So many marketing industry articles, blogs & newsletter "how to's" focus on customer loyalty issues - also known as CRM. How to get customers to keep coming back to you - the tips & techniques (including expensive solutions such as database tracking, incentives, coupons, freebies & the like.) But what happens when customer loyalty is given freely & from the heart without cost to a business, then is dismissed or disrespected? I'll tell you - the customer finds someone else to do business with - that's what happens!
Earlier this week I called my dermatologist to make an appointment where I've been a patient/client/customer for more than 10 years. As is usually the case, the phone was answered in a terse "I'd rather be somewhere else" tone & I was told I had to wait 3 weeks for an appointment. (This is after I expressed some concern that I had an itchy rash on my hand that was getting worse by the minute.) Now, there are other doctors in that office & I shouldn't even have had to ask for another doctor - it should have been offered to me. But, I asked & was given a hard time about not being available when they were. And, to boot, I now live 25 miles away for the last 3 years but have STILL been going back there, so, yes...my availability is spotty but work with me, OK?
Apparently not. So I take what was offered (still 2 weeks away) & hung up.
My guess is that most medical patients cannot control when their emergencies happen. So if you have to close at exactly 4:30 & cannot open a few minutes early to accommodate a long time patient (who has given you referrals), then perhaps you are in the wrong business, no?
[As a side note: I have on several occasions told my Dr that her staff could use some customer service training & even offered to do it myself.]
A few minutes later I thought "Am I nuts?" so I went online & found a dermatologist less than 5 minutes away from where I now live & made an appointment - FOR THE VERY NEXT MORNING!! I called back the old Dr & cancelled the appointment with the same cranky office person who proceeded to hang up on me.
My new Dr & her staff were lovely & took very good care of me. Turns out there was a good possibility that had I not been put on medication quickly, the rash could have caused some other nasty problems.
In fact, they accepted my insurance & will bill me any residual on the back end. Unlike the first office who demands full payment up front (by check only, of course)then reimburses the residual for any paid amount by the insurance company.
I can recall countless examples of my loyalty given freely & without coupons, gimmicks or other bribes & then being stomped on. This has happened at various businesses including dry cleaners, restaurants, etc.
So, all I can say is that whether you use incentive programs to create loyalty or get it for free (even better, no?) you'd better realize that we live in a capitalist society where EVERYONE has competition. If you want to keep your customers you should treat them as if they were important to you because they ARE.
Or, they will become important to your competitor.
Want marketing/customer service training to boost your employees' effectiveness to your bottom line? Call me. I'm happy to help.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Do the right thing
Every once in a while I'm taken by surprise when a business owner does the right thing proactively.
Last weekend I showed up for a haircut appointment at my new salon only to find out that the stylist who had been cutting my hair was no longer there. I was very surprised, but I guess I knew something was up when I didn't get the requisite 'reminder' call the day before.
So, now I've scheduled my day around this appointment and there is no one there to cut my hair. They did not make any arrangements for me. I was told that someone had left several messages for me, but I did not receive any of them. Besides, isn't this more of a converstation (would you like us to book you with someone else?), than a message (so & so has left the salon)?
I left the salon thinking "what just happened?" & went about my day.
The next morning I leave a message for the owner & when we spoke shortly after, he apologized, admitted it had not been handled correctly, took full responsibility & offered me a cut at no charge with him (a higher priced cut). I took him up on his offer.
What prompted this post is not just what happened, but how I found the salon - through a local cable TV commercial. And, several weeks later the salon had a billboard right by a very popular train station. This stuff is NOT cheap!!
Bottom line, yes all business owners must always be in acquisition mode as there is some level of attritiion no matter how good your business is, but the retention & 'treat your customers' right portion is where most fall down. He only tripped, but did not fall.
I look forward to a great new haircut later this week.
If you invest in marketing keep in mind:
-Track its effectiveness
-Treat your newly acquired customers right
-Realize that employee training is critical to your success
-Everyone has competition & your customers know it, so....
Do the right thing. It will pay off.
Happy Marketing!
Last weekend I showed up for a haircut appointment at my new salon only to find out that the stylist who had been cutting my hair was no longer there. I was very surprised, but I guess I knew something was up when I didn't get the requisite 'reminder' call the day before.
So, now I've scheduled my day around this appointment and there is no one there to cut my hair. They did not make any arrangements for me. I was told that someone had left several messages for me, but I did not receive any of them. Besides, isn't this more of a converstation (would you like us to book you with someone else?), than a message (so & so has left the salon)?
I left the salon thinking "what just happened?" & went about my day.
The next morning I leave a message for the owner & when we spoke shortly after, he apologized, admitted it had not been handled correctly, took full responsibility & offered me a cut at no charge with him (a higher priced cut). I took him up on his offer.
What prompted this post is not just what happened, but how I found the salon - through a local cable TV commercial. And, several weeks later the salon had a billboard right by a very popular train station. This stuff is NOT cheap!!
Bottom line, yes all business owners must always be in acquisition mode as there is some level of attritiion no matter how good your business is, but the retention & 'treat your customers' right portion is where most fall down. He only tripped, but did not fall.
I look forward to a great new haircut later this week.
If you invest in marketing keep in mind:
-Track its effectiveness
-Treat your newly acquired customers right
-Realize that employee training is critical to your success
-Everyone has competition & your customers know it, so....
Do the right thing. It will pay off.
Happy Marketing!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
I'll do whatever you want...
Sound good? Don't fall for it. The 'professionals' who tell you they'll do whatever you want will be the deathknell of your business. I call these folks "order takers" & you should run as far away as fast as possible as soon as you can with the ultimate goal of finding business partners/suppliers who will coach/advise you on the right things to do & share their expertise with you to help you reach your business goals.
Here are just a few examples:
1. I had a meeting the other day & was reviewing the client's website. It was not tagged in any way, had no SEO as part of its construction, & when I ran the stats, the SEO score was 0%. Huh? Turns out that the client never asked for tagging or any SEO. So the "web designer" didn't do it. Are you kidding me? That's like getting your clothes dry cleaned but they didn't put it on hangers beacause you didn't specifically ask for them. So now, they have a site that looks pretty but isn't functioning at all. Worse yet, they've lost time & money achieving their goals.
2. The other day I called a few list brokers to get pricing for a list on behalf of a client. I spoke with 3 different companies. All are relatively well known & reputable in the industry. 2 of them simply ran counts for me without asking any questions of how the list was to be used & what the ultimate goal was. So, sure enough the next day I received excel spreadsheets with counts popped into cells. No background info offered at all (when was the last time the list was updated? what is the source of the list?). The 3rd company however, picked up the phone to call me to discuss "the campaign" in its totality & gave me some great advice. She ran counts & even gave me alternate counts for other list uses. Guess who I chose to do business with? And, the kicker? Her list was the most expensive. Lesson here? Price doesn't always drive buying decisions.
3. In yet another meeting with a client & their supplier, the supplier came to the meeting & not once during the entire hour did she take out a pen, offer up any solutions or advice. She just sat there on the couch with her briefcase closed beside her (& her mind just as closed) looking at her watch periodically. Saying "I'll do whatever you want" every few minutes. Well, OK but we're looking to YOU as the expert in your field to tell us what we SHOULD be doing to get the results we desire. If we have to tell you how to do your business, then we don't really need you, do we? No wonder I was asked by my client to help them vet other suppliers so this one can be replaced.
4. A client mentioned that he'd read something about a new service that a company he'd been doing business with was now offering. I hadn't heard about this so I called the supplier who initially set up the project to ask if this is something we should be doing. "Oh, yes" he said. Well, OK. But shouldn't YOU have picked up the phone to call your client to let them know? If he had been proactive the client would not have done the updating on their own & would have happily given you the task (& money) to provide the service for them. Now, you appear to be behind the 8 ball as opposed to the expert & you lost revenue to boot. And, now I (as a 3rd party) know it too!
Bottom line, if you're on client side it's not always easy to ask the right questions because sometimes we don't even know what we don't know. But...if a potential supplier isn't asking you enough questions, or offering up advice then politely say, 'no thanks' & walk away. Then, call colleagues & friends to get recommendations of expert professionals to work with so that your business will thrive.
If you're on supplier side don't do this to your clients. While it sounds great to offer to do whatever they want (they are paying you, after all) this is a huge cop out. Offer advice, give them choices, talk with them about the bigger picture so that you see how your service fits in.
If you don't, it's highly likely they'll be calling me as soon as you're out the door.
Here are just a few examples:
1. I had a meeting the other day & was reviewing the client's website. It was not tagged in any way, had no SEO as part of its construction, & when I ran the stats, the SEO score was 0%. Huh? Turns out that the client never asked for tagging or any SEO. So the "web designer" didn't do it. Are you kidding me? That's like getting your clothes dry cleaned but they didn't put it on hangers beacause you didn't specifically ask for them. So now, they have a site that looks pretty but isn't functioning at all. Worse yet, they've lost time & money achieving their goals.
2. The other day I called a few list brokers to get pricing for a list on behalf of a client. I spoke with 3 different companies. All are relatively well known & reputable in the industry. 2 of them simply ran counts for me without asking any questions of how the list was to be used & what the ultimate goal was. So, sure enough the next day I received excel spreadsheets with counts popped into cells. No background info offered at all (when was the last time the list was updated? what is the source of the list?). The 3rd company however, picked up the phone to call me to discuss "the campaign" in its totality & gave me some great advice. She ran counts & even gave me alternate counts for other list uses. Guess who I chose to do business with? And, the kicker? Her list was the most expensive. Lesson here? Price doesn't always drive buying decisions.
3. In yet another meeting with a client & their supplier, the supplier came to the meeting & not once during the entire hour did she take out a pen, offer up any solutions or advice. She just sat there on the couch with her briefcase closed beside her (& her mind just as closed) looking at her watch periodically. Saying "I'll do whatever you want" every few minutes. Well, OK but we're looking to YOU as the expert in your field to tell us what we SHOULD be doing to get the results we desire. If we have to tell you how to do your business, then we don't really need you, do we? No wonder I was asked by my client to help them vet other suppliers so this one can be replaced.
4. A client mentioned that he'd read something about a new service that a company he'd been doing business with was now offering. I hadn't heard about this so I called the supplier who initially set up the project to ask if this is something we should be doing. "Oh, yes" he said. Well, OK. But shouldn't YOU have picked up the phone to call your client to let them know? If he had been proactive the client would not have done the updating on their own & would have happily given you the task (& money) to provide the service for them. Now, you appear to be behind the 8 ball as opposed to the expert & you lost revenue to boot. And, now I (as a 3rd party) know it too!
Bottom line, if you're on client side it's not always easy to ask the right questions because sometimes we don't even know what we don't know. But...if a potential supplier isn't asking you enough questions, or offering up advice then politely say, 'no thanks' & walk away. Then, call colleagues & friends to get recommendations of expert professionals to work with so that your business will thrive.
If you're on supplier side don't do this to your clients. While it sounds great to offer to do whatever they want (they are paying you, after all) this is a huge cop out. Offer advice, give them choices, talk with them about the bigger picture so that you see how your service fits in.
If you don't, it's highly likely they'll be calling me as soon as you're out the door.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Is sampling right for your business?
A few months ago at the end of last semester, I received a small token of appreciation from a student in my class. He gave me a beautiful, small round box of 2 of the most delicious chocolate cookies I ever tasted. It turns out his family owns a chocolate company.
Fast forward to Valentine's Day & I'm tossing around ideas about what to buy my better half (he really is). I'm on the web searching for items when I look on my desk & see the small round box he gave me. It was too pretty to toss & I now keep paper clips in it on top of my desk. Duh! There's my answer. Because my better half is a chocoholic this was the perfect solution.
Sure, I suppose I could have ordered from a well-known chocolate chain (there are 2 that immediately come to mind) & while theirs are good too, I personally want to do all I can to support small businesses, so, I go to the website but decide to call instead. After I introduced myself to the owner (my former student's mom) she tells me that the gift was his idea & that she had only a short while ago created this small box to use as samples because (as I learned) just one taste & there is absolutely NO way anyone could resist making a pruchase after that.
In fact, her samples recently landed her product on a very famous morning talk show. What could be better than that?
I use sampling & it works well for me too. My Marketing Sessions are discounted time with me on the phone. This small investment gets the prospect the marketing push they need & I make it easy for them in every way: they can pay directly from my site using Pay Pal & if they decide to move forward with more services (which 9 times out of 10 they will) I take the initial investment off of their first invoice. This is almost a no-brainer on everyone's part.
Think of the grocery store setting up samples of new food items in little tasty bites for people to try. It's convenient & it works!
Give some thought to what you can do from a sampling standpoint that is appropriate for your business. Discounted short periods of time for consultants can work well for you as they do for me. Or, what about sending small samples of product to the target audience you'd like to reach? It doesn't have to be food, of course it could be almost anything.
A while back I purchased an item at a well-known women's retail clothing chain. At the checkout counter the cashier put a sample of a laundry detergent/fabric softener combination in the bag. Great idea! Quality clothing should be treated well at home & this new detergent was perfect for that. Great partnership & I'm sure it worked well for all parties involved - including me!
Be creative. Think outside the box & consider how you can give away samples to entice prospects to purchase your product or service. You may be surprised how well it can work for you.
Samples away!
Fast forward to Valentine's Day & I'm tossing around ideas about what to buy my better half (he really is). I'm on the web searching for items when I look on my desk & see the small round box he gave me. It was too pretty to toss & I now keep paper clips in it on top of my desk. Duh! There's my answer. Because my better half is a chocoholic this was the perfect solution.
Sure, I suppose I could have ordered from a well-known chocolate chain (there are 2 that immediately come to mind) & while theirs are good too, I personally want to do all I can to support small businesses, so, I go to the website but decide to call instead. After I introduced myself to the owner (my former student's mom) she tells me that the gift was his idea & that she had only a short while ago created this small box to use as samples because (as I learned) just one taste & there is absolutely NO way anyone could resist making a pruchase after that.
In fact, her samples recently landed her product on a very famous morning talk show. What could be better than that?
I use sampling & it works well for me too. My Marketing Sessions are discounted time with me on the phone. This small investment gets the prospect the marketing push they need & I make it easy for them in every way: they can pay directly from my site using Pay Pal & if they decide to move forward with more services (which 9 times out of 10 they will) I take the initial investment off of their first invoice. This is almost a no-brainer on everyone's part.
Think of the grocery store setting up samples of new food items in little tasty bites for people to try. It's convenient & it works!
Give some thought to what you can do from a sampling standpoint that is appropriate for your business. Discounted short periods of time for consultants can work well for you as they do for me. Or, what about sending small samples of product to the target audience you'd like to reach? It doesn't have to be food, of course it could be almost anything.
A while back I purchased an item at a well-known women's retail clothing chain. At the checkout counter the cashier put a sample of a laundry detergent/fabric softener combination in the bag. Great idea! Quality clothing should be treated well at home & this new detergent was perfect for that. Great partnership & I'm sure it worked well for all parties involved - including me!
Be creative. Think outside the box & consider how you can give away samples to entice prospects to purchase your product or service. You may be surprised how well it can work for you.
Samples away!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Great Expectations
It occurs to me that the reason companies use advertising to brag about awards, reviews and related accolades is to get prospects to do business with them and that when a prospect takes them up on their offer they ought to do their best to live up to the great expectations they have set up for themselves.
This weekend I was sorely disappointed with the service I received at a local furniture chain store here in CT. I purchased a rug at their Southern Fairfield County store where I happened to be in the area doing other things that day. I should have listened to the red lights going off in my head at the time of purchase when we practically had to beg to get a salesperson to take the rug down. I then brought the rug home to Northern Fairfield County where I live.
Once I got home I saw the size was all wrong and so I immediately called the store to ask if I could return the rug to the store that is located just 5 miles from my home (vs. their 20+ miles). After 2 minutes of insane button pushing & phone system gymnastics, I finally got a live person. He said 'no' I could not return it to the [much] more convenient store because it would mess up their inventory system. 'But you're a chain store' I say. To which the guy on the phone said this is 'their policy'. Hmmm...so the owner of the store who spends several hundred thousand dollars a year on local Cable TV ads bragging about their award winning #1 customer service is what - just kidding?!?!?
So...I haul the rug back 20+ miles the next day in the pouring rain. When I get there I see 5 or 6 salesmen standing in the front of the store. Not ONE of them held the door for us, or offered to help us carry this very heavy, bulky, awkward item into the store. NOT ONE OF THEM!
Finally we drag the rug to the customer service area (located in the BACK of the store, I might add) & was 'greeted' by a 'customer service' rep who proceeded to give us the 3rd degree about why the rug was being returned. 'Wrong size,' I say. This was greeted with a look of disgust by the rep who was annoyed that she had to process a return.
And a process it was. We stood there while what I guess took at least 1000 keystrokes to enter insane amounts of information into their computer system. And then FINALLY she asked for my card to process the credit which then took another 1000 keystrokes. Yikes! Are they kidding? To say she was gnarly is putting it mildly. This entire time all I'm thinking is how much of an inconvenience this all is. And how their service on all fronts is anything but award-winning.
Finally, we were released from the rug binds that tied us to the store. It's now deluging rain & I have to drive another 20+ miles to get home. On the way we stopped to return a movie at a Redbox location when it hits me -- Redbox allows you to rent a movie & return it at ANY of their locations. In other words, a vending machine can figure out the inventory process, but an award-winning chain store can't?!?!?!?
So, bottom line -- don't make promises in public you cannot keep & don't waste consumers' precious time. You never know who may have a blog.
This weekend I was sorely disappointed with the service I received at a local furniture chain store here in CT. I purchased a rug at their Southern Fairfield County store where I happened to be in the area doing other things that day. I should have listened to the red lights going off in my head at the time of purchase when we practically had to beg to get a salesperson to take the rug down. I then brought the rug home to Northern Fairfield County where I live.
Once I got home I saw the size was all wrong and so I immediately called the store to ask if I could return the rug to the store that is located just 5 miles from my home (vs. their 20+ miles). After 2 minutes of insane button pushing & phone system gymnastics, I finally got a live person. He said 'no' I could not return it to the [much] more convenient store because it would mess up their inventory system. 'But you're a chain store' I say. To which the guy on the phone said this is 'their policy'. Hmmm...so the owner of the store who spends several hundred thousand dollars a year on local Cable TV ads bragging about their award winning #1 customer service is what - just kidding?!?!?
So...I haul the rug back 20+ miles the next day in the pouring rain. When I get there I see 5 or 6 salesmen standing in the front of the store. Not ONE of them held the door for us, or offered to help us carry this very heavy, bulky, awkward item into the store. NOT ONE OF THEM!
Finally we drag the rug to the customer service area (located in the BACK of the store, I might add) & was 'greeted' by a 'customer service' rep who proceeded to give us the 3rd degree about why the rug was being returned. 'Wrong size,' I say. This was greeted with a look of disgust by the rep who was annoyed that she had to process a return.
And a process it was. We stood there while what I guess took at least 1000 keystrokes to enter insane amounts of information into their computer system. And then FINALLY she asked for my card to process the credit which then took another 1000 keystrokes. Yikes! Are they kidding? To say she was gnarly is putting it mildly. This entire time all I'm thinking is how much of an inconvenience this all is. And how their service on all fronts is anything but award-winning.
Finally, we were released from the rug binds that tied us to the store. It's now deluging rain & I have to drive another 20+ miles to get home. On the way we stopped to return a movie at a Redbox location when it hits me -- Redbox allows you to rent a movie & return it at ANY of their locations. In other words, a vending machine can figure out the inventory process, but an award-winning chain store can't?!?!?!?
So, bottom line -- don't make promises in public you cannot keep & don't waste consumers' precious time. You never know who may have a blog.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Customer Delight
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?
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?
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Telephone techniques to enhance your marketing campaigns
Crazy as this may sound, I have witnessed so many instances of businesses shooting themselves in the foot with their own telephone.
I saw an ad (4 color, magazine - VERY expensive!) for something I was interested in. I call their phone number & was greeted (well, barely) with a surly, rather annoyed voice who gave off the impression that she'd rather be anywhere else on earth than there, doing her job.
Not a good start.
I asked some questions to which I received one & two word, clipped responses with a few "I don't knows" sprinkled in.
What the heck happened here?
Well, I can guess one of several things:
1. The business owner did not keep their employees in the loop about this new ad campaign & therefore they were not trained how to answer potential inquiries;
2. The employee was aware & didn't care;
3. The business owner doesn't have thorough hiring practices.
OK, so let's tackle them one by one:
1. If the business owner didn't tell their employees, then this must change. Your front line employees can make or break you - be sure it's the right one. Give your employees the tools they need to do their job on your behalf. Tell them about the ad, give them a copy to keep by the phone, tell them to expect more calls when the ad comes out. Go through mock phone calls to identify potential questions so you can create the responses. Finally, write an inbound phone script for them to keep by the phone. Believe me, it will pay off.
2. If the employee was aware & didn't care, this is an easy problem to solve. A heart to heart may be necessary to get the employee on board. If this doesn't work, show them the door. This is your business! There are many, many thousands of great workers out there who are now unemployed.
3. If this last possibility is the answer here then consult with a human resources professional so that you can put good hiring practices in place that will enhance the image of your business and will support your marketing efforts.
As they say on "Millionaire", the phone is your life line to your prospects and customers. Make sure it doesn't kill your business.
The outcome for me? I will not be giving them my business. Too bad too because the ad was great. Probably even cost them a thousand dollars or so. It's sad to waste an opportunity like this.
Perhaps Affordable Marketing Solutions can help. We offer on-site marketing training for employees and communication scripting to make the most of your telephone opportunities.
Conact us today at http://www.myaffordablemarketing.com to see how.
I saw an ad (4 color, magazine - VERY expensive!) for something I was interested in. I call their phone number & was greeted (well, barely) with a surly, rather annoyed voice who gave off the impression that she'd rather be anywhere else on earth than there, doing her job.
Not a good start.
I asked some questions to which I received one & two word, clipped responses with a few "I don't knows" sprinkled in.
What the heck happened here?
Well, I can guess one of several things:
1. The business owner did not keep their employees in the loop about this new ad campaign & therefore they were not trained how to answer potential inquiries;
2. The employee was aware & didn't care;
3. The business owner doesn't have thorough hiring practices.
OK, so let's tackle them one by one:
1. If the business owner didn't tell their employees, then this must change. Your front line employees can make or break you - be sure it's the right one. Give your employees the tools they need to do their job on your behalf. Tell them about the ad, give them a copy to keep by the phone, tell them to expect more calls when the ad comes out. Go through mock phone calls to identify potential questions so you can create the responses. Finally, write an inbound phone script for them to keep by the phone. Believe me, it will pay off.
2. If the employee was aware & didn't care, this is an easy problem to solve. A heart to heart may be necessary to get the employee on board. If this doesn't work, show them the door. This is your business! There are many, many thousands of great workers out there who are now unemployed.
3. If this last possibility is the answer here then consult with a human resources professional so that you can put good hiring practices in place that will enhance the image of your business and will support your marketing efforts.
As they say on "Millionaire", the phone is your life line to your prospects and customers. Make sure it doesn't kill your business.
The outcome for me? I will not be giving them my business. Too bad too because the ad was great. Probably even cost them a thousand dollars or so. It's sad to waste an opportunity like this.
Perhaps Affordable Marketing Solutions can help. We offer on-site marketing training for employees and communication scripting to make the most of your telephone opportunities.
Conact us today at http://www.myaffordablemarketing.com to see how.
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