Stop Saying “No” to Getting Paid!

It’s hard to imagine saying “No, thanks” to a customer who wants to hand you their money, but some businesses do just that with the way they handle their payment protocols.  Are you one of them? Is your customer service in need of repair?   Check out these “broke” scenarios, and learn how to "fix it"  to increase customer satisfaction and your bottom line. 

BROKE:  Waiting in line to pay after you’ve already received your product or service. 

A local high-end salon chain here in the greater Seattle is notorious for this.  They have a desk for check-in and desk for check-out, and these desks are staffed by different people.  On numerous occasions, I’ve had to wait in a long line to pay. Hmm.  I’ve received my service, I’ve got my purse…and there’s the front door.  What’s to keep me from walking out?  Ok, honesty, that’s what (and the fact that they have my jacket and know where I live.)  But seriously, to have to wait even 5 minutes to pay while there are a gaggle of employees sitting at check-in twiddling their thumbs is frustrating.  

FIX IT: Cross-train your employees, please. “It’s not my job” never sounds good to the customer’s ears. Make it a pleasure (or, at least, a convenience) for them to pay, not a chore.

BROKE:  “We don’t take phone orders”

A new restaurant chain just opened up near us.  It’s fast, convenient, tasty, and they have take-out.  Great!  But when I called to place my family’s dinner order., I received a surprising bit of news:  “We don’t take phone orders.”  To be more specific, they take orders by fax or by Internet, but not by phone. Here’s the even more surprising part:  After you place your fax or internet order, they require you to phone the store to confirm your order! 

FIX IT:  Take an extra step to make sure you’re giving your clients the best service possible.  “That’s not how we do things here,” isn’t what your customers want to hear.  Be happy to help them, and they’ll be happy to reward you with their business.

BROKE:  “We don’t accept credit cards”

I hear this often from many small businesses.  Especially my massage colleagues who practice out of their home.  I understand the challenge: credit card companies charge businesses to use their services, and many small businesses aren’t willing or able to take on the cost.  Fewer and fewer people are carrying cash around these days, and it’s simply easier for credit-card carrying customers to say "yes" to businesses that say yes to them.  

FIX IT:  There are several options for small businesses to consider, some of which have very low costs:  PayPal has a “virtual terminal” feature which allows instant processing of credit card transactions for a low monthly fee.  Google Checkout waives processing charges for folks who also use their AdWords service, and Revolution Money Exchange charges no fees for member-to-member transactions (and joining is free!). 

It’s easy to get caught up in the details and habits of how we conduct our money exchanges with our clients.  Remembering to take the extra step when it comes to accepting your clients hard-earned money will pay off in the end, for them and for you!