SIX WAYS TO ‘WOW' YOUR CUSTOMERS
by Vicki Lenz
The problem with many businesses today is that they strive to satisfy customers. What's wrong with that? Well, customers expect satisfaction, so satisfaction is now a basic requirement for doing business and keeping customers. According to Vicki Lenz, companies ready to advance beyond the basics look for ways to really WOW customers and to be different. But not “wow” or “different” in the sense of a one-time magic trick or gimmick.
Keeping customers requires a different approach than treating them throughout their relationship with your company. Smart businesspeople know that increasing customer retention by as little as 5% can mean as much as a 95% increase in profits.
One business that chose to be “different” is the Saturn car company. Consider a mission statement that begins with “Earn the loyalty of Saturn owners” and includes being the world leader in “customer enthusiasm.” To create the company that would eventually become Saturn, teams from General Motors spent 50,000 hours studying industry leaders and visiting 60 benchmark companies worldwide.
After studying the ways in which Saturn differs in the way it treats customers, I distilled its best practices into six areas that span the customer relationship process: Before, during, and after the sale.
Look at each of these areas in your business and discover how to WOW customers and differentiate yourself from your competition.
1. CREATE INTEREST
Besides great commercials, Saturn uses plant tours, an interactive-exhibition welcome center, cut-away car displays in showrooms, and detailed information on its Web site — just to name a few. Saturn also recognizes that earning great word-of-mouth referrals first requires meeting minimum customer satisfaction expectations by building a reputation through quality and value.
What you can do: Open your doors. Let people experience your processes, products, or services. Advertise creativity in ways or places not crowded by your competition. Anticipate the everything-you-always-wanted-to-know questions and include the answers on your Web site. Acknowledge referrals from existing customers and make the referral process easy and inviting.
2. HELP CUSTOMERS FEEL WELCOME.
Saturn's “Customer Philosophy” includes the reminder: “Above all else, treat customers the way they wish to be treated.” That philosophy is reflected in the design and appearance of showrooms and service departments, and in the fast, friendly, helpful response to customers by phone, mail, e-mail, and in person. Although it's an automated system, most callers to Saturn's 800 number are talking to a real person within 13 to 20 seconds. Information requested by mail is sent within 24 to 48 hours.
What you can do: Focus on the image of your business and monitor it frequently using an inspection checklist. Ensure that customer-contact employees are people-friendly, and train them on the importance and perspective of customers. Establish speedy response standards for phone, mail, and e-mail inquiries.
3. MAKE THE BUYING PROCESS EASY
Saturn revolutionized the industry through its “no-hassle, no-haggle” sales approach, making car buying the pleasant experience that it should be. Sales staff schooled in and practicing the “consultative sales process” contribute to an easy experience and the relationship-building process. Accessible, easy-to-read literature and forms reduce the hassle, fine print, and jargon.
What you can do: Simplify the pricing process and make it easy for each buyer to customize their desired options. Use a relationship-selling process and reward sales staff accordingly. Train, train, and train continuously. Obtain an unbiased assessment of your literature readability and availability.
4. COMMUNICATE AFTER THE SALE
After you've written the check and driven home, according to the Saturn owner's handbook, “ ... now is when the real stuff begins.” Standards call for contacting new owners at intervals of three, 30, and 60 days after purchase. The “real stuff” includes thank-you notes, phone calls, a “welcome to the family” packet, an invitation to a new owner's workshop, and maybe even a gift certificate. Communication is ongoing with service reminders, birthday cards (for the car!), and invitations to customer appreciation events.
What you can do: Find relevant ways to thank customers for their purchase. Establish standards, methods, and time frames for follow-up. Encourage ongoing two-way communication through service, check-ups, seminars, assistance centers, surveys, newsletters, events, e-mail, or other means.
5. SOLVE PROBLEMS
Just 10 months into production of the new Saturn cars, one of the suppliers for engine coolants misformulated a batch. Instead of cooling, it could eventually destroy the engine. Saturn responded by sending owners a registered letter offering them a choice of a brand-new car or refund of the full purchase price. This “preventive maintenance” won over customers and helped pave a positive future for Saturn.
What you can do: Anticipate and prevent problems for customers before they happen. Listen to customers to learn about their concerns. When problems occur, respond promptly, and keep the customer informed during any resolution process. Don't just solve the problem — exceed expectations.
6. KEEP CUSTOMERS COMING BACK
To say thanks to customers and celebrate its fifth anniversary, Saturn invited owners to the “Homecoming” — a weekend of fun, food, and tours of the plant in Tennessee where their cars were “born.” About 44,000 people showed up, and more than 130,000 customers participated that summer in appreciation events at Saturn dealerships closer to their home. Saturn continually says thanks through various appreciation events, and keeps in touch through its CarClub chapters. The company also records service information on every Saturn Plus, and shares it on a system-wide database, making it easy for customers to return again and again.
What you can do: Find relevant ways to say “thanks for your business” — if not for every customer, then at least for your most valuable customers. Form clubs for members to share their interests and stay involved with the company. Keep track of such customer information as purchases and service records, and use this knowledge to make it easy for customers to keep doing business with you.
WOWing customers means being different — by treating them right throughout the relationship. Although this might sound easy, the sad truth is that most companies only focus on attracting or the purchase phase instead of thinking about a long-term relationship. What I heard most from Saturn customers (during research for my book, The Saturn Difference ) was that they felt Saturn treated them as friends or members of the family. Keep that in mind as you strive to WOW customers, and you'll be well on the road to success by making your own difference.
Vicki Lenz is an author and speaker on marketing and customer loyalty, and a writer of stories for companies. She can be reached at (502) 499-5635 or [email protected]. Visit her Web site at www.VickiLenz.com. Reproduced, with permission, from the VuPoint Newsletter of the IIABA Virtual University. For more information on the Virtual University, click here. The members of the University Faculty offer expertise in every aspect of agency management and marketing. Many of these faculty members are available for in-house training or consulting. For contact information on faculty members, click here.