Are You A Good Customer?

There are great books on the market about customer service: Raving Fans, Contagious Customer Service and Exceeding Customer Expectations. All good books, however, none address a core issue required for receiving great customer service from vendors and suppliers: be a good customer.

This may sound like role reversal, however, companies that practice relationships and partnerships have been practicing these basic principles for years. And as a result, receive stellar service from their vendors.

Here are seven ways you can improve your score as a customer.

Write a thank you note. Yes, I'm talking to you Mr. Customer. Salespeople write thank you notes to customers as a way of building relationships. (And honor the good manners learned from their mothers.) How about you, the customer, thanking the exceptional salesperson for their positive attitude, willingness to go the extra mile and consistency in performance? Appreciation is one of the oldest and best motivators of people. It doesn't cost anything and reaps big rewards. When a salesperson is up against a deadline of which hoop to jump through or which deadline to press, can you guess which customer wins? It's the customer who has purchased stationery and stamps.

Pay your vendors on time. There are plenty of good banks that will give you a line of credit. Quit making vendors your personal banker by placing their invoice in the 60-90 day accounts payable account. Use some common sense and ask yourself a question: how inspired is this salesperson going to be to go above and beyond the call of duty when your company is always in the 90 day column and they aren't getting paid their commission? (If you are having trouble with the answer, quit reading this article.)

Create partnerships. Take this popular buzz word and put some action behind it. Invite your vendors and suppliers to your national sales meeting, the company Christmas party or a summer barbeque. Blood is thicker than water so make vendors part of your family. Real relationships are developed when people work together and play together.

Give your salesperson a referral-before they ask. One of the nicest compliments a salesperson receives from a customer is a referral. Sure, salespeople are supposed to ask for referrals as part of their sales activity plan. Why not beat them to the punch and surprise your favorite salesperson with a voicemail that says, "Joe, please give Sharon at XYZ Company a call. I spoke with her yesterday and told her about the great things you have done for our organization. She's expecting your call. Good luck. Oh, and Joe, thanks for all you do for us."

Quit tripping over dimes to save pennies. Make up your mind and make a decision. Do you want exceptional service, expertise and consistent quality of work or average service, expertise and quality? Stop trying to make your vendors a not for profit organization. Companies with great relationships work to create a win for all parties. There is an old saying, 'you get what you pay for.' When is the last time a person shopped for the cheapest neurosurgeon?

Be interested. Salespeople understand it's important to know a customer's family, hobby, favorite vacation spots. It's equally important that you ask the same questions of your salesperson. Never underestimate the power of making someone feel important, special and valued. People always work harder for a boss that has this ability. Salespeople always work harder for a customer that shows a true interest in them beyond business.

Don't take great service or extra service for granted. Your salesperson may make 'hoop jumping' look easy. In fact, most people have been taught not to brag or self-promote when they have done something out of the ordinary. Pay attention and recognize the extras. We recently 'jumped through hoops' to deliver a training program. The following Monday a Fed-X package arrived at my desk with a handwritten thank-you note and the book, "The Simple Truths of Service" by Barbara Glanz. Everyone at the office grinned, felt appreciated and decided that 'hoop jumping' for this customer was well worth it.

If you want great customer service, make your salesperson and vendors an integral part of your team. If you want great customer service, be a great customer!

Thanks to Colleen Stanley / Sales Resources / CityCom Marketing, LLC.
http://www.salesresources.com/articles/article.cfm?ID=1803