Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Gem of a Sale

You know when you’ve just gotta have it now, whether it’s pizza, a new outfit or an answer? Instant gratification is everywhere.  Why wait, when you want—NEED—it faster than five minutes ago? I spotted a prime example of instant gratification in action just last week.  A new item, advertised as the perfect accessory for spring, created a buzz in the stores that make up a small chain.

The item, a delicate pendant spun from multicolor threads and embellished with tiny silver charms, was a surprise hit for the chain.  The buyer who liked it, underestimated its appeal, so the small order quickly sold out.  The trendy “gotta have it now” item of the moment was on backorder, much to the annoyance of those who fell in love with its design.

“We’ve been to every store,” one customer said. “They all say to place an order and we might get it in a month.” At the store where I stood, one saleswoman wore the necklace, its pastel-toned shadings enhanced by her simple black blouse.  “How many could you sell, if you had them in stock?” I asked, and she rolled her eyes. “No one wants to even look at anything else.  We could move hundreds, along with coordinating accessories. It’s like trying to sell pink flowers for Fourth of July.”

I watched as she patiently explained to yet another young teen that no, there were no more in the back.  “She really wants one,” the girl’s mother pleaded, waving a platinum credit card. “But not for herself.  It’s for her friend’s birthday.” The teen explained, “Jen’s dad‘s been out of work since summer, and she’d never be able to afford one. “

The saleswoman unclasped her own necklace, discreetly placing it in a small box, while the teenager’s face lit up like a sunrise.  When the happy sale was complete, I looked at the clerk, who shrugged. “I really hate disappointing customers,” she said.  “My grandfather ran a clothing store, and he always said, if you make the customer happy today, he’ll come back happier tomorrow.”

True, no matter what you’re selling—even, or especially, when it’s a surprise order of instant gratification.

Have you ever done anything really special for a customer? We’d love to hear about it!

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Simply the Best?

A business acquaintance recently told me she dreaded having to fire an employee.  “She’s the best assistant I’ve ever had,” Leah said. ”Except that she has no business sense. She argues with the suppliers, and tells them they’re overcharging us.  She tells customers to write a letter, or to call back next month.  And two years after I asked her to file our monthly reports in a new format, she’s still using the old one, so I have to go back and correct them all. She wanted more responsibility, so I let her handle two new accounts,” Leah continued. “But she ended up losing both of them. That was right after I gave her a bigger raise than all the other assistants got.”

Wait—this is the best assistant ever? Imagine the worst one! Why did Leah call her “the best”? “Well, she is a very nice person, eager and pleasant to be around” was the answer.  Suppliers and customers might have a different description. “Really, she tries very hard, and I think eventually she’ll learn more about dealing with people,” Leah said. “The other assistants have been there longer and don’t show as much promise.”

I wanted to double over in pain. Leah’s view of her “best assistant” said as much about her as it did the person she needed to terminate.  This was not an unpaid summer intern absorbing life lessons about the workplace, but an employee drawing a regular paycheck—with a recent raise.  Imagine how many suppliers have soured on Leah’s company, or what her former customers say, thanks to her “best assistant.” What about the other assistants—the “internal customers”— who see someone fumbling the job and being rewarded.  Think they’ll embrace a serious work ethic, or start dissing the vendors?

If the customer is always, or often, right, how about those customers closest to home, the employees? They’re the most obvious selling point for any business.  Keeping them in the loop, showing how pleased you are by their effort, reinforces pride and ensures they’ll do it right.  And their positive attitude will attract and bring home those paying customers.

What kinds of behavior are rewarded in your organization?

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Booked for Success

A bright magazine ad caught my eye, drawn in by a familiar name.  I’d first come across this company long ago when it offered mail-order craft patterns.  Colorful but slim mailers appeared sporadically and I idly wondered how the place survived.  Cute items, but minimal selection that catered to a specific, if limited customer base.  I’d have described the company as a small business with a definite niche.

So how’d they end up with a full-color, prominently placed two-page ad,  dotted with descriptions such as “exclusive”  and “exciting”,  in a national, mass-appeal magazine ? The ad was not for the old reliable craft products, but a new, “captivating series” of original mystery novels—published by the company I recalled as the small craft business.
The books, shown with handsome covers and intriguing titles, employ a crafting theme, and invite readers for a free preview of these “exclusive” stories.  The combination of crafters— always on the lookout for something new—and mystery readers—who readily embrace “series” characters and adventures—added up to a fresh product for the company.  Steady customers will be ready to pre-order, and the allure for new customers is enhanced by a “special introductory half-price” offer.
Whether the books are page-turners or merely pleasant diversions, they’re already “must-haves” for curious customers.  They’re lured by the promise of continuing diversion in a pattern of “what happens next?” That could almost be a theme of the company’s move. Instead of just a new line of patterns, or affordably priced supplies, it went for an unexpected challenge, publishing original books. No matter that even big publishers and booksellers are in a quandary these digital days, the crafting mysteries, catering to a select and eager audience, are now reality.
Can you offer your customers something unexpected yet welcome, whether a product or a surprising service? Look to their interests, and yours, to plot that offbeat chapter.  It could become your new best-seller.

Tell us about something you did for your customers that was unexpected yet welcomed!

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Customer Communication and Spring Cleaning!

Believe it or not, spring cleaning and customer service have something in common. The urge to purge, to spruce up and air out winter’s doldrums hits all of us this time of year, from critters thinking of nests to homeowners pondering paint.  Even the phrase “spring cleaning” evokes images of fresh breezes and crisp organization, as blessed by Martha Stewart.  Why limit that sweep to the basement storage bin or linen closet?  Sometimes business benefits from a little springtime shakeup too.

For several years I’ve been on the mailing list for a monthly e-newsletter. Except it’s no longer monthly, more like bimonthly, or quarterly. Or whenever it pops up.  The publisher always slips in a slightly apologetic note explaining its late arrival, or lack of a promised article. She thanks readers for their patience and promises that the next one will arrive right on time. But it never does. The latest, for January, came more than a month late. It includes a discount coupon good though Feb. 1. And in her haste to get this first newsletter of 2010 out, the publisher neglected to change the template, which is still dated 2009.

When it launched, the e-newsletter held promise, with easy updates and timely tidbits. Because it came via email, it never cluttered a mailbox or wastebasket, thus saving trees and postage. But its publication became just one more chore for the harried editor putting it together.  She allowed it to grow stale instead of updating its look and promoting it via more current avenues.  Instead of a business tool, it stagnated into an antique, largely ignored. The editor admits to rarely receiving feedback.  And her monthly discount coupons? Unused.  In this economy, a customer skipping the chance to save money, because he didn’t see it? Definitely, time to spring clean that e-newsletter out of there.

Maybe you’ve got an outdated “newsletter” of your own that worked just “then”.  But a fresh approach will give you a better handle on “now.”

Give Market Viewpoint a call and we’ll be happy to take a look at your newsletter and offer suggestions for how you can spring clean and spruce up the most important vehicle for staying in touch with the most important people in your business- the customers!

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Be the Action Hero of Problem Solving

When your customers want action, you’re on the case, focused on getting results.  It should be so simple and basic, but sometimes, in the crush of too much, too fast, the basics get overlooked.  Not to malign any industry, but we’ve all spent too long on hold, or dealt with a rep who parrots a response without hearing our plea.  One company lost me for good last week, a  reality-check reminder of What Not To Do.

What does a customer hope for? Okay, a full-scale Congressional investigation, triple refund and lifetime discount may not be the best answers! But there are others…

A calm oasis: some customers themselves are so agitated, they’re loud, confusing, annoying. Instead of escalating to match their tone, take it down a notch. Let their waves of frustration wash out, and respond in the calmest, “I’m-a-supervisor-and-I’ll-fix-it” tone.  Oh, and please turn off the speaker phone, where the volume feels aggressive and less than personal.

Yes, the personal. The friendlier you are,  the easier it is to find out just what’s wrong, and make a connection. Simple way to do both: use the person’s name. In a respectful but friendly tone, remind that customer that you not only know his demand, you recognize his value.

The solution to his or her demand may be elaborate or easy, but instead of waiting for the customer to tell YOU…propose your own course of action. “I’d recommend we do this to resolve it,” you say. Once you state exactly what you believe will make that person happy, you’ve become the problem solver who saves the day.

If they hesitate, bring their input into the process.  “What would YOU suggest to take care of this?” puts them in the position of agreeing with your proposal, or telling you why they won’t. The dialogue gives you an added chance to personalize the solution—and keep them as a future customer who recalls the individualized attention of someone who believes in basic good business.

For more information on Dealing with Difficult Customers and Action Hero Problem Solving, contact Market Viewpoint.

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Recharging the Idea Machine

Ever wish you could come up with the next big, brilliant idea, the 21^st century equivalent of the light bulb, or even the Post-It note?  Or when you hear of something clever, you think, “Wish I’d thought of that.”  Especially at this time of year, when our brains often feel as frozen as our toes, the warmth of a bright idea seems as appealing, and elusive, as a sunbeam.

Don’t try so hard, berating those gray cells to get creative— just walk away from it. Physically, if you can.  Head outdoors for a moment, take in a gulp of frosty air, scan the sky, whether it’s the color of slush or sapphires.  It’s like mentally clearing your desk, leaving it open to new project or a fresh approach.

For a bigger boost, go for the unfamiliar: a museum or gallery.  Gaze at the paintings or sculptures, letting your mind glide over the hues and shapes and even the quiet surroundings.  Or if you’re in too much of a hurry to absorb culture, check out a place that’s outside of your own interests.  A tech-minded friend claims her creativity pops when she walks into—a fabric store! “It’s so outside my world, that all the different  textures, displays, items I don’t even know the names of, will start my mind clicking,” she says.  “Color especially will ‘speak’ to me.”  If you’re skeptical, just pick up a shade card in any paint department—Meadowbrook Mellow, Birdhouse Blue, Picket Fence.  The color roll call that runs from prosaic to pure poetry may tickle the start of an idea just waiting for an invitation.

Add to the experience by bringing a colleague or friend along, for a parallel but new view of the same horizon. You’ll also double the chances of sparking a new idea. “What if we did that?” your colleague might say, noticing a museum’s collection of informational brochures, or a gift shop’s limited-hours sale.  Even borrowing an idea is okay—it’s new to you.  And it’ll lead to an improved version, customized with your unique take, and fitted to your own customers’ hopes.

For some new ideas and approaches to your customer service plan, consider calling Market Viewpoint for a consultation. We’re always happy to share the great ideas we collect from the various industries we serve. Who knows? Maybe meeting with us us just the spark you need to take your service to the next level!

What are some of the new customer service ideas you’ve come up with recently?

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Add On Selling Drops to the Bottom Line

If you’ve ever shopped at one of those bath and beauty stores, you’ve experienced the “add on” push at the cash register. Just buying one item? The sales clerk will suggest something else in the same scent.  Getting a collection of products for gifts? “But you need something for YOU,” comes the gently insistent tone.  Because those added, impulse “extras” tally lots more profit.

You can find an even better illustration at any big-name coffee shop.  Sure, lots of customers are ordering their standard caffeine-to-go, in sizes to fit the adrenaline lag. But many more are getting a sandwich, or pastry. The oversized to-go cups are popular too, not to mention the small plush teddy bears, greeting cards and even sets of colorful mugs. On a recent snowy morning, I sat in a suburban Starbucks and in half an hour, saw at least 12 customers who didn’t buy a coffee, tea or cocoa. To the musical accompaniment of quiet jazz, they purchased the “extras,” from CDs to gift cards, spending significantly more than they would have on a venti caramel macchiato.

By contrast, a local “independent” coffee shop a block away sat nearly empty, despite much lower prices.  Customers could buy only coffee or tea.  The floor bore traces of slush, and the silence—not even a radio— told me why the place wasn’t filled.

What struck me was the realization that the “big-time” coffee giant, not the struggling little guy, was the one offering an ever-expanding inventory of items. You’d think an internationally successful brand already profited nicely just from those coffee drinks. But rather than rely on the basics, they “added on,” displaying more and different products to keep customers interested.  You’d think the “little” coffee place would try to do the same, just as bookstores have added coffee bars.  But it just seems to shrug, “we sell coffee, take it or leave it.”

Do you go beyond the basics and offer customers an “add on”? Think about what “impulse” might appeal to them.  The lure of “something special” can be irresistible, and brings them back to see what else might be in store.

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: What Are You Wishing For?

As managers who are responsible for customer service, we’ve all got those To-Do lists.  There’s always at least one in our Blackberry.   And another in our heads, in constant revision mode.  Maybe a few more, from long range fitness to Friday’s grocery run.  And of course, the list of ways to increase our business, from attracting new customers to pumping up that cash flow.  We dutifully cross out each completed item, or try to.  Then we add more to-do’s to the ongoing to-do list. That turns it into more of a never-ending story than a list of tasks done. Because there will always be more to do! And honestly, we know too well, that to-do list is never going to be done.

Instead of always running the To-Do marathon, why not change the scenery? Make a wish list for yourself.  We associate those with kids writing to Santa, and starry-eyed brides-to-be, or even our own birthdays. Usually a wish list is defensive: we compile a list of gifts we’d enjoy getting to make sure we don’t end up with  drugstore perfume in a bottle shaped like Hannah Montana, or eleven crock pots.

But those wish lists are for others.  A wish list for ourselves should come from the heart, not the accessories department.  Instead of “I wish I had a new pair of Ugg boots,” try “I wish I could polish my public speaking skills.” Rather than wishing for a new tennis racket to improve your serve, you may wish you could emulate a colleague’s organizing ability. Then look for a way to make that wish come true, whether it’s making practice presentations, or asking a co-worker’s help.  When you get your wish, you’ll feel  energized, confident—and capable of tackling any To-Do list on the planet.   Keep adding new wishes to your private list. You’ll find that “wishing” can boost “doing” every time.

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Seeing Your Business From The Customers’ Point of View

Regarding the customer experience, a friend once told me about a legendary shop in her neighborhood—legendary not because it was beautifully run, filled with bargains or fun to visit. “It’s a miracle she stays in business,” my friend said, describing the dusty store, tucked on an out-of-the-way street. Only a tiny, hand-lettered sign indicated that this plain stucco house was actually a business “open since 1947.” Each room was overcrowded with stock, some still in original, yellowed cellophane wrappings. Boxes and picture frames obscured a tall window, where winter sunlight strained to beam through.  The owner was a stern woman who repeatedly and loudly told her few customers “don’t touch!”   I wondered how she’d react to such treatment if she were on the other side of the counter, planning to make a purchase. How did she turn a profit?  Well, she didn’t:  she ran it strictly as a hobby, reluctantly serving those who braved her stony stare. Why open the doors at all?

The store is still there, now run by the late owner’s daughter. She cleared out the clutter, rearranged the stock and held a grand re-opening; hoping some of the loyal, longtime customers would come around. “My mother never looked at her store from an outsider’s eye,” she told my friend, who was amazed at the transformation. “If she had, she would have seen how tired the place looked, and how she could have treated people better. But she always said she did everything her own way, not someone else’s, and she didn’t care what it cost her.”

Imagine running a business with such arrogance. By ignoring the absence of customers, the outdated materials and even her own negative energy, she lost every opportunity to make her business thrive and grow rather than stagnate. Opportunities lost, since 1947! It takes such a small effort to walk around to the customer’s side of the counter. Do a little window shopping in your business.  Are you in the “don’t touch!” category with customers, or even employees?  Instead, invite them to share what brings them back to you—and what you could do that would inspire others to do the same.

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: The Olympics and the Customer Experience Vision

February may be the shortest month, but it’s always reminding us how strong it is, with icy fingers and frosty breath.  Never mind what the groundhog says, spring always seems at least six months distant. But this year, we’ve got the Olympics to brighten February’s horizon. Much more than the Summer Games, the Winter Olympics tend to mesmerize us, with daredevil ski champions and precision figure skating, not to mention, our once-every-four-years reminder of what “luge” is.  Secretly, some of us may wish we too could pull off a triple Salchow, or glide down a mountain at breakneck speed.  Never mind the gold medal, we’d just like the thrill and the appreciative applause, thank you.

But even if we’ll never zigzag down a slope or whirl around an ice rink, we can still borrow some of that Olympic stardust. Every athlete in Vancouver started with only a dream.  Without the dream, without seeing themselves fly down the mountain or land a perfect double-axel, they’d be watching the Games at home, no matter how many chilly hours they’d spent practicing.  Sometimes, you really have to see it to make it happen.  See yourself in a challenging situation. How do you handle it? Do you come through like a winner, choosing the right words to get your message out?  Walk through it again, adding as many details as you need, from the confidence-building outfit you wear to the way your customer addresses you. How can you change the picture to be sure you win in the end?   Athletes thrive on “visualization”, mentally watching themselves score goals, cross finish lines, achieve victory.  They’ll replay it endlessly, tweaking their performance until they see no other possibility but a win. If they falter, showing even a whisper of doubt, they’ll all tell you that’s when they lost their chance.

Practice seeing yourself win, in small conversations and on bigger stages. Like the Olympic athlete, you’ll soon see yourself strictly going for the gold.

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