©...
How To Fire A Customer
Reprint Guidelines: ** Attention Ezine editors / Site owners ** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include my resource box as listed...
It's All About The Customers, Baby
If you want to ensure a steady stream of customers in your business, you must always remember why you're in business in the first place.
Sure you want to earn a decent income for yourself, but you also want to provide a useful service...
The Value of a Customer
You need to determine what the value of a customer is to your company. Answer the following questions: How much will the average customer spend with you per year? A = _____________ If you provide quality service and products, how many years can...
Top Ten Online Choices to Get Clients to Choose you Again and Again - Part 1
Did you know that 95% of coaching businesses fail because their owners don't pay enough attention to sales copy?
Whether you are a professional speaker, coach, or entrepreneur, every business wants more clients. Even more, they want to entice...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How To Ruin Good Customer Relations...In Two Easy Steps.
This article may be freely used in ezines, on websites or in e-books, as long as the by-line is left intact.
Notification of publication would be greatly appreciated, and if possible, a copy of the relevant ezine or newsletter. Please send notification to: webmaster@online-wealth.com
----------------------------
I didn't make this story up, I promise you. I didn't have to, because truth is *always* better than fiction.
The other day, I was waiting in line (for once, I was first, can you believe it!) for a local store to open so that I could exchange a defective Christmas present.
As is sometimes the case, I got to talking with another fellow, also waiting patiently (have you noticed how often customers have to wait, even to *buy* something these days? But, that's another story!)
Jim (he introduced himself) and I started to exchange horror stories, of the type that *every* shopper encounters just about every day, y'know what I mean?
Seems like Jim had just come from the freeway and had turned into one of those very famous fast-food chains, on the service road.
You've seen 'em, but no need to mention names here.
Now, this was at quarter to eight in the morning, so all the shops were pretty much deserted (I live in a pretty quiet town, a ways north of Brisbane), except for this big hamburger joint. It also *looked* unattended, but had a big sign - "NOW OPEN" - up high, and stretched between two large poles placed at each end of the store - easily seen for a hundred yards or more.
Jim needed a bite to eat, so what more was needed?
He turned his car into the drive-thru and went to the order window. "We're not open" the woman replied when Jim tried to place his order.
Well, he looked at her, looked up at the big sign, and asked her to define "NOW OPEN", seeing as how she was telling him that the place wasn't. "Lookit, it's a new location here, for us, so, yeah, we're NOW OPEN for business, but not until 9AM, OK!"
(Actually, I *knew* that the place had been NOW OPEN for three weeks or more, but I didn't interrupt Jim's account).
Jim ponders that for a few moments, then asks her, "Well, y'see, me and the wife here have been travelling a ways to get here, couldn't you make an exception?" He could see inside that the staff were getting ready for the day's operations.
The manager (for that's was she was *supposed* to be) shook her head, "No, you'll have to come back later, when we're open." She shakes her emphatically, obviously trying to get Jim out of her mind. Jim looked up at the big sign again, and decided to give her another chance.
"OK, how about this - you give me a voucher for a little freebie, and I'll be back at 9AM?" Now, Jim wasn't at all sure that he'd be in the
running, but thought he'd try it on, y'know. Well, the manager just shook her head like it was fit to fall off. "No way, sir, I'm afraid I can't do that, you'll just have to get back here later, like everybody else, hmmhmm!"
When Jim finished telling me this, we had a good chuckle about how people so easily ruin a good business, and all because so many take the short term view. That manager could have had a customer for life if she'd even offered Jim *personal* service at 9AM. He was prepared to return for good service, but *only* good service!
(Hey, hamburger joints are practically viral, right?)
"Heck", said Jim, "she didn't even have to throw in a freebie, but if she'd said that she would have personally attended to my wants, I would've gone back there, yessir!" He grinned, "But, now of course, I've told you about this experience - would you go there for a hamburger now?"
I didn't muddy the waters by telling Jim that I detested all hamburgers, but I did readily agree that there are so many lost opportunities in customer relations.
For starters, that burger manager didn't quite have the right information on display; the information was too easily misinterpreted or wrong. Secondly, she had a golden opportunity for a lifetime customer, when Jim persisted in trying to buy her product. And, finally, not content with *one* refusal, she *totally* deep-sixes her credibility when Jim tried - a second time - to change her mind.
Ultimately to no avail, leaving Jim shaking his head as he drove away...
Now remember, this is a *service* industry we're talking about here, where the customer is *always* right...right? Would you deal with a company that had the wrong information and the wrong attitude?
Maybe Jim *did* hit the burger stand at a bad(?) time, but it doesn't matter what time a customer fronts up: you'd better be ready to send that customer away satisfied *and* begging to come back again. If you don't, you're just wasting your time.
And, now that *you* have a website - or you're preparing one - your golden opportunities have just increased a million fold or more! You won't win all the customers, but just try to make sure that the ones you *do* win always want to come back for more.
(Oh, yeah - Jim went down the road a bit further to the competition, of course.)
About the Author
Roger Burke has been involved with computers since 1967, and has managed to break quite a few, over the years. He, and his wife Sherry, are now actively engaged in online self-publishing and promoting specific affiliate programs at http://online-wealth.com . If you have any comments or questions about this article, please send emails to mailto:webmaster@online-wealth.com . Copyright 2001, Online-Wealth. All rights reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
Customer Service Group: Resources for improved customer service ... |
Newsletters, books, and free online resources for improved customer service, call center and help desk operations including tools for enhancing rep training ... |
www.customerservicegroup.com |
  |
Customer Service Training Customer Service Skills Training Service |
Service Quality Institute is the leader in Customer Service Training with customer service training skills products and consulting with over 34 years ... |
www.customer-service.com |
  |
ICS: Institute of Customer Service |
The Institute of Customer Service is the professional body for customer service whose primary purpose is to lead customer service performance and ... |
www.instituteofcustomerservice.com |
  |
International Customer Service Association |
Promotes the development and awareness of the customer service profession through networking, education and research. Activities, publications ... |
www.icsa.com |
  |
Customer Service Jobs on CareerBuilder.com |
Looking for customer service jobs? Start your job search at CareerBuilder, the leader in job search sites, and access hundreds of thousands of jobs today. |
customer-service.careerbuilder.com |
  |
The New York Times Home Delivery - Subscribe |
Sign up now to save 50% on your first 12 weeks of Home Delivery. Learn more. As part of Home Delivery, you'll also get free access to TimesSelect premium ... |
homedelivery.nytimes.com |
  |
Customer service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
The modern concept of customer service has its roots in the craftsman economy ... Delivering customer service begins with understanding what customers want. ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
  |
Customer service representatives |
When working in call centers, customer service representatives are likely to be under ... Customer service representatives working outside of a call center ... |
www.bls.gov |
  |
Customer Service Training |
Customer Service Training, Seminars, Coaching, and free articles to improve repeat business, happiness, and professional image. |
www.proedgeskills.com |
  |
Customer Service |
(It may help the reader to notice the role of customer service in the overall ... Additional Resources in the Category of Customer Service and Satisfaction ... |
www.managementhelp.org |
  |
azcentral.com faq - azcentral.com Help - Arizona Republic Customer ... |
azcentral.com faq - Welcome to the azcentral.com help center where you can find answers to azcentral.com and Arizona Republic customer service questions. |
www.azcentral.com |
  |
CafePress.com : Help Desk : Customer Service |
Email Us Send us an email and we will respond to you within 24 hours. Call Us Toll Free 1-877-809-1659 Customer Service Hours ... |
www.cafepress.com |
  |
Customer Service Week - The Celebration Source |
Provides how-to information, gifts and decorations for successful Customer Service Week celebrations. |
www.csweek.com |
  |
Nashville - Tennessean.com - Middle Tennessee Customer Services |
Customer service, advertising or news-related questions or problems (615) 259-8000. ... (615) 242-7253. Email Customer Service customer @tennessean.com. ... |
www.tennessean.com |
  |
Customer Service Institute of Australia - dedicated to Australian ... |
CSIA is a professional, membership-based body dedicated to improving the standards of customer service both at an individual level and at a corporate level ... |
www.csia.com.au |
  |
The Globe and Mail: Home Delivery Customer Care: Home |
The most authoritiative news in Canada featuring articles from The Globe and Mail, breaking news coverage, national news, international news, sports, ... |
https: |
  |
Customer Service from FLORIDA TODAY |
We're here to bring the finest customer service to your doorstep. ... Customer Service Hours Monday - Friday: 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET Saturday: ... |
www.floridatoday.com |
  |
magazine customer service |
https://secure.customersvc.com/ servlet/Show?WESPAGE=mo/home.html&MSRSMAG=MO - Similar pages |
|
  |
Customer Service – 8 Rules For Good Customer Service |
Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. You can bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers ... |
sbinfocanada.about.com |
  |
Help | IndyStar.com |
Customer Service • Terms of Service • Send feedback about IndyStar.com • Subscribe Now • Jobs with us. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the ... |
www.indystar.com |
  |
|