What is YOUR Idea of Customer Service?

I want you to think long and hard about this…

Customer service is your brand, your image, your reputation and what people remember you by and how they positively or negatively promote and advertise you. Customer service is the most important part of building your business, your brand and your reputation, online and in real life.

“People don’t  always remember the deal they got, but they will always remember the feeling they had when they got that deal.”

Humans; people are the most emotional animal. Next is probably a dog then a horse and the list of next in line continues. That’s why a dog is considered man’s best friend and horse people, will let you know how much they love their horse. Passionate people are ruled by their emotions. They are often short-tempered, loving, giving and quick to hold a grudge and then open their heart to forgive. This post isn’t about human feelings, but I want to open your mind to what the customer in front of you is perceiving when they deal with you.

People will remember bits and pieces of the “Deal” they got when dealing with you, but emotionally and sub-consciously they will always remember how you made them feel. If you bashed them about their low credit score, or low budget, they will remember dealing with you in a way that made them feel less, small, and inadequate. I ask you, “Is this what you want your customers to remember you by.” Whatever your client/customer is buying from you, it’s for a reason. It’s to fill a want, need or convenience… How you deliver this is how they will remember you.

I remember buying our first house; which we still own as a rental. Our budget was $125,000 in good town in a good county in Michigan. Our realtor laughed at us; a uncomfortable feeling of feeling inadequate. We then went up to $150,000 only to have three houses in the towns we would consider to look at. We ended up buying a house which our realtor was a double agent on at $159,000. We actually offered $154,900 and the fact our realtor ( the sweet little old lady she was ) who had done business with my wifes family changed our offer on us. Being young and “Trusting” this sweet old lady, who was a friend of the family, we signed and didn’t figure out the price bump until going to the mortgage company to finalize our loan. Needless to say I was livid, called her and she said “That’s the offer you signed and if you cancel it you will be out your $2,000 good faith money.” Wow, the sweet little old lady quickly turned into a shark when called out on her unethical behavior.

The moral of my story, was to reach you with a true story that I went through. I want you to fully understand the message. If that realtors greed and “Want” to close the deal hadn’t got the best of her, she would of had a customer for life. We would run into each other around town, with an uncomfortable feeling. I told many customers and friends of my experience. If she had went after the deal with a true Customer experience in mind, she may have made a little less, had to work a little harder and not had to try and dodge me around town. I would of sent her at least 10 referrals, bought our next house from her; that we bought five years later for double the price and talked her up rather than down.

What I want you to identify here is what is the feeling your leaving your customers with. Was it a feeling that their need/want/inconvenience was accommodated in an ethical way that truly served them? Did they leave feeling better than when they arrived? Did you make everyone in the party feel comfortable and fell like they were part of the process and engaged in the decision making process? Did everyone get to see and feel the real you? If you aren’t answering yes to all these questions then you aren’t creating the feel of the deal.

Like my Dad always taught me “It’s not the deal they got, it’s the feel of the deal they got.” Make that feel of the deal, because that’s what sales professionals do…

Customer Service doesn’t end at the sale, it doesn’t start after the sale, rather Customer Service accelerates after the sale.

“If you aren’t engaging with your customers after the sale, your losing traction.”

When someone has Trusted You with their purchase, Congratulations You Made an Impact. Now you haven’t ended you’ve only begun… Take advantage of this opportunity and monetize. Yes I used the keyword that has been banished by so many, but is the reality of sales; Monetize. Make your actions create action and kick tail, push yourself forward and make yourself the money your worth. Let’s face it “money is the root of all evil, but it’s quite hard to live without.”

If you aren’t using the presence you created to engage and create repeat and referral business you aren’t a sales professional. Yes, I said it Your a Salesperson and not a Sales Professional. See how salesperson is One word and Sales Professional is two words? This means your working at half speed, half capacity. Don’t let this happen to you, spend the extra five minutes to give your customers the full you. Be Real, be Genuine, be Integral. This is where it starts and if you start it doesn’t end. Identify your customers wants/needs and the convenience they are trying to achieve, because that’s what being a Sales Professional consist of; being of Service to the Customer which they appreciate and enjoy the feeling they get from just that.

Now you know what to do, but I ask are you doing it?

#ConquerWhatYouChase

Another motivational blogpost written by Noel Walsh the CEO| Head Trainer| Lead Writer| Author| Motivator| Consultant| Creator of “Conquer What You Chase” Sales Training.

You don’t know what it’s going to be, and that’s a beautiful thing.”