How Much Is That Feature?
November 26, 2009
You would think that a simple question like, “What does this cost?” would get a definitive answer. But some days it just seems impossible to get a straight answer.
We recently needed to establish new phone service at home and called our local phone company to place the order. Since we value our privacy, we don’t give out our home phone number except to friends and family. But with the widespread use of Caller ID, placing an order over the phone delivers your phone number to the company, and it frequently ends up in their telemarketing database.
Fortunately, there is a feature called “Per-Line Blocking” which prevents your number from being delivered to the called party. In many states, this is a free service. I believed this was the case for us as well and asked the customer-service representative if this was the case.
“No,” she explained, there was a monthly fee; she thought it was $1 or $2 per month. I didn’t think this was the case, so I asked her to look into this and get me the exact cost. She called back two days later and said that it was “less than $5 per month.” ”How much less?” we asked. She didn’t know.
I explained that I was pretty sure it was supposed to be a free feature, and she said she would get the exact amount for me. Three days after that, she called back and said that the cost for Per-Call Blocking was $2.49 per month.
But I explained to her, I was asking about Per-Line Blocking, not Per-Call Blocking. With this feature, you enter a code to block the number from being sent; in Per-Line Blocking, the blocking is the default, and you have to enter a code to actually deliver the number. Again, I explained that I thought this feature was supposed to be provided at no charge.
Finally, the next afternoon she called back and said that she had the correct price this time. It was free!
Why did it take four calls to get the correct information? And had I not kept asking for clarification, I might have ended up paying for a feature that was free.
As a service provider, it’s important to know the specifics about your products and services, particularly if you’re the person dealing directly with the customer. Make sure your customer contact employees have access to the tools, data, and systems they need to correctly answer questions and provide accurate information. Or the next call your customers make may be to your competitor.
The Safety Pin
November 19, 2009
Motivated employees can be an integral part of your overall business strategy. But when your recognition programs backfire, your employees can end up doing more harm than good.
Many companies have extensive and sometimes expensive employee-recognition programs that go a long way towards maintaining an aligned and motivated workforce. Other companies have similar programs that have no impact on performance whatsoever as you’ll see in the example below.
Several years ago, I was attending a conference in Charlotte, NC. As I checked into the hotel, I noticed that the front-desk clerk was wearing what looked like a large gold safety pin with about 15 round metallic discs threaded along one side.
After completing the registration process and receiving my room key, I asked the clerk about the interesting piece of jewelry she was wearing. She explained that the safety pin was part of their employee-recognition program. Each time the hotel received a positive comment card about an employee, that employee received one of the small discs to add to their safety pin.
It wasn’t surprising to me, then, that this particular clerk had so many discs; she had been very professional in her interaction with me during the check-in process and I mentioned this to her.
I was a bit curious as to whether these discs motivated her to provide outstanding service. When I asked her about this she looked around nervously, leaned over the counter and whispered, “No, not really. I’d be a lot more excited about this program if they offered some additional compensation or award for top performers like me.”
If you’re going to make the effort to develop, deploy, communicate, and administer a program to recognize and reward excellent performance, then be certain that it will actually motivate your employees. Otherwise, you might just get “stuck” yourself.
Take a Marketing Shower!
October 23, 2009
I always say that great marketing examples are all around…if you pay attention, and hotel showers are no exception.
I was getting ready for a program I was doing that morning and happened to notice something odd about the shampoo: instead of being completely round like these small bottles are, it was round most of the way…with a flat part on the back. This prevented it from rolling off the little shelf in the shower as usually is the case.
Then I noticed that the shower seemed a bit larger than the usual hotel shower. The reason? The shower curtain, instead of being straight had a “bowed” curtain rod, that pushed the top of the actual curtain farther out, making the shower seem larger.
Both of these were very clever design modifications that make the customer’s experience better. This is the kind of thinking you should employ in your own business, and, just in case you’re in need of more examples, you’re in luck: this kind of creativity isn’t limited to hotel bathrooms!
In the post-9/11 era, when airlines started cutting back and downsizing, planes became more crowded as the number of flights was slashed, creating a severe lack of space in the overhead storage bins.
Most airlines started strictly enforcing carry-on limits, but a few smart ones did something different: they reconfigured the overhead bins so standard carry-on “rollaboards” would fit lengthwise instead of having to be put in sideways.
And in keeping with our theme of asking the right questions, here’s one you should ask yourself:
What can you do to enhance the customer experience in every part of your business?
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to consider this, and the long-term results can be incredible. Plus, people genuinely appreciate it when you try to make their lives easier.
Sorry, You Can’t Get the Discount
October 15, 2009
It’s good to encourage people to take action, but sometimes balance is important too. Back in July, our daughter had her tonsils out. And in case you’re conjuring up images of an adorable little child eating popsicles for a few days and then heading on back to kindergarten, let me clear this up for you quickly: our daughter is 18 years old, not five.
And let me assure you, a tonsillectemy is a much different experience when you’re 18. For starters, the pain level is much more intense, even more so when the patient has a low threshold of pain to begin with. Basically, two weeks of torture for everyone involved.
But she came through with flying colors, and the procedure was a success on all counts. I only wish I could say the same for the billing procedures of the surgery center.
Of course, our health insurance covered most of the costs for the ENT doctor, the anesthesiologist, and the day-surgery center, but, as usually is the case these days, we did have co-pays and deductibles to deal with.
We received the bill from the surgery center in September. (Apparently, it takes two months to get everything cleared through the insurance company – a separate problem all its own.) We put it in our stack of bills to be paid at the beginning of October, paid it as scheduled by check, and didn’t think about it again.
That is, until we got a second letter from the surgery center, informing us that if they received payment by October 15, they would give us a 20% early-payment discount. Mind you, they didn’t mention this in the original bill, nor was there any indication that you could pay by credit card, which, apparently, is allowed.
Thinking that this would be simple matter, Lorie called, explained how she had sent in the check, confirmed that they would have it by the 15th, and asked them to send us a check for the 20% early-payment amount.
No, they explained, they couldn’t do that. I won’t bore you with the complete details since you’ve almost certainly experienced the kind of bureaucratic incompetence that causes “customer service representatives” to adhere blindly to processes when pure common sense would dictate a different course of action.
Suffice it to say that Lorie held fast, spoke to not one, but two supervisors, and finally got it resolved. Not, by the way, that they would send us a check for the 20%, but that they would return the original check, and we would then resubmit the amount less the 20% payment, creating more work for both us and them!
I know, it didn’t make much sense to me either, but that’s kind of the point of this entire article: processes are good things. They make it easy to provide consistent service. They give you a starting point for improving procedures. But when the rules and guidelines people follow make things complicated for their customers or members, then it’s time to take another tack.
As difficult as it was to see our daughter suffer through the original recovery process, dealing with these people was almost as painful. Make sure you don’t do the same thing to your customers.
It’s All a State of Mind…
August 14, 2009
Sometimes, the obvious solutions to a marketing challenge can’t be easily implemented. A few years ago, when I was speaking for the National Funeral Directors Association, I had a perfect illustration of this.
I had just given a presentation on our Outrageous Marketing strategies to a packed room of funeral directors (yes, you can use our marketing strategies in the funeral profession – it just requires a bit of creativity and a lot of finesse) and was on the shuttle bus back to the hotel.
For those of you who have been at one of my live programs, you know that I’m completely exhausted when I’m all done because I put so much energy into making the session fun, exciting, and, well, useful.
So I’m sitting quietly in an out-of-the-way section of the bus when someone spots me, sits down next to me, and says, “I was in your marketing session – it was great! I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.” Since I do love talking about marketing and encourage initiative, I really couldn’t turn him down.
He was from New Jersey, and specialized in cremations. He asked me about my favorite strategies for the funeral profession, and I told him one of the most effective tools – in any profession – was to use testimonials.
“Can’t do it,” he said, “it’s not allowed in New Jersey.”
Disappointing, but not the end of the world. How about a referral program where you pay a “finders fee” to nursing homes that recommend your services?
“Can’t to that either – it’s illegal in New Jersey.”
I’m beginning to think that New Jersey isn’t the most friendly place to do business, but we still had other options.
Then try this, I told him: the next time someone comes in, do something extra. Anything extra, really. If they order four plants, put out eight, for example. And don’t even make big deal out of it – in fact, don’t even mention it to the family. He thanked me, and I got off the bus fairly convinced that he was going to try what I had just recommended.
A few months later, I got a call from the very same person explaining that by doing that one simple idea, he had gotten four referrals that turned into business for him.
So by all means, don’t abuse any laws governing your business or profession, but also keep in mind that there’s always something you can do to attract and retain new customers.
The “Flight Attendant Special”
June 10, 2009
I had to make an unexpected trip to New York City last week. My mother had a very bad infection and had to be admitted to the hospital. It was actually touch and go for a few days before the IV antibiotics finally kicked in. Thankfully, she’s out of the hospital now, and is recovering nicely.
After three days of hospital vigil, I was heading back home, both physically and emotionally drained. The flights between Raleigh and LaGuardia Airport are on small regional jets. And because I had to book these tickets at the last minute, I didn’t get my customary, roomy exit-row seat.
So there I am, fatigued and cramped into a small seat on a small plane. I knew it was going to be a long two hours when the person in front of me reclined his seat all the way, nearly breaking the screen on my laptop computer in the process.
Then, after we were airborne, things started to look up as the lone flight attendant on the flight came on the PA system to tell us about the beverage service.
“Welcome aboard American Airlines Flight 4716 with non-stop service to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. I’m not going to bring the beverage cart down the aisle because we’re expecting some choppy air along the way, and the cart is a little tricky to put away when it’s bumpy. Besides, I think that wheeling a big metal cart down the aisle is kind of impersonal, so here’s what we’re going to do today:
Since most people order water or Diet Coke, I’m going to bring those out first. Then I’m going to bring my “Flight Attendant Special,” which is cranapple juice, orange juice, and ginger ale.”
I had to wait a bit since I was sitting somewhere in the middle of the plane, but I’ll tell you, that flight-attendant special was actually quite good! And, as an unexpected bonus, she served it on a paper napkin on which she had hand-written: “Enjoy your drink! – Lynn” – not just for me, mind you, she did this for every passenger she served on that flight!
When she passed by later, I complimented her on her creation and asked if I might get another glass. Not only did she mix up another batch, she also came back on the PA system and taught us all how to make the drink, complete with the correct ratios of cranapple juice, orange juice, and ginger ale, and even two variations some people preferred.
Naturally, I gave her one of the special recognition coupons American sends to its frequent flyers so they can recognize outstanding employees.
More importantly, the whole experience brought a smile to my face when just a few days earlier it looked like we were going to lose my mother.
Hopefully your customers, clients, patients, and members won’t find themselves in the same situation I was in up in New York, but people’s lives are extremely busy, and they’re continually stressed, fatigued, and overextended.
Anything you can do to brighten up their days and bring a smile to their face is a good thing. It may not directly lead to trackable sales and increased revenue, but it’s nice to do and it will make you both feel good.
Is Your Chocolate Too Sweet?
June 4, 2009
Is it possible for chocolate to be too sweet? Absolutely. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, unless trying to resolve the problem leaves you disappointed.
I surprised my wife with a getaway trip to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We left early and drove the 4-1/2 hours to Charleston, South Carolina. We had gone there about 15 years ago; had a great time; and though I’d been there on business several times since then, it was Lorie’s first trip back.
We booked a really nice Bed & Breakfast (more on that in an upcoming Inner Circle issue), had some great meals, and saw some wonderful architecture. We also did the mandatory walk through the booths on Market Street, and stopped into Market Street Sweets, largely because they were shouting “Free Samples!” from within the store.
I had been in their sister store, River Street Sweets, in Savannah, Georgia, and brought back some treats for my family that they really enjoyed. Especially Lorie who is a big fan of dark chocolate.
Once I made the connection between the two stores, I suggested that we pick up some chocolate to have later that evening on the piazza outside our room. Dark chocolate and good red wine go really well together, so we were looking forward to a nice after-dinner treat.
That is, of course, until we actually tasted the chocolate. Dark chocolate is supposed to be more subdued, and certainly not as sweet at the mass-produced milk chocolate we’re accustomed to here. (For really good chocolate, by the way, try Matthew’s Chocolates in Hillsborough, North Carolina!)
This batch, for some reason, was sweet. And not just a little sweet, but really sweet – more sweet than a Hershey bar. And on top of that, it had a really nasty aftertaste – not at all what we had in mind to end the evening.
So the next day, I called the 800 number on the nice full-color brochure we had picked up when we were in the store and called to offer our feedback. To their credit, someone called us back almost immediately.
She asked some questions about when we were in and what we bought. I explained the whole romantic anniversary wine and chocolate thing, and how disappointed we were in the quality of the product. She said, “Well, if you have your receipt, you can bring it back and get a refund or exchange it for something else.
That was it. Well, the chocolate only cost about $5.00, and it wasn’t going to be worth the time and effort to take it back. As for exchanging it, I was at a loss as to why I’d want to exchange bad chocolate for other bad chocolate, so I thanked her for the call and let it go.
On the one hand, it wasn’t really a big deal – just $5.00 in chocolate. On the other hand, that chocolate was part of a nice evening we had planned for a special occasion. So two important concepts to consider this week:
1. Features vs. Benefits – Features are what you offer, in this case the chocolate. Benefits are what the customer gets, in this case, a romantic evening on the piazza of a bed and breakfast. Make sure you always understand how people are using your products and services, and let this drive both your marketing and your customer service.
2. Service Recovery – When a problem does arise, your ability to resolve the issue quickly and definitively can make the difference between a satisfied customer and dissatisfied customer. In this case, something like a $20 gift certificate would have gone a long way…and led to a completely different story.
Make sure whatever you do helps you build an army of raving fans, instead of creating a situation that leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
How About a Cold, Clammy Towel?
May 28, 2009
Having 3-Million Mile status on an airline has its good points and its bad points. On the minus side, earning that many miles means you probably are traveling more than is really healthy for your brain and any personal relationships.
On the plus side, it means you get upgraded to first class a lot. Okay, that’s a really good “plus.”
In the “olden days,” first class was something really special with truly exceptional meals served on white linen, and lots of nice amenities. Nowadays, it’s more a matter of having a comfortable seat in case you get delayed on the ground or have to circle for a while in the air.
Still, there’s one thing they still do that’s one of my favorite parts of sitting up front: the hot towel.
As soon as the airplane hits 10,000 miles, and the flight attendants start preparing the meal, they make their way through the cabin with the tray of hot towels. These are more like miniature washcloths that were rolled up, and then drenched with hot water so when you unroll one and lay it across your face, well, it really feels great.
Unless, of course, the water they poured onto it wasn’t really hot, or if they left it sitting around a bit too long. Then it’s nothing more exciting than draping a cold, clammy napkin over your face – actually more annoying than soothing.
The thing is it’s not really that much of a temperature difference between the hot towel and the lukewarm towel. And yet the difference in the experience is both dramatic and profound.
In most businesses, it’s the little things that end up making a big difference in how customers perceive their experience. If you’re going to offer a figurative “hot towel” to your customers – something you offer that makes the experience of doing business with you extra special – then make sure it’s actually hot – a couple of degrees in either direction can completely and totally ruin the experience.
Controlling the Menu
May 19, 2009
A waitress uses creativity in using the scope of her position to influence change in her work environment.
Many times the situations we face at work can be frustrating because we often feel powerless to change them. The following example shows how a bit of creativity in the scope of one’s job can help influence change in the workplace.
Recently, my wife and I had dinner with some friends at a nearby restaurant where we dine regularly. As we were looking over the menu, the waitress who usually serves us approached the table, greeted us warmly, and asked us if we had any questions about the dishes they were offering that evening.
We asked her opinion about two of the dishes we were considering. The first one she said was excellent, and she would highly recommend it. When we asked about the second one, she wrinkled her nose, made a face, and said that she would strongly urge us not to order this dish.
“I won’t serve a dish if I don’t think it’s good…and I have a good reason for this,” she quickly replied as she looked around to see if the owner was anywhere nearby. She leaned closer to the table and continued, “If a dish isn’t selling very well, the chef removes it from the menu. So if I don’t like a dish, I don’t serve it and it gets taken off the menu. This way I can assure that all the dishes I serve my customers will be great and perhaps my tips will be better as well.”
So even though this waitress wasn’t the chef or the owner, she was still able to influence the menu. And since she eats dinner there herself when she comes on duty, she’ll be choosing from dishes she knows are good.
This waitress’s primary job responsibility was to satisfy her customers by serving high-quality food in a timely fashion. By recommending only the best dishes, she helps assure that her customers will be satisfied with their meals and she also keeps the best dishes on the menu.
Are there similar situations at work where you feel you have no say and no influence? Perhaps you can be as creative as our waitress and find a way to use the scope of your position to influence change in your work environment.
Cadillac Care
May 13, 2009
I returned last week from a fantastic full day of private consulting with a client in Illinois, and I have to say it was one of the sharpest groups I’ve worked with in a while. Not that the other groups are somehow mentally deficient, it’s just that this particular group had an almost innate grasp of the high-level marketing strategies I was presenting to help them grow their association.
One participant in particular, the owner of a private-duty nursing company, shared her strategy for placing their nurses in the homes of affluent elderly clients, with a program she called “Cadillac Care.”
These nurses also know how to cook, and provide a level of professional service that makes it possible for the company to charge premium prices for a premium service to people who can afford to pay for it.
Even the name of the service, “Cadillac Care,” shows a fantastic understanding of marketing concepts. It could have been called “Lexus Care” or “Mercedes Care” but this wouldn’t have been nearly as effective. (For extra credit, see if you can guess why – e-mail me your answer and I’ll pick a winner at random who will receive a 20-minute private consulting call!)
Virtually every business has the opportunity to develop a product or service targeted at an affluent market segment that’s not affected by the slow economy. Doing this can add a steady and reliable stream of income that others in your market are missing. Can you find this hidden money?
