How to Wow

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Every day, I strive to “wow” customers and I expect my team to do the same.  I managed to “wow” a customer this morning and it wasn’t even much of a challenge this time.  It just took some extra effort and good judgement.  I have the good fortune of owning my own business so I can make quick decisions that benefit customers.  My colleagues are empowered to make similar decisions which is essential in every organization or customers will hear employees quoting policies and procedures, such as “our normal production schedule is…”

A nice lady came in and needed about a dozen engraved plates  she plans to apply to a centerpiece for an event at the end of this week.  Each plate is identical.  I could tell she was trying to envision how the final product would look so I cut a piece of scrap material to provide a concept.  Shortly thereafter, I offered to engrave an actual piece.  This is how the “wow” evolved.  We ended up engraving two actual samples which helped her to take pictures, text the images and make a decision with the help of her boss who was viewing the images remotely.

Upon approving the final layout, I asked if she would like to hang out in our showroom for about twenty minutes while we completed her order instead of having to make a special trip back to our store two days later.

A few things made this possible.  Our production schedule is a little slow at the moment and our machines were quiet when she came in.  I was able to communicate with my engraver and ask that she hold off on starting another job while explaining what I was intending to do for this customer.  My customer had some flexibility, did not need to place her order and run out the door for another appointment and recognized the few extra minutes in our showroom would save significant time later.  And I was willing to invest in a relationship instead of rushing through the process of taking an order, which is often the case, and moving on to another task.

Considering that we produce custom engraved and imprinted products, I can make the point that other businesses should find an even easier time to accommodate customers beyond their expectations.  And if you know how to exceed the expectations of your customers, then you know how to “wow”.

-Brian Litofsky

Chief Recognition Officer, Crown Trophy

From Mold to Gold

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This is not really about mold or gold, rather about doing the “right” thing and good customer service.  Nearly a month ago, I had picked up my daughter from basketball practice and stopped to get some fuel.  Knowing we were over due for the grocery store and that it would be a challenge to make a few school lunches for the following day, I ran into the mini-mart at the gas station to get two submarine sandwiches.  Ten minutes later, I was in my driveway with a car full of fuel and headed inside with lunches taken care of for two of my kids.

Recognizing that my son can’t eat cheese, I opened the sandwich wrapping so I could correctly identify the respective lunches.  That is when I spotted the mold on the bread.  It was really obvious and in the exact same location on each sandwich.  I fed a bit of the meat to my dogs and tossed the rest in the trash, but not before snapping a few pictures and searching the internet for contact information for the mini-mart company.

I found the link, typed my complaint and clicked submit.  Frustrated that I now had to make an immediate trip to the grocery store, I felt a sense of relief that I was quickly able to relay my issue to the company; however, I was skeptical that I would receive a response that would mitigate the inconvenience.  I should add that I did call the mini-mart and a nice lady directed me to return to the store and she would replace the sandwiches.  While a polite, albeit predictable response, if I was headed anywhere that night it was going to be to the grocery store to tackle our food needs for the week.

Fast forward to 10:15 the next morning when I received a call at work from the public relations manager of this mini-mart chain (well known in the Maryland area).  She was kind, appropriately and sincerely apologetic and offered to send gift cards that exceeded the value of the sandwiches in addition to some decent coupons toward future purchases.  I had a nice conversation with her and thanked her for her very timely handling of my complaint.  Several days later, I received the gift cards, coupons and a note.

I understand enough about the food industry to recognize that mold happens.  I believe in this case, the mold was a bit too obvious to have made it out the door with a customer but I get that this can happen.  It is a difficult business and everyone deserves a second chance and an opportunity to right a wrong.  I wasn’t about to write this mini-mart off my list with a plan never to return; but this PR manager did the “right” thing and that is a guarantee that her company will keep my family coming back.  That’s the gold!

 

Be Polite or I’ll Bounce Myself Out of Here

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Just this morning, I read a complaint that a friend’s wife posted on Facebook regarding her experience she had yesterday when taking her sons to one of those indoor”bouncy” places.  You know the sort of indoor playground that has blow-up/bouncy/jump-around things for kids birthday parties.  Apparently she got an attitude from the teenage receptionist when she questioned why she had to purchase a special pair of gripper socks for her boys despite not having to do the same a few weeks earlier.

Bouncing-Back-ART

She asked to speak with the manager who agreed that she did not have to make the sock purchase.  When he was informed of the “attitude problem”, he replied, “well, you know how teenagers are.”  The manager was describing that he hires teenagers and the expectation from such an employee is very low.

Apparently this manager does not understand the interview process, how to set expectations and how to train employees.  And he’s certainly missing the boat on how to foster relationships with repeat customers.  Unfortunately, this is not an isolated problem.  It is so easy to see examples when we call businesses and get a rude greetings, long hold times and attitudes that are apathetic.

Just make sure you are doing the opposite in your own operation and that your employees are polite and competent or your customers will, literally, bounce themselves over to your competition.

No Oatmeal? That’s Not My Point, Actually

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Today was a lovely morning to meet a business acquaintance for coffee. At her suggestion, we agreed to meet at one of her favorite breakfast spots.  If my wife had walked into this establishment, she would have surely thought it “adorable”.  It was that sort of place.  It looked good and smelled amazing.  By the looks of the glass case, this was a carb-lovers paradise.  Fresh baked goods and breads were calling my name.  I hadn’t eaten a thing and already I was planning to return.  And then the lady behind the counter, who could not manage even the slightest smile, asked if she could help me.

I ordered an iced coffee and, adhering to my healthy food plan of late, asked if they offered oatmeal.  “No, we don’t” came the reply from the borderline unfriendly woman behind the counter.  It seemed like such a wholesome cafe’,  so I was slightly surprised that oatmeal was not on the menu.  Employees are trained to know what the cafe’ offers, so why would I doubt the response.  So they don’t have oatmeal.  I’ll eat my fiber bar on my way to the office.  Coffee will do just fine.

Oatmeal

And then another customer showed me the oatmeal.  About four Umpqua Oats (a rather upscale, gourmet instant oatmeal) flavors were lined up on a shelf, among a few other items.  The shelf was literally at my back and within easy view of the lady behind the counter.  There must have been 30 containers of oatmeal.  So I selected one and asked if the lady behind the counter could provide some hot water.  The lady behind the counter completed my transaction while another, kinder, employee took the oatmeal container from me, added hot water, stirred it, and returned it to me, ready to eat.

It was rather odd, actually.  That the lady behind the counter didn’t even know they had nearly 30 instant oatmeal containers within six feet of where she stood was a tad strange, it was even more bizarre that she never acknowledged that she had nearly sent me on my way with just a coffee.  I’m afraid for the owner of the cafe’ that this employee didn’t really care.  Someone needs some sales training or another job!

My friend and I sat with our coffees al fresco in amazingly comfortable, end of summer temperatures with unusually low humidity.  I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation.  The upscale oatmeal, perhaps requiring an acquired taste, not so much.

by Brian Litofsky, CRO

Chief Recognition Officer, Crown Trophy

Customer Service – In Case We Get Disconnected…

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Even the best customer service can be overshadowed by lengthy hold times and difficult to navigate telephone menus.  Of course, if such obstacles are in the way, perhaps the word “best” can not be used regardless of how great the service is once a live person is reached.  At GoDaddy, whenever I have called for assistance or to make a purchase, one of the first questions I am asked is: “In case we get disconnected, what is a good number for us to reach you?”

This question is music to my ears.  I have called many companies, and I don’t mind mentioning a few, that did not ask this important question.  Verizon and Comcast come to mind the quickest as businesses I needed to call to get some form of help.  The phone menus were often confusing or lead to being connected with the wrong departments.  Having a call dropped meant the burden of getting reconnected fell on me as the customer service personnel would not take a call back number in the event we were disconnected.  It did seem odd that communication companies were rather poor in their supposed areas of expertise.

Once again, despite the advances in technology, simple telephone etiquette can either save the day or create an unnecessary blockade in the ability for customers to get questions answered.  And that is a disconnect!

Networking at “Cheers”

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Just this morning, I had a breakfast meeting with my friend, Seth Geller, at a local café.  It was a casual, simple “catch-up” & share sort of exchange.  No agenda. The cool part of this particular meeting location is that it is a hot spot for people I know and like.  It’s a place where everybody knows my name.  Well, not everybody.

Group of People on Coffee Break

It never fails that I bump into at least one or two other friends while I’m there, and often it is more than that.  Nearly every occasion when I stop by Stone Mill Bakery, I end up introducing one friend to another.  Sure, there is a momentary interruption in the flow of conversation but, more frequent than not, there is a positive interaction that defines business networking.

In the networking world, we all need to schedule these types of meetings.  And if not everybody in the place recognizes you, it’s to your advantage that a few friends will know your name.  You just need to be consistent with where you meet.  So, go find your “CHEERS“.

by Brian Litofsky, CRO

Chief Recognition Officer, Crown Trophy