Does your organization have a culture of customer service?

Excellent customer service is hard to find any more. Companies tend to focus more on turning customers than on retaining them. We’ve talked before about how every customer experience helps you build your brand. Take a moment to think about what message your organization’s customer service is sending. What culture do you cultivate?

I’ve had a few different customer service experiences lately… some not so good and some so good they will keep me coming back. Here are just two examples:

My husband and I are in the very early stages of looking for a new vehicle. For us, this is a journey. We do a significant amount of research when buying a vehicle. We shop, not only the automobile, but the dealer and the service department as well. After doing a lot of research online, we were recently ready to go visit a couple of dealerships for the different brands and models we were considering. We went to one local dealer that happened to be the only local dealer for one of the vehicles we were considering. The lack of a customer service culture was evident as soon as we approached the lot. Just driving in was confusing. The used car lot was next to the main road and the new cars were in the back. Nothing was marked well, and the lot was sparse with vehicles.

When we finally reached the new showroom, we were ‘greeted’ sluggishly by a hostess who in turn slowly sauntered to the back to try to find someone to help us. This person in turn literally sighed his way toward us. Later we learned they don’t work on commission, which in this case provided absolutely no incentive for him to be helpful. I’m not a fan of the hard sell, but some effort would have been appreciated. The culture, or lack thereof, was palpable through each step of the way. We had pretty much decided against the vehicle just based on that experience, but the clincher was the ‘service’ department. The waiting area literally consisted of two metal chairs and a soda machine at the end of the concrete showroom.

Although the vehicle we had been researching gets excellent ratings and had been part of our short list for months, it is now completely out of the running, all because of the lack of a customer service culture.

On the other end of the pendulum, we had dinner the other night at Ocean Prime. If you have ever had the pleasure of eating here, you know that this is not just dinner, it’s an experience. And, it’s not just because it’s an upscale restaurant, because there are a lot of those in Orlando. At Ocean Prime, the customer service culture is evident from the moment you make reservations. Their job at every turn is to make your experience fabulous. If you have one near you, go there (and try the chocolate peanut butter pie!).

We commented throughout our evening about the culture. The Maitre D welcomes you with a warm smile, and assures the chosen table and even the seats at that table, are perfect for you. We thought she was a manager, she was so much a part of the experience for each table seated. The dinner club atmosphere, complete with excellent live music at the perfect level for dining, make you feel at home. Our waiter, Joey, was completely professional. Each member of the team helps the others. And thank you’s are abundant between them. We were blown away when our waiter from our first visit months ago, Gary, stopped by to welcome us back. We still don’t know if he really remembered us or if they had that information in their computer, but it was an excellent touch either way. Of course the food was amazing, but that’s not what will bring us back. It was the experience. The knowledge that we could take a few moments from our crazy busy life to spend together and to be treated like royalty.

So, we’ll be moving on to another car dealership and vehicle, and we’ll find the right one at the right time. But we’ll definitely be back to Ocean Prime because they have an amazing customer service culture. And we’ll request either Gary or Joey, because they deserve it and so do we. And now we’ve told our friends. And so on…

We’d love to hear about your experiences with customer service culture. Please respond in the comments section below!

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Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff.

Faberge Shampoo Commercial - Social Media Before Its Time

Tool Review: Gotomypc.com

When you own a business you can never be far from your computer.  Recently I went to visit family and was considering whether or not to bring my laptop.  It was vacation after all.  Though my business partner can certainly cover me, there are files and programs on my computer that she doesn’t have on her computer or in our shared files.  I had heard about gotomypc.com and decided to research it.  Finally I decided to do a 30 day trial, and I was completely impressed.  With a simple sign-up I was able to access my actual desktop and every file and program on my laptop from a computer clear across the country.  Ease and peace of mind without having to schlep a laptop through the airport!   Their monthly prices are reasonable – about $10/month on an annual plan. 

It occurred to me recently that this may be a great solution to remotely help friends and family who are struggling with their computers.  My mom, who cannot live without her computer, but has trouble finding her way around it sometimes, often asks me how to find things on her computer.  That is somewhat difficult clear across the country.  But with gotomypc.com, I could access her computer (only with her permission and knowledge of course!) and help her with whatever she is trying to do. 

Check them out:  www.gotomypc.com

Kim Luedke is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff.

When and Why to Use a Consulting Firm

A perfect storm of factors in the 90’s and 2000’s have lead to a vast increase in numbers of entrepreneurs.  The 90’s brought us the quality improvement, which had some good points, but more often than not meant doing more with fewer people and burning those people out.  The 2000’s brought economy changes that squeezed businesses even further, causing high unemployment.  But during this period of time technology progressed at an almost unfathomable rate.  All of these factors created an environment that has lead to an entrepreneurial boom.  Employees were either fed up working for others or simply couldn’t find a job.  Technology made starting a business easier than ever, and many have taken the opportunity to do so.

Starting and running a small business is rewarding, exciting, scary, and fun, but it isn’t always easy.  You have to be the sales department, finance department, IT department, marketing department, and human services department often with only a small number of people.  And of course, this is on top of your “business”.  Running a business is very much like running a home. Perhaps you can paint and know how to fix leaky sinks, but you don’t know anything about electrical work (and frankly you don’t want to). Sometimes you simply don’t have the time or expertise to do it all yourself and you look to consultants to help you in certain areas. 

Hiring a consultant:

1.       Allows you to focus on your business goals instead of trying to learn and do everything else

2.       Provides expertise you need in certain areas such as accounting or marketing

3.       Can bring an objective “eye” to your business for improving processes, expanding your business market, and even improving your product or service

4.       Can help with a particular project or ongoing needs

Sometimes small business owners just need an extra pair of hands, and consultants can be the way to go.

Kim Luedke is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff.

10 Dos and Don’ts for Remote Workers

1.       Do take your laptop out to the porch/deck on beautiful days.

2.       Don’t use video chat while working in your pajamas.

3.       Do take frequent opportunities to mention your 15 foot commute to still-commuting friends.

4.       Don’t answer the phone “Joe’s Bar and Grill”, unless, in fact, you are “Joe’s Bar and Grill”.

5.       Do build time into your schedule to give the dog tummy rubs.

6.       Don’t continue the monthly birthday cake routine if you now work all by yourself.

7.       Do remember you no longer have a cleaning crew keeping dust and trash from accumulating in your office.

8.       Don’t let the cat eat your mouse.

9.       Do make sure your Skype call has ended before belting your rendition of “I feel like a woman”.

10.   Don’t forget to “leave” the office.

Happy Friday!