February 2004

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=3 height=120 BGCOLOR="#CC3333" TEXT="#080000" background="099b85a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Visiontheme</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Visiontheme"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="_customer_care____myth_and_reality.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2003">November 2003</A>   |   <A HREF="growth_is_the_key_to_survival.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2003">December 2003</A>   |   <A HREF="january_2004.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2004">January 2004</A>   |   <B>February 2004</B>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2004">March 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2004">April 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2004">May 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2004">June 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July 2004">July 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 2004">August 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September 2004">September 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="October 2004">October 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2004">November 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2004">December 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="january_2005.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2005">January 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2005">February 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2005">March 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2005">April 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2005">May 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2005">June 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id68.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July 2005">July 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 2005">August 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September 2005">September 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="October 2005">October 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id72.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2005">November 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id73.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2005">December 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="january_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2006">January 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="february_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2006">February 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="march_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2006">March 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="april_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2006">April 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="may_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2006">May 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="june_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2006">June 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="july_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July 2006">July 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="august_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 2006">August 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="september_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September 2006">September 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="october_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="October 2006">October 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="november_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2006">November 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="december_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2006">December 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="january_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2007">January 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="february_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2007">February 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="march_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2007">March 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="april_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2007">April 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="may_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2007">May 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="june_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2007">June 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="july_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July 2007">July 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="august_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 2007">August 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="september_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September 2007">September 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="october_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="October 2007">October 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="november_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2007">November 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="december_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2007">December 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="january_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2008">January 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="february_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2008">February 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="march_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2008">March 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="april_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2008">April 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="may_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2008">May 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="june_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2008">June 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="july_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July 2008">July 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="august_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 2008">August 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="september_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September 2008">September 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="october_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="October 2008">October 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="november_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2008">November 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="december_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2008">December 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="january_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2009">January 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="february_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2009">February 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="march_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2009">March 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="april_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2009">April 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="may_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2009">May 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="june_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2009">June 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="july_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July 2009">July 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="august_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 2009">August 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="september_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September 2009">September 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="october_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="October 2009">October 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="november_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2009">November 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="december_2009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2009">December 2009</A>   |   <A HREF="january_2010.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2010">February 2010</A>   |   <A HREF="march_2010.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2010">March 2010</A>   |   <A HREF="april_2010.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2010">April 2010</A>   |   <A HREF="may_2010.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2010">May 2010</A>   |   <A HREF="june_2010.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2010">June 2010</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#CC3333" TEXT="#080000" background="09a0c0e3.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=360 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>February 2004</I></div> <div> <I>The following article was first published in the Eastern Daily Press' 'The Business' on 6 January 2004</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>What Customers Really Want… is a little respect</B></div> <bR> <div> "R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  Find out what it means to me." </div> <bR> <div> It's not often that I use Aretha Franklin as an inspiration for a newspaper column, but thinking recently about the generally poor standard of customer service we suffer all too frequently, I realised that those words were the key to improving it. </div> <bR> <div> Good customer service is about showing the people who buy from you a little respect.  Here are four strategies you can use to keep your customers coming back:</div> <bR> <div> 1. Under promise and over deliver. Although this sounds simple, to achieve it consistently is challenging.  In our haste to please people and close sales, we often make promises we can't keep.  We tell a customer we will deliver by 3.00 p.m., forgetting that we made a similar commitment to several other people.  We promise to return a call by the end of the day but get caught up in other tasks and forget.  These situations end up causing us stress and they strain the relationships we have developed with our customers.  Avoid these types of problems by thinking through your decision before you make a commitment. </div> <bR> <div> 2. Hire the right people.  In addition to creating a good working environment, do everything you can to fill it with the best people. Front line staff have a tremendous impact on your business.  Don't make the mistake of focusing strictly on technical skills when you interview and hire new employees.  Invest the time to hire individuals who have good interpersonal skills and who can relate well to other people. </div> <bR> <div> You can always teach someone the technical aspects of a job. You can't teach someone to have the right attitude.</div> <bR> <div> 3. Proactive communication.  More than once, I've spent most of the day waiting at home for an appliance repairman to arrive, only to receive a call at 5.00 p.m. telling me that he's overrun on previous jobs and can't make it until the next day.  What these people seem to forget is that when things go wrong - which they will - it is how you respond that makes a difference.  Don't make your customer call you, call them instead.  </div> <bR> <div> 4. When you make a mistake, apologise.  Most people can accept mistakes, providing they are treated with respect afterwards. Regular readers of this column will know that I've had a lengthy and less than happy experience with my laptop computer manufacturer recently.  The one thing that would have made the whole episode easier to accept would have been the willingness by customer service staff to say “I'm sorry”.  Their failure to do so has, quite simply, turned me from a loyal fan of the company into a vociferous critic who will never do business with them again and who advises others not to give them their business either. </div> <bR> <div> Competition is fierce in every industry.  Yet, it is relatively easy to differentiate yourself from your competition by showing your customers respect.  This behaviour starts at the top, with you, the owner or manager.  The leader of the business must treat both his customers and employees with respect if he expects his team to take care of the customers.  Businesses that treat customers with respect will always thrive, as long as they provide a good product or service at a competitive price. </div> <bR> <div> Respect your customers' time, feelings, opinions, beliefs, and business and they will respect you.</div> </td> <td valign="top" width=180 BGCOLOR="#CC3333" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>