Stay - Say - Pay

Would you like to have customers that stay with you and don't buy from your competitors? Customers that say nice things about your business to other people; pay you on time and accept the fact that you might be a bit more expensive then other suppliers? Of course you do but how do we perform this miracle? It's dead easy really; you only have to consider two factors: be Reliable and be Likeable.

It almost goes without saying that it's vital to have a reliable product or service. Most businesses spend a great deal of time and money ensuring that their product does what they say it'll do and striving for exceptional customer service.

However, if you do this consistently, don't expect any "brownie points" and it won't ensure stay, say and pay. Providing reliable products and service is vitally important however after a while customers start to take it for granted.

I can remember the days when a motor car was difficult to start on a winters morning. When a telephone engineer took a week to fix your phone and a retail store wouldn't take back an item you'd purchased. Nowadays, cars start first time, engineers come the same day and retail stores give you your money back immediately. We now take this kind of reliability and service for granted.

To give your business the competitive edge and ensure stay, say and pay you, your business and your people need to be likeable. Too many organisations forget that their customers are humans and the thing about humans is - they don't always make decisions logically. Customers are driven by their emotions and they make decisions about organisations based on their interaction with the people in the business. They'll even forgive your mistakes if they like your business.

So what do we need to do to ensure the likeability factor? Run your eye down the following list and see how many you can tick off:

* We always have a genuine smile for every customer.
* We are warm and friendly to all customers.
* We listen carefully and make it obvious that we're listening.
* We use the customer's name and our name appropriately.
* We give the impression that we care and are interested in the customer.
* We empathise with problems and complaints and respond quickly.
* We occasionally do something to pleasantly surprise the customer.
* We always keep our promises.
* We give the impression that we're fun to deal with.
* We treat the customer the way they want to be treated, not the way we want to be treated.

(The * We means everyone in the business be they sales people, delivery drivers, accountants, engineers, managers or directors.)

How well did you do? If you've got lots of ticks then you probably have lots of customers who like you. Just a word to the managers and employers amongst you; run your eyes down the list again and replace the word customer with the words employee or staff colleague.

How many ticks did you get this time? Lots of ticks mean your staff like you and it probably follows that your customers do as well.

Have you noticed how being likeable cost so little? A lot less than advertising or other promotional activity required to replace lost customers.

Working a little bit harder on the emotional connection with your customers will increase your likeability factor and ensure they - stay, say and pay.

Discover how you can generate more business without having to cold call! Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Sales without Selling" This book is packed with practical things that you can do to ? get customers to come to you.

Click here now:
http://www.howtogetmoresales.com
http://www.alanfairweather.com

---

Under Promise & Over Perform: The Art of Managing Customer Expectations

I'll always feel warmly about Conrad's restaurant, in Glendale, California.On... Read More

Everyone talks in code!

How often have you left a meeting with a customer... Read More

Customer Service For Huge Profits

Customer service is the most vital asset for Business either... Read More

Making the Connection: Customer Relationships That Build Your Business

Have you ever wondered why you often find a coupon... Read More

What Exactly is Customer Relationship Management?

The defintion of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) that I favor... Read More

Automating Your Customer Support

My regular readers will know that one of the things... Read More

4 Tips Toward Overcoming Bad Customer Service

Customer service is the pits, you say. You are not... Read More

Five Tips to Calm Cranky Customers

1. Tis the SeasonRecognize that everyone is frazzled during the... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Win the Loyalty of Customers

Dr. Michael LeBoeuf, in his cassette album entitled, Win Customers... Read More

How To Build a Profitable Business

It's never too soon to start saying thanks to your... Read More

Listening: The Foundation of Communication

Listening is the #1 communication skill for leadership, selling, customer... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About Seeing the World from Where the Customer Is Standing

It is important to remember that the customer doesn't necessarily... Read More

Create Win-Win Deals With Your Competitors

In the competitive world of the 20th century, we generally... Read More

Why Passenger Surveys are a Transport Operators Best Friend

Public transport operators who already use passenger surveys may not... Read More

Top Ten Strategies for Delivering 5-Star Customer Service

Customer satisfaction is valuable, but customer loyalty is priceless. In... Read More

The Consumer Power

While most companies talk about consumer friendliness, customer centricity, customer... Read More

Got A Consumer Problem?

Millions of people, just like you, end up with a... Read More

4 Myths about Customer Value

The purpose of business is to create and retain a... Read More

Provide Exceptional Value - Grow Your Business

The primary objective of a business is to get and... Read More

Customer Satisfaction and the Service Business

The relationship between customer satisfaction and success of a service... Read More

Cultivating the Trust Factor

In today's highly competitive economy, it is difficult to maintain... Read More

Develop Loyal Customers for a Lifetime ? part 2 (11 ? 20)

Traditional marketing strategies encourage business owners to continually grow their... Read More

What Every Employee Should Know About How to Win the Loyalty of Customers

Dr. Michael LeBoeuf, in his cassette album entitled, Win... Read More

11 Moments of Truth

These moments come when a customer or client?1. Hears someone... Read More

Making The Most Of Newsletters

Newsletters can be wonderful tools for communicating with your customers... Read More

Customer Service Is Dying - and Im Not Feeling So Good Myself

Have you ever called a company and been greeted with... Read More

Stay - Say - Pay

Would you like to have customers that stay with you... Read More

Your Number One Asset

Customers put you in business, keep you in business, and... Read More

4 Things Your Clients Want From Your Company

Sure, all clients are different. They have different kinds of... Read More

How To Keep Your Customers Coming Back -- Understanding Customer Retention

Why do some businesses offer points, stamps or every tenth... Read More

Dont Eliminate The Middle Man - Add One

Today, there are situations when we actually add a "middle... Read More

7 Bits Of Critical Information You Cant Afford NOT To Know About Your Customers

If you think customer relationship management is just a piece... Read More

Boomerang Customers- What You Might NOT Think Brings Them Back!

With all of the calendars and PDA's and lists I... Read More