99 Cent Customer Service

Can you really have great Customer Service at bargain prices? It seems that many people argue that Customer Service can only be had at top dollar prices. Their logic dictates that it costs more to provide good Customer Service and that you must pay a premium in order to have that service.

I beg to differ and offer this simple observation. Every time that I go to a thrift store or 99 cent store (where else do you think I get my inventory of eclectic T-Shirts?), I find that the people working there have been able to answer my questions quickly and efficiently. In addition, they have been very helpful and friendly when it comes time to check out, often engaging me in conversation while ringing up my purchases.

I can find no greater difference than the gap between Goodwill and Nordstrom, yet I find good service at both. Let's not pretend that I am shopping for the same items at each, however, the point remains that good Customer Service can be had at all levels. It just takes the right peple and support.

I'd love to hear your thoughts....

Thanks for reading,
Brandon

The New, Customer-Friendly DMV?

Sometimes, I feel sorry for the DMV. Not necessarily the people who work there, but rather, for the entity as a whole. It has such a bad reputation that just mentioning the initials brings shudders to many people.

So, when I got a notice in the mail letting me know that I had to go to the DMV to renew my driver's license, I was not happy. I immediately tried to renew it online, however, I had hit the lucky number of years that triggered a required in-person visit. Needless, to say, I was not a happy camper at this point.

I went online and tried to make an appointment, however, the closest appointment was several weeks away and so I resigned myself to having to go through the "DMV experience" and suffer with my neighbors and fellow citizens.

While I was online, I thought that I would at least check the hours that they were open and after I selected my local DMV office, I was presented with a web page that was very easy to navigate and very pleasing to the eye. Much to my surprise, right on the front page, there was a list of local DMV offices and the Wait Times for Walk In Appointments. Wow! This was great!

My local office had a short 19 minute wait and if I cared to drive to a town close by, I could walk in and wait only 5 minutes. And the best part was that when I drove down to the office, it was a short wait!

Kudos to the folks at the DMV who implemented this new site and linked up the wait times. I can't wait for my license to expire again. OK, just kidding, but it definitely made it easier.

Thanks for reading,
Brandon

The Sky is Not Falling - Stay Calm and Your Customers Will, Too

When it rains, it pours. At least in business, it does. Why does it seem that issues and complaints all ait for the perfect moment and then converge, without warning upon us?

Whether our "perfect storm" consists of two tour buses pulling into our resturant at the same time or a dozen 'returns' all showing up at once in our store, the key to weathering these occurences is a calm disposition and projecting that calmness to our customers.

No matter how bad the situation may get, the revenue for your business is right in front of you and a pleasant, business-like demeanor combined with a 'get the job done' attitude will get you through the quick (and brief) surge that occurs until things return to a calmer state.

So, the next time it seems as though there is just too much going on and you can't handle another issue, take a deep breath, pause for a second and place the moment in perspective. Each issue that you handle in a calm and positive manner fosters excellent customer service and brings in future revenue.

Thanks for reading,
Brandon