Articles tagged: "customer loyalty"

Are your rules driving customers away?

by Bill Hogg


Staples had a sale on computer remotes. Regular price $74.99, on sale for $19.99 — a $50.00 savings. I already had one, but at that price, it made sense to get a back-up.

I dropped by on the way home — unfortunately I arrived at 5 minutes past closing time. The doors were open, people were shopping and cash registers were open.

Posted in All, Customer PerspectiveComments (2)

How good are you?

by Kevin Stirtz


To be successful, in any business, we need to give our customers what they want, in a way that works for our business. We should focus on doing what our customers want AND what we can do well.

Then we need to do it well. In fact we should do it better than anyone else in our market. And we need to do it that way with every customer every time no exceptions and no excuses.

Posted in All, EngagementComments (1)

Do your customers have to jump through hoops?

by Marilyn Suttle


When I purchased my printer several years ago, I bought a three year extended warranty. Unfortunately, last week, just as I was about to print out handouts for a presentation the next day, my printer died and I found out exactly what “warranty” meant.

Posted in All, ComplaintsComments (3)

Choosing service means choosing responsibility

by Kevin Stirtz


A while ago I wrote about a book called: “Choosing Civility”. One thing I like about the book is that it puts the responsibility for change on us, not on others, Even the title says it well. It reminds us we have the ability to choose how we act.

Posted in All, AttitudeComments (0)

The link between customer service and customer loyalty

by Kevin Stirtz


It seems natural customer loyalty would follow good service. If you get what you want and you are treated right, why would you not return to a business? But sometimes it’s useful to have more than an intuitive argument. So I have done a bit of research and I have found two statistics that tell me there is a clear link connecting customer service and customer loyalty.

They also suggest some substantial benefits from improving customer service.

Posted in All, Loyalty, ResourcesComments (2)

The customers you have or may not have for long. It’s your choice.

by Jim Logan


I clearly remember being in the conference room thinking What the hell are we doing? Our CEO just finished a rant on why should be paid well for the products and services we provide.  The crescendo moment came when he railed against a customer who was behind in payment — they were withholding payment because the products and services we provided them weren’t working as advertised.

A fact we didn’t deny.

Posted in All, Customer PerspectiveComments (0)

Just say yes to the simple requests

by Barry Moltz


I am continually amazed how when I ask a company to do something for me and they say yes, how satisfied I feel as a customer.

These usually are simple requests that cost the company little or nothing by granting them. For example, I rented a Zipcar yesterday and it was not in its assigned parking space. I called the company and they transferred my reservation immediately and let me take the more expensive BMW sitting there. This costs them nothing. I had rented the car for an hour and the BMW was just going to sit there non rented. In the process, they created a happy customer with an unused asset (the car).

Posted in All, ExperienceComments (2)

Why customer service matters in SEO and Internet marketing

by Kevin Stirtz


My work focuses a little on getting new customers and a lot on getting them to come back. I believe the best marketing comes from running your business so well, people have a great experience so they come back and they tell others.

Recently, I received an email from my friends at the Village Hat Shop. In the email was a note about an article that explained search engine optimization (SEO) in terms anyone can understand. I clicked over to the article and took a look.

Posted in All, TechnologyComments (1)

Here’s a tool for creating outstanding customer experiences

by Dennis Snow


Most organizations say they put the customer at the center of everything they do. Experiencing the service they provide, however, quickly proves otherwise. Their processes and policies demonstrate that the focus is on their convenience, not the customer’s. We’ve all been frustrated, for example, by phone trees that say; “For sales, press 1; for reservations, press 2; for customer service, press 3.” For real customer service we shouldn’t have to press anything, we should get to talk with someone! They’ve made things more efficient for themselves, but they’re irritating customers in the process.

Posted in All, ExperienceComments (0)

See your customer’s view if you want to keep them

by Jim Logan


I clearly remember being in the conference room thinking What the hell are we doing? Our CEO just finished a rant on why should be paid well for the products and services we provide.  The crescendo moment came when he railed against a customer who was behind in payment — they were withholding payment because the products and services we provided them weren’t working as advertised.

A fact we didn’t deny.

Posted in All, Customer PerspectiveComments (0)

Great customer service lesson from McClures’s Pickles

by Laurie Brown


Recently I went to the Royal Oak Farmers Market. I was happy to see that the wonderful folks from McClure’s Pickles were there again.

A few weeks ago I tasted their fabulous pickles and bought a jar. My husband and I were overloaded with goodies and the bag that dropped right by our car was the one that contained those pickles. The jar was smashed into smithereens and we wrapped it in plastic to get it to the garbage at home. The car had the wonderful aroma of pickles but we didn’t get to eat any.

Posted in All, ComplaintsComments (0)

Customer Expectations Versus Needs

by Ray Miller


The first rule of stellar service delivery is: Service is all about expectations. You buy a product; you expect it to work the first time. You go to a discount supplier, you expect the quality to be less than the high end dealer, but you still expect what you buy to work, first time every time. When it comes to products, expectations are pretty clear.

Posted in All, ExperienceComments (0)

Page 1 of 612345...Last »

Service Recovery

5 Steps to Avoid “Doing a Toyota.”

When a company makes a mistake, it can be the brightest moment in their history.

Toyota had that opportunity. But they missed their moment. Big time.

How a company reacts, removes the pain, and repairs the emotional connection shows the true colors of that organization more than almost any situation they might encounter.

Technology

Peachtree knows that customer service is cool

Customer service is the new marketing because now companies can no longer control what people are saying about them. Everyday, customers and prospects are ranting and raving about your company on social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Companies that don’t get customer service and don’t react to what customers are talking about are doomed to fail.

Feedback

Focus on customer service in 2010 (finally?)

This may be it. This may be the year that it finally happens. 2010 may just be the year that companies start to focus on their customers and serving them well.

Now, I am cautiously optimistic about this focus on customer service, but let me tell you why I feel this way.

1. Brands are using a focus on customers as a competitive differentiator in their advertisements.

Free Customer Service Tips

Train the Trainer – Amazing Service Toolkit

Now you can improve customer service and save money.

Our new Trainer's Toolkit enables you to conduct a professional customer service seminar in your organization at a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional trainer. Click here to learn more.

Customer Service Tools

Training Courses

Archives