Think FOR Your Customer

Welcome

Customer service is constantly evolving. Why? Because the expectations we have when dealing with businesses are constantly changing — hence this book. ‘Think FOR Your Customers’ is not simply another book on customer service. Think FOR Your Customers evolved out of my seminar presentations. It takes customer service several steps further, providing a more sophisticated framework for today’s time-poor business person. This book considers the whole subject of customer service and is intended to stimulate your thoughts on the need for change in a rapidly changing world. This book will provide ideas for anyone who has customers and who feels the need to constantly develop his relationship with those customers.

HOPE ... Is this the new Marketing Strategy?

On Wednesday 21st January, I stayed up to watch the news at 1.30am, to watch President Obama’s acceptance speech. Whatever your political views or from whatever country you come from,  this was a strong message of “Hope”. In fact the word was used on a number of occasions in his speech, such as “ America: in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these times with hope and virtues.”

The next morning I switched my computer on and read my daily blog from Seth Godin, the US Marketing Guru, it discussed what marketing was: the selling of hope.

In these turbulent times it seems the driver in business and politics is HOPE, but does this apply only to the big end of town or does it also apply to your business.

What is HOPE?

Before looking at how you can use it as a marketing tool in your business we need to define the word “Hope”. According to the Longman Concise English Dictionary, hope is defined as “desire accompanied by expectation”. This could be the definition of the role of marketing and selling in any business.

Consumers take in the messages that businesses communicate to encourage them to visit stores and they come with an expectation that businesses will deliver what was promised. Customers are in a “hope” frame of mind. The retailers’ role is to turn “hope” into reality.

Consumers today are hoping that things will get better in the economy, they are also looking for signs that businesses are positive and proactive in the market place. They are hoping that retailers will exceed their expectations.

Market Hope not Products

If I go back to Seth’s message, retailers are in the job of selling hope, not products. Hope is in short supply and if you were the company that sold hope you would have a marketing advantage over your competition. Customers have generally become cynical and if you can convert this into hope then you have an advocate for your business.

Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and take yourself through the journey customers hope will happen when they do business with you.

They HOPE

1.    That you will reply to their phone call on the same day as they rang.
2.    You will greet them when they walk into your store.
3.    You will have what they came in for or that you will offer a suitable alternative.
4.    Your team will show them empathy and care about their needs.
5.    You will deliver the product when you said.

Customers have their hopes dashed so many times when they go shopping. As a result they feel the only HOPE they have is that they will find a bargain.

If we took a lesson from Obama or Godin we may find that sales could improve.

Why not share your hopes with your team members and get them.  To walk through the hopes of your customers. Then introduce some new strategies in your business that makes HOPE a reality.

Small is beautiful and back in retail fashion

I have just returned from a visit to Chile which gave me an opportunity to study retail trends in that region of the globe. I discovered the hardware stores of my early childhood, stores that were independently owned and full from floor to ceiling with hardware items. A real treasure trove to the hardware fanatic.

Alas, this type a store in most parts of the world is now a distant memory for most of us, but is it time again to rediscover those retail gems and do they have a future? I believe this time is coming back again.

Provide a Rewarding Experience for Your Customers - Journey of Trust

Step One - Journey of Discovery

Step Two - Journey of Inspiration

Step Three - Journey of Excitement

Step Four - Journey of Trust

You have got your customers’ attention through your innovative marketing, you have dared to be different. Then you inspired them when they first entered your business and when they have purchased it has been an exciting and rewarding experience. Now it’s time to win the customers’ trust so they keep coming back.

One of the most important issues for retailers is a lack of trust by consumers. In the U.S.A. consumers do not trust businesses and in recent Australian surveys 69% of respondents mentioned they do not trust big business. This is a huge opportunity for independent retailers.

Providing a Rewarding Experience for Your Customers - Walk the Consumer’s Journey

Successful retailers take consumers on a journey. In the next series of articles I will explain the journey to you giving you examples on how to implement it in your business along the way. But firstly, let me provide the outline to the journey so we are all aware of the process:

Provide a Rewarding Experience for your customers - Journey of Excitement

Step One - Journey of Discovery

Step Two - Journey of Inspiration

Step Three - Journey of Excitement

Step Four - Journey of Trust

In the previous article in this series we looked at the Journey of Inspiration. The consumers in your catchment area have discovered you, and taken the time to come into your store. Your next challenge is to excite them so they leave singing your praises!

Basically, customers are bored with seeing products on retail shelves, they are looking for more exciting experiences. The challenge is, are you in the commodity business, selling products or are you providing an experience?

Now is the time for you to move on from being a commodity retailer and to start providing an experience. This means we should create an experience for the customer where they are fully engaged with what we are doing. In the USA, Pike Place Fish Market is looked on as the ultimate experience in Seattle’s retail scene. In Canada it’s Pete’s Frootique. In Australia, the Beechworth Bakery in Victoria, many would argue, creates the same experience. Whilst in South Africa, Lifestyle Garden Centre is recognised as a global leader in the experience market.

Provide a Rewarding Experience for your customers - Journey of Inspiration

Step One - Journey of Discovery

Step Two - Journey of Inspiration

Step Three - Journey of Excitement

Step Four - Journey of Trust

In the last article in this series we looked at the Journey of Discovery. Consumers need to discover you exist. If you are innovative in your marketing and external promotions they may just get in their car and journey to your business. Your next challenge is that you have thirty seconds to inspire them, yes, that’s right, thirty seconds!

Researchers tell us that the majority of potential customers will judge your business based on three, thirty second zones. Seventy percent of that decision will be based on what they see; therefore you need to create a visually inspiring view of your business.