So, with order placed and me eagerly awaiting news of payment/delivery date, it all went rather quiet. Being a rather impatient type, I chased after two days ‘just to make sure’… and was told that I could pay over the phone which would ‘release the order’ (news to me). A chap came on the phone to take my ‘long card number, blah blah blah’ and his whole telephone manner was all wrong. When giving your bank details over the phone, you want to conjure up the image of a very efficient, suited and booted clerk the other end but what I got was office junior who had been told to take some woman’s details because no one else could be bothered. Not good.

Payment made, I waited another few days for notification of anything! I emailed and was told that the salesman (remember him, he was really helpful!) would call me. Nothing. So I chased the following day and was told by the other office junior (!) that he’s ‘been busy’. 

This dear reader is THE WORST THING you can say to a new customer. To be told (indirectly) by someone who you’ve spent money with that they are ‘too busy’ to call/email/attach a note to a carrier pigeons leg is VERY bad customer service. Please remove it from your vocabulary when dealing with customers – new or old! NEVER say ‘oh I’ve been busy’ as an apology for not returning a call/emailing sooner… It might be true and you might think It’ll impress the listener, but It doesn’t.

I am now left feeling exceptionally unimportant and any bond I formed with Mr. Helpful has been sabotaged. Sabotaged by those ‘in the office’ who really should have been taught proper customer service. I suspect Mr. Helpful has no idea this has happened…

Needless to say, once my order arrives, no matter how happy I am with the product, I shall not be a returning customer.

To be worn with care

You’ve worked really hard to earn your money and therefore deserve to spend it on what you like, however, if you do this with the best of intentions (and sometimes after MUCH debate! I refer to a recent purchase of mine which involved at least two trips to the same shop to just keep checking the item was still there and that I really should splash out!) and are given a less than satisfactory service or (God forbid) a shoddy product, then it is your right, nay duty, to complain! My husband and children say I complain a lot when eating out, but I truly believe that if you are a paying customer and have this happen, then as long as you use the politeness of tone you’d expect from others, then you should be able to get your message across without causing offense, and hopefully allow the business owner to make necessary improvements to their operations or products. In fact, they really should thank you for your honest feedback, and go out of their way to make sure you are rewarded.

As Brits, we are often told we don’t complain enough which is amazing as I think we receive less than satisfactory customer service (in general) than say our counterparts across the pond. So why is this? Is it because we ‘don’t like to cause a fuss’, is it because we have settled for ‘our lot’? I am by nature a rather vocal person and my tendency to ‘complain a lot’ comes from my own high levels of standards when it comes to customer service. I ‘do’ a lot for my clients and therefore I expect the same when I am the customer. This isn’t unreasonable is it?

I recently had to use the services of a local jeweller to have some items repaired and expected the usual unremarkable ‘across the counter’ experience, but I have to say I was really taken aback by the service I received from the young lady. She had a lovely way about her and had the right level of ‘off subject’ interaction with myself and my daughter. The most important thing for me was that she was genuine and clearly loved what she did and that really came across in her engagement with us. As a sales trainer who works with people on their confidence and sales ability, I wanted to take this young lady by the hand and congratulate her on a first class job. I have to report that the second AND third time we visited this shop (there were lots of items needed fixing!) I received exactly the same service from her. So I was compelled to put fingers to keyboard and find them on facebook and write a short yet public ‘thank you’… I hope the comments made their way to someone who really mattered and I hope the young lady was congratulated on her good work.

So if your business isn’t producing the results you hoped for, then ask someone like me for an honest opinion – but take it in the way it’s meant, and not as a complaint!

You need to write as much detail as possible so that it becomes a real scenario that you can visualise happening. ‘I want to go on holiday’ becomes ‘I want to take the whole family on holiday for two weeks in Ibiza in 2013 and stay in a hillside villa with a pool. I want to be able to hire an open topped car and eat out every night’

Once you’ve written down your goal, make it visible!

■ Put it on your wall near your computer!

■ Put it in a picture frame on your desk!

■ Write it on a business card sized piece of paper and keep it in your purse!

Ask yourself WHY this goal means so much to you… write the reasons down and remind yourself of these reasons regularly! This will keep you focused on your goal and why you set it in the first place!

How can you start working towards your goal?

Every evening, write down some bite-sized tasks for the next day… make them achievable and relevant to your business. By completing these small tasks and being able to work through them will give you the vision and encouragement to make these bite-sized tasks result in big time achievements!

Want some help with setting your short term tasks to achieve your long term goals? By attending one of my ‘Boosting business through better sales’ courses, you will get to hear my top tips for setting goals and get some 1-2-1 goal coaching to really help you on your way to success!

Book now by calling me on 01243 513822 or emailing dawn@dawngracie.com

www.dawngracie.com

One word…

Procrastination…

Don’t let it become a problem in your business as it speaks volumes about you… Do what you say you’re going to do, when you said you were going to do it!

Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what
the people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV’s or
radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and
bars.  They were told to ‘go sip some Ale and listen to people’s
conversations and political concerns. Many assistants were dispatched at
different times.  ‘You go sip here’ and ‘You go sip there.’ The two words
‘go sip’ were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus
we have the term ‘gossip.’

A lovely tale (fact or not) that ties in nicely with the title of the networking group I run www.agoodgossip.co.uk Find me in Chichester, West Sussex on 26th January 10-11.30, Chichester Premier Inn.

Russells Garden Centre in Birdham chose to celebrate with a weekend of giving that extra something to their customers by way of laying on entertainment such as Punch & Judy shows, Santa and his elf and craft workshops for the youngsters plus live music – from myself and Capt Mainwaring in ‘Dawns Vintage Do’ – a generous  raffle, food tasting in the Russells Deli and a nostalgic menu in the award winning restaurant (I had Spam fritters which were actually very tasty!). There were vintage cars on display outside and some customers even brought in war paraphernalia including original gas masks and shrapnel – sharing their stories with us which were very humbling indeed.

During the two day anniversary celebration, the owners of this longstanding business Lesley and Richard, were keen to raise money for the amazing Sussex Snowdrop Trust which provides care at home for children with life-threatening and terminal illnesses. Thanks to many people’s efforts, including the fabulous staff who went that extra mile to dress up in vintage fashion and the generous customers, the activities raised over £700.

The vintage weekend was a wonderful way to

• Mark a successful businesses achievement
• Give to a worthy local charity
• Go over and above the call of duty to give back
  to customers who will add this weekend to their own memories

Well done everyone involved.