How to Make Your Business Thrive in the 21st Century
The following story is related to my particular business field,
but you will see how it relates to all businesses. After
location, marketing, and a business plan, our customer service
is what keeps repeat business coming back for more. If you don't
value your repeat business, your competition will.
If you have a strong customer service staff, good ethical
standards, and a mission statement based upon helping the
community, you will see your competition send customers to you.
They don't do it on purpose, but by grooming an adversarial
relationship, these businesses send abused customers seeking
refuge, where they are treated fairly.
Recently, I had a prospective family visit us for an initial
interview. They were interested in martial arts classes, but
looked at Yoga on the premises as a bonus. This family had been
abused by their sensei (karate teacher), and they were seeking
some gentle guidance. They were still studying with their
current sensei, but not sure if they wanted to stay for anymore
abuse.
One of the things they found at our center is a mission
statement that all of my family and staff live by. They were so
impressed, that one of their children went back to ask if their
current martial arts school had one. Upon asking this question,
the sensei told this student to do 1000 push ups.
Needless to say, that family joined our center shortly
afterward. The above-described business doesn't see the true
worth of good paying repeat business. In fact, this type of
business is working hard to make "service minded" competitors
look good.
Now, what does this have to do with your business? This has
everything to do with all of our businesses and your job
security. How often do you see customers mistreated by banks,
restaurants, and department stores? This occurs far too often,
and the attitude starts at the top of every organization.
When you send your customers to your competitors, you might as
well advertise for them too. Some customer service departments
have the same atmosphere as a collection agency. The customers
are visualized as the enemy and treated like prisoners without a
choice.
If this sounds like your customer service department, you may
find yourself out of business. For decision makers, the action
is clear: Clean up your customer service or be prepared for
extinction. For employees who don't have a say in the decisions,
be prepared to "jump ship," if you see customers making a mass
exodus out the door.
"The writing is on the wall," when we forget who is really in
charge. Your real "boss" is the customer. That's who pays your
salary, gets you a bonus, sends you on vacation, and helps you
get your kids through college. To thrive in any economy, we must
promote a helpful product or service. Otherwise, you might as
well give up promoting, advertising, and marketing, all
together. Customer service exists to "close the back door," not
by force, but by listening to suggestions and establishing a
common bond with your existing customers.