Full Version: Overnight Isn't Good Enough?
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#1]
16 Feb 2007
To: ALL
I had a "potential" customer call today. She said she had spoken to the other trophy shops in town and they were not able to provide what she wanted in a timely manner. She said if I could get her out of this fix, we'd have a deal. She was the team sponsor and a procrastinator.
My natural question was, what is your deadline? As expected, she said her event was tomorrow (Saturday). My next question was, what is the occasion? She said it was for a 6th grade boys basketball team, and that she wanted 12 nice out-of-the-ordinary trophies. I explained her options and she was thrilled that she had someone that even had acceptable options.
The first thing that came to mind were resin trophies or shields from PDU, which are the only inexpensive trophies I display, although I still don't stock them.
The customer selected one of the resins off of the PDU website. I placed the order around 10:00 AM, had a courier service in Kansas City pick them up, deliver them to me, one hour away, by 2:00 PM, engraved them and contacted the customer at 3:30 PM to let her know they were ready for pickup.
This ended up being an unanticipated $270 sale with a $15 same-day courier service expense, which I was able to pass on to the customer.
Through e-mail, I comforted my customer by letting her know where everything stood with her order throughout the day. Little did I know this same person was the owner of a large home health company, which now has decided to do almost $10,000 of ad specialty business with me. :-)
I have heard so many of you on this forum that have done things like this. You have inspired me to think outside the box. I've never used a courier service, but you can bet that this has opened my eyes up to a whole new opportunity.
EDITED: 16 Feb 2007 by DATAKES
From: Mike (MIKEN) [#2]
16 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#1] 17 Feb 2007
A good lesson for all of us.
Thanks,
From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#3]
17 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#1] 17 Feb 2007
Your courier service was only $15??? That's incredible!!
We have one customer that orders custom-sized stainless steel plates (with Cermark), giving us less than a week to do them. On a couple of occasions they have hired a courier to pick the finished plates up at my shop. They paid $200 for that service!
On other occasions, they've had me deliver the plates. I've charged them $180 for the trip. Keep in mind that they're about 80 miles from me.
Congratulations on the new customer! It looks like you were able to give them the product they wanted within the time-frame they required....and it turned into a fantastic account. Great job, sir!!
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#4]
17 Feb 2007
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#3] 17 Feb 2007
Cody,
You do need to shop around. This company uses a fleet of small Toyota pickups. I was also amazed at their rate sheet, considering the cost of labor, fuel, vehichle maintenance and depreciation.
I hope they can continue this service at the rate they currently do. It opens up a whole new level of service I can offer. It's nice to have them on my team.
From: AL (SUBLIAL) [#5]
17 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#4] 17 Feb 2007
David, No it is nice SHE has you on her team because you gave her the product and service she needed. The same as your msg. service did for you.
Good going.
AL La Costa
www.atttransfer.com
1-866-900-2830 toll free
From: Dee (DEENA-ONLY) [#6]
17 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#4] 17 Feb 2007
Congratulations David! I hope you are patting yourself on the back.
Dee
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#7]
17 Feb 2007
To: Dee (DEENA-ONLY) [#6] 18 Feb 2007
The flip side of that transaction is the customer who came in today and needed ten $7.00 trophies. I told him I didn't offer anything but medals in that price range. I showed him what I was capable of providing in a low-end trophy and politely referred him to a local trophy shop.
EDITED: 17 Feb 2007 by DATAKES
From: Dee (DEENA-ONLY) [#8]
18 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#7] 18 Feb 2007
You should pat yourself on the back for that one also.
Dee
From: Joe (SMITTY61) [#9]
19 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#1] 19 Feb 2007
David,
That's one of the many reasons we have been in business for over 40 years. Being able to turn around product in the same day or next day falls under the category of "customer service". Which in a lot of industries, doesn't exist anymore. We have turned around 500 trophies by the close of business next day. People remember that and reward you with future projects that lead to bigger and better things! Great Job!
EDITED: 19 Feb 2007 by SMITTY61
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#10]
19 Feb 2007
To: Joe (SMITTY61) [#9] 19 Feb 2007
Joe,
Thank you. Being a one-man band, my limits might be tested with a 500-piece trophy order, but I bet could pull it off if the order were placed early enough in the day. I'd be worthless the next day, but I'd get 'er done. I-)
P.S. This is not an open invitation to any future customers who may happen to read this public post.
From: Joe (SMITTY61) [#11]
19 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#10] 19 Feb 2007
Being by yourself, that would definately be a tall order! My point is, that you did what you had to do, to provide customer service and gain a good reputation. I can't tell you how many customers I have accrued for going above and beyond. I have some that have been coming here for 20 years!
You have to make sure it is going to be profitable and sometimes the profit may come in the form of more work from that particular customer. Good Luck!
Message 6068.12 was deleted
From: Franco [#13]
19 Feb 2007
To: Joe (SMITTY61) [#11] 20 Feb 2007
From: Lisa (TROPHYUSA) [#14]
21 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#7] 21 Feb 2007
I wish some of my competitors weren't so darned cut-throat! I have one guy who will cut my prices by a quarter to get a small team order. Personally I am over the little trophy orders -- much rather get the leagues. We are changing our entire scheme and going after corporate and high-end customers that we can coddle, and they appreciate it!
Part of my plan in Vegas is to look into the PDU web connect and try to both increase my trophy pricing and automate it a little more. That should eliminate some of the small orders.
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#15]
27 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#1] 27 Feb 2007
Great Job David.
I just now came upon your post.....I"m quite happy for you.
From: Rolf (RJB2108) [#16]
27 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#1] 27 Feb 2007
Congratulation Dave!!!
I went to a workshop a while back. It was lead by Steven Capper. He told us a very simmilar story. He ended saying the sometimes big doors swing on small hinges. Meaning, you never know who walkes into your shop. Your story proves that too.
Thank you for sharing this.
Hope you have a great day
Rolf
From: Peter [#17]
1 Mar 2007
To: ALL
Great story.
Lisa ,
your change of direction also draws many parallels to Davids story and it wont be long before you begin to tell similar ones.
David doesnt engage in el cheapo trophies, he doesnt have the tacky $2.00 pieces of junk that require mass turnover at full profit (?)to maintain a decent living.
Many in the trophy business , go in buying the elcheapo $ 2.00 product then promptly on sell them for $ 2.50 or $ 3.00 each...
You can see the tie up here ? No amount of turnover will make up for lack of mark up...The mentality is: If I sell 500 units at 50c mark up I'll make my profit on volume.
WRONG!
Here's the difference, whilst our erstwhile friend is beavering away in a mess of a workshop trying to put together 500 trophies,he must continues to do this on a daily basis...."the problem" you may ask...?
Well, heres a simplistic answer.. The elcheapo shop owner, is being burnt out, he cant work out why he "has" to under cut you by so much all the time simply to get the buiness, he cant understand why people still walk into your shop or Davids.......
So...he continues to slave...like the Golem from Lord of he Rings around his potential clients...and it is obvious to his potential customers...they continue to drive him lower and lower...and his " precious" is his only motivation, because he cant work out why he cant meet his commitments...
Now. David and Yourself do what you need to...take Davids case, he has quality goods, well researched and a potential minimum markup. This mark up allows him to do several things.
This includes, ensuring the customers true needs are met.
spending time with the client ( the golem has no time) , he is flat out trying to put togethor $ 2.00 trophies to retail at $ 2.50 to prevent you or David getting the business. He cant spend the time determining the customers needs, except for offering the cheapest price, then rushing back into the workshop to put tem togethor..
He has created his own millstone...it hangs from his neck...just like that poor Golem.
Business acumen and success is not based on the cheapest price in this business. Providing the best quality products a top quality service and follow through and a thorough understanding of your costs, profit requirements and delivery capabilities, will give you all the Power you need to maintain the business advantage.
Your best customers will keep coming back..and they are the ones that will continue to open other doors for you..
The others ...well simply...they are Golems too...send them down the road and let them argue over "their Precious"..
regards
Peter
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#18]
1 Mar 2007
To: Peter [#17] 1 Mar 2007
WOW Peter,
A truly amazing post.........Way to go Bilbo. B-)
From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#19]
1 Mar 2007
To: Peter [#17] 1 Mar 2007