Business

Customer Relations – One Little Button

 in Business / Relationship Marketing  tagged Customer Relations / word of mouth advertising by

Customer Relations are Key to getting Positive Word of Mouth Advertising.

One Little Button

It might be hard to believe, that the whole of your marketing impetus, your good name and reputation could be brought undone because of customer relations, one little button and the story spread by word of mouth starting with your customer.

This story, I hope will cause you to look closely at your attitudes and actions when it comes to your customer relations.

I was living in Toorak in the 70’s and my business required me to be well dressed. In fact most of my acquaintances at that time had several business suits and it was not unusual to have two at the dry cleaners, two on the rack and one on your back. So you could say that having the number one position for dry cleaning and mending was an enviable place to be in.

Apart from a handful of independents, there were two major players in the dry cleaning business in Melbourne in those days. Both quite profitable outfits, but one had the market lead with a great reputation for workmanship, reliability and service. It was always the first choice among those I knew at the time.

Now, I don’t believe this story I am telling was the sole cause of its fall to number 2 but I do know it contributed quite a lot. (more…)

Ron and Sue

Courtesy and a Smile – what a difference they make!

 in Business / Gratitude by

 Courtesy and a Smile – what a difference they make!

Paying attention to your manners and simple acts of gratitude can make or break you!

Sue and I recently spent a couple of weeks driving down south to catch up with family and friends. I like driving and the freedom of being able to set our own pace and explore different places. This is an activity we often get involved in, but for some reason our experience with some of the business operators we interacted with on this trip really stood out.

 Courtesy and a Smile – what a difference they make!

OK we all have to buy petrol at some stage, actually at several stages on a journey, but some of these outlets have foolishly assumed that I have to buy from them. Well I guess on occasion I have to, with the tank already full, I’m obliged to pay for it. But will I come back?

Definitely not, to some and this is a pity because I like to support the independents. They’re our only hope of keeping prices and service under some control. The reason I’ll not return – surly attendants who can’t even attempt a smile or a thank you, even when you do your best to engage with them pleasantly. Luckily there are still a lot who understand the importance of great customer service.

And motels, one grumpy operator, when asked if his rooms had queen size beds, replied all his rooms had queen beds. I was tired and prepared to overlook his manner until he tried to up his advertised tariff because there would be two of us in the room. His response to my simple question, “have your costs really increased by $15 because there will be two of us in the room?’’ made me decide to leave no matter how tired I was.  In his case a really foolish move because the next motel was just next door and they had just put out their ‘off the road special’ for the night.

Their manner was great and if we had been five minutes earlier, we would still have booked in without the special. But it was the next morning that cinched it for a future stay, slipped under the door was a personalised note thanking us for choosing them and wishing us a safe continuance of our journey.

Like I keep saying, let people know that you value and appreciate them, especially in an unexpected form like a note or a card, and I’m sure they will return and stay with you. Just as we intend to stay with these people on our next trip south.

 

Courtesy

Ron and Sue

The Power of Gratitude in Business

 in Business  tagged Relationship Marketing / Relationship Marketing Made Easy / Thank You by

WHY NOT PLAY WITH THE BIG BOYS.

The Power of Gratitude

All the big corporates have appreciation or gratitude programs; Qantas have frequent flyers, Woolworths have rewards and cents off your petrol, most of the best coffee shop chains reward you with free coffees and large franchise car washes say thanks with a freebee every sixth time. So what’s your appreciation program?

As much as we may have our gripes with these big players, maybe one of the reasons they are so big is that they understand the power of gratitude. Gratitude comes under the direction of the Law of Cause and Effect, or what you give is what you get.

Even though I often suspect their motivation is more about keeping us as a customer, rather than a genuine outpouring of thanks – it still works extremely well.

The more you can express your gratitude in a practical way – the more you get an equivalent coming back to you. In business this is usually in the form of more and better customers and more dollars in the till.

Have you wondered how you can compete with them and their grandiose schemes?

Big corporate uses reward and discount as their expression of gratitude, because for them it’s easy. However there is a more powerful way to access this law and make your customers feel even better – let them know how much you value and appreciate them and say “thankyou” and mean it! Better still; put it in writing in a card!

Thank You Card

 

Ron and Sue