Nobody does it Better
Customer Retention means Market Share
Many businesses have not made the true commitment to one of their most important 2009 business strategies: customer retention in spite of so many examples of good customer service staring them in the face.. Many think retention is a marketing and loyalty strategy and though this is apart critical to customer retention is the minute to minute delivery of customer service and finding opportunities for unique experiences. Yes, I have heard from all over the industry that there is a commitment to delivering outstanding customer service and yet and many hotels, and brands, are doing the same things they have always done, instead of working on customized marketing solutions…
Now here are some examples of good customer service. During the holidays, I hosted 17 family members (my lobotomy is complete). The challenge of feeding, cleaning up so I can start the feeding was endless. I thought I was very organized having planned out the meals, the shopping list and even the clean up. And yet I found myself at my nearby Safeway so much that in the end the Manager approached me for a job.
As a company Aspire has been watching Safeway for the last 24 months. This was a company that had strategically committed to reinventing its stores inside and out. During my 17 trips in 12 days to Safeway, I observed some outstanding customer service and together with the renovated store look, my “it’s a mediocre grocery chain perception, turned around. It has reinvented itself. Here’s what I learned:
Keep it Fresh & Providing Smart & Clever Offerings: They have a new salad bar, a much visually improved sandwich bar, a new pizza bar and an expanded take home dinner section. They understand that today people have no time and want easy meal solutions for their lives. Understanding what you customer needs and providing it may not seem revolutionary and yet you don’t see it very often. In addition, all of these offerings are conveniently located at the front of the store so the one the go “Mom” can run in, and run out!
POINT: Know who is buying and make it easy…really easy. Ask your team who are your customers, what do they want and how do we delivery it better for THEM? And if you are going to do what everyone else is doing at least do it better and add a twist. Think different.
Fanatical Helpful Service: Everyone from the Managers to the Stocking Clerks has been comprehensively trained. They know where things are located from the aisle to the location on the row (2 thirds down on the right side). They not only tell you where something is, they end with,” Would you like me to show you? At one point I had a personal shopper who just helped me spend more of my money. My milk run was $129!
POINT: Get your community fanatical about helping every customer. Do whatever it takes. Share with your people that a highly satisfied customer is 6 times more like to buy again verses a satisfied customer. In today’s economic realities, satisfaction means you are losing market share.
Revitalize your Look: My Safeway perspective was always not very light, kind of clean and not visually appealing. Not any more. The aisles have a little more space and they are different designs verses a bowling alley traditional grocery store feel. The signage is throughout the aisle and the lighting is bright. The carts are organized and I love the hand sanitizer they offer by the shopping carts.
POINT: No one has a large capital budget this year so you have to get creative. First up…get rid of the clutter, add candles to your first desk, create an inviting smell in your lobby, revisit your music to create a feel, get a local artist to do an art gallery down a hallway, ditch the pillars that look old and worn, have your chef, in whites, offer a taste of the evening special in the lobby, and touch the senses in everyway. Ensure that everyone has a clean and pressed uniform, add your favorite hobby on your name badges to help create conversation and get everyone involved.
In the end what you focus on comes true. And then decide that no one will do it better!
This month’s mood: Where’s Customer Service
I was listening to: Nobody does it better by Carly Simon
Read what other online users are saying about examples of good customer service.
Renie Cavallari is CEO and Chief Inspirational Officer for Aspire, an international training and consulting company positioning organizations to achieve optimum performance. Aspire provides innovative sales and customer service training, strategic marketing, leadership skills and cultural alignment for increasing revenues, growth in market share, a re-energized sales force and lasting changes in attitudes and outcome. Founded in 1995, Aspire has headquarters in Phoenix with a network of inspiring professionals across the country.
For more information on how to improve sales and leadership even in turbulent times talk with Renie directly at www.tipsonleadership.com . Check out Renie’s new book at www.oficicialgirlfriendsgetawayguide.com
