One thing all successful small business owners have in common is the knowledge that their business is based on enthusiastic customers. Despite their multi-tasking titles of bookkeeper, service provider and sales-manager, their most important title is Customer-Enthusiasm Guru.
Your question, undoubtedly, is how do I find time in my unbelievably over-loaded schedule to become a customer-enthusiasm guru? Following are a few quick steps you can take to focus on your customer in everything you do:
1. Evaluate your customer base. Who are your best customers and why? What similarities do they share? What are their core needs and how do you solve them? This step is important because every other task relates to your vision of these top customers.
2. Keep the customer in mind. Before initiating new processes ask yourself how it will benefit your ideal customers. Whether you are implementing a new bookkeeping system or hiring help, keep your customer's needs in mind. Always prepare your customers for any changes so they know what to expect.
3. Create systems that maintain customer contact. Use automated e-mail notes to keep in touch with your customer.
4. Communicate even when you have nothing to sell. This doesn't mean take up your customer's limited time to 'shoot the breeze,' but it does mean -- take time to recognize your customer. Some easy ways to do this are to send a note of congratulations when your customer is highlighted in the local press, promoted, or reaches an anniversary (either personal or professional). Other non-sales communication ideas include sending an article of interest or offering tickets to sporting event, show or movie that you know would interest your customer.
5. Ask for feedback and follow through. Ask your customers (either through a survey, an e-mail request or by a phone call) how you can continue to serve them -- even better. Then follow-through. When you follow-through and develop ways to serve your customers better based on their input they will be enthusiastic supporters of you and your company!
6. Foster trust. If you don't know the answer, don't pretend to. If you can't provide what they're looking for, don't say you can. Introduce your customer to someone who can solve their problem -- and you will have an enthusiastic customer for life.
7. Be consistent. Your customers like knowing what to expect from you and your company. Consistency is as simple as always answering the phone the same way, using the same tag-line in all your promotional materials and most importantly, delivering the same outstanding service and product each and every time your customers hire you.
8. Be easy to work with. Don't make your customers jump through hoops to get what they need from you and your company. Make it easy for customers to repeatedly buy from you ? whether by adding a special on-line scheduling page for repeat customers on your website, or by providing them with a special access number to order your products. If your customers can buy from you again and again without a hassle, they will.
9. Create a customer-enthusiasm training program for anyone who interacts with customers. As you grow, you will hire other people help you with routine tasks, such as scheduling, answering phones, providing services or resending to e-mail. Teach these important team members exactly how you expect them to interact with your customers. Don't forget that these team members are your customers too ? treat them that way.
Provided you take the time and discipline necessary to implement them, these steps will have you on the way to being a customer-enthusiasm guru in no time!
About The Author
Peggie Arvidson-Dailey is the founder of Pet Care Business University and the Pet-Care Business Success System?. She is the author "How to Make Your Customers Crazy?about You" and has been a guest on "This Week in Small Business." As a trainer and coach she has helped people across the country create and build the pet-care business of their dreams. Visit http://www.peggiespets.com for more information.
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
$350 million in bad checks are written each and every... Read More
While most companies talk about consumer friendliness, customer centricity, customer... Read More
If you've called for customer service recently you're familiar with... Read More
What I am about to tell you may seem very... Read More
Nobody likes to get complaints. They make you question your... Read More
The call center represents your first line of communication with... Read More
A few months ago, I wrote about ingenious styles of... Read More
This may seem a strange topic to introduce. Yet, it... Read More
What a lot of money we have been wasting on... Read More
In the competitive world of the 20th century, we generally... Read More
'A 5 percent increase in customer retention increases profits by... Read More
Given the choice of dealing with a positive, upbeat employee... Read More
In 2002, there wasn't much interest for Kindness in business,... Read More
Those of us in home based and small businesses are... Read More
If you're a regular reader of my column you know... Read More
Are your company's call center services all that they could... Read More
One of the mantras we hear repeatedly in business is... Read More
Nowadays, we complain nearly all of the time about how... Read More
If you're a pet owner, you know the stress of... Read More
1. It's all about the customer. Some companies focus too... Read More
Customer retention is vital to a business. If you cannot... Read More
What is your customer saying about you? Do you really... Read More
Our most powerful instinct is to avoid customer complaints, but... Read More
There is a widely accepted principle of human behavior that... Read More
Reality is not always pretty. But here is a tad... Read More
Resistance has to do with putting up blocks that prevent... Read More
I got it into my head sometime in December 2004... Read More
Having been in business a number of years, I'm amazed... Read More
When you make a mistake with a customer, should you... Read More
Customer service is everything to a business. Just look at... Read More
Is customer service a lost art? Before you answer that... Read More
Prime directive: Make sure your claim is reasonable! Otherwise, forget... Read More
Corporations in every sector are spending more than ever before... Read More
Have you ever walked into a store and things looked... Read More
Corporations in every sector are spending more than ever before... Read More
Our challenge as the business owner/sales person answering the telephone,... Read More
My regular readers will know that one of the things... Read More
A couple of years ago I had a call from... Read More
If you think customer relationship management is just a piece... Read More
Customer service is the most vital asset for Business either... Read More
The world of customer service is rapidly changing. Thirty years... Read More
When people ask, "What is CRM?" the literal answer is,... Read More
A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to... Read More
There are two kinds of customer service we all experience... Read More
In this day of terrible customer service, it should come... Read More
First let us specifically define customer service. It is the... Read More
Anyone who knows me knows my favorite fast food restaurant... Read More
Do you remember the last time you went into a... Read More
Remember trading stamps? If you're over 40, chances are you... Read More
What kind of image do you present when marketing your... Read More
Have you ever wondered why you often find a coupon... Read More
Winning Customer ExperiencesMuch research has been done on what the... Read More
If you're a regular reader of my column you know... Read More
Yesterday I went to buy a sandwich at a franchised... Read More
Q: I'm so sick of you so-called business experts always... Read More
Jay instructed a customer of his to offer a rare... Read More
The buzz is all about customer service and call center... Read More
Every business owner should have a picture of his or... Read More
In order to maintain a successful business, the business must... Read More
The Reason Why Direct Internet Marketers Have To Work So... Read More
When you own a business, you may find yourself in... Read More
With Some Tips on How to RespondTt has probably happened... Read More
You've been going 6-to-late; exhausted by running the supersonic treadmill... Read More
In the competitive world of the 20th century, we generally... Read More
Do you need greeters or should you avoid them? That... Read More
Customer support is very important when you're running a business,... Read More
Customer Service |