Bob Easter wrote two great books on buying and selling
homes. He's been very successful selling those books because
he knows about marketing.
But that's not all.
Bob also knows about customer service. And he's easily
miffed when a business screws up the latter. He sent me this
email just the other day--
"My wife loves to order items via the Internet. She ordered
an item which cost $100.00. During the exchange for address,
etc for payment, I requested to send a company check. No
problem, they said they would send it once they received the
check.
"Now, we receive another email that the shipping cost is
$5.00. That was not on the first bill. I sent him an email
and told him that I would be glad to send the additional
$5.00 check today, would he please send the material I
ordered.
"Then received an email to mail the $5.00 check and then
they would ship the package.
"Over a $5.00 check, he lost a customer. Not for the money,
but for the trouble he put me through by failing to put the
correct price of the item, including shipping, and by not
trusting me to send him $5.00. He told me without speaking a
word where his fear and trust levels were. By the way, he
claims he is an genius at his trade. Ha. He lost me for
life."
Did you note what Bob said?
That business owner lost Bob FOR LIFE.
And over just $5!!!
More specifically, over a lack of TRUST.
Here's how Bob, who runs his business from
http://www.easterhome.com, handles his own business:
"First of all, I have shipped my books for six years now.
Some customers do not have a credit card or do not want to
give their credit card out over the phone. I then surprise
them and say 'I will ship the books, along with a self
addressed stamped envelope. Please send a check once you
receive the books.'
"From the other end of the phone or email, one can almost
hear the gasp,
and see the look on their face. This author trust me.
Customers are not treated like family anymore. To date I
have shipped over 100 books and material without receiving
prior payment and have yet failed to receive a check back,
along with notes of appreciation."
This may seem like a trifle truth to you. Maybe so. But if
you don't respect your customers, they won't respect you.
Period.
Bob ends with this reminder, "Once you honor your customers,
they will honor you."
Wise words indeed. And I am sharing them with you here today
to remind you to serve your customers. As I say in virtually
all of my books, "Get out of your ego and into your
customer's ego." As soon as you do that, your profits will
dramatically increase.
Joe Vitale is the best-selling author of numerous books and
tapes. His latest book is now available at
http://www.HypnoticMarketing.com. He also has a seven-day
marketing course by email that anyone can have for free by
sending a blank email to hypnoticmarketing@getresponse.com
