Heidi is another Gal who is part of the Collaborative project – Guest Blogging.
Creating a Customer-centric Culture has never been more important in business, than it is today. In this economy and era of incredible competition, now more than ever we must focus on our customers. It’s time to re-evaluate your customer service processes and “rules” and find ways to make it easier to do business with you. In part one of this two-part customer service article, we will discuss why a customer leaves and how to handle customer complaints.
The STATISTICS
According to research by the National Chamber of Commerce the “Average” company has as many as 26 customers with problems, (6 of those with serious problems).
One financial institution learned the hard way that when your customer is unhappy he will take his money elsewhere and sometimes it can be a very costly loss. Here’s the “story:”
“One day a man came into ABC Bank to make a deposit. While doing so he asked if they would validate his parking ticket. The Teller sent him to the receptionist who proceeded to tell the customer that they did not validate parking tickets. He then went to the branch manager. Because she did not recognize him, she too would not stamp the parking ticket. The customer did not get angry, he simply left withdrawing his 2 million dollars as he did so.” Imagine this happening in your company:
THE Lesson: Don’t let a $2 parking ticket cost YOU 2 million dollars!
Learn the Rule of 3 and 33 (first noted by author Jerry Wilson) which simply means that customers are 11 times more likely to tell others about a negative experience than a positive one. When we make a customer unhappy she or he is likely to tell 11 others, who in turn will tell another 3 each (3 X 11 is 33). And by the way, if you make that customer happy they are only likely to tell on average 3 people. Focus on the 3!
And even more important:
96% of unhappy customers who receive poor treatment will never tell you.
90% will not come back or buy again.
69% quit doing business because of indifference.
54-70% will do business again if their complaint is resolved. And could be as high as 95% if the matter is resolved quickly
How do we handle a customer complaint?
When a customer is upset about a product and service our first instinct is to take the defensive. It’s human nature. But that is not what the customer best responds to. Here are four costumer service tips to make your customer feel like they are heard when they are upset.
1. Allow the customer to vent. Let her or him tell their story. Even if you don’t agree.
2. Empathize with them. Use words and phrases such as “I understand how you must feel.”
3. Take responsibility ~ remember that in business the buck stops here. Even when it’s not your fault, the best way to diffuse an angry customer is to accept the responsibility for the problem.
4. Stay calm, ask questions, and listen. Listening is the most neglected of our six senses and the most important. There is a reason we are given 2 ears and only one mouth. Our ears should be used twice as much as our mouth so we can understand and learn from others.
©Heidi Richards Mooney – is a Professional Motivational Speaker, Business Coach and the Author of 7 books including: “Rose Marketing on a Daisy Budget ~ How to Grow Your Business Without Spending a Fortune.” She is also the Publisher of WE Magazine for Women. Stop by to get your FREE copy of Chapter 1 and 2 of “Quirky Marketing: 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany and Non-traditional Holidays” today!
Tagged as:
appreciation,
customer behavior
Building Blocks
As we all know anything new can seem a bit scary. For some people it’s skydiving and for others it’s the Internet!! Yes, the good old internet with it’s ability to reek havoc within the technology challenged. If you fall in this category, it may be good for you to know that the internet and social media is not such a scary place. In fact, it’s pretty interesting that the idea of an internet emerged in the early 1950’s and now has grown into a powerful tool allowing people the ability to communicate, exchange information and conduct business like never before.
I can assure you that even if you have yet to take the plunge there are some great benefits of doing so because of the relationships you can build. I’ve been able to keep in better touch with old friends and those who live far away. This is all due to social media’s ability to transcend geographical & time constraints. Even if you have never met your online friend in person the ability to share pictures, exchange recipes or lend an ear is very real. The best part is that you can have a running conversation where time is no longer an issue. You simply pick up where you left off. It really is amazing!
As a huge fan of technology, I have to admit that I’m a bit biased since there are so many ways that I use the internet within my daily life. I run my businesses exclusively on the internet . One of the side benefits that has evolved from my internet use is that I’ve become paperless and haven’t bought a box of paper in over 2 years! No kidding! I pay my bills online, look up movie schedules, get directions (even though Mapquest and I have had a few disagreements) and yes, even socialize.
Below are 3 easy building blocks to help you get started:
- Ask… Why? Your first step is to get your mind right. Become clear as to why you want to use the internet or social media. Are you wanting to keep in touch better with friends and colleagues or is it just a marketing tool that will allow you exposure? Once you clarify how it will fit your needs then you can proceed with more confidence in mastering its use.
- Break away from your fear by gathering facts and experiences from those around you. By conducting an informal survey of friends and family you will soon find out if your fears are justified. You will also be surprised how much you will learn by asking! Make sure to also solicit help from these same friends and family should you become stuck.
- Connect. I recommend you start with one social media or a community site (Facebook ) and then once you are comfortable add another. You will even learn some tricks that you can carry on to your new community thereby making that experience much easier.
With a bit of time and patience you can easily navigate within the internet world and social media with ease. By taking the simple steps listed above you will soon become a true social media maven! It can be a bit overwhelming at first but stay open to the benefits as you connect with others and watch your relationships expand and grow deeper. It all starts with you, so go out there and have some fun!
De Harris brings over 17 years of expertise as a manager, business owner, and personal & business development coach. As the Founder & President of The WOWNetwork Alliance & CEO of AllBiz Web Support, she has worked with a wide variety of large & small businesses, corporate leaders and entrepreneurs to formulate their voice and presence through on/offline branding, organization and marketing systems that build better business. De is passionately dedicated to keeping the web/tech challenged expert ‘in the know’ by offering solid networking connections and support through educational opportunities with experts from around the world. Subscribe and learn more by visiting DeHarrisOnline.com
Tagged as:
introductions,
Social Media Marketing
