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AtricleZine - How to Keep Customers
Wrongful termination is actionable and the various remedies available are complex. This form of employment termination is also referred to as wrongful dismissal or wrongful discharge.When your intuition is telling you that you are about to be fired, stall. Stall long enough to contact an attorney. Or, if you already have been fired, contact a lawyer immediately.You can locate attorneys who practice in the area of wrongful termination through the internet or through your local bar association.If you think you are about to be fired, try to escape the confrontation until you have spoken with an attorney. Become sick, claim a family emergency, or
"Our customers do like us," I hear you say, "except maybe the difficult ones, the awkward people, the ones who are never happy, the miserable devils - need I go on? Have you ever heard the saying "you only get the customers you deserve"?
Run your eye down the following list and see how many you can tick off.
*We always have a genuine smile for every customer.
*We are warm and friendly to all customers.
*We listen carefully and make it obvious that we are listening.
*We use the customers name and our name appropriately.
*We give the impression that we care.
*We empathise with problems or complaints and respond quickly.
*We occasionally do something to pleasantly surprise the customer.
*We always keep our promises.
*We give the impression that we are fun to deal with.
*We treat the customer the way they want to be treated, not
So many times you hear of small businesses working their rears off in order to satisfy large corporate clients only to find them selves buried in bills due to those large corporations slow payments. Unfortunately this is a typical strategy to hoard cash. After all the slower they payout the more money they have in cash flow. It is not uncommon during downturns in the economy for large companies to have outstanding invoices in excess of 120 days.This is devastating for the small businessperson who is not anticipating on such slow payments, but stringing out the payables now a days it seems is something all corporations do. It is almost as bad as Sears in the
The question I want answered is; did he ever work with customers on day-to-day basis and if so, was he some kind of saint?
Let's face it; customers can be a real pain in the neck. You move heaven and earth for them, you respond to their every whim, you give them time to pay and they still try to screw your prices down.
Just when you've done all that, they leave you and start buying from one of your competitors.
Wouldn't running a business be a whole lot better if we didn't have customers? Well, as we know only too well, we do need customers and lots of them. We want them to stay with us and we want them to say nice things about us to other people.
We also want them to pay us on time and accept the fact that we might be a bit more expensive than others.
So how do we perform this miracle? It's dead easy really; you only have to consider two factors: be reliable and be likeable. First off, let's consider what we mean by being reliable.
Reliability is about your product or service doing what you say it will do. It comes in two parts, the first part being: doing it right first time and doing it on time. If you can't get this bit right then you're going to have big problems. Customers will accept the occasional mistake, but too many and you've had it, so let's look a bit closer at reliability.
We've come a long way in recent years in terms of product and core service reliability. Nowadays when people buy a product or service they expect it to work. You don't buy a computer, a washing machine or an automobile and worry that it might not work. You know that it will. You also know that if it didn't, it would be replaced without quibble. The only thing is, that if you deliver this type of reliability in your business then don't expect any brownie points from your customers, they merely take it for granted. Where you are more likely to slip up in the reliability stakes (and this is the second part) is in what some people still regard as minor issues:
*Failing to phone back when we said we would;
*Failing to deliver when we said we would;
*Failing to send information when we said we would;
*Failing to include something extra when we said we would.
The ironic thing is that some customers often regard these failures as quite normal. However, these people won't stay with you, they don't say nice things about you to other people and they'll complain about your prices.
If you say you'll phone a customer back by 5pm then phone before 4pm not the following day. If you say someone will call between 9am and 12noon, then do everything you can to ensure that someone calls closer to nine than 12. Don't think for a minute that calling at 11.55 impresses the customer because it doesn't. So let's just repeat it so there's no misunderstanding later on: firstly your product or service has got to be reliable, secondly, everything you say to the customer has to be reliable.
However, I believe that more than anything you, your product or service and your people have to be likeable.
Too many organisations forget that their customers are humans and the thing about humans is that they don't always make decisions logically. You may have a reliable product or service, reliable delivery time and competitive prices. But it's not enough.
Customers are driven by their emotions and it helps a heck of a lot if they like you and feel good about your business and your people.
"Our customers do like us," I hear you say, "except maybe the difficult ones, the awkward people, the ones who are never happy, the miserable devils - need I go on? Have you ever heard the saying "you only get the customers you deserve"?
Run your eye down the following list and see how many you can tick off.
*We always have a genuine smile for every customer.
*We are warm and friendly to all customers.
*We listen carefully and make it obvious that we are listening.
*We use the customers name and our name appropriately.
*We give the impression that we care.
*We empathise with problems or complaints and respond quickly.
*We occasionally do something to pleasantly surprise the customer.
*We always keep our promises.
*We give the impression that we are fun to deal with.
*We treat the customer the way they want to be treated, not
Factoring services means managing the financial operations of an organization to achieve the objective of the enterprise. The basic financial operations are investment, which deals with acquisition of fixed assets; financing, which deals with the raising of required funds from various sources; and profit appropriation, which deals with appropriating the profit earned by the enterprise among the suppliers of funds.Regarding investment, assets/projects are to be selected only by considering their net returns. Regarding financing it is to be ensured that the firm gets the required finance at the lowest possible cost. Similarly, regarding profit appropriation i
So how do we perform this miracle? It's dead easy really; you only have to consider two factors: be reliable and be likeable. First off, let's consider what we mean by being reliable.
Reliability is about your product or service doing what you say it will do. It comes in two parts, the first part being: doing it right first time and doing it on time. If you can't get this bit right then you're going to have big problems. Customers will accept the occasional mistake, but too many and you've had it, so let's look a bit closer at reliability.
We've come a long way in recent years in terms of product and core service reliability. Nowadays when people buy a product or service they expect it to work. You don't buy a computer, a washing machine or an automobile and worry that it might not work. You know that it will. You also know that if it didn't, it would be replaced without quibble. The only thing is, that if you deliver this type of reliability in your business then don't expect any brownie points from your customers, they merely take it for granted. Where you are more likely to slip up in the reliability stakes (and this is the second part) is in what some people still regard as minor issues:
*Failing to phone back when we said we would;
*Failing to deliver when we said we would;
*Failing to send information when we said we would;
*Failing to include something extra when we said we would.
The ironic thing is that some customers often regard these failures as quite normal. However, these people won't stay with you, they don't say nice things about you to other people and they'll complain about your prices.
If you say you'll phone a customer back by 5pm then phone before 4pm not the following day. If you say someone will call between 9am and 12noon, then do everything you can to ensure that someone calls closer to nine than 12. Don't think for a minute that calling at 11.55 impresses the customer because it doesn't. So let's just repeat it so there's no misunderstanding later on: firstly your product or service has got to be reliable, secondly, everything you say to the customer has to be reliable.
However, I believe that more than anything you, your product or service and your people have to be likeable.
Too many organisations forget that their customers are humans and the thing about humans is that they don't always make decisions logically. You may have a reliable product or service, reliable delivery time and competitive prices. But it's not enough.
Customers are driven by their emotions and it helps a heck of a lot if they like you and feel good about your business and your people.
"Our customers do like us," I hear you say, "except maybe the difficult ones, the awkward people, the ones who are never happy, the miserable devils - need I go on? Have you ever heard the saying "you only get the customers you deserve"?
Run your eye down the following list and see how many you can tick off.
*We always have a genuine smile for every customer.
*We are warm and friendly to all customers.
*We listen carefully and make it obvious that we are listening.
*We use the customers name and our name appropriately.
*We give the impression that we care.
*We empathise with problems or complaints and respond quickly.
*We occasionally do something to pleasantly surprise the customer.
*We always keep our promises.
*We give the impression that we are fun to deal with.
*We treat the customer the way they want to be treated, not
Approach to ChangeHow is your change initiative going? Are managers and employees singing from the same hymn sheet or are you seeing constant bickering and recriminations? Are positive results emerging for all to see or is your organization’s performance going backwards? Is your program meeting targets and deadlines or is money and time being continually sucked into a black hole?Whether you are implementing a new local accounting system in your department or your organization is embarking on a comprehensive culture change program, it makes sense to take a breath and review how you are traveling. Here is a quick eighteen-point checkli
*Failing to phone back when we said we would;
*Failing to deliver when we said we would;
*Failing to send information when we said we would;
*Failing to include something extra when we said we would.
The ironic thing is that some customers often regard these failures as quite normal. However, these people won't stay with you, they don't say nice things about you to other people and they'll complain about your prices.
If you say you'll phone a customer back by 5pm then phone before 4pm not the following day. If you say someone will call between 9am and 12noon, then do everything you can to ensure that someone calls closer to nine than 12. Don't think for a minute that calling at 11.55 impresses the customer because it doesn't. So let's just repeat it so there's no misunderstanding later on: firstly your product or service has got to be reliable, secondly, everything you say to the customer has to be reliable.
However, I believe that more than anything you, your product or service and your people have to be likeable.
Too many organisations forget that their customers are humans and the thing about humans is that they don't always make decisions logically. You may have a reliable product or service, reliable delivery time and competitive prices. But it's not enough.
Customers are driven by their emotions and it helps a heck of a lot if they like you and feel good about your business and your people.
"Our customers do like us," I hear you say, "except maybe the difficult ones, the awkward people, the ones who are never happy, the miserable devils - need I go on? Have you ever heard the saying "you only get the customers you deserve"?
Run your eye down the following list and see how many you can tick off.
*We always have a genuine smile for every customer.
*We are warm and friendly to all customers.
*We listen carefully and make it obvious that we are listening.
*We use the customers name and our name appropriately.
*We give the impression that we care.
*We empathise with problems or complaints and respond quickly.
*We occasionally do something to pleasantly surprise the customer.
*We always keep our promises.
*We give the impression that we are fun to deal with.
*We treat the customer the way they want to be treated, not
How does one decide one's career? How does one decide and take a decision that may shape the life excellently or doom it forever? It is not as if nobody has the right or opportunity to choose their own vocations. Circumstances decide the way things will go. But it is true that many people when asked, will say that they would prefer a different job or career of their own taste and liking.Most people now have a formal education before they step in the real world where each one is to his own. Careers start at a very junior level. There are very few people who actually start at the top. They either inherit or are extremely brilliant. You may consider artists.
However, I believe that more than anything you, your product or service and your people have to be likeable.
Too many organisations forget that their customers are humans and the thing about humans is that they don't always make decisions logically. You may have a reliable product or service, reliable delivery time and competitive prices. But it's not enough.
Customers are driven by their emotions and it helps a heck of a lot if they like you and feel good about your business and your people.
"Our customers do like us," I hear you say, "except maybe the difficult ones, the awkward people, the ones who are never happy, the miserable devils - need I go on? Have you ever heard the saying "you only get the customers you deserve"?
Run your eye down the following list and see how many you can tick off.
*We always have a genuine smile for every customer.
*We are warm and friendly to all customers.
*We listen carefully and make it obvious that we are listening.
*We use the customers name and our name appropriately.
*We give the impression that we care.
*We empathise with problems or complaints and respond quickly.
*We occasionally do something to pleasantly surprise the customer.
*We always keep our promises.
*We give the impression that we are fun to deal with.
*We treat the customer the way they want to be treated, not
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein.Wow, I never thought I would see the day when I would be telling Mr. Einstein he was wrong. Well at least he’s wrong when it comes to using your imagination to make claims on your resume. Your resume tells the employer what you have done, not what you would like to do or would have done if you’d only had the chance. Some people call it fudging or inflating what they have done to make themselves more attractive to the employer. I don’t care what you call it, it is lying and it will come back to bite you. One of my clients thought he wo
"Our customers do like us," I hear you say, "except maybe the difficult ones, the awkward people, the ones who are never happy, the miserable devils - need I go on? Have you ever heard the saying "you only get the customers you deserve"?
Run your eye down the following list and see how many you can tick off.
*We always have a genuine smile for every customer.
*We are warm and friendly to all customers.
*We listen carefully and make it obvious that we are listening.
*We use the customers name and our name appropriately.
*We give the impression that we care.
*We empathise with problems or complaints and respond quickly.
*We occasionally do something to pleasantly surprise the customer.
*We always keep our promises.
*We give the impression that we are fun to deal with.
*We treat the customer the way they want to be treated, not the way we want to be treated.
How well did you do? If you've got a lot of ticks then you probably have lots of customers who like you. Just a word to the managers and employers amongst you. Run your eyes down that list again and replace the word "customer" with the words "employee" or "staff colleague." How many ticks did you get this time? Lots of ticks mean your staff like you and it probably follows that your customers do as well.
Have you noticed how being likeable costs so little? A lot less than advertising or other promotional activity required to replace lost customers.
Maybe the customer isn't always right, but if you want to keep them, make sure they like you.
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