Trash Cans & Dog Treats

Last summer Andy and I moved to a new home in Indianapolis. This is the first time I've ever actually lived "in town." We live on a fairly busy road and a phenomena I've been previously unfamiliar with began immediately after we moved in...SALESPEOPLE! ...don't get me wrong, the Kirby guy, neighborhood kids peddling candy bars & wrapping paper, and the home alarm people had all visited our suburban neighborhood...but at the new house it's a whole new variety! Tree trimmers, lawn guys, asphalt dudes, gutter cleaners, etc., etc. all stop by to offer their services. We've never hired one. Today I just wanted to share with you a story of fantastic customer service and making a connection with your customer...a connection that has led us to turn away every lawn "gypsie" at the door.

We do have a lawn guy, and previously did not-so we were on the hunt for one.

We asked our neighbor for a referral and she has been so pleased with his service that she recommended Jerry.

Jerry did all the "right things," returned calls, gave us a fair quote quickly, and followed up--we hired him immediately following Andy's first (and only) 3 hour attempt at mowing the yard with our miniature push mower.

These are honestly things I expect, but consider to be good customer service compared to the different levels of service we all encounter daily. The reasons we pay a little more and are happy to stay with Jerry (amidst all the "stop bys" offering to do the same job much cheaper) are these:

• He takes pride in our yard. He realizes it is a reflection of his work and therefor cuts most the yards on our road. He blows the grass off our drive, sidewalk and even gets the leaves and debris off the front porch.
• He knows us. We're typically at work when he comes, and I've probably had 3 conversations ever with him, but he remembers we have one big dog and one puppy...so he leaves big & little treats in the mailbox. He also keeps track of important events we have coming up and comes as close to mow on those days so the yard looks its best.
• He helps us. When he comes on trash day, which is typical, Jerry pulls the trash cans up our long steep drive to the garage...which Andy particularly appreciates because there is no way I ever do it after work in heels! Jerry also recommends other trusted professionals to help with our other needs.
• And finally...he's NICE!

The moral of the story is to just remind us all that exceptional customer service & consultation is what brings customers back, and causes them to send their friends to us! I'd love to hear who has provided you superior customer service lately and why they stand out--leave a comment!

Penny loves Jerry too (and his puppy treats)! ...and yes sometimes I just find excuses to put photos of my dogs in the blog!

Making All Customers Feel Luxurious

I had lunch today with my new friends Chuck and Jenni, both are also Indianapolis folks. We got to talking about what we all do and after hearing I work with Auto Dealers Chuck tells me this story: My wife and I bought both of our vehicles from the same dealer group (whom I won't name). One from one of their import stores and one from a domestic dealership. We spent about twice as much on the domestic vehicle--but you wouldn't believe how much nicer it is to visit the import store! "When I bring the car in for service I don't event mind." It's so nice-free drinks, free WiFi, and they even have little offices you can use to get things done. The domestic store is a totally different story, it's crowded and loud, and you even have to pay for a pop if you'd like something to drink. Then he asked me "why don't all dealers treat their customers like the import location?" This was followed with a conversation regarding the domestic brands vs. imports. So I ask you guys with the crowded service areas that don't even offer complimentary beverages to your service customers--why? The more comfortable a customer feels in your store, the less they mind waiting for service and the more likely they are to buy their next vehicle from you! Chuck's last question was "Can the courtesy shuttle take me over to the import store until my domestic vehicle is ready?" Has anyone wanted to go to your service waiting area before?

Finding out what the dealership experience is like for the consumer

My colleague, Josh, just sent me this site. It's a place where customers can go and leave a rating & comments about their experiences with a specific dealership. I thought it tied in really nicely with the post from yesterday about creating a total experience for the customer. Some dealerships have lots of feedback on here, others don't, but it's worth taking a look at. We all know more and more consumers are going online for reviews of not only products & features, but also customer service before they start shopping.

http://www.dealerrater.com/

To all my clients I'm out Friday, but Katy will be here. I hope everyone has big weekends, and also has some time to spend with the family!