You Cant Overdo Customer Service

Writen by Michael Keith Clark

I recently had an experience with a business that went way beyond excellent customer service and they not only made a customer for life, they made me a torchbearer for their success. As you read this, imagine what your company would be like if it offered this level of service.

I was in Los Angeles for a business trip and met with a client and a consultant at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. My first impressions of the hotel were good but not great. The building was beautiful, but the parking was expensive in a area where it shouldn't have been.

My client and I found a nice table in the lobby where we could comfortably wait for the consultant. The consultant called to let us know she would be about an hour late so we decided to get a bite to eat. We asked and found out that the restaurant was closed but a cocktail waitress told us she might be able to do a "little something" for us. To our delightful surprise she returned in a few minutes with a breakfast that was everything we imagined and more. Linen napkins, fresh fruit, fresh squeezed orange juice, toasted bagels, a cheese plate and more. And this with the kitchen closed.

Our meeting ran until lunch so we decided to give the restaurant a chance. As we approached the hostess, she was talking on the phone but she quickly acknowledged us turned and nodded to someone and a waiter instantly appeared to whisk us to a beautiful outside table. The waiter was courteous and when he asked us for water he asked if my client would like some lemon in her water and then turned to me and asked if I would perhaps like some lime. I was flabbergasted. He was right. I preferred lime. But how did he know?

Later the waiter brought out our soups while my client was in the restroom. He returned a couple of minutes later to check on us and saw she was gone. He whisked her soup away and returned a few moments after she did with a fresh bowl of hot soup. He knew the cool ocean air would have made it cold. Everything the waiter did was above what I've come to expect as excellent service. He got the biggest tip I'd ever left for a meal.

We came back the next day for another meeting and got the great service all over again, this time from other employees. I asked the bartender if they could make me a real fruit smoothie. He said he only had smoothie mix at the bar, but he'd see what he could do. Moments later, he appeared at my table with a real fruit smoothie. The restaurant was closed but somehow he'd managed to get it for me. And it was great. Another big tip.

When we were about to leave, we stopped by the Concierge's desk to find out if there were any local art galleries he could recommend. He knew from what we told him that we weren't guests at the hotel, but still went on the internet, asked other employees and worked until he'd found some nice recommendations for us.

And that brings us to that overpriced parking. When I took my ticket to the valet, I found out that with the lunch validation, my parking was almost free. As I stood waiting for my car another valet came up and asked if I'd been helped. I said yes, but he still went and made sure my car was coming. It was cold outside and he just wanted to make sure. My car quickly came and two valets made sure both doors were opened and closed for me and my client.

As we drove away, I was awed by the fact that every employee that I had come in contact with at The Loews for the past two days had given me better service than I expected and better than I'd ever had. We realized that we had happily given the largest tips we'd ever given to each of the employees that helped us. Not only had they earned their tips, but they earned their company two torchbearers. From now on, when I'm in Los Angeles, you can join me at The Loews.

Business consultant and professional speaker Michael Clark has been helping businesses including Fortune 500 companies such as IBM and Cellular One succeed for over 20 years. Michael is an authority on getting business owners out of overwhem and getting the most out of their businesses. His is a serial entrepreneur having opened multiple successful businesses over the last 12 years. Before that he had a successful career in finance and accounting for large corporations. He has been interviewed on radio, tv, and in print, as well as been a featured speaker at The Learning Annex, Rotary, and other business and professional groups. For more articles on small business success, check out http://www.biznbeyond.com. Feel free to copy this article and post it on your website as long as you keep the link to http://www.biznbeyond.com intact and give credit to Michael Clark at Business and Beyond.

Complaints In Your Business

Writen by Lance Winslow

Generally when a business gets a complaint, only one, they can look the other way unless it is a very large client. Yet when they get two about the same perceived problem, then the businessperson ought to stop and consider the source of both complaints. Why is that you say; two complaints is not a lot really? True enough indeed, let me tell you why two complaints might actually be 40-60 complaints instead of the two that you actually heard about.

You see regarding the "only 2nd person to ever complain theory" that is somewhat irrelevant as I am sure you as a businessperson have thought of this issue yourself at one time. After all it is your business and you probably know most everything going on in it, right? Well you see then that makes three.

I am sure you have heard from business books and have listen to on Cassette Tapes of Motivational Business Speakers and Leaders that if one person complains then 20 people are upset but only one person said something. So if you think that when two people complain it means nothing then you are telling me that 40 people are worried about this, but you do not care about 40 people or customers in your business.

Indeed if you observed this issue too, whatever it is that drew these complaints from otherwise happy customers then you had thought of it too yourself, so this makes another 20. So in reality there are 60 people who are concerned, worried or thinking about it. You see my point? Now how long have you been in business; oh, it doesn't matter anyway, you see; If you fail to adequately address such issues then you will soon not have to worry about your business, for you will have none to worry about. Think on that.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Is Life Too Short To Deal With Unpleasant Customers

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

One of best clients I ever had was a senior vice president at a financial company.

He didn't beat around the bush. If I asked him, how much of a budget do you have for this, he'd tell me, right away, down to the penny.

One day, we were talking and he told me, "Gary, life's too short to deal with unpleasant people."

There are certain lines, such as this one, that you hear that stick with you. Immediately, I wondered if this fellow had been able to chart a course in business that enabled him to navigate around the difficult customers, some of which seemed to have a home in my portfolio.

Then, I had a second reaction. Who can afford to be so choosy that he can toss out angry, difficult, or negative personalities? Aren't they everywhere?

Then, it hit me.

His company was distinctive, and his clientele was somewhat exclusive. Their profit margins were wide, and there was nothing but smooth sailing on the horizon.

They didn't have to worry much about customers stampeding away, because he was in a seller's market, what is called an ecological niche, a protected area to feed, without predators or substantial risks.

If there's any lesson in his situation, it's this: If you're calling the shots, you have a lock on a market, or an incredibly stable portfolio of clients, and others are politely and persistently trying to join them, well, lucky you!

Enjoy it, be choosy, and toss out the misfits.

But if you're non-distinctive, you're in a mature industry with plenty of competitors, you're facing escalating costs or shrinking margins, you have to make a specialty out of dealing with unpleasant customers.

If you can't change them, you simply have to change yourself, or at least your communication abilities, until you can create a product breakthrough or a process innovation that will enable you to stand alone on the high ground of exclusivity, again.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, "The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable," published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC's Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

No Shipment Too Big

Writen by Dr. Alfred Savio

You may have read my articles about the size limitations for both UPS and the USPS. What are you to do when these limits are exceeded? Your local The UPS Store location is one option for obtaining a freight quote.

If your package exceeds 165" in length + girth (girth = (width x 2) + (height x 2)), or it exceeds 150 pounds, you will need to ship the item via a freight carrier. The Post Office has even lower limits (70 pounds and 108" in length + girth).

Shippers, such as The UPS Store, have access to several freight vendors. If you call a freight vendor directly, their first question will likely be, "How many rooms of furniture will you be moving"? If you are interested in sending a single item, they will likely refer you to a shipper such as The UPS Store. The reason is that with nearly 5,000 retail outlets throughout the country, a freight carrier can pick up one item at one shipping outlet, one item from another store close by, and another piece at another nearby location. By the time they pack a couple of rooms for someone and then stop at some local shipping outlets, their truck will be full. Therefore, these shipping outlets can achieve a good pricing structure for you to move single objects via a freight carrier, without having to worry about filling the truck like a consumer would face.

Whether it is one piece or multiple pieces, visit your local shipping outlet for advice and a quote on the best method of packaging and shipping your oversize items.

Fred Savio is a multiple center owner of The UPS Store franchise in southern New Jersey. Visit Fred's shipping blog at http://shippinginfo.blogspot.com/ or his store websites http://www.theupsstoreeggharbortownship.com or http://www.theupsstoremayslanding.com You can email him at fredsinfo2006@yahoo.com

The Customer Service Manifesto Part Two Give Me More Satisfactions For My Money

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

As customers, we all need to make these ten declarations to businesses in order to get all of the service and satisfaction we deserve.

I call it The Customer Service Manifesto.

(1) You serve me; I don't serve you.

(2) Give me as many satisfactions for my money as you can.

(3) Make the satisfactions relevant to me, to what I hold dear, and not to what is important to you.

(4) Be available to help me to achieve the results I anticipated when I purchased.

(5) Don't bullshit me.

(6) Pay me for any inconvenience I have suffered because of you.

(7) Surprise me with perks, just for the heck of it.

(8) Don't bundle what I really want with expensive, useless frills that I don't want.

(9) Make it easy for me to stop doing business with you.

(10) Never, ever completely eliminate the human touch from your service.

This article explores the second of these items: "Give me as many satisfactions for my money as you can."

Today, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about how WalMart is grinding its suppliers, once more, to help that successful retailer to lower costs.

That phrase they use, and you see it on their big trucks, "Always, the low price," is something they're constantly living up to.

Economy is not a hit and miss thing with WalMart. It's in their blood, their sweat, and everything they do.

And they pass along these savings in the form of generally lower prices. In a phrase, they're always delivering as many satisfactions to their customers as they can, knowing that this builds loyalty and a business that can last for a long, long time.

Compare this to the way most cellular phone companies operate. They are constantly lowering their prices, but not for their older, more loyal customers.

Let's say you sign up today for 1,000 anytime minutes for $39.95, and they cut their price a month from now. So, it becomes 1,000 minutes for $29.95.

Will they call you or send you a text message saying, "Good news! Your plan has been reduced or improved"?

No.

The only way you'll learn about it is by seeing their ads for NEW customers. Then, you'll have to contact them and plead to have your cost pared back.

Today's cell phone companies don't strive to lower their costs and then to pass on the savings to us. They lower costs only to meet or temporarily beat the competition and then they are very selective about whom they bestow this benefit upon.

Tell them how stupid they're being. Point out the wisdom of the WalMarts and others who cut their prices before they're forced to do so.

Remember, you'll only get the quality of service and satisfaction that you demand!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, "The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable," published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC's Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations from Santa Monica to South Africa. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com. For information about coaching, consulting, training, books, videos and audios, please go to http://www.customersatisfaction.com