The ability to find a customer, sell your product or service to that customer, and satisfy the customer so that s/he buys from you again should be the central focus of all entrepreneurial activity.
-Brian Tracy
Service after the sale. Many inexperienced technicians simply forget that they made some promises in the sales process that they absolutely must keep if they expect to KEEP the customer. The very best techs take the opportunity AFTER the sale to WOW the customer with extra-mile value that amazes the client. Here are six of my favorites:
1. Send a handwritten thank-you note to the client telling them how grateful you are for their trust in you.
2. Call, email or stop by if possible to check with them to see if they are happy with their decision.
3. Give them your contact information (cell phone, email address, home phone) and let them know they can contact you day or night with a question or concern.
4. Schedule a follow-up meeting to discuss details, make introductions to your team, and answer any new questions.
5. When a request comes in, stop what you are doing and provide what is needed. This builds more trust and strengthens the relationship further.
6. Ask them six months later why they bought from you. Learn the causes of your success.
If you have done all of the above, it’s the time to ask for referrals.
The following is a true story from my early days as a speaker. Every word is true.
It was April 2000 and I was in San Diego to give a presentation at the annual gathering of MHEDA, the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association. The conference was held at a four-star hotel and 200 CEOs were in a room to hear me talk about “Customer Service Excellence.” It was a wonderful opportunity, not just for additional speaking engagements, but to test this “Back of the Room Sales” I had been reading about.
You see, I finally had a product to sell. My first book, on effective communication—which few people know about—was for sale on audio cassette, and I secretly hoped some of these corporate executives would buy it. Sure enough, I sold three copies! A week later, one CEO who had purchased my tapes at the conference called me for a speaking engagement. I called him back on his car phone. He said, “Hold on, let me turn this off. I was listening to your audio tapes.” A little flattered, I asked, “What did you like most about them?” He paused for moment, and then said, “You know what I like the most?” Holding my breath in anticipation, I replied, “No, what?” He said, “I can turn you off any time I like!”
It’s lonely on the extra-mile. Few people ever go there.
-Mark Matteson
The purpose of business is to GET and KEEP customers.
-Theodore Levitt
I reserve the right to add more time and value to my coaching, keynote and seminar clients without increasing the fee. I once conducted a one-hour keynote for one of the large and fastest growing wireless communication companies (think pink, they are in my back yard), an amazing group of superstar business-to-business sales professionals. I was scheduled to speak at 2:50 pm to 4:00 pm. I showed up at 7:30 am, to listen to their internal speakers, observed their breakout sessions, enjoy a fireside chat with the CEO (John Legere), breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yogi Berra said, “You can observe a lot by watching!”
It allowed me to truly tailor my talk to their culture, language, areas of expected growth. The frosting on the cake was, I surprised the audience by handing out 200 copies of my first book, Freedom From Fear, to these sales professionals. I never tire of standing ovations; they are good for the soul. I signed books for an hour afterward. I was invited to bowling and cocktails. At dinner the CEO said to me, “You were a big hit. I hear you did a great job. There are some other areas I think we can use your services. I am going to read your book tonight. Thanks again.” The VP that hired me was beaming. It was the Extra-Value Mile Smile.
What can you do to add value? What can you offer that none of your competitors do? How can you delight your customers with more than they expected?
What can you do to WOW the customer? The juice is worth the squeeze.
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Mark Matteson is a speaker, consultant and author, offering consulting engagements with HVAC Service companies as small as $2 million to billions of dollars. His engagement list includes Microsoft, T-Mobile, GE, Surety Mutual Life of New York, AFLAC, John Deere, Johnson Controls Inc., Honeywell, York, Carrier, Conoco-Phillips and Trane. Mark has written five books: “Freedom from Fear FOREVER,” “A Simple Choice,” “Wag More, Bark Even Less,” “It’s About TIME,” and the international bestseller, “Freedom from Fear” that has been translated into Japanese and French. Mark has also authored four e-books. Contact Mark at 206/297-0454, [email protected] or visit www.sparkingsuccess.net.