How to get new customers from among your existing ones!

Today is my birthday!

I care that it's my birthday today. I had a celebration with all my 11 grandchildren their parents and assorted other family members.

Yep, birthdays are important to you, me, and to everyone.

They are especially important to your customers.

How to build trust with people.

Tears welled up in her innocent eyes. All she wanted was to have him there. All the other girl's fathers would be there to watch them play.

"We'll see" is all he said.

That was enough to break her heart.

Why?

Because he had said "We'll see" before, but it really meant "no" in the end.

A little girl's trust had been broken, not once, but many times before.

Trust is so easily broken.

A parent's word. A teachers promise. A partners neglect.

We all have had trust broken in our lives and we cope with it in many different ways. By avoiding the subject; by avoiding the person and by never trusting anyone anymore.

People lack trust when dealing with strangers. "Stranger Danger" is the cry. But we all have to deal with 'strangers' every day.

People come into our lives as strangers and some become trusted friends. How does this happen among so many broken promises?

What is the dynamic that folds back the layers of mistrust and fear? 

Are you still making this mistake in business?

A quick story about proactive customer service:

Keith is a vet. He is also a friend of mine.

Keith had a problem.

He was faxed in January by his wholesale supplier to say they had been taken over by a multinational company.

After 25 years of doing business with this firm, Keith decided to take his considerable account to another Australian owned wholesaler, rather than send his profits overseas.

A noble thought.

2 weeks later Keith had a call from his original supplier. They asked why they hadn't heard from him in a while. Why hadn't he ordered?

Customer service training courses. A little common sense.

Why am I killing my 'word-of-mouth' advertising?

I feel ashamed of this.

Let me explain.

Why do people call me John?

You know my name is Paul, why do so many folk call me John?

They don’t do it just once, but over and over again!

Why have they got it into their head, that my name is John?

Whose fault is that?

Well, it may come as a surprise, but I’m the one to blame for people calling me John!

They’d call you ‘John’ too, if you made this mistake. . .

customer service definition   ;-p

17 funny ways to ensure people remember you?

Some small businesses work really hard to ensure they are remembered.

The employees in these firms are extreamly creative in their approach:

* They always form a lasting impression that tatoos the company name and image into the customer's consciousness.

* They generate so much 'word-of-mouth' from each customer contact, you would think they own the business.

Dealing with a difficult customer.

Do you ever get customers who complain?

I'm sure you do.

We all do!

Doesn't it feel awful when they are so upset with you, for something they think you have done wrong?

How do you feel when that happens?  Defensive? Embarrased?

Angry with yet another unrealistic demand from another picky customer?

Don't you wish they would all just go away and let you finish the job?

But, how you deal with a difficult customer determines your reputation.

Did you know that at that moment they are complaining, you are staring at a pot

of GOLD?

Yep, pure Gold.