TIPS NewsletterTIPS Newsletter
Common Sense Managing TIPS Newsletter
June 11, 2000
Bill Werst, Editor
Common Sense Managing TIPS Vision: To establish Growth Associates as your primary source of practical proven information on how to build and maintain a solid organization capable of supporting outstanding customer service, customer satisfaction, and continuous quality improvement.
Part of our vision implementation is to use the Common Sense Managing book, TIPS newsletter, and www. growthassociates.org web site information to build rapport and trust with you so that you consider GA first when you need training and consulting services.
Enjoy,
Bill Werst, Editor
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Table of contents:
Driving With Your Customer Driven Vision -- Tip of the Week directly from Common Sense Managing
Damage Control - Guest article
TIPS Subscriptions Explode!
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Driving With Your Customer Driven Vision
Develop and maintain a living customer driven vision. Your customer driven vision is the lighthouse that guides your organizational ship. It provides direction. It guides decision making at every level. It inspires actions throughout the organization. It provides the framework for all leadership activities. It keeps your ship off the rocks.
Your customer driven vision statement defines where you need to be, starting now. It is ambitious. It realistically allies with the products and services you offer or intend to sell. Like a lighthouse beacon, it continuously provides reliable guidance throughout your organization.
Do the people in your organization know that the reason their organization exists is to satisfy the needs of its customers [or the needs of people closer to the customer]?
How is this communicated to them?
How often is it communicated to them?
If one of your people faced a difficult customer situation and you were unavailable, would they make an intelligent decision that resolves the situation in favor of the customer?
This tip of the week is from the Customer Service section of Common Sense Managing: Simple Ideas That Produce Results. The book is immediately available at http://www.growthassociates.org or amazon.com.
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The following is a guest article by Karon Thackston. I have benefited from one of the tele-class that Karon teaches. I was impressed enough to plan to offer tele-classes in the near future. Karon's web site is listed at the end of her article.
Damage Control
© Karon Thackston 2000
Ooops! It happens to the best of us. You certainly didn't mean to, but you've managed to make a customer angry. Now what do you do?
No one is exempt from those problems that creep up from time to time. It's inevitable. Mistakes do happen. The important part is how you recover. These steps will give you some guidelines for smoothing over the rough places.
Apologize. First and foremost. If the problem is your fault, let the customer know that you recognize your error and are sorry. If the problem is not your fault, apologize for any inconvenience or miscommunication. The customer need not hear a lecture about company policy and how the entire incident could have been avoided if… Allow your customer to save face.
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem. It's easy to point fingers when a mishap has occurred. However, trying to determine who's to blame will not solve the problem. It's best to focus on resolving the customer's complaint first and later researching where the incident originated. If the customer insists on pointing fingers at you, simply apologize again and change the subject back to problem solving.
Quickly Correct The Error. The more speed incorporated into correcting the situation, the better. If a shipment didn't go out in time, offer to send the package two-day air or overnight express. If the information wasn't emailed, let the customer know it will go out within the hour. Showing your customer you understand their predicament and are willing to help ease the pain will go a long way.
Follow Up. This is key! Call the customer to make sure the replacement was received or that the technician arrived and corrected the problem. What a wonderful way to let the customer know you really do care about them!
And finally…
Go the Extra Mile. If the problem was indeed your fault, and was of considerable magnitude, go above and beyond to let the customer know you're truly sorry. Send a little extra surprise. There are a few things to remember when shipping favors…
(1) Do it quickly. It will lose its impact if sent several weeks after the incident occurred.
(2) Make it personal. Don't send golf tees to a fishing fan.
(3) Make it inexpensive. There are many ways express yourself without breaking the budget. Try a small arrangement of flowers, movie tickets, candy, etc.
(4) Make it consumable. A gold-plated business card holder is nice, but each time someone comments on its beauty your customer is likely to relive the tale of how he/she got it. Sending a consumable surprise makes an impact and then allows the mishap to be forgotten.
Using these techniques will afford you a little more comfort knowing you have a plan of action… just in case!
This and additional articles can be found at: www.attractandkeepcustomers.com
© Karon Thackston 2000, KT & Associates
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TIPS Subscriptions Explode!
What an incredible 60 days we've just experienced. TIPS subscribers are not approaching 60,000 readers. The Common Sense Managing book sales are approaching 127,000 copies. I received my second Ph D and have been asked to serve on the Boards of two Fortune 150 companies and one dot.com startup. WOW!
Unfortunately, none of the above paragraph is true. However, this is the kind of "stuff" that I perceive I am running into quite often on the Internet. Beware! Anybody can claim anything on the net and most of it is unverifiable. If there was ever a need to use some basic common sense this is it.
This editorial comment is prompted by one of many ad swaps offers I receive each week. Rather than accept them, I check out their web sites so that I do not expose you to Internet "stuff". So far I have not accepted any swaps. Maybe that's why TIPS has 600 subscribers [for real] instead of 60,000.
The particular site I went to claims 18,000 subscribers and 270,000 web page views per week. The site has published four newsletters. The newsletter I reviewed was riddled with typos and grammatical errors. Same with the web site.
I have also run into what appears to be suspicious degrees and other research claims on discussion group sites. In our ever increasing business pace it is easy to get sucked in by people's claims. Use you own common sense to look before you leap. Use our discussion group [http://www.commonsensemanaging@eGroups.com] to verify information. Another option is to contact me. I will include your query in this newsletter and ask you fellow readers for verification.
I have checked the resources that are listed on our web site. This doesn't mean that what these company's offer is right for you. It does mean that these organizations' provide legitimate information and services.
I could go on, but I have to fly to LA to work with Shaq on his foul shooting and passing skills. At 6'8" and only 237 lbs. this is a push for me . . . . . . For a real background and picture you may go to http://www.growthassociates.org and click on About.
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Order you copy of Common Sense Managing directly at http://www.growthassociates.org or from amazon.com
Have a great week,
Bill Werst
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