Are you Valuable or Valued?

Apr 9, 2013 | Sales, Marketing & Customer Service, WBS

We've heard over and over "Add value for your customers!" But what does that mean? According to Webster's Dictionary, VALUE means "Monetary or material worth". Therefore, "Add value for your customers" must mean we have to add some thing (product, service, or other benefit) that adds tangible monetary or material gain for our customers. How do we do that? We need to find out what is valuable - and not merely valued - by our customers. There's a big difference between providing something that...

Why Don’t They…?

Mar 5, 2013 | Sales, Marketing & Customer Service

Have you ever gone into a store and had a heck of a time trying to find what you wanted? You finally had to have someone lead you to it because the store’s signage was poor. Like me, you probably thought, “Why don't they just put up clear signage?” Have you ever tried to reorder from one of your suppliers only to be put through the third degree because they’re updating their Customer Service Management System. Like me, you probably thought, “Why couldn’t they just upload my account history...

Go Where Your Customers Are Going To Be

Feb 21, 2013 | Sales, Marketing & Customer Service

When asked what helped him become the great hockey player he was, Wayne Gretzky infamously replied, “I go where the puck is going to be.” Because of that simple philosophy, he would be at the right place at the right time; he’d get the puck and score. When he retired in 1999, Gretzky had scored 2857 career points. Not bad for just anticipating where the action is going to be. That same practice is crucial for us in business. We've got to constantly ask ourselves, “Where are our...

Service Your Customers – Turn Them Away

Feb 21, 2013 | Sales, Marketing & Customer Service

I experienced some of the best customer service you can receive yesterday. I was turned away. I had met with a web site designer to talk about redesigning and upgrading my websites. We discussed the shopping cart and site hosting services I currently use and need. We compared them to what his company offered, and he simply said, “Stick with what you've got. You've got a good system in place. We can’t improve on it.” He didn't belittle my current providers or try to sway me into signing up with...

What Are You Waiting For?

Sep 11, 2012 | Sales, Marketing & Customer Service

I've just started working with a client who desperately needs to increase sales. His company hired a new sales representative over a month ago. Together they identified key current customers to visit and penetrate further. They decided to focus on this group first, then they'd focus on getting new customers – a smart approach. Yet when I called last week to see how the sales calls (and – I'd hoped – sales closures) were going, I was stunned to hear that the sales representative hadn't made...