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Topic: Business
Sunday morning rolled around and I found myself waking up quite early with a clear plan how I was going to best utilize my day. In the early stages of waking up, I sometimes power think my daily schedule. I decided this morning I would put the final edits together for a, recently published, wealth building e-book. I approached my PC and opened up "my documents." As I prepared to start the final edits, I saw a flash, heard a huge pop and everything seemed to explode around me. We had just taken a direct lightning strike.
The router which sits on a shelf directly in front of me exploded and lay there smoking and crackling. I knew at that very moment how bad this situation could end up playing out. The positive: I got to spend the rest of the day playing with my daughter. Fast forward to Monday morning and how this tragic event illustrates customer service. First allow me to give you a little background about customer service and what I personally know about it. I was customer service; I ran customer service for other companies as well as my own in a truly "hands on" service business for over 16 years. Believe me when I tell you "I've seen it all."
When you're in the "service business," it goes without saying that you're all about customer service. The problem with most customer service is that it goes with the flow which is usually in the direction the company owner or manager wants or thinks it should go. As Bob Bly pointed out in his essay for Early to Rise, (message #1839,) "Whenever you fail to make serving your customers your number one priority ... and you place something else above that (like your dignity or self-importance) ... you are telling them, "I don't value you, and I don't want your business." It seems that every business owner has his or her own idea on what customer service really means and how it should be orchestrated. Here's a quick story on how my personal situation with a lightning struck computer and customer service played out. I chose to drive past two other computer service centers and 20 minutes further because I had used this place before with what I considered a pleasant business experience. Isn't that what drives us as consumers to return as customers? We want to believe that our needs will be met and our problems solved in the same manor they were the last time we used the establishment and that's why I chose to drive the extra distance that morning.
When I arrived I walked in and was instantly reminded that these are the guys who proudly display their mission statement on a six foot by eight foot signage right behind the counter. As I waited for "my turn" I silently muttered through the statement and thought to myself, "Hmm, now I remember why I like this place. "Wonder if they hired an experienced copywriter to put that mission statement together." I can't remember the complete statement but it has quite a few keywords and phrases about "you" and how important "you" are and how precise "they" are about finding "the best solution for you", blah- blah- blah- blah- blah! A mission statement sign can make a good wall covering, and that's all, if it's not applied regularly and consistently CG approaches from behind the service area and I explained what happened. He gives me his canned script on diagnostic procedures. I told him that I was prepared for the worst as far as the PC was concerned and that I had a very important project in "my documents" that I was in the process of backing up when this took place.
I went on to say that I dearly needed at least a copy of "my documents" so that I could continue working on the project which I had tentatively told BB I would try to have to him by the end of the week. As I rambled on to him much more dramatically than I just did in the last paragraph, I wondered just how much he was taking in and how much my particular situation really mattered to this guy. Now, this is where "customer service" really gets to show its stuff. This is when the company owner or manager gets to show his true integrity, his big chance to outshine the competition. This is the exact moment that he proudly gets to display his best product, his best-kept secret toward success that he could possible possess in his arsenal of operational tactics. That would be his unique selling proposition. Unfortunately for most business owners or managers, (as in this situation with the computer geek,) they really don't know what that is so it remains undelivered or abused. Allow me to explain: Here it is the third day since I dropped off my PC I was told they should know something within a day or two so in my mind I visualized CG calling me up with the diagnostic and a "solution" the next day after dropping it off. At the least, considering my situation and my genuine dire need, I would have thought that CG would follow up at the end of the second day with at least a phone call and notification that even though they didn't know what all was wrong, they had "my documents" or my backup disk there for me to pick up. (Hint, hint. wink, wink.) Nope. nodda. not even!
The third morning came and you probably already guessed, I finally called CG. He informed me that mine hadn't made it to the bench yet. I swallowed and then proceeded to say the following: "This isn't simply some home computer that I play games on. this is a business situation, I thought I made that clear to you. Don't you have some kind of priority service for business customers?" His reply was this, "well for $50 dollars on top of the $75 dollar diagnostic charge I can bump you ahead of some of the others." You know how your mind can run circles around your mouth when it's put in a position to respond? In an instant you can play out your entire response, you can see the entire situation played out in a twinkling of an eye. I'll elaborate on a few thoughts that came to mind but first I must tell you that the response I decided to make was simply this, "O.K. CG, I understand. just do what you can as soon as possible."
Click What I was thinking was this:
1. What an uncaring approach to customer service.
2. "Bump me ahead of others" What kind of a makeshift offering is this?
3. Why didn't he offer me "priority level service" at the beginning?
4. Why couldn't "J" see how important this matter was to me?
5. Why didn't he call me and tell me the status?
6. Why didn't he at least offer to pull "my documents" so I could continue my work for the deadline that I stressed?
7. How much longer am I going to have to wait and worry now?
Now granted, I only know the minimum about computer repair but I do know the service business and in as little as a day I could turn this service department into a customer magnet, a cash cow if you will! A few things that I'd immediately change or adopt in regards to CG's approach to customer service: First, I'd have CG and everyone else who deals with customers, read, recite and explain what the mission statement so proudly displayed really means to them. Then I'd go on to make sure they understood what I meant by it when I wrote it or had it written, (which is more than likely in their case!) Next, I'd make it mandatory for each customer service representative to ask each person who comes in if they had used their services before, if they understood the diagnostic process, what their personal concerns might be and if they had any special requests.
By interviewing the customer and asking the right questions, you find out how to take control of the situation properly. By doing so you open the field of opportunity which allows you to make smart business decisions that could lead to an increased sale and at the least, the consumers satisfaction with the outcome. In the situation with CG, he should have asked if I was a returning customer. I would have said "yes" and he would have pulled up my information and would have instantly realized that I'm a business operator and I consider my needs as more important than Joe Blow whose PC went down in the middle of the new release of mind blower! You see, by knowing your customer and realizing what "they want," not only do you deliver. making the customer happy enough to consider new business with you. You also set the stage for up-selling and backend sales as well. If you don't realize the power and importance of these two gems. get out of the biz all together.
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In my situation, CG or the owner of this establishment should have already been in contact with me after the first time I spent money with them. The business owner should already have a priority protocol in place, possibly a special offering just for business owners. Even if it cost a little more, as we all know, it's the glicken that makes the difference. I probably would have paid extra if it would have been presented to me ahead of time in a form and fashion that I felt would best fill my needs, solve my problem, and show me the true benefits for doing so. Remember "me" - the customer, the most important part of this equation. In the form and fashion that CG offered "priority service". I don't think so. Even in the desperate situation that I found myself in I wasn't remotely inclined to take his secondary offer, his "solution" and I'll probably be shopping around for a new place to do business, don't you think? As Bob put it, "Customers want what they want when they want it.
To not give it to them is to risk losing their business." Source: David W. Schaible Link: www.NetBusinessVentures.com David Schaible comes to you as a published co-editor, editor and freelance copywriter. His background spans over 16 years with experience in running and managing businesses to marketing and sales. He specializes in helping small to large business entrepreneur evolve their visions, hopes and dreams into reality. Contact him at Net Business Ventures.com Feel free to reprint this article or pass it along to someone that may benefit from it. Please leave content, source/link as is, give credit to the author and use this article in its complete state.
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