Success Connections

The Quality Of Your Work Equals Your Reputation

I don't typically cross post between this blog and Your Customers Matter...Don't They?  But in this case, I believe the post is worthwhile wisdom for both audiences.  So, without further delay...

I flicked on my furnace this morning to take the bite out of the air and low and behold, no heat!  So I put a call into a guy that’s been taking care of my plumbing and heating woes for over 20 years. 

Greg Van Strien from Van Strien Plumbing and Heating just repaired my furnace.  Even though his day was already jam packed, he reminded me that the temperature was going down to 39 tonight, so he wanted to take care of me before he quit for the day.  That’s what I call dedicated service!  If you live in the Grand Rapids or Lowell area, Greg comes highly recommended!

As I was pondering this post I was basking in the late afternoon sun brightly shining in my newly cleaned windows.  What a sight for sore eyes.  It’s been cloudy so I didn’t really notice the true quality of the job that Dr. Windows did just last week.  Amazing streaks!  And the attention to details around the window edges…not good.  See my previous post here.

Those thoughts reminded me how much the quality of the work can impact your reputation, especially when you’re a professional service provider.  After all, what do you think I’m going to say when a friend says “Didn’t you just get those windows cleaned?” 

I often think the same thing when the stylist at the salon has a bad day.  Sometimes my hair gets fried with bleach, and sometimes she just gets scissor happy.  People still ask, “Where do you get your hair done?”

Sometimes I wonder if professional service providers take this issue seriously enough.  It doesn’t matter whether you fix furnaces, cut hair, wash windows, or anything else.  The quality of the work that you do for your customer impacts your reputation.  If you do hair or nails for a living, your customers are living, walking advertisements for your work.

Are you proud of your advertising?

Talk to me!

Your Customers Matter...Don't They?

Hi Everyone!

I've been busy branching out a bit!  Many of the posts related to customers, customer service, customer experience and CRM have been moved to my new blog Your Customers Matter...Don't They?

If you'd like to follow my thoughts on the world of Customer Service, click here and add it to your feed or sign up for the email update.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Can't VS Won't

If you don't read Seth Godin's blog, you're really missing out.  One of his posts today, "Can't  VS Won't", he really struck a chord with me.

In part he says, "Sometimes, precise language can change an organization.

How many times has a broker, or a clerk or a salesperson or some other intermediary (who was just a moment ago being quite helpful) turned to you and said, "I'm sorry, we can't do that."

In fact, the correct contraction in each case is "won't."

And once you say "won't" you realize exactly what you're doing.

You're telling a prospect (the most important person in your life, at least in this moment) that your organization doesn't want to accommodate them. Want being the key word."

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He's right on with this post as with most.  If the company really wanted to take care of the customer...if the company really wanted to walk it's talk, they would.  They wouldn't be using some lame excuse about what they can't do.

Let me ask you this...In what situations do you find yourself using the excuse "we can't"?

How To Win Friends & Influence People

I have to say that the Dale Carnegie training I had so long ago influenced me in a very deep way.  Mind you, it wasn't easy by any means.  It seems like the sessions went on forever, but something happened to me during that time.  The principles were ingrained in me in an unexpected way.  Over the years I've continued to go back and review what I learned.  And periodically, some the of principles just spew out of my mouth as if they're part of my being.  If you ever have the opportunity, I'd highly recommend it.

In the meantime, the Notes Of Intelligence blog created an extensive summary of the concepts.  You can find it here.  Don't miss this, and be sure to bookmark it in your favorites.  It's a keeper!

Let me ask you this...What is the best training program you've ever attended?  Talk to me!

Godaddy Update

The Godaddy saga finally came to an end.  Not because their tech wizards helped me.  I simply figured it out for myself.

I did get a great little bit of advice though.  You increase your chances of success with their tech support team if you call versus using their email system.  Secondly, keep calling back and getting different people until someone comes through for you.

After about 4 worthless email exchanges I picked up the phone.  The response from that wizard was "We don't do that".  So I called back.  This time I got Justin.  Justin wasn't completely sure about what I was trying to accomplish, but he was very willing to help if he could.

So for the heck of it I asked him why the others wouldn't help me.  He said, "Well we don't normally do this, but I would want someone to help me if I needed it".  Wow!!!  Great attitude Justin!  Thank YOU!!! 

Justin sent me away to get a piece of information, but he gave me his email address so we could continue down the path.  He was committed to helping me.  He even offered to call me back after I provided the info.

In the meantime I resolved the issue.  BUT...it still helped a great deal to know that I could go back to Justin if needed.

What do you think?  Do you think Justin was out of line for offering to do something his co-workers weren't willing to do?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Godaddy Doesn't Get It

I would have never guessed that Godaddy would show up as a service rant here.  That was until I needed a little tech support for the first time.

For several days now I've been trying to map a new blog "Get Your Career In Gear" to a domain I registered with Godaddy a few months back.  I'm no geek, and that's probably part of the problem.  Typepad has done a pretty good job of detailing instructions, but I still haven't been successful.

This morning I decided to try to get help from Godaddy.  Here's the response I received:  "Unfortunately we cannot assist with this issue however, you will need to modify your Total DNS settings so the information below can be used to update the info needed."  The email went on to tell me how to access the DNS settings.

What kind of an answer is this?  Why can't they assist with the issue?  What needs to change in my DNS settings?  Now I have more questions than I did in the beginning!

Godaddy!  This is the first time I've tried to use your tech support...and this is your customer's first impression about the service you provide.  I've got to tell you...it's not good!

Unfortunately little issues like this are all too common in the world of customer service today.  One person decides to take the easy way out.  Doesn't take the time to help the customer.  And one customer at a time disappears.  They find a company that cares about doing business with them.

What do you think?  Am I missing something here?  Talk to me.

A Different Twist On The Social Customer Manifesto

Christopher Carfi over at the Social Customer Manifesto posted a great list of what customers really want.  In other words, what matters most!  Here's his list:

THE SOCIAL CUSTOMER MANIFESTO

• I want to have a say.

• I don't want to do business with idiots.

• I want to know when something is wrong, and what you're going to do to fix it.

• I want to help shape things that I'll find useful.

• I want to connect with others who are working on similar problems.

• I don't want to be called by another salesperson. Ever. (Unless they have something useful. Then I want it yesterday.)

• I want to buy things on my schedule, not yours. I don't care if it's the end of your quarter.

• I want to know your selling process.

• I want to tell you when you're screwing up. Conversely, I'm happy to tell you the things that you are doing well. I may even tell you what your competitors are doing.

• I want to do business with companies that act in a transparent and ethical manner.

• I want to know what's next. We're in partnership…where should we go?

Now give it a different twist...How might the same points apply to your workplace relationships?

Give it some thought and tell me what you think!