Resolve To Serve

Wondering what you as the leader of your organization can do better this year? Why not resolve to serve your customers with the respect and attention they deserve?

A majority of companies lack a commitment to customers and a continuing poor understanding of the value of customers. A survey conducted by the Strativity Group uncovered these results:
-- 54 percent of senior executives admit they do not deserve their customers' loyalty.
-- 87 percent of execs don't know their average annual customer value.
-- 67 percent agree that their execs do not meet frequently with customers.
-- Only 33 percent say that they have the tools and authority to serve their customers.

The average consumer will probably show more loyalty to the businesses that show them more loyalty. The organizations who make a consistent and passionate effort to show their customers how much they appreciate them will be the ones who thrive, not just survive.

The Broken Window Theory

Every time I pass a store where one of the lights on its sign is out--or worse, the sign is broken--I wonder about the quality of the service inside.

In academic circles, it's called the broken-window theory. It holds that when criminals see that even small infractions are met and punished, they know that larger crimes will be met and punished. It also suggests that when neighborhoods deteriorate, criminals will thrive.

My dad had a much simpler explanation. He always told me, "Fix the window or people will think you don't care...and if you don't care, they won't care either." The point was that taking care of the details can make a big difference with the people you do business with.

How are the "windows" where you work--anything to fix there? Is the lobby clean? How about the parking lot? Does your receptionist greet everyone in a friendly and timely manner? Is your answering machine or voice mail message clean and bright?

And the "broken-window theory" doesn't stop at the lobby--what about your sales presentations? Your brochures--when's the last time you updated them? How about your business cards? Do they make a lasting first impression?

You can improve customer response dramatically just by fixing your organization's "broken windows." (So what are you waiting for?)

Put Your Mouth Where Your Money Is

Nothing frustrates me more than seeing people waste opportunities.

Take this morning, for example. I head into the radio station around 3:30 every weekday morning for my show and sometimes stop off at a gas station to fill up ($2.95 a gallon here in Sacramento!) and pick up the morning paper. While my car was filling up, I walked to the door of the convenience store and saw this sign:
CLOSED FOR CLEANING...SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE

Not wanting to let a little thing like overnight store maintenance stop me from buying a cup of coffee and a day-old Krispy Kreme, I knocked politely on the door and motioned the attendant to come over. She took her time.

Finally, she walked up, pointed at the sign and started to walk away. I pounded on the door this time and said, "Listen, I'm sorry I bothered you, but could I just get in, get some coffee, and get out? I promise my feet are clean!" She pointed back at the sign, said, "We're closed! What're you, blind?!? Come back later!!!"

Obviously not a Dale Carnegie grad. I realize that I was asking her to drop everything to ring up a $2.70 sale...but it would only have cost her two minutes of her time. Her attitude actually cost her company hundreds of dollars because I'll never shop there again.

If you're in a service or sales industry, then you should always be as courteous and helpful as possible--even to the rudest of customers. If you're the decision-maker in a service or sales industry, empower your employees to make politeness their top priority.

When you sound like your customer really is number one...now you're talkin'!