I am always focused on the customer and our relationship with them but the other key component to successfully building a reputationfor putting customers first is how your employees feel about the whole thing.  Happy employees equal happy customers.  “If mamma hate happy, ain’t nobody happy.” In the book 30 Reasons Employees Hate Their Managers [...]

I recently received an email bringing my attention to an article focusing on 12 customer service lessons from the best customer service companies. Although I don’t believe there were any huge new “ah ha” moments, the list is a good one that focuses on the importance and value of building relationships with customers. Keep it personal Don’t [...]

Have you ever lost a customer and didn’t know why?  I was talking with Business Coach and Professional Speaker Leslie Ungar of Electric Impulse Communications about customers.  She shared a story with me that really helped put things in perspective. As the economy takes its good old time recovering, the trickle down effect of lower revenues [...]

We did a book swap at Boardroom this morning and I picked up the book 5 Minutes with the VITO – a Sandler Sales book.  VITO stands for Very Important Top Officer and is the one person in the company that can say YES.  The prospect every sales person longs to meet and build a [...]

I feel strongly about developing relationships with customers which I believe, in turn, develops loyalty; customers who remember, refer and return. So I’m often on the look out for other’s opinions on the topic.  This morning I read a post by Susan Abbott entitled Loyalty or Loyalty Programs: There is a Difference. She gives a great [...]

We say it all the time, but how often do we ask our customers what they want, what they value, what experience they desire? I remember IN THE OLD DAYS when I worked for Pearle Vision, we’d hire a company to conduct exit interviews. People would stand outside the store and ask customers a series [...]

Big Lots has launched a loyalty program – The Buzz Club.  Make 10 purchases of at least $20 each and receive a discount.  If I’m a regular customer of Big Lots – that’s a nice unexpected bonus.  Will it drive me there if I’ve never been a customer?  Probably not.  To make a commitment to a [...]

I’m facing a conundrum.   The other day I put out a question asking how we put customers first in our business and asked these questions: How important is customer loyalty? Do you measure the percent of returning customers? Do you have training programs in place that reinforce a “Put Customers First” culture?  I have received some [...]

I believe in customer loyalty.  In fact, I have a speech – my most popular speech – entitled Earning Customer Loyalty.  So imagine my surprise when I was reading a recent edition of Advertising Age and found the article entitled:  Why Customer Loyalty Isn’t as Valuable as You Think” by Hamish Pringle and Peter Field. [...]

I was just reading a post of Zach Heller’s entitled Why Joke with Your Customers.  It was an April Fool’s Day post – the classic day for jokesters but he brings up a good point when he talks about having fun with your customers: What is the point of playing a joke on people who [...]