It’s the PROBLEMS that produce SUPERHEROES in Business

 

Luckily a manager came by and saw the exchange. The manager instantly had three other people there cleaning up.  He let me know that they would also dry-clean my clothes for me. But inquired as to my schedule for the rest of the day. I did let him know that I had a seminar that I would need to speak at in a couple hours. He immediately asked my shirt size and if it would be okay if he ran

to a nearby Nordstrom’s, and purchased a new shirt and tie for me.  By the time, we finished our meals he had a top of the line shirt and tie back and ready for me. He then again asked to dry-clean my clothes for me.  Later that day he called me and asked how the presentation went and again apologized.  He checked back with me several other times.  Today, we are still friends and I take business associates to his restaurant many times each month. I telleveryone that they have the best customer service. 

 

SUPERHERO CUSTOMER SERVICE –

ALWAYS GOES VIRAL!

         Without this problem, do you think I would still remember that business lunch several years later?  He took an accident and made it into a relationship. This story has been told and retold many times emphasizing the HEROIC efforts of this restaurant manager. 

         In today’s busy, over-stimulated atmosphere, we often hear business executives seeking for solutions to making a connection with their clients or customers.  They often wonder if they have the right content or relevant message that will break through the clutter and connect.

        

Perhaps Problem solving in an extraordinary fashion can be a kick-off to going viral.   

Don’t overlook this opportunity:

GO-VIRAL PLAN= SOLVE PROBLEMS IN AN EXTRAORDINARY MANNER.

Decide with your team which possible accidents or problems need to be solved in an extraordinary fashion to gain positive

         EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE

works better when it is planned.

Quite often when a problem occurs, it is urgent – and we jump to see how quick we can correct the issue.  We feel the urgency and realize that sometimes our arsenal for solving issues quickly is limited.

BUT, . . what if instead, you took the time to brainstorm possible issues that could arise and also planned methods to solve them in an extraordinary fashion.  Instead of being reactionary to critical issues, you are now proactive providing methods and tools to solve issues, problems and concerns.   

 

Every problem should be considered an opportunity for a positive message about your company to GO VIRAL!

Possible Examples:

• Check does not get mailed on time.
• Wrong product mailed out.
• Appointment missed.
• Wrong price was charged
• Price was double charged
• Meeting inadvertently cancelled
• Etc. 

GROCERY STORE SUPERHERO

Years ago, while leading the marketing and public relations for a $2 billion-dollar grocery entity, we found that quite often our key store leaders were missing this opportunity.

As a customer would return a gallon of milk that they deemed unusable, some leaders would do the following:

Leader Action	Possible Result
Leader Sniffs the gallon milk	Customer feels untrusted
Leader Checks closely the cap or receipt	Customer feels accused of doing something wrong
Or – the leader notices that the cap on the milk is from a competitor store.  Accuses customer of trying to steal.	Customer is offended and angry.
Leader tells a cashier to give them their money back.	Customer feels that they have been passed to an underling

 

POSSIBLE CUSTOMER STORY:

• Customer is a single parent. The kids were pouring milk on their cereal before school.  When they noticed the off taste, or smell they threw away the cereal in the bowels.  The mom wanted to make sure they had breakfast so she had to pay more and run them thru the fast-food drive-thru. This made them late to school so she had to go into the office and check each child in.  This resulted in her being late to her job and her boss chewed her out for being tardy.
• When mom comes to the store to return the milk, she has had to spend extra money on the ruined cereal and the fast-food breakfast.  She is feeling beat down for the extra time it took to check the kids into school and the brow-beating she got from her job.  She wants to hurry and get this solved so she can have a better day tomorrow.

 

What if we had a BUSINESS SUPERHERO handling any issues that occurred in the stores?

Business SuperHero Action	Possible Result
SUPERHERO apologizes	Customer feels understood
SUPERHERO immediately PERSONALLY goes and gets them a replacement gallon of milk and also a box of their favorite cereal and maybe some bananas to slice on top.	Customer feels that some of the extra money they had to spend on this is being replaced.
Or – SUPERHERO notices that the cap on the milk is from a competitor store.  ** HAS FUN jokingly saying I am glad you brought the competitors bad milk here – we would want you to have our best milk not theirs.	Customer does not feel embarrassed and a relationship starts to form as they share a laugh.
SUPERHERO personally handles all aspects of the return and let them know how sorry they are for causing any problems in their week.	Customer feels that solving her issue must be important for a leader to personally handle all aspects.

          Take the time to do your own research by asking friends, family business associates etc. “What was the best customer service experience you ever had?”. I am positive you will see the same results. .  they remember when a problem occurred and was then solved in an extraordinary fashion.

 

PLAN EARLY HOW YOU WILL ADDRESS PROBLEMS.

BE A BUSINESS SUPERHERO!

Source: https://newswire.net/newsroom/pr/00097757-http-www-rmarketingdept-com.html