This week I spent £150 on a product/service. It is the sixth or seventh time I have bought this product at around this price & every time I have bought it I have done so from the same place.
I am going to try really hard not to say what the product or service is – which will be a fun challenge- because I have given the company the feedback and in pure Destiny’s Child style -” I ain’t gonna dis you on the internet – cause my mamma taught me better than that”
But here is a word on long term, warm comfortable customers who become so familiar…they’re just like the wallpaper.
The term familiarity breeds contempt doesn’t really work here. For me this one would go familiarity breeds too much comfort, an invisibility maybe.
The company we shall not speak of is not known for nurture – let me put that out there. They are a service I would say in the domestic realm to do with heavy duty out door stuff. Yep that’s as close as I am getting to full on outing them and if you guess it then good on you! The reason I note that is because I am not naive enough to believe that EVERY industry has to give the same amount of attention to taking care of their customers. There are industries where – get the job done without fuss is a legit practise that works. My issue is BASIC CUSTOMER SERVICE. So let’s explore….
When I called to buy, I managed in my small 2 min conversation with bank card in hand, to come away feeling offended, annoyed and mocked. The person on the end of the phone grunted as he answered it for goodness sake, I mean what the fuck happened to Hello?!? In these times – don’t we need at least a hello?!?!?
Company “grunt”
Me ” Oh hello I would like to buy {this thing}, hopefully for {this date} this week please, do you have any available?
Company “Next week’
Me “Oh okay, none sooner?! Okay well thats fine then can you tell me the price difference between {first product } and {second product } please
Company *sniggers* “We don’t to {second product}“
Me ” Ok, do you do anything like {second product }?
Company “{third product}“
Me “Okay, whats the price difference between {first product} and {third product} please..
*At this point I have noticed a tone that sounds like fuck you
*It is like pulling teeth getting a simple answer.
*I am expected to know their products and I was mocked when I didn’t.
So I go on to choose {first product} – I say that I buy this regularly so you probably have me on your system as a VIP customer jokingly – I realised after that in this moment I was trying to trigger a valued customer response. Lets just say that didn’t occur. What happened next was just a barking of instructions for my card digits and the phone being put down once the payment had gone through – the very moment in fact the payment had gone through.
No thank you, no further information on {first product} due with me this week. You know what got me…. the lack of thank you.
Is it not in these times of small business growth that a simple thank you when someone has handed you £150 …like expected?
Goes to say that when I came off the call my ten year old daughter casually said to me “wow, he was rude”. I looked at her and I realised in that moment that actually it was super rude.
My little £150 purchase may not mean much to them – it’s just a small sale but I have now made that purchase repeatedly to the same company every couple of months. I intend on buying {first product} again in the future and at this time there is an uncapped potential need for this product. I might buy 12 this year and another 12 next year?!? ….Ok I am exaggerating. BUT GUESS WHAT??
I won’t ever buy that thing, from that place EVER AGAIN.
So you might be thinking – okay Dawni, bit excessive but here is why. ..
When you get so familiar with a client that you no longer see them you show your motive.
Money motivation IS important of course but it is not the only motivation (for most of us) and especially if you are in an area where it is your job to nurture- you really need to get this part right! The story I just told was a simple basic lack of STANDARD customer service right?! but our standards in the Entrepreneurial space or even more important and it sparked something in me.
I feel like basic manners when talking to each other as humans has gone out of the window – I mean I missed the memo, weren’t we talking about being kind just a couple of months ago before the world turned 2020 into a history lesson?
Have you ever heard the term “Customer facing”? I love this term , it implies that there is a skill to being exposed to customers. Now it comes from a place of looking at someones skill set and ability to handle the wild array of customer situations with grace and in line with a professional standard attributed to the company or brand you represent.
Whatever you do , don’t get this mixed up with sales – A lot of really successful sales people have it and a lot do not! You only have to go and spend an hour at your local second hand car dealership to know that the two things are not mutually exclusive.
This gave me pause about recruitment, probably as I have been trying to take on more teamies for my agency recently, because the term customer facing makes it seem like those skills only have to be used face to face… which unless you live under a literal rock you may have heard is not really all that popular right now!
You don’t have to be physically present with your client to need the skills to be customer facing. You need them in your social media content, you need them on the phone, in email, on chat and YES ON VIDEO meetings.
Being “Customer facing” is the least you should do, and you shouldn’t just switch it on for new clients – you need to think of your foundational clients.
Who was the first person to buy something off you?
Who was the first to refer you to a client they are working with?
Who was the first to bring you in on a project?
Which clients buy everything you bring out without a second thought?
I would love for you to take some time this month to consciously consider those clients. We are great at setting up our next challenge,course or sale but what about those who have been in the background holding us up. Those super fans?
In April when there was a lot of uncertainty and fear for my pretty pro members I offered a free 121 with each of them. Yes it was a massive chunk of time, yes they could have just attended the group gall we have every month- but it wouldn’t have been the same. These are MY people, It’s not about the money for me, I mean don’t get me wrong – I am loving making the money I do now but it is the combination of things that make what I do not just a job, but a calling
my passion + my people + money = my calling.
So riddle me this… do you give a cahoot about your people or not? If you do… show them some love!!
Don’t do a Sky and only reward new customers.
Don’t do a Weatherspoons and be all about the money.
Don’t do a {Company} and talk to loyal customers like something you found on your shoe.
Not that any of you would, you beautiful hoomans.
To All my Pretties,
I thank you sincerely for every time you’ve clicked like on a post, or commented, or bought a service, all of you in my memberships and those who are championing me and referring me. You are valued and seen and appreciated – you blooming wonderful bunch.
