The goal of almost every businessperson is to have as many customers as possible buying as many products or services as possible, and at the highest price possible.  Of course there are variations.  If you are a “discount” store and you are trying to offer the lowest price then it is upon you to be able to buy stuff cheaper to sell.

Once you get those customers in the door the first time, your next goal is to have as many of them come back again, and again, and again.  You need to create maximum customer satisfaction to achieve maximum customer loyalty.  While no business can perfectly please every customer, the primary need is to have as few angry customers as possible.  If a customer becomes P.O.’d they are most likely not to return to buy more of your products at whatever price you are selling.  Worse yet, they will now go on their social media platform or platforms of choice and tell everyone they can not to come buy your products or services.

So how can we avoid getting to the point of no return?

1.  Always Under Promise and Over Deliver – managing expectations is key.  If a customer gets a better deal than they expect, if they get more food on their plate than they expect, if they save more money than they expected, they will probably be happy and tell others.
2. Be Realistic.  –  There are three aspects to business:  Price, Quality, and Service.  In 95% of businesses, the customer can have any 2 but rarely can you have all 3.  If something is good quality and the business provides excellent service, it probably won’t be a low price, etc.
3. Finally, TRAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES HOW TO SERVE CUSTOMERS. – This is the most important aspect.  Do not assume your employees know how to handle customers (especially unhappy ones) or even how to deal with people.  I cannot say this enough. 

For more on how to improve your customer service, visit my website at https://coachmikenow.com.  There you can schedule a complimentary 30 minute session with me to discuss how we can help your business be the star with your customers.

Why do bad things happen all at once?

This last week it seems that I had one battle after another, most of them tech driven.  The first thing to happen was that one of my favorite Uncles passed away at 98 years old.  I have great memories of when I lived with my Aunt Doris and Uncle Sandy.  Uncle Salvy was Uncle Sandy’s brother-in-law.  Every year we would spend Christmas Eve at Uncle Salvy and Aunt Stella’s house, eating tamales and opening presents.  Although I haven't talked with him in some time, I will never forget him.

On Good Friday, I went to get my hair cut.  I was short on time and wanted to make sure I didn’t have to wait long as the girl who does my hair usually is in high demand.  She is good.  Well, since they don’t take reservations, I had called to inquire about the procedure to get on the list so I could be first up when she came to work.  When I arrived, I was told something else which made sense but was not what I was told.  So, after a tense discussion, I sat down to wait for my turn.  Suddenly, one of the three ladies who was involved in the discussion came and told me if I wanted to call them names (a vulgar name specifically) that I could leave.  She did this in front of everyone in the lobby.  I don’t tend to call people names, especially that name.  You’d have to make me much angrier to get to that point.  There’s more to that story.  Perhaps I’ll share in the Clubhouse.

Saturday I had trouble with my cybersecurity software.  Sunday we had a battle with our tv provider.  I also had another issue with an ongoing problem with another company that I am currently promoting.  It seems like I find all of the sub-issues in their system, LOL.  The main guy I’m dealing with called me a “pain-in-the-ass” but quickly said that was actually a compliment because I’m sort of weeding out issues they need to prepare for.  He told me that the action I took Sunday which triggered the latest issue he had not seen happen previously.  I was the first.  This is why you should hire me to be your proofreader… LOL.  I guess I have a gift for spotting or exposing issues.

You might be asking why I am telling you about all of these battles.  I’m doing so because what is important is not the battles I’m having but how I am dealing with them.  It is about my attitude when issues occur.  Do I get angry?  Yes, but usually only slightly.  I am slow to anger usually.  I’ve always been a very patient person… well at least since my 20’s.  How do I do this?

1. I start each day saying “This is the day that the Lord has made.  I will be glad and rejoice in it!
2. If I have an issue with a person or a business, I recognize that we all have days where we are not our best.  I try to resolve the issue directly, not turn into gossip or blast my anger all over social media.
3. Finally, and maybe most importantly, I know that good things can happen in bunches too.  I’ve had a day where I won two $500 lottery scratchers on the same day.  I’ve had experiences where I was offered multiple jobs from different companies on the same day and had to choose which one to take.

If you are trying your best to do your job as well as you can, to be the best person you can be, then don’t stop.  I remember as softball coach at a clinic I attended once said she knows her players are not going to be 100 percent all the time.  Her rule of thumbs was for her players to give her 100 percent of what they had at each moment.  If there were only at 80%, then she wanted 100 percent of that 80%.

Put this into your habits.  Recognize that you are human.  Recognize that we all have limits.  Give the best your are able to give at each opportunity.  Recognize that almost all events are temporary, good or bad. 

And don’t give up.  Don’t quit.  The game isn’t over until the clock runs out… unless you quit.

Don’t quit!