Recently, I pondered this question....  For me a customer service experience starts on the day you first make the connection with a potential client or customer.  That’s right, even before they have purchased from you.  The whole interactive experience for a potential client or customer starts from the very first connection.   This is the time that your first impression counts whether it is a face to face meeting, a phone conversation, email or over the internet.  That first impression can be a lasting one.

 A month or so ago, I purchased a product from a major Telco player.  My initial connection with the company went seamlessly and the service I received was impeccable.  What happened preceding that initial interaction was where the whole customer service experience came unstuck.  I had inadvertently purchased a faulty product.  A few days after purchasing the product and about to use it I realised my product was faulty.  Returning to the place of purchase (with receipt in hand) I was sent on what could only be described as a 7 day run around.  After a humiliating and disturbing interaction with the store manager I then took it in my own hands to go farther up the ladder.  Now, the outcome although long winded was a suitable outcome and the service from ‘up the ladder’ was exceptionally good. 

This example shows that customer interaction, relations and service are on-going from the point of enquiry through to the purchase of a product or service and the on-going relationships. Just because the purchase has been secured doesn’t mean the customer service interaction should be removed or forgotten.    

In my business even after a client has finished a particular service the interaction continues.  The interaction can come in many different formats according to the particular client.  Interaction can include a ‘thank you for your business’ card, a follow-up phone call, email or letter.  It totally depends on the client and the service that has been provided for that particular client.  Follow up and providing a great if not exceptional customer service experience can be a simple cost effective solution to on-going product or service purchases, receiving referrals and being kept top of mind.

Do you have a great customer service solution for your business?  Do you show gratitude to your clients, customers or consumers?  If you would like to know more about a terrific referral/gratitude system, give me a call or email me.

Why not share a customer service experience.....

So you work from home, maybe you now telecommute, you run your home based business or you work from home for someone else or do contract work.  When people ask me where I go to work and I tell them from a ‘home office’ the look of envy gushes over their face as they extol the virtues of how great working from home must be.  True working from a home office has some really terrific advantages on the other side there are some really cataclysmic downfalls to it.

It can get really lonely- who do you share your fabulous weekend stories with?  Who do you show the new puppy photos to?  When do you get to share the happy snap shots of you burnt to a crisp on some exotic island hideaway beach?  It is a bit hard to find a co-worker when you step from your kitchen ten paces to your home office – no water cooler talk in this office.

As a home based worker it is important to adopt a plan to ensure the isolation does not get the better of you.  Joining network groups is an ideal way to keep in touch with other business owners and employees who find themselves in a similar situation.  I myself have branched out from here and have a regular catch up with a few different business owners for a regular coffee.  At these get togethers you can share your puppy shots, burnt crisp shots and weekend stories along with work related discussions.  I always look forward to the tab in my diary that indicates my coffee date.

Ok, now you’re not so isolated but who do you answer to?  Who is stopping you from spending one more hour in bed, that extra cup of coffee over the morning newspaper, hanging that load of washing out?  Surfing the net for ‘brainstorming ideas’ etc.  The list of procrastination tools can become longer than the task list itself  if you let it.

Make a Plan and stick to it:

Simply writing a to do list at the end of each day for the next day can assist you any set up a schedule for yourself that you can focus on throughout the course of the day.  Writing the to do list at then end of the day also allows you to relax after your work day ends, you can let go of the ‘oh, I need to do this tomorrow’  as you know it is already in your to do list for the following work day.

Keep organized:

Use files, trays or a system like Windows One Note to file your work and keep on top of your projects and client requests.  Keeping organized allows you to determine how much work you have for any given day or week.

Get Going and just do it:

Now you have your list and you are organized so what are you waiting for?  Just making a start on your first to do task can catapult  you out of procrastination and into profit generating activities.  Starting is the hardest step to take, so pop down that cup of coffee and briskly walk into your home office and get going.

Answer to Somebody:

Being accountable to somebody even if it is your life partner, accountant, book keeper or better still a mentor can help you focus on the tasks at hand and the desired outcomes.  Use your accountability partner  or a service like Action Traction Coaching to discuss your weekly to do list, you can report back at then end of the week and you are now accountable to someone or somebody.  You will be amazed at how an accountability partner can make all the difference between procrastination and profit!

Whether you are a small to medium business owner, solopreneur, network marketer or on-line marketer there are times where we find ourselves hiding out in our business.  Daily grind, regular tasks, product creation, clients, and all the other things that come with being a business owner can drive us further and further into our business and further and further away from connecting with others.

By driving ourselves further away from connecting with others we are really doing an injustice to our business and ultimately to ourselves.  We human’s are creatures of connection; we love to connect with other human beings.

There are a multitude of benefits to getting out and about and connecting with others, including:

·         Refresh our ideas

·         Personal invigoration

·         Enhancing our knowledge base

·         Opening up opportunities both personally and professionally

·         Gaining new perspectives

There are several ways we can get out and about that can be cost effective and easy to implement:

·         Attending networking events

·         Business owners informal meetings

·         Skype meetings

·         Mastermind groups

·         Attending seminars and live events

·         Attending community projects

·         Attending local commerce chapter meetings

Before attending it is wise to set an objective as to what your purpose for attending the event maybe.  It could be anything from making a new business connection through to gleaning a new idea for your business, the list is endless.

Aim for at least one event per week for a minimum of one hour, this should get you kick started into getting out of your business and into making some valuable lasting connections. Set 2011 to be your year for social interaction and out of hibernation.

 

Finally, Just Do It!

52 Days Until New Year

Yes, just 52 days until the new year.  2010 has flown by without even seeing it rush before my eyes.  Always, about this time of year I take some time to access my business, what's worked well, what needs improvement and what can be culled or re-worked.  Starting in November means I have some time to put together a contingency plan for the following year.  In January, I can hit the ground running as I already know where I am planning to run to, I have set my path.  I am clear in what direction and where I am heading.

Tips to re-access:
 

• What worked well?
• What needs improvement?
• What is no longer a value or benefit to my business and my clients?
• How can I better leverage my time and resources?
• What tools do I need to make positive changes?
• What is my plan?
• How do I go about this?

Taking an hour out of your week to sit down and do an assessment using these seven questions can save you a whole lot of time and frustration as you land in 2011.

Have you missed an opportunity?  Recently I did and big time to!  I was busy preparing for a client meeting when the phone rang.  I was on a tight schedule and pushing to get myself out the door so as not to be late.  Just as I was about to leave the phone rang and I quickly picked it up to find a journalist on the other end of the phone wanting me to comment on a pertinent topic of the day.  I was so pushed for time my reply simply was “I am sorry, I don’t feel comfortable commenting on this subject at this point in time”.  End of conversation!

Uuugh! I still play this conversation out in my mind.  This was a perfect opportunity for me to gain more exposure for my business, build credibility and build a relationship with the journalist.

 What’s done is done, I can’t change what happened.  From this there has been a truly big learning for me – keep your eye out for opportunity and have a plan for when it rises, you never know when it will happen.

Now I have a plan in place, I have created a plan of action should this situation arise again.  I thought through what I could have done better, what I could have said and how I could have filled both obligations on the day.

I know this sounds really basic stuff, however, you would be surprised at how many times we can let opportunities slip through our fingers because we don’t have a plan, we don’t think things through logically and we don’t act!  Having a strategic plan in place and most importantly putting some action to the plan can help to build on those opportunities. 

For me now, I visualize the phone ringing and the journalist is on the other end giving me a second chance to prove my value.

Have you let an opportunity pass you by because you weren’t prepared for action?