Full Version: Service
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1]
27 Feb 2007
To: ALL
Aloha Gang,
I just got off the phone with a supplier. When I hung up the first thought that came to mind was, man they need to improve their customer service. It was nothing major, just a telephone thing. " Kelly's here but is out for about 10 minutes. Do you want to call back then?" As opposed to
"Yes, Kelly is in but has stepped out. May I take a message and have her return your call?
The difference is subtle, but very real and delineates a line between caring and not.
So in this business or any business, the bottom line is provide THE best service you can. People will pay more to be taken care of.
Last night we were discussing service, and I hear tell that there is a small hardware store in a town in the midwest that actually put a dent in the bottom line of the local home depot because of their superior service. You would walk in their store, someone would greet you, the would spend time with you, helping you get exactly what you needed or wanted or helped you solve your problem. Their prices were higher than home depot, but people FLOCKED to them because of their service.
This is something we all tend to get lax about from time to time, but in this cutthroat age it is our first line of defense.....
Thanks for letting me share and or blurt and or vent.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2]
27 Feb 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 27 Feb 2007
Excellent points, regardless of vent, blurt or share. :-)
Makes a big difference and costs nothing to implement.
From: Becky (KIAIJANE) [#3]
27 Feb 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 27 Feb 2007
scoot over and make some room on your soapbox... ;-)
I would absolutely agree with you on the importance of customer service.
Our town is very small but it's big enough for both a Lowe's, a Home Depot and 2 Wal-Marts.
We have a paint store in town that has a THRIVING business and has for years. All they sell is paint...no hardware or tools...just paint.
Their paint is considerably more expensive than "chain store" paint (which is NOT why they are thriving)
When people are painting, they want to talk to people who actually know something about paint...not the kid who was working the grocery aisle at Wal-Mart the week before he got the Lowe's job.
(I have nothing against any of the bigger chains.)
So I believe in addition to customer service, knowledge about what you sell goes a long way too. That's why I think it's important for everyone who attends the classes in LV to be enrolled in the certification program....
(i'm not mentioning anyone in particular <cough> Joe Hayes <cough> )
While existing customers may already be aware of your extensive knowledge base, it does let new/potential customers know that you are serious about mastering your craft.
And with that, my two cents has been added as well ;-)
Becky
From: Dee (DEENA-ONLY) [#4]
27 Feb 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 27 Feb 2007
Hi,
One of the seminars I took was about the subtle ways we convey messages to one other. The speaker pointed out that when we are trying to make a sale & say "I will talk to you on Monday" we are "silently" conveying the message that their "fate to succeed" is in our hands. When we say "we will speak on Monday" we are conveying the message that "the customers has a need that we will work together to solve". Makes us appear to be working on their team and gives them "power". The difference was subtle but it struck a chord with me.
Dee
From: Becky (KIAIJANE) [#5]
27 Feb 2007
To: Dee (DEENA-ONLY) [#4] 27 Feb 2007
I'm sorry I missed that class. It was one that appealed to me but I had a conflict with another class. It sounded like a good one.
So many classes, so little time...
Becky
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#6]
27 Feb 2007
To: Dee (DEENA-ONLY) [#4] 27 Feb 2007
I had to read you msg twice...to get it..but I see your point....That was the seminar about word and how to use them or something like that wasn't it?
Did you get the list of words?
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#7]
27 Feb 2007
To: Becky (KIAIJANE) [#5] 27 Feb 2007
The other big one was to never ask 'Why' anything.
They did studies and that word in particular raises stresses in the 'fight or flight' reaction of the brain. Figure out how to word the question differently.
The other funny sounding thing that works many times is when a customer says, "I don't know." Asking, "If you did know, what would be the answer?" This is said to get a good answer about half of the time. I can see it working when a customer says that they have no idea of what they want. It will lead you to serve them better and give them some direction that they will like.
From: Becky (KIAIJANE) [#8]
27 Feb 2007
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#7] 27 Feb 2007
I have a 6 year old and a 4 year old who would have benefitted greatly from that knowledge... 8-O
Becky
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#9]
27 Feb 2007
To: Dee (DEENA-ONLY) [#4] 27 Feb 2007
You bring up a good point about the fact that the customer is also on the same team. They do hold some responsibilities that are necessary for us to provide the level of service we strive to offer.
I had a customer approach me about doing some custom-shaped plaques that were going to require me to order components from four different vendors to complete the plaque. I created a full-color, real-world, digital rendering of the plaque, along with a quote that included my quantity discount break points.
For this type of complex project we were on a fairly tight schedule, so I made sure that I followed up my e-mail with a phone call to ensure she received the information. A week has gone by and I have yet to receive any response, even after making follow-up calls and e-mails.
I am confident that they will give me the go-ahead, based on the relationship I have with this company, but now I am within 10 days of an in-hands date and don't even have the okay.
STOP EVERYTHING! The phone just rang and it was my contact with the company. She said she spoke with the CEO and he hasn't gotten back with her. I told her that I was up against my hard deadline to meet their deadline. She said that she really thought the rendering looked nice and that she felt pretty safe telling me to go ahead with it. I said, "In other words, you're taking responsibility for what I order today." She said, "Let me go up to his office and pin him down."
If I don't get an answer before I leave today, I will park crossways in the CEO's driveway, which is a block over from mine, to get that answer. How is that for drive-up customer service?
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#10]
27 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#9] 27 Feb 2007
Sounds a bit like customer terroristic threatening to ME. ( insert laugh here)
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#11]
27 Feb 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#10] 27 Feb 2007
From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#12]
27 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#11] 27 Feb 2007
4:00 $10/item
5:00 $12/item
6:00 $15/item
Tomorrow: 2x
Day after: 3x
Time, after all, is money!!!
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#13]
27 Feb 2007
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#12] 27 Feb 2007
From: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#14]
27 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#13] 27 Feb 2007
EDITED: 27 Feb 2007 by PENINSULATROPHY
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#15]
27 Feb 2007
To: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#14] 27 Feb 2007
From: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#16]
27 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#15] 27 Feb 2007
That leaves you with what, a 10 minute job for $10 in labor, $10 laser time and $10 overhead ?
Just trying to understand :/ $$$
"custom-shaped plaques that were going to require me to order components from four different vendors to complete the plaque" = $17.80 ,
My shipping costs far exceed your total cost. They were included in your cost weren't they......
EDITED: 27 Feb 2007 by PENINSULATROPHY
From: JHayes55 [#17]
27 Feb 2007
To: Becky (KIAIJANE) [#3] 27 Feb 2007
From: Becky (KIAIJANE) [#18]
27 Feb 2007
To: JHayes55 [#17] 27 Feb 2007
When we were discussing it, I thought you said you were only enrolling this year...
Another one of those times I really wishe I were a coffee drinker I-)
Ok all, translate that cough to someone not enrolled!! LOL
My bad....
Becky
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#19]
27 Feb 2007
To: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#16] 27 Feb 2007
From: jeanettebrewer (JEANETTEBREWER2) [#20]
28 Feb 2007
To: JHayes55 [#17] 28 Feb 2007
Joe,
I don't know the specifics but as I recall, ARA will retroactively credit you for classes (maybe for the last year?) that you attended, if you turned in your Evaluation Form. Might be worth a phone call or email to find out.
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