There are Still Opportunities, Buyers and Customers to Help

I read an article by Jeffrey Gitomer this week about the economy and how part of the problem with the poor economy is the number of people and businesses that BELIEVE things are terrible.  The fact is that we all create our own ‘personal economies’ by choosing what we do every day as we awake.  Do we spend money and stimulate the economy, do we go to work with a bad attitude because we are not making more money, do we consider that the customer who is having a hard time paying the bills needs our help or do we consider them a bad debt and what are WE going to do each day to make things better?

We have dozens of customers who are paying slow, trying to find ways to keep the doors open and need our help so we made the decision as a company to pay some of the marketing costs or hosting for many of them.  The choice, as I see it, is that we can help be part of the solution for a customer or help put the last nail in the coffin by turning off a website or their online marketing which is the only true opportunity for them to continue doing business and reach customers.  Work with customers to do anything to keep that website live even if it means paying a portion of the bill for them.  This policy upset our accounting department but the choice is to help customers survive or let them fail and our choice will always be to do whatever we can to help make things better. 

This includes the new ‘Social Marketing’ where we have expanded to provide this service for many struggling clients at little to no charge since it is another opportunity to expand the brand and reach new customers.  Put yourself in the shoes of the customer and ask yourself what you would do or need if the roles were reversed.  Do not take for granted that the customer understands the value you provide for them.  Make VERY sure your company is differentiating, creating innovation and solutions and that the companies or people you work with are aware of how it benefits them.  Find ways to save customers money, lower prices for a few months to help struggling customers even if it means you may lose a little because it is the right thing to do (even if it is technically bad business to lose money). 

Things are bad but they can get worse if everyone does not pull together and start doing what is right instead of what has the most profit.  Call customers, email them and ask what you can do to help before ever turning off services and understand there will be some that simply cannot survive no matter how much you help.  There are still opportunities, buyers and businesses who need what you sell or what your customers sell so make sure to keep the websites on, stay informed, innovate and lead by example to succeed.

Robert ‘Dot Com’ Jackson
InternetBuilderConsulting.com – Building BETTER websites, Social Marketing and Online Solutions
816-842-7774 Office

Listen and Understand to Succeed

No matter what type of business you are in or what your role within the business the most important thing you can do to succeed is to listen better. There is little in life more frustrating than being forced to explain something multiple times because someone was not listening or did not take the time to understand what was being communicated.

I had a recent appointment to have new tires put on a company vehicle and spent the first 20minutes trying to explain to the shop that I needed 17 inch tires put on the car instead of the 15 inch tires they were trying to sell me. The clerk was quick to explain that the computer shows 15 inch tires are right for the model and year of the car. The car did come with 15 inch rims and tires that were taken off and replaced with 17 inch after market rims over two years ago.

The tire shop clerk was trained to go by what the computer said, but not to listen to the customer of what to do when the computer was wrong. After the shop finally seemed to understand that the car needed 17″ tires they took the keys, filled out a form and asked that I wait an estimated 45 minutes for the work to be completed. After close to an hour the poor shop clerk came back explaining that they were unable to install 17 inch tires because the computer says 15 inch tires are what should be installed so if they put on any other size tire the company could be liable for lawsuits.

That seems like a stupid policy but I can accept whatever rules the shop comes up with but I will not accept wasting over an hour because nobody took the time to listen and understand. I will never go to that shop again, they have lost our business forever. Listening will increase sales, solidify customer loyalty, bring referrals, improves office communications and helps business succeed. Beyond listening is making sure you understand what is being requested or at the very least what the person is trying to accomplish. People do not always communicate well, sometimes what we hear is not what what the other person says.

The most important part of communication is truly understanding what the other person is really telling you. SLOW DOWN, repeat back what you believe the customer, co-worker or prospect is asking and be sure to over communicate whenever something is unclear. No matter what the problem there is a solution and that solution may simply be to understand what the other party is trying to share so you are able to provide the right solution.

Robert ‘Dot Com’ Jackson
http://www.BuilderConsulting.com
913-814-8844 Corporate Office