The other day I was having lunch with my good friend Bert. We were engrossed in conversation about the many details needed to be taken care of for a big party he and his wife were hosting in a few weeks at their home. As he was about to finish the last spoonful of his soup it happened. With great surprise he said, “Look what is in my soup!” It was a fly. I motioned to the waitress, and as she approached and saw the fly Bert was holding on his spoon she immediately gasped and apologized. “I am very sorry,” she said as she quickly retrieved the empty bowl, spoon and fly from in front of Bert. In a very nervous voice she asked, “Would you like another bowl?”
Bert replied, “No.” She then excused herself and quickly went directly through the swinging door into the kitchen. Before a minute passed the waitress returned, and still nervous and with a cracking voice, said, “Sir I apologize. We have thrown all the soup away and we will not charge you for your entire meals.” Bert nodded his head and thanked her. As we left the restaurant Bert turned to me and said, “Well one of my party problems is solved. I am going to use this restaurant to cater our party.”
The waitress turned a “Fly in the Soup” into what may be the largest catering job they have ever had. All because she knew what to do when there is a fly in the soup.
Do you and your representatives know what to do when there is a fly in your customer’s soup?
The fly may be a late delivery, a telephone call not returned in a timely manner, a product or employee not performing up to the customer’s expectations, or one of many things not delivered as promised. The Fly is a problem, and if you and your representatives do not know how to react positively for the customer immediately, you are not going to turn a fly in the soup into a sale.
You do not have to give your products and services away as this waitress did, but you must do something, immediately to regain the customer’s trust. There are just too many other places for your customers to purchase your products and services for you to neglect the need to be prepared to turn a fly in the soup into a loyal customer.
2 ways to prepare for your “Flies in the soup:
1. Predetermine what to do:
A. Write down all the obvious negative (flies in the soup) situations that have arisen or may arise. Do this with all of your representative (sales professionals, delivery personnel, cleaning crew, etc.).
B. Have them help you come up with actions to take when these situations arise. Actions, which can be done on the spot as the flies in the soup situations happen, and actions that can be done without anyone else’s approval.
2. 100% Customer-Centered:
It is very easy to turn a fly in the soup into a lifelong customer if everyone in your organization is 100% Customer-Centered.
When your business is 100% Customer-Centered, everything you say and do will be about the customer, not about you.
One-way to be 100% Customer-Centered is to practice what baseball great Reggie Jackson, of the New Your Yankees called W.I.T. Whatever It Takes. Reggie believes he became one of the sports greatest home run hitters because he did whatever it took to become the best.
I adapted W.I.T. in 1990, for our retail stores, and yes our expenses did increase because we replaced items that did not perform up to the customer’s expectations when we might have been able to adjust them or convince the customer to settle. But, our sales exploded to levels we never dreamed we could reach, and over time we greatly decreased our advertising cost as our customers recommend us constantly to their friends, colleagues and relatives.
For Special Report # 121B “Why & How to Be 100% Customer-Centered” email Bob at
Bob@BobJanet.com with Special report # 121 B in the subject line
There was a Fly in the soup!!! But they kept the customer - To learn more about this author, visit Bob Janet's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales success or one of the many who have failed to change? So what are you doing to change those results? Let’s be honest, with companies moving globally and at lightening speeds, the traditional business solutions are outdated and dead. My approach moves your business out of its comfort zone and secures your competitive advantage now. If you are seeking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, create a culture of great attitudes or just achieve some sleep filled nights, then we should talk because my clients have experienced exactly those types of results. Learn more about customer loyalty at http://www.processspecialist.com/customer-loyalty.htm Give me a call at 219.759.5601 for a free strategy session. P.S. If you are seeking a motivational speaker, sales trainer or small business expert that will leave your audience smiling and remembering, please feel free to contact me at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland Smith's Website |
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Bob Janet
(Visit Bob's Website)
ooks and CD’s at www.Bob
Janet.comBob Janet uses 40 plus years
of face-to-face selling and marketing
experiences as owner / operator of
wholesale, retail, manufacturing and
service businesses, combined with his
unique content loaded, fun-entertaining
audience involved keynotes and seminars to
help owners, sales professionals and sales
support staff increase sales and profits
by gaining and retaining their most
profitable customers.
When everyone else tells you what to do to
increase your sales and profits...Bob
Janet shows you how!!
See all Bob's sales growth programs and
top selling sales / marketing
books and CD's www.BobJanet.com<
/a>
Bob Janet
Bob@BobJane
t.com
800-286-1203
www.BobJanet.com<
/a>
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