How To Toss Money Away
The easy one step guide!
Small business continues to provide a substantial part of the national economy.
Small business continues to fail at the same rate it has for the past 10 years.
60% of small businesses fail within 6 years of commencement. The reason for the failures remains basically unchanged. Poor management.
From my own observations of countless business, from small to large, one of the main areas of poor management is the service the customer receives. That’s right, customer service.
Everyone has heard of customer service. Most businesses will say they have specific programs in place to ensure quality customer service. But do most businesses truly provide adequate customer service?
Most businesses do not provide good service
Businesses do not provide an adequate level of service to ensure the continual satisfaction of the customer, let alone maximising sales of their product or service. They do not have in place strategies to ensure the best of customer service. They do not practice what they preach.
The service standard of an enormous number of businesses is appalling. Don’t believe me? Try this example.
The case of the disappearing pants!
I sent a suit to the local Dry Cleaners to be cleaned. I went to collect it 2 days later. The trousers were missing. The response? “Come back tomorrow.”
I went back the next day. “Haven’t had a chance to look – come back tomorrow.”
I went back the next day. “The boss isn’t here – come back tomorrow.”
I went back 4 days later. “Can’t find them. The boss isn’t here.”
At this point I stated that I wasn’t coming back tomorrow and that I thought some compensation for my lost trousers was appropriate.
The response? “The boss will ring you tomorrow.”
The boss didn’t ring.
3 weeks later I rang the store.
I’ve heard of that name
“Sinclair? I’ve heard of that name. The boss isn’t here. He will ring you.”
The boss rang!
“We’ve found them – come in and pick them up.”
I went in the next day. They weren’t my trousers.
“We’ll keep looking,” he said.
Poor service is the norm
This isn’t an isolated case of poor service. From the man who purchased a $55,000 BMW and never heard from the distributor, salesperson or manufacturer in the two years after he stepped out of the sales office.
To the constant sales question of “You right there?”
The restaurant that simply took away the cockroach infested meal, didn’t apologise, charged the customer (that was me!) full price for the meal and then never responded to a letter of complaint!
Poor service, poor sales techniques and poor customer care is the norm for most businesses. They don’t have to be.
Excellent service is so rare that to provide it puts your business head and shoulders above the competition. Try it and see.
Cheers,
