WHAT'S INSIDE
1. Feature Article - "Customer Service Blues"
2. Virtual Value
3. Q&A for the VA
4. Clients Corner
5. What's New
1. FEATURE
ARTICLE-"CUSTOMER SERVICE BLUES"
Have you noticed recently how much trouble it is to get help when you go
shopping? It seems that if you can find anyone at all, they have no idea what they
are talking about. And, if you choose to make a phone call, you can never get a
'live' person at the other end - you are stuck in that maze of pressing buttons and
entering account numbers only to have to repeat the information when, and if, you finally
get to that 'live' person. It seems like most businesses don't realize that the
customers are their source of revenue. It often makes me wonder how companies stay
in business?!!?
This month, with the launching of Quick Keys(TM) Customer Service Support, I decided
that I would dedicate this issue of Quick Keys News(TM) to the improving of Customer
Service.
2. VIRTUAL VALUE
If you rely on steady or repeat customers to make your business a
success, then you know how important Customer Service is. Offering top notch
Customer Service is going to be the best way to maintain and increase your client base.
While researching the topic of Customer Service, I came across a
TERRIFIC website http//www.letstalkselling.com.
Timothy F. Bednarz, Ph.D. is
the Principal Partner of Bednarz Business Strategies, a training and consulting firm which
focuses on customer-focused strategies for sales, marketing, and customer service.
Dr. Bednarz is an author, researcher, and professional speaker. He specializes in
training small and medium sales and service teams.
I encourage you all to visit his site and take advantage of his wonderful tips about
Customer Service. Here's a great one to think about...
Would You Buy From Yourself?
You be the judge...No cheating! Answer the following questions honestly to test your sales
aptitude & professionalism
- Do you show a genuine interest in your customers needs and problems?
Do you listen attentively when your customers talk or are you just waiting to give your
pitch or add your own comments?
When you make promises, do you follow through and deliver what you promised?
When presented with problems or questions, how quickly do you respond?
Do you present your features and benefits before you have had a chance to determine how
or why your benefits can help your prospect?
Do you over promise your prospect just to close the sale?
Do you thoroughly believe in the company, product or service you represent and sell?
What is first and foremost in your mind? Your Commission? Your Quota? or Your Customer?
When you contact a customer, are they happy to hear from you?
Do you keep your customers current of what is happening in your industry and aware of
current events that might be of interest to them?
What is your goal? To close the sale or build a long term relationship with your
customers?
Do you work to achieve a win win situation with your customers?
What would you do if you discovered that your prospect wasn't right for your prospect?
If your competitor's product better served the needs of your customer, would you
recommend it to them?
3. Q&A FOR THE VA
Q/ I have a very large client
base and I don't have time to contact them each month (which I would like to do).
What do you suggest I do so my clients know that I haven't forgotten about them?
A/ Keeping in contact with your
clients is very important, especially if you depend on their repeat business. If you
have an extremely large number of clients, it may be impossible to contact them all by
yourself (that's where Quick Keys(TM) Customer Service Support comes in ;-)). If you
are going to make the calls yourself, you may need to work on a rotating schedule.
One way to do this is
=> Create a database of all your clients
=> Sort the database in a logical order (ie last name,
or most recent puchase date, etc.)
=> Set a goal for making calls -- commit to a
a)
certain number of hours to make calls or
b)
specific number of calls to be made
=> Take as much time as needed to complete the calls and once
you've made it all the way through, start at the beginning of your list
For example, you may have 1,000 clients and decide to call 20 per day
Monday through Friday. This would mean that in those five days you would contact 100
people. Keeping this up for 10 weeks you would reach your entire client base, and
then would start again. You may tell your clients during the initial call that you
will be contacting them approximately every two-and-a-half months.
When you call your clients, you may want to ask them
a) do they mind a weekly, monthly or quarterly call from you
(depending on the type of calls you make)?
b) what time is the best to get a hold of them?
c) although it is not a personalized, you may ask your clients if
they have e-mail and if so, would they prefer communications be made that way. This
would allow you to keep your name in front of them and provide some level of customer
service without having to make the call (or if they do not want to be called)
Do you have a Customer Service story (good or bad)? We'd love to hear it e-mail
to Comment@QuickKeys.com
If you have a question for the VA, please e-mail Comments@QuickKeys.com.
4. CLIENT'S CORNER
Barbara A. Blocker:
Partners By Design™ Centers [http//www.PartnersByDesign.com]
Lupe I. Torre:
Lupe Torre offers several Teleclasses and
Teleforums in August:
- FINANCIAL ASSERTIVENESS FOR WOMEN
- FINANCIAL ASSERTIVENESS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS
- FINANCIAL ASSERTIVENESS FOR COUPLES
- RAISING FINANCIALLY ASSERTIVE CHILDREN
- TELECOMMUTING
- MANAGER FOR THE MILLENNIUM
Visit her website for more
information
5.
WHAT'S NEW
- All this talk about Customer Service got us thinking about how we, at
Quick Keys(TM), can make a difference. So, we decided to create Quick Keys Customer
Service Support This 'team' has been put together to contact your current
clients via phone, e-mail, or "snail" mail and offer any type of information you
feel they should know about...upcoming sales, special items, or maybe just a courtesy call
to make sure everything is alright.
Visit our Customer
Service Support page for more nformation about how Quick Keys(TM) can create top notch
Customer Service for your business.
- If you have missed any of the past issues of Quick Keys News you can find
them all on our website
- Don't forget to pass Quick Keys News(TM) on to anyone you think would
enjoy learning tips on making their lives a little better.
That's all for this month. I hope your summer is going well and
your Customer Service skills and experiences are improving. I look forward to
sharing more tools and ideas to make your lifestyle become the lifestyle you love in next
month's issue!
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(c) 1998, Beth Chamberlain, Quick Keys(TM). Please feel free to
duplicate and distribute this newsletter (in it's entirety), keeping copyright and
authorship intact.
---
Your Virtual Partner,
Beth Chamberlain
President, Quick Keys(TM) Virtual Assisting Services
"Supporting Creativity and Choice In Designing the Ultimate
Lifestyle!"
____________________________________________________________
Beth Chamberlain, Executive Virtual Assistant
Beth@QuickKeys.com
http//www.QuickKeys.com |
