"I'm sorry we cannot process your order" he said with- would you believe - a smile??? Aaargh! I nearly choked at his incompetence!!!!! Did his supervisor know he was turning a sale away?
There we were, my friend and I, finally making it to the store amidst her ever so busy schedule. She really, really wanted the package deal and try the products asap and was SO excited that THIS was going to be THE day!! So we did whatever was necessary and sauntered up to the counter, completed forms in hand. That's when he dropped his bombshell. No sale? His 'reason' ws that they didn't have any more stock. Duhh!
Well, my friend was not giving up after all her anticipation; we didn't take NO for an answer and merely went to a different section of the store to try her luck there. Sure enough, this time her order was taken (though not filled) and she would be sent the products when they came in. Now that is proper customer service. True, it spoke well for the products that they were in such great demand that exceeded supply, but the counter clerk wasn't linking his response to profitability. And you know what? This was at the store of a huge, global market leader with a superbrand reputation - fancy that!
Had the company become complacent? Was the staff member incompetent, Were they focusing on products over service? It could have been any of the reasons or even all of them. But the reality is, excellent products can still lose out to a similar offering on the market if customers become displeased.
How can you avoid this in your business? Getting feedback from mystery shoppers is helpful so are surveys that reward customers for their time and input. BUT to be effective the feedback has to be tied in with managing the performance of delivery channels. I'd be glad to help you plan something that boosts your brand in the eyes of your customers and keeps them loyal to you. Like that? Just call me on +603-21697704!
BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Hilarously hijacked! Not funny though :(
I was most perplexed! WHAT was I missing? The couple is extremey successful, owning several homes in different countries; the company they are with is rock solid with a fantastic Brand Heritage; but I remained very uncomfortable in their presence without being able to put my finger on it.
Then BINGO! Friends were very interested in knowing more about their products and services, but what I witnessed was horrifyingly insensitive. Excited by the keen interest my friends had, their promoter go SO carried away that she force-fed them with an overload of information AND literally held them captive by plastering them with products during lunchtime. Sigh! You should have seen it! They were ravenously hungry (so was I) and had another appointment to go to, but were stuck in their seats. I was aghast and helpless.
My friends were too polite to protest - perhaps that was part of the problem; others might have just stormed off. But they complained afterwards and the promoters reputation was irreparably damaged! I was in the doghouse too :(
You know, building relationships is terribly multi-faceted as we're all different, but being sensitive and respectful is essential for sustaining those we want to keep. Sure there are ppl who'll endure anything as long as there is $ to be made, but then again there are others who won't.
It's about the cultural fit - about HOW things are done to please customers and retain them. Hard selling tactics gain in the short term, but also foster high fallout rates. I really do believe that sales tactics ought to be the end result of marketing strategies that benefit and retain customers, NOT just to fulfil unrealistic quotas.
Why waste time and resources on damage control? If you'd like me to be a sounding board for a campaign you have in mind, just call me at +603-21697704? Together we can weigh the pros and cons and plan for how to please the type of customer you want for a particular product or service.
BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
Then BINGO! Friends were very interested in knowing more about their products and services, but what I witnessed was horrifyingly insensitive. Excited by the keen interest my friends had, their promoter go SO carried away that she force-fed them with an overload of information AND literally held them captive by plastering them with products during lunchtime. Sigh! You should have seen it! They were ravenously hungry (so was I) and had another appointment to go to, but were stuck in their seats. I was aghast and helpless.
My friends were too polite to protest - perhaps that was part of the problem; others might have just stormed off. But they complained afterwards and the promoters reputation was irreparably damaged! I was in the doghouse too :(
You know, building relationships is terribly multi-faceted as we're all different, but being sensitive and respectful is essential for sustaining those we want to keep. Sure there are ppl who'll endure anything as long as there is $ to be made, but then again there are others who won't.
It's about the cultural fit - about HOW things are done to please customers and retain them. Hard selling tactics gain in the short term, but also foster high fallout rates. I really do believe that sales tactics ought to be the end result of marketing strategies that benefit and retain customers, NOT just to fulfil unrealistic quotas.
Why waste time and resources on damage control? If you'd like me to be a sounding board for a campaign you have in mind, just call me at +603-21697704? Together we can weigh the pros and cons and plan for how to please the type of customer you want for a particular product or service.
BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
Excuses, excuses - FEAR of Change
"Excuse me, but I have to leave in 15 minutes because the Vice Chancellor is coming to visit my Faculty and I must be there". He sounded quite distressed, and you know what? His pained face showed it too :(
I was in a roomful of very experienced lecturers, most of them with Doctorates - provedn experts in their subject matter. ALL of them had voluntarily signed up for the day-long activity in new methods of Teaching and Learning. My team mate (also with a Doctorate and who is my long time research partner) and I were demonstrating our work with using mobile phones as part of the process of Learning.
Pandemonium reigned during the first part of our program - it was chaotic! The distinguished lecturers were trying very hard to link mobile phones with Teaching and Learning. But in less than 30 minutes, would you believe they were thrilled by the chaos? But WHY you ask? Well, educators know that 'meaning' comes our of learning something, and chaos is one form of an experience to learn from - well, if we allow it to be, that is. This roomful of Professors was absolutely delighted that their eyes had been opened to how their students want to learn, and were SO excited about crafting new ways to teach hehehe :)
What about that Professor who said he had to leave? He never did, and was happily engaging with using his mobile phone in ways he'd never tried before. SUCCESS! Mission accomplished!
And WHAT does this have to do with building a Brand? It proves that Marketing (education and awareness) comes before sustainable Sales (transactions) and is essential for building strong relationships with your target audience(s).
Are you having difficulty with selling a good product or service? It helps if you identify WHO you are marketing to, and HOW they want to buy. I'd be glad to offer some suggestions - just call me on +603-21697704.
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
I was in a roomful of very experienced lecturers, most of them with Doctorates - provedn experts in their subject matter. ALL of them had voluntarily signed up for the day-long activity in new methods of Teaching and Learning. My team mate (also with a Doctorate and who is my long time research partner) and I were demonstrating our work with using mobile phones as part of the process of Learning.
Pandemonium reigned during the first part of our program - it was chaotic! The distinguished lecturers were trying very hard to link mobile phones with Teaching and Learning. But in less than 30 minutes, would you believe they were thrilled by the chaos? But WHY you ask? Well, educators know that 'meaning' comes our of learning something, and chaos is one form of an experience to learn from - well, if we allow it to be, that is. This roomful of Professors was absolutely delighted that their eyes had been opened to how their students want to learn, and were SO excited about crafting new ways to teach hehehe :)
What about that Professor who said he had to leave? He never did, and was happily engaging with using his mobile phone in ways he'd never tried before. SUCCESS! Mission accomplished!
And WHAT does this have to do with building a Brand? It proves that Marketing (education and awareness) comes before sustainable Sales (transactions) and is essential for building strong relationships with your target audience(s).
Are you having difficulty with selling a good product or service? It helps if you identify WHO you are marketing to, and HOW they want to buy. I'd be glad to offer some suggestions - just call me on +603-21697704.
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Square pegs in round holes
Oooooo the platters of food were simply yummy! A group of us (who said we weren't hungry, LOL!) had descended on the restaurant and decided to share a few delectable dishes among us so that we wouldn't eat too much - yeah right!
Well anyway, yes, the food and thirst quenchers were so good that we promised ourselves to visit again in the not-too-distant future. Then, it was time for 'afters' and coffee became a topic of conversation.
"You should taste the special coffee at my chain" new friend said, and went on to describe it quite evocatively. She works at a chain owned by someone who prides himself in knowing what the best is, and to having it served at his up-market outlets too. BUT one of his outlets was not doing well, and they were in the expensive process of re-locating it. WHAT had gone wrong??????
The food was good, the drinks were good, the service was good, the furnishings were classy - and, all the other outlets were doing well, soooooooo? Well, it so happened that when the market planning was being done they had over-estimated the tastes of those who patronized that particular mall, and so the volume of sales was less than desirable. The situation had more to do with a poor cultural fit than with anything else, and that had resulted in heavy $ losses.
Has that ever happened to you? Ever felt like a square peg in a round hole? When you realize that your environment and you are incompatible, don't blame yourself if you have tried to make the adjustments and it has not worked out. Just move on, because the core values of your products and services won't be well received. At the personal level, you may be misunderstood, no matter how hard you try. At the retail level, the volume of sales probably won't justify the overheads. Hanging in there heroically might cause heartache in addition to $ losses :(
If you are experiencing losses and aren't sure why, do call me at 6-03-21697704 and we can go over the manyfacets of marketing and sales that affect your type of business.
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
Well anyway, yes, the food and thirst quenchers were so good that we promised ourselves to visit again in the not-too-distant future. Then, it was time for 'afters' and coffee became a topic of conversation.
"You should taste the special coffee at my chain" new friend said, and went on to describe it quite evocatively. She works at a chain owned by someone who prides himself in knowing what the best is, and to having it served at his up-market outlets too. BUT one of his outlets was not doing well, and they were in the expensive process of re-locating it. WHAT had gone wrong??????
The food was good, the drinks were good, the service was good, the furnishings were classy - and, all the other outlets were doing well, soooooooo? Well, it so happened that when the market planning was being done they had over-estimated the tastes of those who patronized that particular mall, and so the volume of sales was less than desirable. The situation had more to do with a poor cultural fit than with anything else, and that had resulted in heavy $ losses.
Has that ever happened to you? Ever felt like a square peg in a round hole? When you realize that your environment and you are incompatible, don't blame yourself if you have tried to make the adjustments and it has not worked out. Just move on, because the core values of your products and services won't be well received. At the personal level, you may be misunderstood, no matter how hard you try. At the retail level, the volume of sales probably won't justify the overheads. Hanging in there heroically might cause heartache in addition to $ losses :(
If you are experiencing losses and aren't sure why, do call me at 6-03-21697704 and we can go over the manyfacets of marketing and sales that affect your type of business.
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
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