Flip by Peter Sheahan

Author:Peter Sheahan
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781864714524
Publisher: Random House Australiaa

I would like to make the point here that not getting sued and getting return business are different prospects altogether. I may not sue a doctor who misdiagnosed me, but there is a good chance I will never go back. So again, competence is still a huge part of this equation.

HAVE GOOD MANNERS

People might think this sounds simple. If that's the case, why is it that websites like crmlowdown.com are filled with examples of straight-out rude customer service? And why is it that I can issue you an air-tight, money-back guarantee that every single person reading this book can give an example of a time when they have been treated appallingly by a company? Ensuring people on your front line (and yes, this includes you) treat customers with respect and courtesy (and actually go the extra mile in helping them solve their problems) might seem obvious, but I will talk about it until it actually starts happening!

As one final point to hammer home the idea that relationships are key and that many businesses just don't do enough to establish and nurture them, consider the following. After buying a $900 phone from my local Vodafone store (a brand to which I have been loyal to the tune of $1500 a month for near on ten years) I was thrilled to learn that their generous warranty period covered full replacement of my new handset after failure for, wait for it . . . two weeks. I personally think that almost one thousand dollars should buy you slightly more confidence in the product, but apparently not.

Well,my phone did break (three weeks after I bought it), and given that I was about to head out on a five-city business trip to the US I really needed a functioning phone. So I took it back to the store hoping they could help me out. After an hour dealing with three different and equally unhelpful people, not only did it become clear that they could not repair the phone in the two weeks before I left for the US, but if I wanted a temporary replacement phone I was going to have to pay $100.

They certainly acted as though they didn't value my business and didn't want to help. If this is how you feel, then get out of business! Fast!

The unfortunate thing for Vodafone is that they do not own this store. It is a franchise, but it still bears their logo. This is outsourcing the relationship you have with the customer.

And to make it worse they did not make the phone either. But hey, my relationship was not with the phone manufacturer, it was with Vodafone.

Five Things To Do Now

1. Get a group of key customers in a room and ask them whether they believe your company goes out of its way to build quality relationships with their business. Do the same with a group of suppliers too.

2. Run a focus group with employees and find out whether they think you are a staff-focused organisation.

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