Sit Customer Sit - "How did customers get so trained?"

Written by Rene' Jones


“I need that shipped overnight!” “I need that delivered today!” “Drop it off to me on your way home?” “I do not want to pay a Restocking charge!”

Do these all sound familiar? I‘d be willing to bet you can come up with a book full ofrepparttar things your customers expect. But where do they getrepparttar 105278 audacity to expect,repparttar 105279 sometimes unreasonable? Right from you! Your competitors did not raiserepparttar 105280 customer service bar, you did. Everyday your call center personnel make promises to customers that raiserepparttar 105281 bar even higher. But isn’t that what you want? Don’t you want your people to respond wonderfully to those, “Moments of Truth?” Your people are merely doing what they have been taught, just like your customers.

How do you respond to an irate customer who received an incorrect shipment? Don’t we shiprepparttar 105282 product Next Day Air to make up forrepparttar 105283 error? Or maybe, we drop everything and make a special delivery to them. How do we respond to a customer who has orderedrepparttar 105284 incorrect item? We often handle itrepparttar 105285 same way as when it is our mistake. We do not want to upset a customer, especially in today’s market. Therefore we are trainingrepparttar 105286 customer to think, whenever there is an error it will be resolved free of charge. The question that must be asked is, “What isrepparttar 105287 problem with this?” Nothing, if you or your customers don’t make a lot of mistakes.

How is your warehouse these days? I have been told these are hard times? Is that true for your company or your industry? If these are truly difficult times doesn’t that mean every mistake costs you dearly? Doesn’t that also mean each mistake costs your customer even more? You are probably asking yourself, how this article shifted to your warehouse so quickly. Think about it, a shipping error is magnified in economic downturns. Why? Because, if your customer has been thinking of changing suppliers now isrepparttar 105288 time to do it. Or at least fake like they are going to change so they can get a deeper discount. Again,repparttar 105289 customer training process takes place. Shipping isrepparttar 105290 last non verbal way we communicate to our customers. What are you communicating to your customers? Your Marketing material, your Website, your Catalogue are all tools to get you new business. Your warehouse isrepparttar 105291 one tool you have to maintain your current level of business. If you don’t believe that ask yourself this question, “How many of your customers do your sales personnel visit on a regular basis?” Think aboutrepparttar 105292 “Pareto Principal”, not many! That means your customers perception of your company is formed fromrepparttar 105293 packages that arrive at their receiving dock. What do you think they perceive?

This month’s focus, “Is Customer Loyalty a Thing ofrepparttar 105294 Past”, is an interesting one. Customer loyalty began fading when the, “Mom and Pop” shop, got to big to knowrepparttar 105295 customer. Loyalty is quickly becoming a thing ofrepparttar 105296 past withrepparttar 105297 evolution ofrepparttar 105298 internet. The customer doesn’t need to know who they are buying from. They just want: what they ordered, when it was promised and for a competitive price. If they decide to buy from yourepparttar 105299 next time it will be based on whether you did at least two ofrepparttar 105300 things I just mentioned. If not, you have just trained them to buy someplace else. Is that being disloyal, “I do not think so!” Being a consumer I choose to do business withrepparttar 105301 company that meets my needs. I will only give my hard earned dollars torepparttar 105302 organization that gets me what I want, when I want it and at a competitive price. This means your warehouse is training your customers to be, “Loyal or Lethal”. Many individuals will continue to patronize you place of business even ifrepparttar 105303 price is a little high. But they will only do this if their other two needs are being met. If your competitor does not have an accurate inventory therefore does not deliver on time, you have an advantage when price becomes an issue. However, if your sales personnel train them to expect a lower price forrepparttar 105304 business, what happens when you cannot beatrepparttar 105305 competitions price? You don’t have a leg to stand on. Your company does not compete forrepparttar 105306 business you get, “Your Warehouse Does!” Your company does not lose customers, “Your Warehouse Does!” Your company can no longer afford to look outward for answers to keep your customers loyal; it has to look inward at your warehouse.

How to Conduct a Meeting

Written by Susan Dunn, MA Clinical Psychology, The EQ Coach


For many of us attending a meeting is right up there with a root canal.

If you’rerepparttar one in charge of meetings, use these EQ competencies to create better ones. A meeting, after all, is a microcosm of your business and philosophy.

INTENTIONALITY

Intentionality means accepting responsibility for your actions and motives. Always ask yourself, Why am I having this meeting? Could this be done better another way?

Meetings exist for different reasons – sharing information, receiving instructions, planning, crisis management, socializing, process.

Definerepparttar 105276 reason forrepparttar 105277 meeting, share this information, and stick with it. This goes to credibility.

Avoidrepparttar 105278 anathema of productivity and morale, “Because we’ve always done it this way.”

Check in with your thoughts, opinions and feelings before you startrepparttar 105279 meeting to make sure you’re centered and will be doing what you intend to do.

PERSONAL POWER

Running a meeting is not a committee affair. Someone needs to be in charge.

The leader setsrepparttar 105280 tone in attitude as well. People will seek opportunity to test limits, upstage, divert, entertain and manipulate instead of staying on-task. The first time you allow this to happen, you set precedence, and lose credibility.

RESPECT

Respect for everyone – their time, opinions, contributions and feelings. If you hold off starting til Paul arrives, you establishrepparttar 105281 precedent thatrepparttar 105282 meeting doesn’t start at 10, it stars when Paul gets there, because, by inference, he’s more important thanrepparttar 105283 others.

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