The other day I happened to be in my old neighborhood. On my way to a meeting, I stopped in at one of those little stores with great service that I miss shopping at. The store sells authentic Asian foodstuffs and for a foodie like me, it is a great place to stock up on those items you can’t get anywhere else.
Once I finished and was juggling all the jars and cans of yummy goodness, I went to the checkout counter and paid. As the owner was handing back my change she then asked me if I would like fresh chili peppers. ‘Sure’ I said & opened my wallet again. Upon seeing me do this she said that no, she was giving them to me because she thought they would go well with the items I purchased and then proceeded to give me a recipe off the top of her head to be sure I used them correctly & would enjoy the meal.
I was suddenly struck by the Customer Delight concept. Something I read about often in my marketing publications and the like – but it was right here, in action, in front of me. How delightful!
And think of how much better small businesses are positioned to overtake the big monolithic, bureaucratic corporations in this very important area. Remember that it can take up to 10x more to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one. So take care of your customers! They are the source of referrals for you and can keep your pipeline full.
A few months ago I read the now famous “Hug Your Customers” book by Jack Mitchell, CEO of Mitchell's/Richard's clothing stores here in Connecticut that is a very high end store with a legend following from affluent circles. Mr. Mitchell tells a story of Paul Newman’s little girl visiting the store many years ago & riding a bicycle they kept in the ‘children’s area’ of the store to keep the little ones occupied while their parents shopped. He says that Paul Newman told him months later that the money he spent on the suit that happened to be on sale was now full price when he added in the cost of buying his daughter that same bicycle!
Think about how many times you have wished for better service? Better treatment and perhaps even more [some?] respect by retailers or customer service folks on the phone. Imagine the goodwill that is spread by doing so. By giving more than is expected, you are indeed delighting your customers. Treating them well, going above & beyond may not put cash in your pocket today, but it will pay off.
As has happened before, this morning I received a call from someone who was referred to me by a current client. That client is so delighted with my service that she recommended me to my now new client! How delightful is that?
