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Here’s REALLY Why You Need Good Customer Service
I’d been a frequenter of it for quite some time – but not recently.
Why?
The owner was nice enough, the prices were good, the staff was friendly and knowledgeable…
…except for one.
This one clerk acted like you were imposing every time you wanted to pay for a video (and we were – after all, she’d much rather continue talking to her friends). She was lazy, had a bad attitude, and was even vulgar (I was once treated to her swearing at a customer).
You likely have similar experiences in your own neighborhood: ‘somewhere’ is a nice place, but there’s one bad apple that spoils the whole experience.
Here’s the catch though:
There was only one of her, yet well over a 1/2-dozen other clerks!
That means (at least for me) one nasty clerk overcame all the benefits: at least six other very nice (don’t forget knowledgeable) clerks, a convenient location, and really good prices.
One person did all that.
One.
This shop can talk about losing out to competitors, and video over the Internet/cable tv/mail taking their business. And it may be partially true. But the fact is, I (and others) would have continued supporting this local place if only the experience wasn’t do darned unpleasant – because of one person.
So if you’re a business owner, ask yourself: do I have a bad apple? Am I ignoring customer complaints? If so, expect to lose business – because if customers get upset enough, they WILL go away.
And once they are gone, how exactly will you get them back?
Have You Considered Crowdsourcing To Fund Your Next Project?
Take for instance Kickstarter.com, one of the biggest (other biggies include RocketHub, and IndieGoGo.com). You create a project proposal, and the crowd votes on it by donating to your cause. If you make your projected goal, you get the money to start your venture.
In one case, a group that wanted to manufacture an specialty titanium lock for their bicycle got their money – and then some – to produce it. They had an idea, showed everyone the idea, and took in over $100,000 (instead of a hoped-for $37,500) in return for product orders in advance. This gave them the money to start.
Many of the sites are for artists rather than designers: many have projects for books, plays, and recordings. For example, a project might ask for money for producing a record or EP, or to write a book.
Generally, a project has several components:
- A clear goal. For example Kickstarter requires a specific project with a specific timeline. You can’t use them to fund a new business, but you can to fund a new part of a business.
- Something to give back. Many projects have things that your donation ‘buys’ you, much like the gifts on Public Service Television pledge drives. An author may send out a thank you for a $5 donation, and an autographed copy of the finished book at $50. Setting up a variety of items and price levels serves to encourage donations.
- A total money requirement and deadline. The project is listed when it starts, and the end time is displayed as well as the progress in funds. Choosing carefully is important: Kickstarter will not give you the funds if you don’t make your final goal by your deadline (others like IndieGoGo will, but with penalties, such as a higher processing fee).
These sites are well worth a look if you have a project that needs funding. Consider them the next time you say “I’d do this if only I had the money” – because if enough people agree, you WILL have the money!
The Good (And Bad) Of Niche Branding
I recently found a beer I liked.
Now for those who know me the statement is a rarity – I normally don’t like beer.
At all.
But this one won me over. It’s a beer named Bavaria 8.6 Red. The taste is somewhat sweet, and less malty, definitely unlike any other beer I’ve tasted.
Now, here’s the thing about niche markets: finally, someone has a beer I like that is different than anything before. But this different means everyone else hates it!
Do a search on the beer, and you’d be surprised how many people soundly criticize it. It makes sense of course; if you already like beer, a sweet beer probably won’t taste ‘right’ (or even passable).
But for the target niche market (ie me), the taste gets them new beer drinkers where there weren’t any before. Because I never buy beer if I can help it. The result? New markets and market share in a crowded beer arena.
So the lesson for you out there marketing? If you’re going after a new and different market, don’t be surprised if you get strong negative reactions from the purists who like things the way they are. Remember they aren’t your target (they already are fans of something else).
Instead, focus on the new market. And look for non traditional ways to market to them – after all, any beer ad wouldn’t work for me (in fact, I only accidentally found the beer when I was picking up various samplers for someone else).
Oh, and another thing: be careful what you call it. Here in Canada, it’s nowhere near the 8.6% alcohol that prompted the name – but you can’t really get good branding calling the Canadian version 7.5, can you?
Take Your Picks (AND Take Your Pix) With The Newest Lenzr Contest…
Lenz has a new set of contests happening – and if you’ve been paying attention, the benefits are getting a lot bigger…
For those not in the know, Lenzr is a free to submit photo contest (actually, a bunch of photo contests). You visit their site, pick a contest, and take the appropriate photo. You win (and win big – just see below); plus, you get not only the fun of a nice prize, but acknowledgment from your peers that you can really ‘click’!
Here’s some details about the contests running right now:
What does a Sony Laptop computer and construction have in common? If you’ve taken the ideal construction photo, then the laptop is yours! This contest, called Construction Sights, is all about interesting construction projects. So if it grabs you, share the photo so others can get caught up as well. This contest is sponsored, appropriately enough, by a company that makes its fair share of interesting construction sites – Nuden, which specializes in Ottawa roofing and windows (but of course they do many other things, like doors and siding).
With the contest Best Office Staff Party, no doubt there will be lots of photos of charades, karaoke, and Twister – because office parties are ALWAYS tame affairs. However, in the off chance you get a picture or two of a really FUN office party, then this is the contest to show them. Again, the best pic gets you a Sony laptop. And if you don’t have enough staff where you work for a decent office party? Fortunately for you, the sponsors of this contest just happen to provide I.T. Staff and other high tech personnel for the Toronto area – and as we all know, Geeks really know how to party!
Remember when you were a kid and learned to count? Everything was a chance to practice your number skills. And now you get a second chance to revisit that time of youth with this contest, A Counting Exercise. Just take a photo of repeating patterns that could be counted. Pickets in a fence? Cars in a row? If it can be counted, then it’s an entrant – but of course your winning photo will have that extra “something special” in order to win the Sony laptop grand prize! This contest is sponsored by Cunningham Accountants, Toronto Accountants who know the web well – for service you can ‘count on’ (wow, I’m surprised they never used that as a tagline)!
Have you ever seen a beam of light that was so strong it looked solid? Maybe something coming through a cloud after a rainstorm? Then grab your camera, because that is the type of photo they want for this contest, Shafts of Sunlight. And if you get the best of the best, your reward is appropriate – a Sony DSCH70 Camera so you can use to take even better photos! The contest sponsor fits right in with the topic, too: they encounter a lot of sun in their workday, since they create spectacular sunrooms for houses and cottages in Ontario (plus, they’re known for efficiency and high quality).
I’m sure it’s a coincidence, but these contests all fit in well with summer – office parties, outdoor construction, and sunlight. Oh yeah, AND the accounting contest – because you’ll need to use them on ‘account’ of all the fun you’re having taking pictures this summer! (Sorry about that, but it’s late at night when I wrote this!)
And as I’ve mentioned before, these contests are a great way to get your photos into the public eye. I have a friend who takes pictures – and contests like this are fantastic for exposure that doesn’t otherwise come his way. And once you’ve won for your outstanding photo, then you’ve got bragging rights – after all, who doesn’t want to call themselves an “award winning photographer”?
And it’s only a single click away – so get started people…
