Connection Enterprises

Miscommunication and Missed Communication

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Thu, 08 May 2014 18:48:00 +0000

In life and in business miscommunication and missed communication are two great sources of frustration. Miscommunication is easy to understand; it happens to all of us daily. The results of this range from the comical to disastrous, so in business clarity of message is the focus. Businesses spend a great deal of time creating mission statements and training employees on how to speak to customers. Still, the message often doesn’t get the information management needs.

Missed communication could be renamed lack of communication. How many times has a customer called to complain -- or worse -- to discontinue the use of your product or service? If you had focused on what your customer needs from you, something could have been done. “Too late now” means you lost. Lack of communication means you were playing the wrong game. You didn’t even get to the point of playing the game.

So what are we to do? How do we keep missed communication at bay?

The answer is simple. Talk to customers, but focus on listening to what they are saying, particularly what they need from you. Listen and focus on the customer’s concerns. Make sure you know what is on their minds before they pick up the phone and tell you.

If you need help, contact us. We are experts at it.

It’s Time to Shake Off the Winter Blahs

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 18:09:00 +0000

Spring is here. It might not look like it out your window, but you can’t fight the calendar. Well, maybe you can fight it, but if you want to engage the rest of us on the planet, time is wasting. If you don’t have a program to stay in touch with customers, there is probably someone who is or at least working on it.

That is the game of business! Listen to your customer’s needs before someone else does. There are few (If any) reasons to put off engaging customers tools for success.

There is someone out there who is or will be trying to engage your customers.

Are you engaged with your customers? Are you probing and listening to their needs? Are your customers’ clients being engaged in the process?

Are you helping define customer needs? Are you asking customers? If not, how do you know?

Let’s talks about how this spring can be an important opportunity to focus on meeting your customer’s needs. How about looking at your job (and ours) as focusing on meeting your (and our) customer needs.

Opportunities missed are ones left available for your competitors to meet!

Olympics and Business

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 21:52:00 +0000

Olympic sports are a template for your business model.

One way of viewing the various sports in the Olympics – and comparing them to a business model—is to separate them into two groups.

One type is understood in a very concrete manner. You have to outperform your opponents by going faster, jumping higher, or achieving a task more accurately or quickly in a definable and and/or measurable manner.

The other type is far less concrete (though it is not necessarily presented that way). You are required to have a high level of skill, but in fact you are trying to impress the judges. These sports are scored on a far less concrete or measurable standard than the first type of evaluations. Under some group of (malleable) rules, the athlete is trying to impress the judges. Opinion is the final, decisive evaluation.

Businesses often focus almost entirely on the first type.

Think about that for a moment. Don’t we all have judges?

In business, our judges are called customers.

How they vote is the only thing that matters. Does your marketing program focus on what is clearly the goal? Sure, if your business in focus with the first Olympic model, you’ll have some success. That kind of success is based on something closer to a lucky guess than a concrete and focused victory.

To achieve a concrete and predictable success, you are required to know what the judges are looking for.

In business, unlike the Olympics, you can talk to the judges any time you think it would be in your best interest. Orderly communication with appropriate score tabulations is almost always the approach that makes the most sense.

If you want to make sure your business is focused on the game you are playing, rather than the inertia of the past—get in touch with us. Helping businesses get involved in the right game is all we do.

Impending Thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 19:49:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is almost here.

As business folk, there is one thing that we should be most thankful for above all others—Our Customers!

Without customers, there is no business. Customers are critical to all our activities. In fact, without customers, there is no business!

Customers need to be appreciated in line with their importance.

Talk to them, listen to them, and thank them. Take their concerns seriously. Do it today.

If you need help establishing excellent customer communication that shows you are thankful for them—Get in touch with us; we’ll take it from there.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Preemption

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 19:19:00 +0000

One of Webster’s definitions of preemption is “action taken to check other action before hand.” This could be stated many other ways. In customer service, preemptive action is a customer service strategy that anticipates problems before they occur, at best. Addressing unmet customer expectations before the customer has to ask (or worse) is essentially a definition of high quality customer service.

Are you in touch with your customers to the extent that you can anticipate what the most likely problems might be? What are you doing to meet this need?

Addressing customer problems before they occur is essential to outstanding customer relationships. Finding problems and addressing them promptly is a primary component of being able to meet this goal. We refer to related activities as customer retention.

Do you have a functioning method of anticipating unmet customer needs?

That is what we do. It works. Executed meticulously, it always works

Sports as a Business Model

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 20:37:00 +0000

This month major sports are moving in two directions. Last month, I made a comment related to basketball, which was centered on the impending change of teams by Dwight Howard (AKA Superman). This month we find the sports world beginning a season (Football) and beginning the wind down of another (Baseball).

In the case of football (new beginning) there is always hope—in varying degrees. Hope breeds customer interest and ultimately ticket sales. The customer base is interested in the possibility. The interest is stoked up by the media who always need something to write about.

The dynamic in baseball is vastly different. Season obits typically would not be good generators of ticket sales this week. Performance relating to some unknown future trade, acquisition, or possible improvement is unlikely to put fans in the stadium tonight. Teams having an uncompetitive year are hoping for a schedule with a more interesting narrative than their own for financial performance this time of year. Luck in the schedule is not a very plausible business plan.

What makes sports interesting to fans is the predictability of what is important. The answer is to have a good, competitive team—all the way to the end of the season. Some teams augment their chances by making the experience of the fan at the game as enjoyable as possible. Been to a major league baseball game lately? Ambiance, food, music, and comfort are available in many of the stadiums. Old stadiums aren’t even excluded from the mix. Ever had a hot dog while sitting on the curb under the Green Monster outside Fenway before the game? It’s a treat! Ambiance sells—old, new, good food, memories—they all can sell.

Most successful teams are selling the experience of the game at the same time they are trying to be champs.

What does this have to do with your company? Simply put, we all try to be financially successful. Finding out what your customers want and delivering it to them is how to achieve success.

Don’t wait until the end of the football season to get started. The beginning is always finding out what your customer’s highest expectations are, then doing your best to meet them. It isn’t a static exercise. The next season is always around the corner. We would like to have the opportunity to coach you in playing the game. Talked to your customers lately? Seasons change, so you can’t expect customer needs to stay the same.

NBA Player Negotiation and Customer Satisfaction

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 21:50:00 +0000

The NBA is an unusual case study in customer satisfaction. The most you claim to be done and the best player acquisition you can afford is acceptable in some markets, but not in others. I suppose that is the case because there are only two markets with direct competition. There is only one “Superman” (Dwight Howard) and there are at least five suitors. That is curious enough, because there are many more that five teams.

Not all of the teams need a center, which explains some of the difference. I cite Memphis, Knicks, and Indianapolis. Superman might be an upgrade, but not a huge one … but how about all the other teams? Cap room available under league rules is usually their viable excuse. They can’t pay the toll, by rule.

What that means is only a few teams fight to get the dominant center. Theoretically, a better basketball team—maybe even championships – are at stake.

Most businesses wish they had an excuse like that available to cry to their customers.

Most of us have to perform to a very high standard or someone else will, if we want to meet the standard of customer service. If we don’t, customers leave to service and product providers who meet their needs and expectations.

Satisfying customers with mediocre products and services might work in the sports world, but I don’t think that approach works in the business environment.

In the real world of business, meeting customer expectations starts with knowing what those expectations are. The best way to do that is to talk to them!

Are you talking to your customers or spending all your time hoping for a long shot to come through? If you need some help with identifying the success you are having in meeting expectations, maybe we can help

How Are Your Customers?

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:55:00 +0000

Do you treat your customers like they are important? How about: there is no business without your customers.

Are your customers asked if your products and service meet or exceed their needs?

If not, how do you know if you are adequately doing the most important part of your job?

Do you wait until they complain? That is a gamble the first time, which ultimately (sometimes quickly) leads to a poor relationship, at best.

Asking your customers for a grade and feedback is not secondary. How can your relationship with the most important part of your business be secondary? What you don’t know can hurt you.

If you want a concrete response to this most important issue, let’s discuss how to deal with it. It is a cost that has a straight line to profit improvement.

Gatsby, Daisy and Victory or Tragedy

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:49:00 +0000

Do you run the risk of assuming you know more about your customers than you think? We are all talking to the people we like to talk to as well as those folks who force you to listen to them. This gives some anecdotal data about what two sub-sets of customers think of your business.

Do you have any way of knowing more than that—or even knowing if what you think you know has any validity?

How about talking to as many customers as possible and getting specific, actionable feedback in a polite, caring way? How about giving the relationship a sense of sincere friendship?

How do you really know what is important to customers without listening to them?

Think about Gatsby. If he had listened to Daisy and run away with her, he would have gotten the prize—Daisy. Instead, he pursued a fairy tale, rather than keep focus on his beloved Daisy. What a shame. Such planning, so close to the prize—but complete tragedy for his reward!

Are you listening to your customers, while they are using your products until something better comes along? Listen to them and do your best to give them what they desire. That is where we can help.

Are you listening to Daisy, Old Sport!

Missing something?

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:21:00 +0000

In business, as well as much of life, reliance on experts or professionals to perform certain key tasks is common practice. Sometimes they are internal, sometimes outside talent, and sometimes even both. Many companies require inside council and occasional outside council on specialized matters. How about accountants? The standard for many companies, if not most, is both are necessary. These are examples of important areas of business that require focus and accuracy.

Are you missing anything? What is the single most important activity that drives exceptional financial performance more than any other area?

Who really pays the bills and defines financial success? For all of us the answer is the same. If your customers are happy, there is no reason why your financial performance should not be a happy one! Business is about satisfying the needs of customers. This is not a secondary component, rather the one area that makes the others superfluous. Put simply: no customers, no business.

Do you have a professional focused on your customers? Is customer satisfaction being monitored in real time or only on a reactionary basis?

Do you find you are missing a professional partner in this area? The difference in performance in all areas is spectacular. Get with us if you want to fill your missing roster of professionals. The need we fill is not a secondary one!

Don’t Get Surprised

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:56:00 +0000

One of the most important goals involved in quality customer service is doing your best to avoid surprises that aggravate your customers. Not knowing what your customers think of your service or product isn’t a good situation in any event, but customer service issues—whether due to product function or employees having a tin ear—are probably related to more unwanted customer migration (away from you) than any other customer response.

Listen to your customers so you don’t get surprised. The surprises can be funny, but a customer leaving through the back door will impair quality opinions of your business in the marketplace more quickly than any other impetus.

Find a quality way to listen to your customers and respond to their needs, so you won’t be the butt of the joke. Losing a customer isn’t very funny, even if the underlying circumstance is hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoVp4oNBI1s

Callback Programs

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:53:00 +0000

Sometimes, companies hit a sour note with customers when they do callbacks after a sale. They are unsure how to get good data. This is the wrong way to look at the process from the start. When talking to your customers, always approach the conversation the same way you would if you are trying to make a friend. Why? Because a successful customer relationship is a type of friendship! Asking a bunch of predetermined questions often comes off like an interrogation. That is definitely not a good foundation for a friendly relationship. Honest concern has to be established if you want to get honest answers--at least if you want them offered in the context of an ongoing relationship. Customers don't want to be treated like they are being used for a survey. They want to be treated like their experience with your company and it's products and services are what is important to you. If you are interested in getting a good, friendly relationship enhanced with your customers, let's visit about it! We would appreciate the opportunity to enhance your customer relationship. After all, satisfied customers are the best salespeople out there. Unhappy customers create a problem in the marketplace that is difficult to overcome.

The Loss of Van Cliburn

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:01:00 +0000

Ordinarily, this blog wouldn’t be an appropriate venue for local information, much less comments about my family. However, recent events make this post an exception.

Van Cliburn died this week. I would feel unfaithful to myself and my community without making note of this important event in Fort Worth, Texas.

IN 1958, U.S. and Russia were at or near the peak of the “Cold War”. As a second grader- like most, if not all in the United States- I hid under my desk periodically. This was supposedly some protection for our class from an atomic bomb attack.

This same year was the first International Tchaikovsky Competition, begun in large part to showcase to the world Russia’s preeminence in all matters associated with classical music.

Readers not old enough to remember the political tension would find it quite difficult to overstate. Nikita Khrushchev was Premier of Russia during this period. He was a despot by any standard. On a personal level, I learned several of the most severe “cuss” words from buttons sold at the State Fair that sought to describe the wearers’ feelings re: Mr. K. It was quite shocking at the time.

After the 23 year old from East Texas completed his performance, just months after the Russians launched Sputnik, the judges found him the winner. They were required to defend their choice to Khrushchev himself.

The judges defended their choice and history was made. Time Magazine put Van on the cover, writing: ”The Texan Who Conquered Russia”.

Upon his return, he became the first musician honored with a ticker tape parade. (Over 100,000 in attendance)

Reportedly, Khrushchev (a lover of classics) and Van later became friends. Such was the great man. I had the opportunity to greet him on several occasions. He was always cheerful.

I grew up in a family with several professional musicians. The significance of his life was often repeated to me. I took my kids to one of his last public performances. He is missed, but his work lives on, in part through the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. It is a marvelous event by any standard.

His signature piece is Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No1.

Thanks to the Fort Worth Star Telegram for much of the information in this post. Check them out for much more on Van Cliburn’s life. If we all approached doing our various jobs the way this man approached his life, we would probably all do a much better job! Practice, focus, passion, good coaching, and audience awareness —they are all necessary if we want to meet our best!

The First Thought is not Always the Best Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:52:00 +0000

In my copy of Webster’s New World College Dictionary, the fifth definition of the word ‘retain’ is “to keep in mind.”

We all generally know what “retention” means. In business it is often used to refer to retaining customers. Focusing on building customer loyalty is how we achieve it – at least in part by actively and thoughtfully staying in touch with customers and being sure you know how your customers think you are doing.

It seems to me that to be serious about customer satisfaction, everything your company does should be performed while keeping your customer in mind. “To keep in mind” should not be fifth; it should be first.

Do your customer relationships meet that standard? Why not call them and find out?

If you need some help, let us know.

Coffee Talk

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:33:00 +0000

Bill and Frank try to get together for coffee every week. This week, after the ‘how’s the family’ business was resolved, Bill asked, “What happened with your vendor who had you so frustrated last week?

Frank responded, “It was good. They called. They asked if I was satisfied with their service. I explained the problem the same way I told you about it. They were concerned and I gave them the entire scoop. They said they would get on it and they did. I was impressed with the concern they showed, without me having to initiate the resolution.

Bill concluded, “Wow. That sounds like someone I would like to do business with.”

The Dangers of the Unknown!

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 20:58:00 +0000

Some people go by the old saw—“if you don’t know about it, it ain’t broke.”

We can suppose that works for people who are real lucky or that don’t really care that much. At least it works for a while. It might be a long while or it might not be very long at all. Put another way, it works until something not anticipated and perceived to be negative happens. At that point you have a problem—sometimes one that is solvable. The danger here is that sometimes the unknown “occurrences” ruin relationships.

When you solicit criticism and receive a negative comment apologize, fix anything that can be fixed, and thank the customer for the feedback —you manage to inoculate yourself from relationship destroying tension.

Give your customers a call and see how they think your doing. They really are the folks with the only opinion that matters much.

If you need some help getting this going, give us a try.

Talked to any customers lately?

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:03:00 +0000

Talked to any customers lately?

We are finding a higher number of changes—for a wide variety of reasons—than typical.

Lots of changes in business economics are evident. Lots of innovative ideas to deal with the current business climate are around, as businesses push to expand market share. The business climate is wildly different in disparate industries.

If it isn’t impossible to meet customer needs without knowing their view of the business climate (opportunity, risk, etc.), it probably takes a lot of luck.

Go ahead. Give it a try. If you need any help, give us a call.

Fight or Flight vs Communicate

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 21:03:00 +0000

Beta blockers are interesting medications used in a wide variety of health issues. They perform a fairly simple, yet critical function. Usually, they are used to reduce or control adrenaline. Generally speaking, adrenaline creates a fight or flight condition in the body. I’m pretty sure it’s never a good idea for a business to create a fight or flight response among their customers. In fact, avoiding this might be a very useful way to view customer contact of all types.

I suppose that not making any waves with customers would accomplish this in a passive way. Unfortunately, passive approaches to customer desires show insufficient value given to the company/customer relationship.

Making customers happy is the primary goal of business.

Fight the potential need for the equivalent of medication by stopping the disease before it occurs. Don’t leave anything to block the relationship. Find out the source of discomfort as soon as possible and deal with it in a cheerful and serious way. Do it as soon as possible. If you need a beta blocker, you are already on the wrong playing field.

Talk to your customers. Find out if there are any symptoms of the fight or flight response and deal with it! Don’t wait for it to become a disease.

Businesses with healthy customer relationships are almost always highly successful.

Who’s on First?

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:47:00 +0000

Who’s on First?

Abbot and Costello and the Art of Communicati

All of your employees probably think that they are saying the right thing to your customers—explaining what, where, and how their purchase is best used, as well as all other information the customer needs to maximize your company’s freshly purchased product or service. Not so fast. People often use different, often technical terms that don’t mean the same thing to customers that they mean inside your operation.

This simple fact of human nature can and usually will lead to a misunderstanding.

Customers are not often inclined to do repeat business with vendors they don’t communicate with easily. To compound the problem, this usually doesn’t show up at the point or time of sale. Your translator (employee) isn’t there when the problem appears.

Imagine a customer who bought a good or service from you, got it to its assigned place, and began going through a series of struggles trying to follow directions. You, the provider of you customer’s desired enhancement to work or pleasure, are back at the office (or home). Now it’s time for the customer to begin finding out if he got what he paid for. Even when a technician or other representative did the set up, learning to drive modern technology doesn’t come easy when a new customer first takes the wheel.

OK, how do I set this up? The instructions say you do “who” first. You, the customer, aren’t sure what who is, except that who is first. So what do you do next? Well let’s try the second instruction, hoping for clarification. The second is “what’. What’s second, but who’s first. What does that mean and how do I get this silly thing to work? I don’t know! What time does the ball game start, anyway?

Wait a minute. This is starting to sound familiar. It’s a little frustrating, but maybe I’m getting somewhere. I don’t know. I suppose that’s third.

Hey, these instructions haven’t told me anything yet!

I don’t think I can get a pitch from anyone at the store on the phone until tomorrow. I’m pretty sure I can’t catch anyone today.

Hopefully, when I ask about the instructions, they won’t tell me that I know them as well as they do.

A considerate follow up call by someone who knows the product and has customer satisfaction at heart is the foundation of customer centered service. Avoid the comedy routines. You don’t want customers telling you the short stop’s name. Naturally!

Business as a Commitment to Customers

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 02:46:00 +0000

A good relationship with customers is the primary component of any business strategy based on satisfying customers. We contend that any other approach is limited to fleeting success, at best.

Excellent customer relations are not much removed from excellent personal relationships—if at all.

Commitment to keeping your word is where the relationship must start. Be straight with people. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

Do what you promise. Don’t come up with a business plan without knowing how your entire organization can be committed to delivering the promise.

If you are unable to live up to your previous word to a customer (and it will happen; hopefully rarely)—APPOLOGIZE! Then, set a new agreement constructed to repair the relationship (preferably quickly and in a considerate manner). The sooner you can acknowledge shortcomings and initiate resolution—the more power and credibility will be built in the relationship.

Listening is the most important part of communication. Talking all the time does not add up to communication. Truly listening is not waiting for a pause where you can make some kind of sales pitch or try to deflect the customer’s concern. Listening requires taking the customer seriously—without any preconceived notion or attempt to minimize customer concern. If a customer shares a negative experience with you about your service or product, there is certainly a greater than zero chance the same issue exists elsewhere.

Successful relationships with your customers require active or even aggressive ways to communicate with them. Communication needs to be followed by an active method of doing your best to meet their needs.

Integrity is the commitment to consistency of action, principles, and expectations between a company and its customers.

Integrity as the foundation of the customer relationship is the focus of our work at Connection Enterprises.

People often ask what we do... Retention Marketing?

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:31:00 +0000

People often ask what we do. We call it retention marketing. It means just what it sounds like. We market services to existing customers, making sure they are getting an excellent product that meets their needs. If your customers are happy and you are doing everything you can to make sure they are pleased with your product, including the use of a friendly manner, you are off to a good start. By asking a few simple questions to evaluate the perception of the job that is being done, you are well on the way to being able to determine the reality of how well you are meeting customer’s needs (as well as how customers perceive your efforts.)

Customers who keep doing business with you are giving you the most important compliment they have: they tried you out and you met or exceeded their expectations and needs. This doesn’t happen by accident. If you are speaking with your customers, which is the best, if not only, way to find out if you are meeting their needs (or delighting them as some might say), you are at the necessary starting point. Regularly talking to your customers and asking a few well-constructed, simple questions should also give important insight about how you are looking to them for future endeavors. Engaging with customers about how well you are meeting their needs, done properly, should give an accurate view of recent performance.

Happy customers are the best market analysts and sales force you can possibly find. How do you compare a well-done advertisement to a highly positive review from a friend or trusted acquaintance? This is what happy customers spread out in the marketplace do without even being asked.

When your business is focusing on pleasing your customers to the greatest extent possible, you are focused on successful relationships. Naturally, this is your best source of referrals to the customers you are trying to reach.

You only need to talk to the customers you want to keep. Make sure they are getting what they expect. If not, fix it with a positive attitude, good quality, and a fair price. They will get the word out.

Happy customers are the best sales force that can’t be outdone by your competitors. Keep the customers you have happy. Great sales and profits are your reward!

I wonder if Mayor Bloomberg...

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:04:00 +0000

I wonder if Mayor Bloomberg has evidence of a tsunami of ill will toward 17 ounce cold drinks (with sugar, of course) in New York City. Maybe he has plans to take on the role of deciding culinary do’s and don’ts, since NYC is spinning along quite well otherwise, thank you. Certainly, there are no matters weightier than this.

Voters are often much like customers. They expect leadership to do something they like regarding matters of taste and health. The two are often at odds. One group might say he is showing great courage limiting sugar consumption without the cost of buying a second. Sugar consumption might be an important matter of public policy, since health comes into play. Thirst and hedonism probably come into play as well, not to mention historical citizen rights to drink soda as they please.

If voters were entirely like customers, this might be a little more problematic than it already is. Businesses that give such limited regard to customer preference don’t often prosper. At least they don’t for long after the swagger of the cause fades. I can’t think of any wars lasting long over matters of sweet tooth cravings and/or weight of the two sides. My guess is that those responsible for the initial salvoes would be out of office before the matter became too bellicose.

In business, I think it would probably be a good idea to talk to your customers. Maybe even test ideas in the marketplace before making a decision of this sort. I suspect that there is an entrepreneur or two that will beat the system anyway, by offering free refills—just for the chance of getting another Snickers sale or two.

We aren’t particularly political in business matters. We like the idea of listening to customers. One way of doing this is watching the Snickers sales. Another is talking to customers and seeing what they think.

Anyway, good luck with your line in the sand, Mayor Bloomberg.

The Telephone Game

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:14:00 +0000

Did you ever play the Telephone game in school? The one where you got in a circle and someone whispered a phrase to their neighbor like “Mrs. Smith likes apples.” Then the phrase was whispered around the circle one by one until it got back to the original person. What came back to the original person was always something different than what was originally said. You would get responses like “Schmitt’s a peal” or “Ships hike chapel,” if what came back made any sense at all.

This happens in business all the time. A customer calls in with a complaint. The person who gets the call at first is unable to help them. So they escalate the problem to their supervisor. The supervisor looks at the issue and knows they are not able to handle it. The supervisor then takes it to their boss. The boss listens to what the supervisor says and then takes it to the head of department that takes care of the process or thing that the customer is complaining about. Now the department head goes the manager that works for him about the complaint. The manager then goes to the worker who was supposed to take care of the customer in the first place.

How much of the customer’s original complaint survived the business version of the telephone game? Is there enough to start working on the solution immediately? Did the complaint get passed and interpreted so many times that you were unsure that the solution you were working toward was the right one? How much time would need to be spent to unravel the telephone game?

What if there was a way to get the entire team on the same page from the beginning?

Focusing on Happy Customers and Confident Employees

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:57:00 +0000

In business, employees are retained to please the customers of the enterprise. The sort of environments that is created around this basic precept is conceptually about as simple as they get. Most employees are willing to try to achieve customer relationships that are beneficial to their employer. Some employees are not completely clear about what that simple idea might entail. A lot of these folks muddle through the day doing what they see their peers do or, particularly in the event where their job is performed off-site, they meet their personal standards.

The basic delivery of outstanding customer service is treated like a goal, but often has so little definition that it is in practice a conundrum. Managers often can’t see the extent to which this is a problem for a variety of reasons. They rely on their own judgment and that of their staff to reach suitable standards and performance in customer service. Even if management defines what is important and has staff that meets this definition, the most important ingredient is left out—the customer.

The goal of business is to meet, or preferably exceed, a level of customer’s standard for service. Simply put, the happier the customer is, the better your business will perform. The goal must be to find out what the customers’ highest expectations are and strive to meet them.

Hoping to have the same intuitive idea about what really pleases the customer, much less what the customer really would consider excellent service, is not a strategy—it’s a goal. The goal has inadequate definition; hence the goal for employees is in practice conjecture on the part of managers, customer service personnel, and customer alike.

A strict standard regarding customer service can even be destructive to the relationship of management and staff. The best personnel often intuitively know how to please the customer in a way that will keep him coming back and telling his friends. Getting this level of pleasing the customer communicated to your entire staff and providing management with a vehicle to monitor performance requires organized customer communication.

Talk to your customers, ask a few friendly questions, and monitor how your service providers are doing. That is the unavoidable task of knowing how to please your customers.

The impact of this kind of program is the most profound management and customer satisfaction program available. Customers get their needs met and tell their friends. Managers learn how to coach personnel on pleasing customers, which makes employees more confident and more successful. Your business’ financial performance will profoundly improve. Give us a call or email to see how we can help your business redefine its own view of excellence.

Old Media v. New Media?

noreply@blogger.com (Connection Enterprises) — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:27:00 +0000

The differences between old media and new media are often viewed as competing forces of some kind or other. There is truth to that in certain cases, but they are really just two different ways of communicating. New Media is far more efficient at many things. In fact new media makes numerous applications possible, or at least practical. I don't think I need to give this group examples. It does not follow that new media is always more effective. There are still plenty of times when dialogue with a good old fashion human voice and a person using that voice to enhance the experience a customer has. This is particularly true when a problem exists between a vendor and a customer. The customer may or may not respond to an immediate new media satisfaction inquiry. If everything went well, there is no problem.

If that is what you are concerned about finding, why bother?

Personal follow up calls to customers are not only more practical, but they allow for immediate issue resolution, while potentially establishing a better customer relationship. Somebody called to check on my order! They immediately began working to meet my needs! Now there's a vendor who cares.

This kind of service isn't needed in all types of commerce, but when it is you can be assured that any competitor who is utilizing the personal approach is winning. If you have any questions, call us about how to implement a winning strategy.