We often hear the phrase “I know I should be doing it but I just don’t have the time.”  It seems that most times our daily tasks tend to overflow and we struggle with focusing on the most important things when little fires seem to continue to pop up.  I wonder if our struggle is more related to our inability to stay organized or the fact that we don’t have a good system that allows us to take advantage of the information we use on a daily basis. Connecting and staying in touch with people in our network is one priority that most business people would agree is critical to their success, but we tend to let other less important tasks crowd and steal our time.  Author and Networking Expert Keith Ferrazzi brings to light, “80% of building and maintaining relationships is just staying in touch.”

During my research on networking I ran across a powerful tool that I believe would make it much easier for us to stay connected to those in our network.  Xobni for Outlook is a free sidebar that allows you to take your inbox to the next level by providing a better way to search your inbox and find information about your contacts.  A few of the useful features of this tool include an email search that makes it easier to locate emails in your inbox and shows you previous emails connected to that person.  Another component of this tool is the social networking aspect that allows you to search for information on your contacts through Facebook, Linkedin, Hoovers and others.  It also gives you the ability to grow your network of connections by showing you who else this contact is connected to and then gives you the ability to connect with them via Facebook, Linkedin, etc. The name encapsulates perfectly the goal of this tool.  “Xobni- ‘inbox’ spelled backwards- is an affirmation of our mission: to ‘take back’ the email inbox for our users.” You can download this tool at www.xobni.com

The true cost of connecting is not about money but time.  The question then is what can you do today to make sure you have the time to spend for connecting?
1 Comment
 
 
Can you recall a time as a consumer where you had a memorable experience?  What were the circumstances around the experience and how did it make you feel?  Without a doubt there was something concrete that you can pin point that made the experience memorable. What you inevitably experienced was a company or person going beyond the expected. Yes, it is important to provide what is expected and to follow through on your promise. However, I challenge you to go above and beyond the expected and to give your customers a memorable experience.  Not only will you make a lasting impression on that person, but more importantly they will share their experience with those around them. 

We don’t need to look beyond bookstores for a great example of an industry that has turned what was once a transaction into an experience. Bookstores were simply a place to go buy a book, pay for it and leave. The average bookstore consisted merely of isle upon isle of book lined shelves and a cash register. What you find today in a lot of bookstores are comfortable places to sit and read a book, magazine or newspaper while enjoying your favorite caffeinated beverage of choice or a sandwich or muffin.  Bookstores have now become a comfortable place to socialize and have turned an ordinary transaction into an experience. 

No matter what industry you are in if you only meet your customer’s expectation or perform a transaction for your customer, you risk becoming a commodity.  I love how Maribeth Kuzmeski, founder of Red Zone Marketing defines commodity: “A commodity is something that’s capable of being interchanged or replaced.” The danger of becoming a commodity is that it becomes much more difficult to tell your company or product from everyone else. Said another way you are not going above and beyond therefore your product or service mirrors the competition.  By going above and beyond what your customers expect, you will create a memorable experience that will no doubt ensures that your company or product stands on its own.  “The Connectors” offers a story of an example of a company that understands the value and worth of creating a memorable experience. The company that the story is describing is The Gramercy Tavern in New York. This restaurant is consistently one of the top 10 Zagat rated restaurants in New York. They not only provide top notch service and a great menu but they create a unique and memorable experience for their customers.  When the meal is over, the bill paid and everyone is getting ready to leave, someone from the wait staff comes over and hands you a gift- a cranberry orange muffin wrapped in cellophane and ribbons. They tell you “a little something for your breakfast tomorrow”.  What makes this such a great experience is two-fold. First, no one is expecting to receive a gift as they leave a restaurant and so you are taking by surprise.  Secondly, you can bet that as the person is eating the muffin the next morning they are thinking about what a great time and experience they had the night before. Now, tell me you wouldn’t share this experience with your friends, neighbors and co-workers. I bet you wouldn’t hesitate to give this restaurants name to those who are looking for a great place to eat.

Providing a consistent and reliable product or service to a consumer is needed and should be commended. However, as you can tell from the examples above, there is more value in going above and beyond and creating a memorable experience that will not only create a loyal customer but one that will want to share their experience with others.  Here are a few ideas to consider: 

1.       Set up a brainstorming session with your Customer Service or Customer Care department along with your Marketing Department to think of ways to go about this? 

2.        Set up an internal contest with your employees as a way to come up with the best ideas. Incent them for their creativeness.

3.       What can you build into your business model that would create a memorable experience for your current and future customers?  

4.       Look to your current policies and procedures for anything that you could adjust that would you to offer these kind of experiences.
2 Comments
 
 
We are a culture of having regular check up’s. This applies to our heath with regular Doctor and Dentist check up’s, as well as with our homes and autos with furnace checks up’s and oil changes.  The question then is does this same mentality transfer to our businesses, more specifically, to the ways that our customers interact with us?   Depending on your business model this can be in person, over the phone or via your web site.  Although the method of interaction may vary, the point that must not be overlooked is how easy is your company to do business with?

The old adage still applies today “most customers will not complain, they will just never come back” or worse, they will tell their friends and family members about the bad experience they had.  Convenience and ease of use are key factors in whether a consumer chooses to buy your products or services. For instance, have you tried ordering a product from a company’s web site and found the check out process was so cumbersome that you abandoned the sale and shopped somewhere else?  What about a web site that is not easy to navigate? Normally we just get frustrated which leads us to look for an easier site. In turn companies are giving business to their competitors.

Customer Service is another key factor that can make or break a sale.  The experience that your customers have when they make contact with your Customer Service department will make or break a sale as well as ensure the loyalty of the customer.  This includes not only the length of time you are on hold or waiting for an answer to a question but the length of time it takes to place an order.  If your Customer Service Department is not easy to do business with you are forcing your customers to take their business elsewhere.

Since we have established the importance of how our customers interact with us, the next question we need to ask ourselves is how often do we perform a check up on our own company? What better way to find out if our company is indeed easy to do business with.  Here are some things you can do on a regular basis to put yourself in your customer’s shoes and to experience what they experience:

1.       Try buying something from your web site.  How easy was it? How many clicks did it take?

2.       Place a call to your customer service department with a question.  Did you have to wait on hold? Could they answer your question?

3.       Place a call to your company with a complaint. Who does the call get routed to?

4.       Place an order with your customer service department.

5.       Call your company right before it opens and right after it closes. Does anyone answer?

The above listed may seem like common sense to most of us, but the question is, are we administrating the check up that our companies need.

Author and professional speaker Jeffrey Gitomer states, "Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless"
Add Comment
 
 
Outside a relationship with its customers, a company’s most important relationship is with its vendors or suppliers.  Most companies have multiple vendors which provide the products or provide services that allow a company to get its products to the consumer.  No question about it, venders play an intricate role where business is concerned. However, I wonder how often companies look beyond the one-sided transactional basis where cost savings are the focus and take time to view its vendors as an extension of our companies. The answers to these questions may help you to see whether or not your company views its vendors as strategic partners.

A strategic partner is one that has earned the trust of your company. They have shown that they are in the relationship for more than the paycheck. Outcome matters to them. Therefore, they are not quick to offer solutions until they understand your needs, objectives and business model.  The evidence of this kind of relationship is in the interaction, as there is give and take in shared information and a mutual desire for success. Said another way, a strategic partner will not only be focused on your current state of business but will be looking toward the future and how they can proactively bring value to your company’s business.  

Viewing your vendors as strategic partners provides you with a resource that can provide additional value and industry knowledge to your company. Sharing pertinent information with them and giving them access to your organization, you may enhance their ability to assist you with your present and future business needs. That being said, here are a couple of ideas on how to pursue strategic partnerships:

1.       Conduct a business review on a quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis with your top vendors. This will give you the opportunity to share with them what your company goals and objectives are and will give the vendor the opportunity to do the same.

2.       Introduce your key vendors to other departments in your company, so they can understand that departments needs and uncover possible future solutions.

Although it is not likely that all of your relationships with vendors will be strategic partnerships on the same level, it is a great time to evaluate how your company interacts with vendors that you do business with.  A great resource may only be a relationship away.
Add Comment