Thursday, November 8, 2007

WH0 AM I?

Here's something I think might ring a bell with you. In fact, if you're like most of us, you might have written what I'm going to tell you. It's about a person who calls their self a nice customer. It goes like this:
I'm a nice customer. You all know me. I'm the one who never complains, no matter what kind of service I get.

I'll go in a restaurant and I'll sit while the waitress gossips with her boy friend and never bothers to look and see if my hamburger is ready to go. Sometimes a party who came in after me gets my hamburger, but I don't say a word or complain when the girl tells me, "Oh. I'm sorry, I'll order another for you." I just wait.

It's the same when I go to a Hair Styling Salon to get my hair cut. I don't complain when the Stylist gets the back of my shirt wet with soapy water and doesn't apologize or when they talk to their co-worker about everything and disregard my explanation of what I wanted. No, I don't throw my weight around. I try to be thoughtful of the other person. And when they leave hair on the back of my neck I'm as polite as can be. I don't think rudeness in return is the answer.

The other day I stopped in at the neighborhood full service gas station. I waited for almost five minutes before the attendant took care of me. And when he did, he spilled gas on my fender and wiped the car windshield with an oily rag. I didn't expect him to thank me for stopping by, and he didn't. Naturally, I didn't complain about the service. Next time I'll drive several miles out of my way to find a new service station.

I never kick. I never nag. I never criticize and I wouldn't dream of making a scene, as I've seen people do in public places. I think that's uncalled for. No, I'm the nice customer. And I'll tell you what else I am.

I'm the customer who never comes back!

That's my way of doing for getting pushed around too much. That's why I take whatever you hand out, because I know I'm not coming back. It's true that this doesn't relieve my feelings right off as telling you what I think of you could, but in the long run it's far more deadly than blowing my top.

In fact, a nice customer like me multiplied by others of my kind can just about ruin a business. There's a lot of nice people in the world, just like me. When we get pushed far enough we go on down the street to another place of business and eat our hamburgers, get our hair cut and buy our goods in places where they're smart enough to hire help who appreciate nice customers.

He laughs best they say who laughs last. I laugh when I see you frantically spending your money on expensive advertising to get me back when you could have had me in the first place for a few kind words and a smile.

I don't care what business you're in. Maybe you live in a different town or maybe I've never heard of you. But if you're going broke or your business is bad, maybe there are enough people like me who do know you. I’M THE CUSTOMER WHO NEVER RETURNS!

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

COMPETITION

Below is a true story of just how to combat competition from moving in on your business. Of course the secret to a successful business is the word "empathy. "Just make sure you treat your employees and customers the way you would expect to be treated when the shoe is on the other foot.

The owner of a hair salon in a small town enjoyed the serenity of knowing that he was the only salon in town. He was responsible for cutting and styling the hair of just about every resident.

His income allowed him to live comfortably and even send all of his six children to college.

Unfortunately for him, big business came to his town. Right across the street from his busy little hair salon sprang one of those new full service salon franchises.

Immediately the media campaign began; ads in newspapers, magazines and bill boards announced, “EVERYTHING FOR $6.00!. $6.00 haircuts, $6.00 perms, $6.00 manicures, everything $6.00.”

Soon all of his customers, his neighbors began visiting the salon across the street and the man’s business sat empty.

Desperate he hired an expensive consultant.

“I’m finished,” he cried. “It’s impossible for me, little me, to compete with them.”

The consultant squinted his eves at the salon across the street. “Not just yet, not just yet.”

With that the consultant picked up the phone and dialed the town’s only billboard company.

“Yes, on top of our salon in Big letters put this message. WE FIX $6.00 HAIRCUTS.”