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Are You Anti-Customer?
Fighting the daily currents of customer wants and needs can be
demanding and stressful. Stress, as we all know, adversely
affects our mental and physical well-being. It can make us
defensive, temperamental and otherwise gloomy....
CASHING IN ON CUSTOMER SERVICE
When was the last time you received *great* customer service? Last month? Last year? The early 80’s? It seems these days many businesses simply don’t place a high priority on customer service. It’s evident from the kid at the drive-thru who thrusts...
Customer Loyalty
Loyal customers are the foundation of almost every business. Going the extra mile to provide outstanding customer service is the first step to customer loyalty. But there is more. Of course - your products and services in general need to be...
Customer Relationships within the Evolved Organization
Customer Relationships within the Evolved Organization
Sustainable business practices are emerging as a priority within
forward thinking organizations. These practices apply to many
dimensions of the organization, ranging from minimizing...
Customer Service and Call Center Outsourcing, What's The Buzz?
The buzz is all about customer service and call center outsourcing, also known as BPO (Business Process Outsourcing). According to Gartner, the outsourcing market in Europe has grown with over 6%, BPO with 10%. The market for offshore...
Fanatical Customer Service And A Large Collection Can Skyrocket Your Sunglasses Business
Retail sunglasses business can be very rewarding. However you have to understand some key points to make it big in this industry. The following ideas can point you to some useful strategies to boost your business. 1. The sunglasses styles and...
"Fire" Your Bad Customers
Here's a concept to consider: some customers just aren't worth the trouble. We work so hard to get customers, and then work so hard to keep them, it's hard to grasp the idea that we are better of WITHOUT some of them! Let's face it; some people...
How to Build Customer Relationships
Copyright 2005 Jennifer McGroary
Building a lasting relationship with your customers is a vital
marketing strategy in ensuring the existence of your business.
Making your customers unhappy even once can impact their
likelihood of ever...
How To Handle Customer Billing Snafus
Q: I just discovered that for the past six months I have been billing a client half of what I should have been. Should I just include the total of the past due balance on his next bill or contact him first to let him know that it's coming? This...
What Do Your Customers Really Want? Ask Your Competition
What Do Your Customers Really Want? Ask Your Competition
by Karon Thackston © 2004
http://www.marketingwords.com
It’s not always an easy task. Sometimes discovering what your customers really want is like pulling teeth. It is imperative for...
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Why Conducting a customer survey could double your profits!
Customer Surveys are the most inexpensive way of generating profits, which any business could dream of. Companies like IBM used to pay their sales people, a bonus, based on the customer survey rating. But how could they really boost your profits? This article uncovers some of the secrets.
Existing customers are the life blood of every company. They have already bought from you, so they know the value of what you provide. Too often companies are not fully sure of the reasons as to why their customers have made purchases.
In order to successfully market to other similar customers, you should talk to your customers and ask them to tell you why they bought, what the purchase has enables them to do, and how they have put a value on it.
This exercise, properly done, not only helps you get testimonials that you can use in your marketing to other prospects, it also help you with two other key profit generating activities.
It reminds your customers of what you provide, and encourages them to buy from you again. Customers, who have bought before, are 5 times more likely to purchase again, than people who have not heard of you
It also gives you the opportunity to ask for referrals. These could be other non-competing companies, or indeed customers or suppliers who they might have.
It is recommended that this questionnaire that follows is conducted either in person or on the phone. People do not respond well to giving this type of information, online, by email or even in written form.
Open the call by telling the customer who you are and checking if they have a couple of
minutes. If not, find a time to call back, telling them that you are just conducting a short customer survey.
Assuming they are able to speak with you, ask the following;
1. Do you remember using our service and were you happy with it?
2. Can you remember, specifically why you used us in the end?
3. What did that enable you to do?
4. How would you put a value on it?
5. Repeat back to the customer, how they answered the last three questions.
6. Now ask them if they would mind you if you used that information as a testimonial – tell them you will email them a copy of the wording.
7. Since they were satisfied, ask them if they know anyone else who they believe would benefit from your services.
8. Thank them for their time, and finish by asking them if they would like to be on your emailing list, tell them you send out short articles and information bi-monthly.
This is incredibly powerful, obviously it will need to be tailored to your company, but it serves as a template that you can use. It shows them that you care. It also really helps you understand how customers actually use and put a value to your products and services.
About the author:
Business Owners who need more sales and better marketing advice, turn to Peter Lawless, of 3R Sales & Marketing – www.3r.ie. For previous articles and interviews like this, visit our website and subscribe to Success. We also provide free Sales & Marketing Assessments for Business Owners with an Irish Connection.
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