Come Here! Go Away!

Are you so stressed-out that you are missing critical bits of information, neglecting your manners (the grease of civilized behaviour) or just so busy that customers or clients, details and tasks get missed?   Several years ago, we noticed that the seals had gone on a number of our windows. Wishing to support our neighbourhood business, I stopped into a local glass shop to enquire about getting the windows replaced. Information was duly gathered and I left with the understanding that someone would be out that week to take measurements. The week went by with nary a phone call nor visit. Always willing to give the benefit of the doubt, I called again. This call resulted in a “measured visit” with another promise of a return phone call. Once again, I called and was promised that someone would follow-up. Which, not surprisingly, didn't happen. Just how hard did I have to work to get some windows replaced? By this point, the message came in loud and clear. Bear in mind, it may not have been the one they intended to communicate. I assumed that our job was too small for them during this “boom” cycle, or that small customers didn't matter. Now that construction has slowed down I wonder how interested they would be in the smaller neighbourhood customers. Unfortunately for them, they've proven themselves to be unreliable & non-referrable. When people are overwhelmed, either professionally or personally actions become affected. Here's a checklist to see whether you and your business has been naughty or nice. (Keeping to a seasonal theme!) <ul> <li> Are customers/clients warmly welcomed? </li> <li> Is every customer important? </li> <li> Are they thanked, even if they do not make a purchase at that time? </li> <li> Do you treat the customer well even if they are "Just looking", regardless if it takes them some time to "just look"? (I've gone back as much as 2 yrs. later, when the time was right.) You don't know what is going on in that particular customer's personal life. </li> <li> Do you listen carefully to what they want based on their needs? (Several yrs. ago, when I was in the market for a bicycle that had to accommodate my disability, I became frustrated with several “experts” who told me what I “wanted” rather than listening to my specific needs.) </li> <li> Do you over-explain or under-explain? In other words, make assumptions about how much the customer knows or doesn't know. (Asking a few well-formed questions will resolve this situation.) </li> <li> Do you build rapport with your customers? (When I was awaiting hip replacements, it seemed that I would always get the hippy-happy-chatty sales clerk who did not “read” me. Being in considerable pain, I wanted to make my purchase and then leave as quickly as possible.) This invaluable skill can be learned. You just don't know what kind of day/life the customer is having. Please see: <a href="your-customer-service-is-more-important-than-your-product">Your Customer Service is More Important than Your Product</a> </li> <li> Do you get back to them if there is a delay in service or products? </li> <li> How do you ensure that you are giving them your best service? </li> <li> Do you make promises that you fail to keep? Please see: <a href="promises-promises">Promises, Promises!</a> </li> <li> Are staff well-trained & given autonomy? </li> <li> Is communication clear between all employees? </li> <li> If you are unable to help them, do you refer them on to someone else? </li> <li> When your business grows, do you have a plan to ensure that your customers will be well-looked after in a timely fashion? </li> <li> Do you ignore other business owners when they reach out to you? Perhaps they are attempting to build a referral network and wish to get to know you to see if they can trust you. Please see: <a href="the-formula-for-referral-success">The Formula for Referral Success</a> </li> </ul>   You may read this and think that this is all common-sense.  However, when one is chronically stressed, common-sense & courtesy are often amongst the first casualties. The more I learned about how stress affects us professionally and personally, the more I knew I had to take back my life. I was no longer in charge. Stress was affecting everything – my relationships, my energy-levels, problem-solving, memory and health. I urge you to learn what you can so that you live your best life. One that is designed by you and driven by the wisdom of your heart. The heart is constantly sending signals to the brain; the clearer those signals the better the brain's performance. Now that you have a bit more information, how will this affect the messages that you convey to your clients or customers?               2008-12-19T17:23:30Z

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come-here-go-away

2008-12-20T04:47:51Z

Dependent upon which source you refer to, between 55 & 93% of all messages are communicated non-verbally. What are you saying to your customers through your words and actions?

Come Here! Go Away!

2009-02-24T09:48:00Z