Are you wasting your time waiting?

It is not that you don’t have a busy enough life. You work, you have family and friends that need attention. However busy you may be, at some point everything comes to a screeching halt — your cable has stopped working. You now find yourself at the mercy of the cable company.

“We can have a repair person to your home between 8-12 tomorrow.” You have no choice but to stay put. You think to yourself, “Well maybe I can just run to the store to grab some milk”, but then you remember the last time you did that the repair person came and went and you had to start all over again. To make matters worse, the cable repair person ends up running late. At 12:15 you call the cable company and learn that they will be there within an hour. You have now wasted more than half a day.

You have most likely experienced a similar scenario. Why can’t there be a simple way to solve this problem and set us free?

As it turns out, there is a solution. Yuval Brisker, co-founder of TOA Technologies, experienced the same problem, but luckily for us, he figured out how to solve it. Brisker — a true renaissance man — designed a predictive web-based system, ETAdirect solution, that benefits both the customer and the company that uses it
As a customer, you will no longer be tied to your home waiting. Through text messages, automated voice call, email and/or online tracking, you will be informed when the repair person will arrive.

Generally, you the customer, will be “on call” for a two hour window. You let the company know your preferred mode of contact, and will be told when to expect the repai person within a one hour window.

For the company, TOA’s ETAdirect system helps manage a mobile workforce with planning and routing and dispatch and scheduling. Furthermore, it can help retain customers through better customer service.

One of my favorite features of the system is that it will offer to reschedule an appointment if the customer is not able to keep it. Too many companies neglect to reschedule their customer’s appointments. This simple step is good for the company and the customer.

I don’t know about you, but I sure want my cable company, phone company, plumber, etc to get this! (You know who you are!)

Customers like to be remembered

Last week I was working in Orlando. I was staying at the Disney Contemporary Resort. Of course I am aware that Disney prides itself on superior customer service, so my expectations were pretty high. Even with those high expectations I still found myself amazed by a specific event.

After my class was finished I walked up to the reservation counter for the California Grill. Apparently it is a very popular restaurant so reservations are not easy to get. I was dining by myself so I thought I would check to see if I could eat later. A lovely woman behind the desk greeted me and told me that there should be no problem. It was a short unremarkable encounter and I walked away.

Later that night, after changing into more comfortable clothes, I decided to try and eat at the California Grill. I had no problem getting in (even though the place was packed.)

I was enjoying my meal at the sushi bar (the food was amazing,) when the woman who greeted me walked up to me and said “Wow, I am so glad you decided to come back.”

This blew me away. As I said, we had an unremarkable conversation, it lasted only seconds and I wasn’t even wearing the same clothes. But Ashley Call, the restaurants Guest Service Manager remembered me. And by the simple act of remembering me and telling me she was glad I came back she transformed my evening.

I felt important. I felt valued. I felt appreciated. She took a good evening and made it great. I eat at a lot of good restaurants, but I would go out of my way to go back to this one because of Call and her staff.

Call told me her goal was to make sure every guest leaves happy.

What do you do to make sure every customer leaves happy? How do you make your customer feel important, valued and appreciated?

Try doing something today to transform your customer’s experience.

Customer Service Tips from a Suburban Detroit Restaurant

In a recent post, I wrote about my friend’s experience at Beau Jacks, a suburban Detroit restaurant. Their experience was exceptional; so, I decided to interview the owner, Gary Cochran. I wanted to learn what he does to keep his customers coming back 3 or 4 nights a week. His restaurant is so successful that patrons are willing to endure long waits, because it’s worth it, even in Detroit’s depressed times. Beau Jack’s is also one of Jay Leno’s favorite Detroit restaurants.

Here are Cochran’s tips for a successful business:

Don’t do traditional advertising.

Cochran doesn’t buy traditional advertising. He puts his money into supporting his loyal customers’ causes. When his customers ask him to buy ads in yearbooks, pay for sponsorships, or supports charitable golf outings, he does it. “I do my advertising with the people who eat with me.”

Keep your staff pumped up.

Cochran creates a weekly newsletter for his employees. The bottom of the newsletter has a motivational quote intended to keep his people thinking positively. He tells them, “ We don’t have to take part in this recession if the food and service is great.”

Have high standards.

“In this economy we have to dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t’.” Cochran makes sure that his parking lot is repaved and painted every year whether it needs it or not. He has an iron and ironing board outside of the staff’s dressing room so that everyone looks impeccable. He believes that good is not good enough. “I don’t want you to pay for good, you pay for great.”

Treat your customers like members of a private club.

Cochran encourages his staff to learn customers’ names and preferences. “I always tell my staff that if they worked in a country club they would remember their names and that they like five olives in their martinis.”

He also provides his staff with business cards that they give out when they hand the customer the bill. He encourages the staff to tell the customers, “Ask for me next time you come in.”

Treat special needs customers differently.

Even though his customers may have to wait up to 45 minutes to be seated, he understands that it can be a hardship. When a customer is using a walker, he tries to seat them sooner. If customers have small children with them, the wait staff may place an order for chicken strips (on the house) so that the minute the family sits down there is food for the kids.

Don’t ask your employees to do anything you wouldn’t do.

Cochran hasn’t had a day off in the last 18 months. He can often be found with a coffee pot in his hand, bussing tables or picking up a dropped napkin. The treatment of his staff is so good that he has kept his employees for decades. His newest employee has been with him for six years.

Empower your employees.

His servers know that if they are overwhelmed with customers and are not providing great service, they can buy the customer a dessert with apologies. If there is a problem with food, they know that they can go to the chef or a manager and get the issue resolved.

If you take Cochran’s tips and translate them for your business, you too can do what Cochran does and “not take part in this recession.”

You Lost My Sale Today

Yes you did. You probably don't care. At least that is how it appeared to me. I came into your store. Oh, I bet you don't think of it as YOUR store. I imagine you just think of it as the place you work. Which is probably part of the problem. But, I think of it as your store. And you ignored me. I walked in looking confused but interested. You were talking to your friend. I know you saw me. You just thought your friend and your friend's boyfriend were more interesting. You looked at me without acknowledging me or greeting me. You never stopped talking to your friend for a minute.

So, I walked out. The fact that I walked out without buying anything didn't seem to bother you one bit. Well, why should it? It's not YOUR store after all is it?

But wait, you get a paycheck right? Who do you think funds that check? Yes, it is me. And all the other people who buy things from your store. If you keep ignoring customers, the "owners" of the store won't be able to afford you. And in these tough economic times, that time may be sooner than you imagine.
So, please, the next time a customer enters your store greet them. Ask how you can be of assistance. Treat that customer as if your job depended on it...because it does.

Using Tweets to Provide Exceptional Government Service

The Mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom, was looking for creative ways to provide customer service to his citizens without costing the city a lot of money. In a press conference, that was replayed on Youtube, he announced a new and innovative way for his citizens to communicate with the city's government agencies through Twitter.

A few years ago the city took 2300 phone numbers and a very difficult to navigate phone tree and merged them into a 311 call center. This call center is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is also available in 179 languages.

The Mayor said that they were looking into a text-messaging component to this call center but the price was prohibitive. He found that integrating Twitter into the system was the perfect answer. Twitter and the city's Dept of Technology worked together on this project.

Citizens can now press d sf311 on their Blackberry, I phone or non-smart phone as well as through their computer in order to send a question or complaint to the 311 call center. Once the tweet has been sent, the call center routes it to the correct department. Citizens can send photos (graffiti tags, abandoned mattresses or potholes) along with their tweet.

Bix Stone, co-founder of Twitter, said " People are moving their communication to a more open medium using tools like Twitter and Social Networking and Youtube." Clearly Mayor Newsom understands this better than anyone. His speeches are broadcast on Youtube and he is the first Mayor to integrate Twitter into his 311 call center.

Newsom said that he wanted to empower his citizens. He wants "800,000 eyes and ears on our streets."

Whether or not your local government can use technology as creatively as San Francisco, you do need to make exceptional customer service a priority.

Find ways to make it easy for your citizens to talk to you. If nothing else make sure you have a simple phone system that has no more than a few prompts. Respond to emails and letters quickly. Return your phone calls promptly. Follow the spirit of Mayor Newsom's goals.

Seriously, you don't want my business?

I need your help. I want to hear your stories. Tell me about the many ways that businesses tell you that they don't want your business. Please post your stories here or email them to me at lauriebrown@thedifference dot net.

Here is a favorite of mine:

My sister-in-law was recently visiting NYC and wanted to buy a pair of comfortable walking shoes. Her husband googled "Comfort shoes New York." He found a number of shoes stores, one of which was Treadeasy shoes.

She called the number and this is the conversation:

Treadeasy shoes (TS): Hello

Sister-in-law (SIL): Hello, is this comfort shoes?

TS: (Deep sigh) NO! This is TREADEASY comfort shoes.

SIL: Well I am looking for comfort shoes and my husband looked on the internet and your number came up.

TS: (Sigh) This happens ALL the time. You need to return some shoes? They are on the internet and we are not. We are referral only. DId someone refer you?

SIL: No, I am just looking for comfortable shoes.

TS: Well our shoes start at $250 dollars and I am not sure THAT is what you are looking for.

SIL: Well, you are a shoe store, right? And I am looking to BUY some shoes.

TS: (Laugh) Well, OK.

SIL: Where are you located?

TS: Well, we can meet you on 42nd st.

By this time my sister-in-law was tired of trying to give this business her money. She thanked the woman and ended the conversation.

Now to be fair, maybe there is a great deal of confusion about the differences in the stores. But imagine if the conversation went this way instead.

TS: Hello. Treadeasy shoes. My name is______________. How may I help you?

SIL: I am looking for comfortable shoes.

TS: Well, that is great. We specialize in high end comfort shoes through referrals. May I inquire who referred you?

SIL: Actually we found you on the internet. Is there anyway that I can still buy from you?

TS: Of course. Let me tell you a little about our business and how we can show you our shoes.

Now, I don't know their business model. But, I truly believe that a warm greeting and not showing frustration is a good start no matter what your business model is.

I would like you to think about the way that you make it difficult for people to give you their money. Try instead to be warm, helpful and gracious. I can't imagine ANY business in this economy that doesn't need each and every one of their customers.

Customer Service Lesson from Salvation Army

So, I got a call today. It was from Jason at the Salvation Army. I knew what he wanted. It is what EVERY charity I give to wants. I was sure he was going to ask me for more money. They all do.
But, boy was I wrong. He didn’t want money. He only wanted to thank me.

Jason told me how grateful he was that I had donated to their Bed and Breakfast Club, a fundraiser that Dick Purtan puts on every year. And you know, I believed Jason. I think he really was grateful to me, and the others who helped Salvation Army meet their goals.

He told me that he always thanks his donors with a call or a written note of thanks. He told me about all the wonderful things Salvation Army does with our money. I was touched by his enthusiasm and his sincerity.

You can bet the NEXT time Jason contacts me I will be happy to talk to him again and to give to the Salvation Army. Why? Because, he took the time to begin building a relationship with me. He called simply to say thanks.

So, what can we learn from this charity and more importantly from Jason? Gratitude goes a long way to making your customer feel valued and important. I continually harp on the fact that your customers have an almost unlimited amount of choices on whom to give their money. The same is true for charities, especially in these tough times, charities have to compete for your money. Saying thanks, being truly grateful, goes a long way to creating the kind of relationship that makes your customer happy to do business with you.

Today, call your customer to just say thanks. Write them a personal note. Stop by their home and drop off a small token of your gratitude. Then let me know their reaction.

Also, if you can, give some money to the Salvation Army or the charity of your choice. The world will be a better place for it.

Stop lowering your price, raise your customer service

Prakash Sadagopan, Director of Product Strategy at Converges recently spoke at the OSS/BSS Asia Pacific Summit. His report was ground breaking. Through research he found that the customer’s experience was as important as the product being sold, and more important than brand or price.

So, what does that mean to you? If you are trying to compete as the lowest price competitor you may very well may be missing the mark. So many businesses try to compete with lower prices. If you are one of those lowest price competitors, my guess is that you have to trim expenses. Often, when trimming expenses the first thing that goes is trained , engaged employees. After all if you think that your customer just wants the lowest price why would you bother with having a full service staff. Instead you should consider ways to simplify services and processes.

Customers who are always looking for the lowest price are not loyal. They skip from one company to the next looking for the next best deal. To really build a business you need and want a customer base who is loyal to you. Those loyal customers form the backbone of a successful business, because they not only come back time and again, they tell their friends and family about you.

What do these potentially loyal customers want from you? According to Sadagopan, 64% of the customers want knowledgeable employees, who address their needs on the first contact and treats them like a valued customer.

He ends his presentation with four steps that you need to take to start building your loyal customer base.
1. Proactive Care actively seek out opportunities to help your customers
2. Lifetime value Use every contact to increase the value of your relationships
3. Agent efficiency Help your agents resolve customer issues quickly
4. Automation effectiveness Improve automation to the point where customers prefer it.

In future columns we will explore each of these steps. For now, look for ways to make your customers feel valued and respected by greeting them warmly the minute they walk in your door.

Good Old Fashioned Customer Service is New Again

I just read an interesting article in the Bay City Times, about retailers in Bay City Michigan. I am sure you are aware of how tough things are in Michigan. But the retailers in this small town have figured out what to do to keep their customers. Not surprisingly, their secret is, as they say, "good old fashioned customer service and building relationships"

In the article, Susan Yaklin-Everson, a co-owner at Violets Blue, said that "she is going the extra mile on customer service." Water Front Market owner Greg Schultz said "he's surviving a tough economy by putting himself in the customer's shoes."

These simple ideas can make a huge difference in YOUR business. I recommend that you (or a friend or family member) pretend that they are a customer and try to do business with you. They should look at your policies and processes. Your phone system, can they get to who they need easily (no far cheating on this one?) Have them pretend that they don't have the secret direct number. Have them try to return something, or make an appointment or reservation.

Most businesses that I have worked with have found that they made it hard for their customers to do business with them, in one way or another. You might be surprised at how hard you have made it for your customers.

Do what they are doing with great success in Bay City, go back to providing good old fashioned customer service and start today.

Can You Afford to Give Exceptional Customer Service in Tough Economic Times?

Okay, perhaps the better question is "Can you afford not to?

Recently, J.D. Power and Associates reported that exceptional service satisfaction enhances automotive dealer and manufacturer profitability by improving customer retention even as sales decline.

I have one comment on their finding. "Duh!"

OK, seriously, they are absolutely correct. NO business can afford to NOT provide exceptional service 100 % of the time.

You have experienced it yourself. You walk into a business, whether it is your physician’s office, a fast food franchise, a department store or the offices of a large corporation, and you are welcomed like a valued guest. The greeting you receive is warm, sincere and immediate. The rest of your experience is made better by this simple act. But, you have also experienced the completely opposite experience—probably more often. You walk in and you are treated badly or maybe worse—totally ignored. No matter how positive the rest of your experience with this business may be, you are much less likely to be a satisfied customer.

Great customer service has always been important. But, in these tough economic times, businesses can’t afford not to get their customer service absolutely right. And yet, more often than not, this best practice eludes most service providers.

An online survey showed that 77 percent of customers will never return to a business simply because of how they were greeted. Most of them leave without ever saying why. With that huge of a loss in business, it’s clear all businesses need to greet their customers properly.

Today, create goodwill and great experiences at your business by providing exceptional customer service. Write and share what you did.

The Power of a Handwritten Note

There is something special that happens when someone takes the time to put pen to paper and leave a thank you for your kindness or business. I was recently a guest at Crowne Plaza in Philadelphia and I left a tip for the housekeeper. (Note: I really am a good hotel guest, I don't leave a mess and my towels are always hung up.) Even though I always leave a tip for the housekeeper something different happened. This time I got a note back from her. I was delighted.

By simply putting writing that note she created the begining of a relationship with me. Do you think I made sure I left another tip the next day? You betcha. I would guarantee that this woman receieves more tips than her counterparts.

But, unless you are in a similar position you might wonder how this might help you and your business. In March I blogged about a Dentist who used handwritten notes to help his business.

No matter what business you are in, your customer will notice when you take the time to write them a note. It doesn't matter if it is on the bottom of the invoice you send, a postcard, a thank you note or a letter. Just take the few extra seconds it takes to write a note.

We have become adept at using technology to communicate in a variety of ways. Twitter, Facebook, E-mails, IM's, text messages allow us to instantly communicate to our friends and our customers. That's great. Instant communication can keep our customers in the loop. But for making a real impact on our customer nothing can beat a handwritten note.

Write someone a note today. See what happens.

How to Greet Your Customer-Attitude is Everything!

In a comment on a recent post Mr Q stated "The standardized greeting is a nice idea, one from which many businesses could learn. The other element, of course, is HOW the greeting is delivered... is it forced or insincere? If so, the WHAT will be completely lost in the HOW. So, as with all good managers, the mayor and/or city council must pay attention in an ongoing fashion to both the message and the delivery."

It was such a great comment I decided to write more about it. MrQ is absolutely correct. The HOW the greeting is delivered is absolutely essential. The following is from my soon to be published book "The Greet Your Customer Manual"

The most important element of your greeting is your attitude. No matter how hard you try to fool people, a negative attitude will be apparent. You give it away through your facial expressions, body language and vocal tone. Sometimes you reveal a negative attitude through what you doan't say or do.

A good attitude is one that is appropriate for your position of business. Clearly a funeral director needs to project a more somber attitude then a balloon store clerk. But both should be connected to their customers and concerned with their needs. Yes even the balloon clerk.

For most businesses, a good attitude means that youa re positive and upbeat, but in a genuine way. A phony cheery greeting has never once been mistaken for a good attitude. You can't successfully paste an insincere smile on your face in order to mask your true feelings. ou need to smile warmly and show enthusiasm for your customers.

So check your attitude. How would you feel if you were greeted in a similar fashion to the way you are greeting your customers?

Greeting Your Customer for Cities-Boardman Does it Right!

Chet Phillips, Boardman Oregon's new mayor understands the importance of a great greeting.

In an article in the East Oregonian, Erin Mills reports about Phillips first city council meeting. At this meeting Phillips announced his "Welcome to Boardman" campaign. He has asked all business owners to greet every new customer with "Welcome to Boardman."

Having the entire city greet visitors with this very welcoming greeting will have many benefits for both the city and for the merchants. First of all it is a great way to brand the city. After a few experiences hearing "Welcome to Boardman" visitors will think "WOW! That is different!" and they will tell friends and family about how welcome they felt. The best form of advertising is always going to be word of mouth. I can imagine Boardman getting known from this simple step.

The other benefit is that it will encourage all businesses to offer a warm greeting. Too often businesses can forget this important step. We get busy or distracted and forget to just say
"Hi" or "thanks for coming in" or any other greeting that shows that you are grateful to have this customer choose you.

In my soon to be published book "The Greet Your Customer Manual" I talk about how to greet your customers in a way that makes them feel like valued guests. I am so glad that the Mayor see how important a greeting can be for businesses and cities.

Why not start greeting your customers so that they feel like they are important to you. Tell me ways that you greet your customers!

Customer Service=Convenience

It has been my believe that what customers really want is EASY. Make it easy for them to do business with you and you will have a customer for life. Even in tough economic times most people still value convenience over price. 

It is amazing how many people make it hard for their customers to do business with them. Everything from making finding their phone number on their website into an Easter Egg hunt (tip: have your phone number as the footer on every page or at least have a clear "contact us" navigation button) to responding to emails and phone messages quickly (tip: 24 hours is TOO long these days. People want to hear back the same day if at all possible)

People need/want to have what they want quickly. Anything you put in their way ends up costing you the customer. We all have way too many choices where to do business. Easy to do business with will end up winning.

Yes, even "free" services need to be convenient. An article in the Star Community Newspaper talks about Shelley Holley, who has taken over the roll of library director at the Frisco Public Library. Holley's goal is to make her library relevant and convenient. She hopes to create a central area where where patrons can "...do things that sometimes now you have to go to several different areas of the library to do." Holley said.

What can you do to make it EASY for your customer to do business with you?

Look at these areas, as your customer might:

Phone systems. Have a friend or relative (who doesn't know the secret routes) to try and call your business. We sometimes haven't tried our own system since it was put in. If they they have to go through more than two sets of prompts you are NOT easy.

Email. Again, have someone outside attempt to contact you by email. How long did it take to get their mail responded to?

Parking. Is it easy to get into and out of your building. Sometimes you can control the parking but you can get innovative. Holiday Market has valet parking during holiday peak hours.

Returns. Yes, people can take advantage of liberal return policies. But I know people who ONLY shop at stores that allow returns easily. If you feel the need to have policies to protect you than make sure that they are clearly marked EVERYWHERE (Ie. on the sales slip, on your website, at the cashier etc. It doesn't hurt to have the salesperson say it out loud.

These are just a few of the ways you need to make your business easy. Now, let's hear from you.

What have you done to make your business easy? Or, what have others done that have made it hard for you to do business with them.

A prize to the best response!

A Holiday Greeting That Worked

OK. I know that the holidays are coming. It isn't a suprise. I know who I am giving to and what I am giving. So why do I wait until the last minute? Well that is probably unanswerable. However, it is clear that I am NOT the only one waiting to the last minute to order for their loved ones. So, as a business servicing these late-comers how do you greet them in a way that is personal and fun?

I think Harry and David succeeded in greeting me in a appropriate and fun way. An automated message came on and said "Thanks for calling Harry and David, we make your holidays easy." At the end of the automated message he said "relax." It wasn't so much a command as an invitation. Then the warm welcoming voice of the sales representative came on "Happy holidays How may I help you?"

Having just laughed at the request to "relax" which was the last thing on my mind I was pleased to hear her voice offering help. In minutes I was off the phone having sent my gifts. You know what? I am more relaxed!

Think of ways you can greet your customers in a way that acknowledges their situation and feels personal even if it is an automated message.

Stop Telling Us it's Our Policy!

Unbelievable. In this dire economy companies are still telling customers "Sorry, I can't do that, it's our policy." Can you really afford to push your customers away because of some stupid misguided policy? Really?

Last Saturday I went to a local dim sum restaurant to celebrate my friend Mary's birthday. There were 10 of us dining and we ordered A LOT of food. One of the guests asked for low sodium soy sauce. He was told "Sorry, that is only for people who are eating sushi." We were stunned. "Really?" he asked. "We can't have low sodium soy sauce if we don't order sushi?" "Right" our waitress said. We did the only sane thing we could do and ordered sushi we DIDN'T want so that we could have the low sodium soy sauce.

So, we got what we wanted. But did the restaurant get what they wanted? If their only concern was preservation of a condiment, then yes they did. But if their goal was pleasing their customer and making loyal customers, no they did not.

I know for a fact that most of us will choose the other dim sum restaurant that doesn't have this crazy rule next time we want dim sum.

Before you start feeling superior, check yourself. Have you or your employees, ever uttered the words " Sorry, that is not our policy" for ANY reason? If you, or they have, then you are as guilty as the restaurant. I am sure you think you have a more substantial reason for saying this. But, it still has the same effect on your customer's opinion of you.

Stop telling your customers that you have a policy that thwarts their desires. Make your policy "Customer Satisfaction" Try it today!

Putting Great Customer Service First

In a recent article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Joe Guy Collier writes about the changes that AFC Enterprises new CEO, Cheryl Bachelder is making to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. Bachelder said "We would like for our service, our guest experience to be as sharp as our food."

This kind of forward thinking is exactly what we all need to focus on in these tough economic times. Instead of letting the economic downturn get her down she said "We've had to be more focused, but I actually think that's been a blessing. We're going to get the fundamentals of our business moving the right way."

Popeye's has a system for immediate customer feedback that tracks hospitality as one of ten attributes. This feedback provides the managers the information they need to continuously improve.

Are you focusing on improving your customer's experience, or are you just slashing prices in hopes of winning your share of your customer's hearts and pocketbooks?

Focus on providing your customers what they want and need and you can win them over.

Great Customer Service Lesson from McClures's Pickles

Yesterday I went to the Royal Oak Farmers Market. I was happy to see that the wonderful folks from McClure's Pickles were there again. A few weeks ago I tasted their fabulous pickles and bought a jar. My husband and I were overloaded with goodies and the bag that dropped right by our car was the one that contained those pickles. The jar was smashed into smithereens and we wrapped it in plastic to get it to the garbage at home. The car had the wonderful aroma of pickles but we didn't get to eat any.

So as I walked up to their booth, two weeks later, I told them about my accident. "Why didn't you come back in we would have given you another one for free?" But instead of just saying I should have come back, she handed me a new jar and said "Here take this one please." I didn't accept her very generous offer, I happily paid for it.

I thought to myself, "You just made me a raving fan customer."

But here is the lesson to all of us. Being generous is the key to exceptional customer service. She could have easily said "Oh, you dropped the last one, sorry to hear that." and I would have been fine. I would have still bought another jar and gone on my way. But, because of her kindness I feel a huge sense of loyalty. They wanted to take care of me now I want to take care of them.

It is sometimes the smallest acts of kindness that can turn someone into a lifelong customer. What can you do in these difficult times to go the extra mile and do something to help your customers and win their loyalty?

What is THE most Important Dental Tool?

You might have looked at the picture and decided on your "favorite" tool. But in actuality the dentist's (actually ANY service provider's)most important tool is the pen.

My friend Mary had some dental work performed by her dentist, Bobby Grossi from DaVinnci Dental In Clawson, Michigan. Dr Grossi took over the practice from another dentist about 8 months ago. Mary liked her original dentist and had been with him for years. When Dr. Grossi took over she assumed that her dentist trusted him and so she decided to stay with the office.

Dr. Grossi obviously doesn't take customer loyalty for granted as a number of business owners do. He knew that he needed to offer superior customer in order to keep these new customers coming back to him.

Dr. Grossi HAND wrote a note to her. It said:

Mary,
I hope everything is going well. It truly is a pleasure to provide you with dental care. You are a lot of fun to work on, and I enjoy your company. I hope to be your treating dentist for years to come.
Thank you
Bobby Grossi

This is a PERFECT thank you note. It was handwritten, it was personal, it stated his goal (to be your treating dentist for years to come)

Mary was thrilled to receive this note and now feels even more loyal than she might have after a good visit.

But lets look at the other benefits. The handwritten note was so note worthy that she shared it with everyone at a group breakfast. Everyone looked at the note, everyone was impressed. And I am pretty sure that everyone thought to themselves "Why doesn't my dentist send me a note?"

Also she happened to hand to a customer service trainer, me, who has now written about it in her blog.

I had an opportunity to speak with Dr. Grossi. I asked him why he wrote the note. He said that he wants his patients to know that he is a human being that is grateful for their business. He treats his patients the way he would hope to be treated.

I asked if he had any comments from his patients about the notes. He has received comments but he said that his goal was not to get a specific response, it was just to let them know that they were appreciated.

If you are thinking, "yea I would love to have the time to do something like that." throw that excuse away. Dr. Grossi says he spends about twenty minutes a day writing his notes. You have twenty minutes to let your customers know you appreciate them, don't you?

If you don't, make the time. These kinds of notes work better than all the other kinds of outreach you do. People respond better to a friends recommendation than an ad in a paper.

Do it now! Write your customer a thank you note...I am going to!

How Hard is it to Smile and Say Hello?

I just went to my city hall to pay my taxes. The woman behind the counter looked at me as I waited for her to finish with the gentleman in front of me. Although she looked directly at me, she did not in any way acknowledge me. No smile, no "hi," no "I will be right with you." Not even a nod.

How did this make me feel? VERY uncomfortable. VERY unimportant. VERY invisible. The strange thing is that she did look at me. How hard would it have been to add some sort of human contact to make me feel welcome? Literally she might have had to make the slight physical effort to raise the corners of her lips into a smile. Or move the muscles in her neck to nod. But seriously not much effort at all.

So why didn't she do it? My guess is that no one, not her bosses or her customers ever bothered to let her know the impact of her inaction. Probably no one taught her how to be kind and welcoming. In fact no one ever spent anytime helping her understand the importance of greeting her customer.

Just because she is a civil servant doesn't mean that we residents aren't her customers. And ALL customers (no matter what you call them: clients, patrons, patients, guest, buyer, member, or enrollee) deserve your warm greeting.

Start paying attention to how you are treated. As you become more aware of how you are treated it will be easier to judge how well you are doing with greeting your customer. And if you are a manager, start training your employees on what a good greeting looks and sounds like. Then reward them whtn they do it correctly.

Customers may not tell you how they feel...but they will tell their friends. Make sure they are telling good stories about you.