| LED Digest 2497: The Customer Always Rules |
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================================================== The LED Digest Moderated Discussion List "Effective Online Advertising, Since 1997" Data > Information > Knowledge > Wisdom www.GetWebContent.com/LED : the LED's Key Sponsor The Web's Most Experienced SEO Content Providers. www.SEOToolSet.com/training/ : the LED's Premier Sponsor Bruce Clay's Search Engine Optimization Training & Certification ================================================== List Moderator: Published by: Adam Audette LED Digest adam, led-digest.com http://www.led-digest.com .............................................. September 21, 2007 Issue no. 2497 .............................................. .....IN THIS DIGEST..... ==== CONTINUING ================= --== Customer Service in Marketing ==-- ~ Ron Coble "...I wanted to write a follow up to my previous post..." ~ Shel Horowitz "What too few companies understand is that customer interaction is their *real* brand..." ~ Tom Aman "...make the customer feel that you believe 'the customer is always right'..." <Moderator Comment> ~ Michael Linehan "No one buys just a product or service; they buy the whole experience." ======== CONTINUING =============================== From: Ron Coble Subject: Customer service The subject of customer service being raised again, I wanted to write a follow up to my previous post about the lousy service reported in my post a few weeks ago and also provide some positive input to the discussion. First, I never did hear from the original furniture store, even though it has been a month. Another strike against them that I failed to mention in my first post was that I had to "register" myself and my email with their site before I could even use their customer service form - I mean talk about jumping through hoops and then they never even so much as send you a sales flyer, newsletter or reply to your request?? On the positive side of customer service, the playground equipment web site was very responsive to my daughter's request in sending her a list of the models and prices via Email. Also on the positive side, I like to "try" and reward good customer service. The salesperson at the furniture store where my father ultimately purchased his lounge chair was very nice, extremely knowledgeable and I know they work on a commission so I asked her name and if she would be in on the days I could take my father to see the chair because I wanted her to earn a commission and I told her that. I scheduled the visit around her schedule and made sure to ask for her. She was already with a customer and we waited until she was finished so she could earn the commission. I always ask the person who provided good service if they earn a commission on a sale, if I make a purchase, if they do, I then make sure I only purchase whatever it is through them. Good service needs to be rewarded and maybe some of it will rub off. When the service is exceptional, I have gone as far as to ask for the person's supervisor because I wanted to express my appreciation for the great service they have provided and specifically the person who provided it. Hopefully, if that person cannot earn a commission of any sort, they might earn an employee award or something that will make others take notice as to why this person is being rewarded. Ron Coble Coble International Business To Business Services http://www.importexporthelp.com -------- new post - same topic --------- From: Shel Horowitz Subject: Customer service, Phone calls I'm going to combine two threads: annoying phone calls and customer service for Internet business. While I cringe every time I get a call that starts "How are you today?" I've learned that once in a while, it's actually a client -- the same sort of client that sends an e-mail with a subject like "hi" or their name (unknown to me until then). Yes, they need some education -- but some of them have been very nice clients to have. I see the subject lines my college-age daughter and her friends use, and I'm amazed that they even get it past the filters. But just now I got the kind of phone call I truly loathe: Caller: "We have a representative coming to your area tomorrow who would like to present our cc merchant rates to you." Me: "I'd only schedule a meeting if I knew the rates are better than what I'm paying. Can you send me some information?" (since I'm not thrilled with my current provider, I might actually be a prospect -- but not for this jerk) Caller: "We have a representative coming to your area tomorrow. I can set you an appointment Me (still polite, despite the circumstances, but firm): "Please sell to me the way I want to be sold. Either mail me the information or leave me alone." Caller: hangs up Who trains these cretins? I think next time I might try, "I charge $145 per hour for my time. If your representative would like to pay that amount, I'll happily schedule a meeting. Your company could use some training in the idea that if you want to make the sale, you approach the customer the way they request you to approach -- and that's one of the topics I can cover in a consultation." As to customer service for Internet businesses: I think every customer has the right to expect great service. I confess, sometimes I overlook an important email, and then my response time is lousy. But my intention is to answer client / prospect / customer inquiries within one day, often much sooner. As it has messed up so many things, spam filtering slows this down. I have to wait for messages to get out of my filter and into my inbox, and hand-copy them if as is so often the case, they never arrive. And in my actual work, i try to deliver more than I promise. As a result, I have pages of pages of glowing testimonials that I know with certainty have led to more business. Customer-centric marketing is one of the cornerstones of my award-winning sixth book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First. It's so much easier to find what people want and sell it to them, in the way they want to be sold, than to try to cram unwanted products or inept approaches (such as today's caller's) down their throats. What too few companies understand is that customer interaction is their *real* brand -- far more powerful than any logo or slogan or jingle or paint scheme. Those who are customer-centric reap the benefits of customers who become brand ambassadors; those who turn off their customers may find those customers told 10,000 people on an Internet discussion group, as I just did. and those disgruntled folks might name names. PS -- speaking of slogans... I went to a workshop last night on Technicolor Introductions, with Sasha ZeBryk. If you have the chance, ever -- go do this. Tonight at the Chamber of Commerce function, I'll tell people that I meet that "I show the world the value in your values." Shel Horowitz, award-wining author, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First Founder of the Business Ethics Pledge http://www.business-ethics-pledge.org ========= Begin Sponsor Message ========= Why pay more for less? Some content providers charge extra to search-engine optimize copy. And some are so clueless, they don't offer SEO at all. A lot of good that'll do your site. At GetWebContent.com, we SEO everything we write without any additional charge whatsoever. Get it all, http://www.GetWebContent.com/LED ========== End Sponsor Message ========== -------- new post - same topic --------- From: Tom Aman Subject: Customer service > I'm not a firm believer in "the customer > is always right," but ... - Shelly Cole, LED Digest 2496 - http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1908/190/ The big trick in any kind of customer service is to make the customer feel that you believe "the customer is always right" even when you know the customer is wrong. Tom Aman http://www.cyberspyder.com <Moderator Comment> Good point, Tom. I also like my dad's take on this issue. In the Sweet 16 he writes, ---------------------- "The old saying used to be, "The customer is always right." Well, we all know that is nonsense -- the customer is often wrong. But there is a valid adaptation of that old saying that works in a networked environment, "The customer might not always be right -- but the customer always rules." "Therefore, we must never abuse our relationship with the customer. Forget for a moment that it's the "right" thing to do as regards personal and business ethics. In this context it simply makes sense from a dollars and cents business perspective. There are many examples of how to do this, and fortunately we can always feel it in our gut." Source: http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1286/174/ ---------------------- That's from Principle 1: Maintain Absolute Integrity. I continually keep his advice in mind, not only to keep the "dollar and cents business perspective," but also because it's the right thing to do. There ya go dad -- proof I actually learned something all these years! -adam -------- new post - same topic --------- From: Michael Linehan Subject: Customer Service > Do you think customer service matters for > Internet marketing? Why, or why not? - Adam Audette, LED Digest 2495 - http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1907/190/ Absolutely. Small small-business cannot compete on price. You'll just work yourself into the ground trying that. Leave that to WalMart. Customer service is crucial. Adding value is crucial. Educating the client fully about the benefits you offer is crucial. The last sounds obvious, but most businesses don't do it - they assume the client knows what they are getting. Some clients thank me profusely just for my proposals, because they get so much education out of them!!! All of these factors that surround and enrich your product / service are absolutely critical. One good example - Fiona Raven has clients on every continent except Antarctica. That's because, as many of them have put it, "We chose you because we got the sense from your site that you would really work WITH us." No-one buys just a product or service; they buy the whole experience. That is what they will come back for and what they will recommend to others. Michael Linehan, Marketing Alchemy www.marketing-alchemy.com ------------------------------------------------------- The LED Digest is sponsored by: GetWebContent.com The Web's Most Experienced SEO Content Providers. Free no-obligation proposal: http://GetWebContent.com/LED SEOToolSet.com Bruce Clay's Search Engine Optimization Training & Certification Join the certified SEO directory: www.SEOToolSet.com/training/ The Archives: http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/126/189/ Subscribe: http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/52/187/ Unsubscribe, Change Email, or Hold / Resume Delivery: http://www.led-digest.com/content/category/4/17/201/ (c) Copyright 1995-2007 Orange Wheel, LLC. 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