These days, when it comes to customer service, \u201cgood enough\u201d seems to be what most businesses strive for. Franchises have been hugely successful, revolutionizing the idea of a \u201ccookie cutter\u201d business where every aspect is systemized to produce a specific result. Visit any McDonalds or Starbucks in the country, and you should get the same friendly level of service and the same tasting product. These businesses don\u2019t \u201cwow\u201d us when we visit, they just provide a good, predictable product.<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s the problem with all this? We have been so programmed to accept \u201cgood enough\u201d service from so many franchises and chain retailers, that this phenomenon has trickled down to the small business as well. For so many retail stores, small businesses, or restaurants I visit, the goal seems to be to get the job done, but nothing more – and as a society we have lowered our standards and have learned to accept it.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a personal example: For years, I had been going to the same dry cleaner every week. I\u2019d bring my clothes in, the lady at the counter would proceed to give me a ticket, and I\u2019d turn around and leave. I\u2019d return in 2 or 3 days to pick it up, hand her the ticket, she\u2019d return with my clothes, and I would leave. It was the same routine week after week. On a lucky day I might get a brief smile, but nothing more.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t get me wrong \u2013 I was happy with the service. My shirts always came out clean and nicely pressed \u2013 but there was nothing else keeping me coming back. One day I saw a coupon for another dry cleaner offering 25% off, so I decided to try it out. When I entered the store, I got a nice \u201cgood morning, how can I help you, sir?\u201d with a big smile. There was a bowl of candy at the counter. There were some funny signs hanging up which made me laugh as I waited for my ticket. When I returned in a few days to pick up my dry cleaning, that same person at the counter greeted me by my name! I was handed my clothes, and again was wished well with a smile.<\/p>\n
I must say, I was wowed by that experience. My clothes were just as clean as they had been with my previous dry cleaner, but the experience made me feel entirely different. Today, even if I see a coupon for cheaper dry cleaning, I don\u2019t go anywhere else. That dry cleaner has truly earned my business. Why? Because he understands that it\u2019s not about dry cleaning \u2013 anybody can do that \u2013 it\u2019s about how I feel doing business with him.<\/p>\n
Do your customers have a reason to keep coming back to you? Will they leave you for the next competitor that undercuts your price? Are you providing them with just \u201cgood enough\u201d service? How can you make them smile? What can you give them that goes beyond your product? What can you do to wow your customers? Start coming up with some answers, and the result will be loyal customers that will come back to you time and time again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
These days, when it comes to customer service, \u201cgood enough\u201d seems to be what most businesses strive for. Franchises have been hugely successful, revolutionizing the idea of a \u201ccookie cutter\u201d business where every aspect is systemized to produce a specific result. Visit any McDonalds or Starbucks in the country, and you should get the same […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-small-business-tips"],"yoast_head":"\n