Friday, May 6, 2011

Are you a loyal or a satisfied customer? There’s actually a big difference.

It’s another beautiful spring morning in Upper Dublin – that’s my little niche in the world. The freshly cut fragrant grass looks even greener than yesterday, the trees in full bloom stand majestically against the blue sky, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the constant whirl of cars on the PA Turnpike echo throughout the adjacent neighborhoods. Residents’ multi-task on their way to work; sipping their coffee, talking on cell phones, and watching for traffic changes on their GPS systems. Big yellow buses heading to school with students in tow clog the minor arteries of Limekiln Pike, Virginia Drive and Susquehanna Road.

If you’ve been stuck in traffic during rush hour even once you know there are thousands of people heading to and from Upper Dublin to conduct business in small, medium and large companies. Some are doctors, some are lawyers, some are teachers and professors and administrators, some invest in real estate, and some sell insurance, some toil in gardens, in restaurants and retail, or the family business, and some have businesses of their own. Many wake hours before sunrise to start at 7:00 am or earlier, and many work late into the evening, just to keep their loved ones happy, safe and care-free.
For the many people who work in Upper Dublin their day has just begun and they’ve already been up for hours. They unlock their businesses, greet their staff, and meet with visitors, clients, patients, and customers; they open email, listen to their messages and pick up the phone. Hopefully, the customer on the other end will be satisfied: hopefully the customer will not be irate, hopefully with each phone call or interaction, employees and business owners will be creating what customer service expert Shep Hyken, CSP, and CPAE describes as a “moment of magic” rather than a “moment of misery”.
A moment of magic is any positive impression you make that transforms a satisfied customer into a loyal customer, because loyal customers are what businesses always need more of. Loyal customers will keep your business afloat, loyal customers will do your best advertising and marketing for you, and loyal customers cost far less to maintain than searching for new ones. Are you a loyal customer of a well known or not so well known Upper Dublin outlet? What was your moment of magic? Can you describe it to us? I love a good story with a happy ending!
On the other hand, we all know what a “moment of misery” is, don’t we? Just recalling one could put a knot in your stomach. We’ve all been in that sticky situation from time to time. For me it always starts with “I’m sorry.” Because I am one of those people who thinks that at the bottom of every conflict is a mistake I must have made. According to Hyken, “moments of misery” between the merchant and the customer are merely opportunities, because if you’re smart enough, good enough, and detached enough you can create a moment of magic even from misery. What happened the last time you were caught in a moment of misery? Is there anything you wish you could have done differently in hindsight? Do tell!
The C-S-R Czar will focus on a variety of issues relating to customer service, satisfaction, and loyalty in Upper Dublin Township. Please join the conversation while we examine the industry in our own backyard

1 comment:

  1. Spot on post. very on the mark. I go to a popular area diner/restaurant and EVERYTIME I get this one wait person (hate that term. they should be called table-host) they add it all up wrong and charge too much...BUT!!! the owner/manager ALWAYS catches it at the register and gives out 15% off coupons on next visit slips. Now I hope for the mistakes, 'cause even though the coupon's only for 15%, it makes me feel like I won something! Little things do mean a lot. And that table-host is not being mercenary. they TRULY do not know how to operate the computer (I have sympathy for that).....But the rest of the...the grocer, the physician, the lawn guy, the dry cleaner etc. are all a bunch of price gouging, extortionist crooks!! See? Maybe they gotta give out coupons too!

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