Excerpt from my book's chapter on customer service as a marketing tactic.

It does not matter! Be freaky about your attention to customer service.  Every detail matters.

I will say it again (and again, and again, and again). It’s the most important thing you can do - particularly in light of the new economy.  You know people are just cranky and they’re just not going to accept sub-standard customer service.  They expect excellence and you had better provide it if you want to stay in business.  And I’ve got some stories from my past businesses that are very interesting.

When I was in the retail golf business in the Portland area, I was always astonished at events that occurred because my managers were schooled on customer service, as were my employees.

First, I was always amazed at the condition of my store’s parking lots.  Just walking from where I parked my car to the door, depending on what store it was, there would be a handful of candy wrappers and, in those days, smoking was more prevalent, so cigarette pack wrappers, cigarette butts, you name it.

Even packages from something someone bought in my store and tore open before they got in their car.  I would come in the store and I’d throw the trash away and I’d say to the employees, “Gee, didn’t anyone see this garbage when they came in here?”  And I’d get these blank looks and they would say “well, that wasn’t there when we came in.”  BS!

You and I both know it was on the ground when they came to work.  They just walked from their car to their place of employment with their blinders on and didn’t see any of it.  But, I guarantee as a shopper, when I go to a store, I see that stuff and either consciously or unconsciously I make decisions about that store as I’m walking in.  You do to.  That first impression thing also applies to business establishments as well as people you meet.

I talked to the managers and the employees constantly about how, when we walk into our stores, we all had to feel like we were the customer.  From the time you get out of the car until the time that you walk in the store, think like a customer.

This also applies if you have a doctor’s on dental office.  Visualize this.  You’re in a waiting room at a doctor’s office or a dentist’s office and the room needs painting or the walls are dirty or there’s “dust bunnies” on the floor.  Do you kind of think behind the scenes, back where the patient rooms are, that they also might not be as clean as they should be?  I know those thoughts go through my mind.

I have spoken to previous medical care providers about these kinds of things.  Note I said previous because they did not clean and paint.  Apparently they are like my retail employees were and didn’t see it from the patient’s eyes.

My wife had a former cardiologist like this.  His finger nails were in bad need of a manicure.  His office looked like it was out of the 1950’s and probably had not been painted since then either.  His bedside manner also sucked.  This doctor could probably double his business if he gave any thought to the patients experience when they had an appointment with him.

More tips and stories will follow soon.  Watch for Part 2!

Until Next Time,

Chuck Trautman