At 8.30 am a wealthy client (on his way to make a presentation to the local council at 9 am) walked into a store that sells photocopiers. They also provide a copy service. He wanted to make a back-up copy of his lengthy presentation.
The shop appeared to be open - doors unlocked, lights on, etc but the young lady who met him said she couldn't do photocopies until 9 am because that's when the copy centre opened for business.
He went two doors down the road to the Council Library and did them himself at 10 cents per page, spending $11.00.
Guess where he won't look for his next copier?
Two men walked into a bakery / coffee shop at 4.45 pm and asked for two coffees and two slices of cake. They were told they could only have the cake to take-away as the shop closed at 5 and coffee took too long to make and drink.
They left.
The point is that the two men were local council aldermen and the Deputy Mayor owns the shop.
The owner of a local cafe went on holidays and hung a sign in the window "Have taken 10 days holiday. We knew you'd understand". I understood. I went around the corner, discovered a new cafe that has given me a voucher for a free coffee for every four I buy. I'm going there again.
How's this in contrast?
My lawnmower man was driving down my street on Sunday and saw me pruning some bushes in the yard. He stopped, grabbed his chain saw and started to help.
I asked him how much he wanted and he said, "Nothing mate. I was on my way to the tip and the trailer isn't full". He knows the value of a customer - he's cut my lawn on average 20 times a year for the last five years.
I pay him $25 per mow - that's over $2,500 over five years so I guess a free load to the tip wasn't that much to give away. He saved me having to borrow a trailer and spend my afternoon going to the tip. He's got a lot more $25 coming his way!
Such a little thing but what cost and what benefit?
Take a look at the silly things you do that cost you money and fix them!
© James Yuille, Brisbane, Australia, 2004.
About the author:
James Yuille is a sales and marketing consultant and trainer with over 32 years experience. He is based in Brisbane, Australia. His free weekly sales and marketing newsletter provides topical information for business owners and salespeople. Find out more at http://www.jamesyuille.com
Have you ever been in a department store and known... Read More
There is a battle in Call Centers. The teams are... Read More
Customer Loyalty, we all want it. Don't we?Some people say... Read More
One of my classes in management focused on the repeat... Read More
Do you remember the last time you went into a... Read More
The other day while at the book store, I came... Read More
"Hi this is Randy. Leave me a message after the... Read More
Which is more important the technology or the customer?The one... Read More
What happened to the old saying, the customer is always... Read More
Who was it that said - "The customer is always... Read More
If you're like me, you've had plenty of experience with... Read More
How often have you left a meeting with a customer... Read More
Do you remember the last time you went into a... Read More
Do you need greeters or should you avoid them? That... Read More
Are your company's call center services all that they could... Read More
Do you know you can open, answer, close and report... Read More
Oh, what has happened to the carbon-based organizational interface? Many... Read More
One of the most important questions people ask when they... Read More
Many organizations tackle to the issue of customer service by... Read More
In this day of terrible customer service, it should come... Read More
The world of customer service is rapidly changing. Thirty years... Read More
I'll always feel warmly about Conrad's restaurant, in Glendale, California.On... Read More
There are two Post Offices that I routinely visit. One... Read More
- Excerpt from Richard Saporito's latest e-book "How to Improve... Read More
The primary objective of a business is to get and... Read More
I wish I had a nickel for every time someone... Read More
Yesterday I went to buy a sandwich at a franchised... Read More
What I am about to tell you may seem very... Read More
Reality is not always pretty. But here is a tad... Read More
How often has your schedule been thrown out of whack... Read More
Customer Service is a critical factor for keeping your clients... Read More
The best way to explain this concept is to tell... Read More
Walmart was the first business to require all its employees... Read More
Listening is the #1 communication skill for leadership, selling, customer... Read More
Last night I was at my computer and a Skype... Read More
Five minutes into the call I knew this client was... Read More
"Thanking your customers" - Why you should do it and... Read More
Good service is easy to spot and hard-to-find. Mediocre service... Read More
If you want to last a long time in business... Read More
Do you know you can open, answer, close and report... Read More
However, in the world of business, this cliché may not... Read More
"Marketing as a spiritual practice." It sounds contradictory ? how... Read More
The call center represents your first line of communication with... Read More
Evacuation, "E-Vac" Oil System for Oil ChangingHow do most mobile... Read More
You have no doubt heard the saying that the customer... Read More
Running a business is about providing goods and services to... Read More
If you're a regular reader of my column you know... Read More
Different people call their Customers by different names. If they... Read More
It is important to remember that the customer doesn't necessarily... Read More
Nobody likes to get complaints. They make you question your... Read More
If you were a customer on the telephone with a... Read More
Unless you are brand new to business, or have been... Read More
When was the last time you received a handwritten note... Read More
What I am about to tell you may seem very... Read More
Client satisfaction starts with meeting or beating the contractual obligations... Read More
When you own a business, you may find yourself in... Read More
Homebuyers are an interesting study. Watching people make their home... Read More
With all of the recent data theft in the financial... Read More
It's bound to happen sooner or later ? yes, even... Read More
It's a salesperson's worst nightmare- the phone call that comes... Read More
In 2002, there wasn't much interest for Kindness in business,... Read More
Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a... Read More
1) Being placed on hold endlessly. Don't you just love... Read More
In any business our customers are one of our most... Read More
Background The company was experiencing an increase in the number... Read More
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't... Read More
Customer Service |