OK, so this recession thing is indeed causing people some problems – especially if they ever find themselves with the need to travel by motorized vehicle. But I am sticking to my guns that tough times require us to stress the fundamentals of good business, and there is nothing more fundamental in business than treating our customers well.
Really well.
What exactly does that mean? While the definition will certainly vary depending on your business, I was reminded during a Chamber Leads Group presentation yesterday morning that there are a few non-negotiables to keeping customers in the fold.
Frank Kapplow, the owner of Delmas Diamonds and Jewelers, shared that his business is not only surviving, it is thriving. His sales are up significantly over the same period last year, and there are no signs of slowing down.
But how can that be? People don’t buy custom jewelry and diamonds the price of used cars during a recession. Ah, but there’s the twist. Some people do. And what Frank does is make sure that if those people make their way into his store, they understand that they are not going to be treated more fairly, receive better service or get a higher-quality piece anywhere in town. And certainly not from the Internet.
He admittedly spends more time than he probably should with each customer. He may sell his pieces for a tiny bit less than he could – if he really pushed it. And he goes against convention by showing invoices to customers, sharing markup rates and giving the lowest price the first time – even on his original, custom work. “If I give a price and then I negotiate down to a lower price, then I was not being honest the first time,” he said with an earnest conviction.
In other words, he treats his customers exactly like he would want to be treated in the same position.
So how do those of us who are not in a retail setting apply those same principles? Well, for starters, we can make sure we treat every client or customer like we really need them to survive (probably not a huge stretch these days).
I received an e-mail last week that a prized prospect was hiring my company to create their new e-mail newsletters, and when I got the news, I sent a quick thank you, did an internal “yea” and moved on to put out fires. After hearing Frank yesterday, though, I went straight to my office and shot the new client an e-mail stating simply how happy I was to be working with him and how much I looked forward to helping him be successful.
It was a small gesture, but within minutes, I received a response echoing my sentiments. Since he doesn’t know me (he is in Gainesville), it was essential that he hear from me that I appreciated his business and that I would do everything possible to exceed his expectations. He now knows what to expect from me – now, I just have to make sure I do it.
Thanks, Frank, for the reminder that the Golden Rule still rules.
Really well.
What exactly does that mean? While the definition will certainly vary depending on your business, I was reminded during a Chamber Leads Group presentation yesterday morning that there are a few non-negotiables to keeping customers in the fold.
Frank Kapplow, the owner of Delmas Diamonds and Jewelers, shared that his business is not only surviving, it is thriving. His sales are up significantly over the same period last year, and there are no signs of slowing down.
But how can that be? People don’t buy custom jewelry and diamonds the price of used cars during a recession. Ah, but there’s the twist. Some people do. And what Frank does is make sure that if those people make their way into his store, they understand that they are not going to be treated more fairly, receive better service or get a higher-quality piece anywhere in town. And certainly not from the Internet.He admittedly spends more time than he probably should with each customer. He may sell his pieces for a tiny bit less than he could – if he really pushed it. And he goes against convention by showing invoices to customers, sharing markup rates and giving the lowest price the first time – even on his original, custom work. “If I give a price and then I negotiate down to a lower price, then I was not being honest the first time,” he said with an earnest conviction.
In other words, he treats his customers exactly like he would want to be treated in the same position.
So how do those of us who are not in a retail setting apply those same principles? Well, for starters, we can make sure we treat every client or customer like we really need them to survive (probably not a huge stretch these days).
I received an e-mail last week that a prized prospect was hiring my company to create their new e-mail newsletters, and when I got the news, I sent a quick thank you, did an internal “yea” and moved on to put out fires. After hearing Frank yesterday, though, I went straight to my office and shot the new client an e-mail stating simply how happy I was to be working with him and how much I looked forward to helping him be successful.
It was a small gesture, but within minutes, I received a response echoing my sentiments. Since he doesn’t know me (he is in Gainesville), it was essential that he hear from me that I appreciated his business and that I would do everything possible to exceed his expectations. He now knows what to expect from me – now, I just have to make sure I do it.
Thanks, Frank, for the reminder that the Golden Rule still rules.
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