Over the past few weeks, I have been dealing with some large companies. Those interactions have been less than satisfactory to say the least, and have reminded me of the enormous advantage small businesses have over big business. Let me give you a rundown of my experiences:

1. Courier company: The courier arrived with two large boxes that were labelled with my address, but with the wrong name (and not my goods). After refusing delivery, the courier attempted to deliver the same package three times over the next few days. As I write, I am still awaiting my correct package. The issue for this company is that while they have good procedures in place for deliveries, they have little capacity to respond appropriately to anomalies. This situation didn’t ‘fit’ their expected scenarios, and they were unable to investigate and solve it.
2. Online payment gateway: I setup a new account in order to add an additional payment option on my invoices. The account was limited, and I was required to submit additional information. Because the additional (correct) information I supplied didn’t ‘fit the box’, my account continued to be limited. When I queried this, I was sent a generic email asking me to submit the same ‘additional information’. As I write, I am still corresponding with this company, explaining the situation and asking for a specific response for what is required.

It is understandable that sometimes there are situations that require intervention. However, the overarching issue in my dealings with these companiesis that I have needed to communicate multiple times, repeating the same information to different people, and doing so across a long period of time.

This is where small business have the advantage. If you have in place the very simple policy of always responding to enquiries within 24 hours you are already ahead of the game! If you call back and provide helpful information, specific to that person’s enquiry, you are miles ahead of big business. And if you do what you said you would do, when you said you would do it, you will have customers lining up at the door.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

My husband is a school teacher and was telling me recently that one of the core values they try to instil in the students at his school is serving others. The logic behind this is they believe no matter what profession or circumstance the students find themselves later in life, they will be required to serve others.

In business we often talk about customer service. And I’ve written about it often enough in this column so that if you’re a regular reader you will most likely agree that great customer service is essential to business success! But I wonder if sometimes we segment ‘customer service’ into its own category and fail to see ‘service’ (or serving others) as something that infiltrates every aspect?

If every task we undertake and every interaction we have, is done with an attitude of serving, what would that look like? Perhaps rather than approaching a task that we need to do for a client as boring and mundane, we view it as serving that person: how differently would we complete that task? If all your employees viewed their job descriptions as an opportunity to serve both their employer and customers, you are likely to witness a great improvement in morale and performance.

The key to serving is to complete a task or action without expectation of something in return. Now of course, as business owners, our goals will include monetary benefits, otherwise we are running a charity. So there is an underlying requirement that what we do will conclude with payment of some sort! But our attitude towards the tasks we do and the way we conduct ourselves with clients, can either be focused on ‘what do I get out of it?’ or ‘how can I do this better for you?’

By focusing on ‘how can I do this better for you?’, your business will ultimately be much more attractive to prospective clients and will provide you with long term customers who want to stick around for more. As Martin Luther King Jr. said “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve”.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Every now and again a story will pop up on social media or television, asking ‘is chivalry dead?’. Generally when we think of chivalry, we think of men opening doors for women and other acts of polite behaviour towards the opposite sex. Although as a woman I appreciate if a man holds open a door for me, I don’t have an expectation that it should happen. On the other hand, I think common courtesies should transcend gender: that is, if I have an opportunity to show courtesy or give assistance to anyone, male or female, I should.

It is interesting how not everyone thinks this way! A few years ago I was moving some heavy items from one location to another. Someone I knew walked alongside me as I did this, chatting away to me with coffee in hand. At the time I thought that maybe he was just a little distracted and didn’t think to ask if I needed assistance. But that incident has stuck with me as an example of how as a society we seem to have lost common courtesies as a normal part of our interactions.

Sadly this has translated into business as well. I often see friends remarking on social media about their complete surprise at having dealt with someone at a large company who was helpful and gave them the answers they needed. In contrast, most of us seem to be met with people whose only goal is to ‘tick the boxes’ and get to the next customer. Customer service is increasingly being viewed as a lost art and in some industries, we almost expect to receive poor customer service, such is our past experience.

For those of us in small business, practicing common courtesy can give us a huge advantage. We all appreciate when someone goes the extra mile or even simply provides ‘service with a smile’. So think about ways that you can show your customers you care. They will in turn become your biggest advocates and will spread the word about what a pleasure it is to deal with you.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

How did you react the last time you received a complaint from a customer? Our first reaction to ‘bad news’ is generally not to leap for joy or respond positively! But what if I told you that in business, we should treat any complaint as ‘customer feedback’ and use it to our advantage?

The way you respond to complaints and feedback tells your customers a great deal about your business. In the first instance, you should reply to the customer within 24 hours (or sooner!), even if that reply is just to say “thank you for contacting us. We are investigating your concern and will get back to you ASAP”. Conversely, if you delay your response (or worse still, fail to respond at all), your customer is likely to get angry at your lack of response and start forming opinions about your company that may or may not be accurate. You are also increasing the likelihood of your customer ranting to others (sometimes on social media) and negative ‘word of mouth’ advertising about your business will spread like wildfire.

So the trick is to genuinely respond to every complaint, and to do so in a timely manner. Often in the first interaction, the customer will need to vent their frustration on you, and provided this doesn’t become abusive, you need to be prepared to listen and thank them for explaining the situation to you. Wherever possible, I recommend that any subsequent communication is put in writing to ensure there is no confusion about what has been said or agreed to.

The other advantage of receiving complaints is that it helps you to improve your business. The complaint may have stemmed from a misunderstanding on the part of the customer – but this is still worth investigating to ensure that no one else has the same experience and that your business is operating in the best way it can.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Women who start their own business often enter pursuits that are male dominated – and being a business owner in general has traditionally been the realm of men.

Some of us have felt (or still do feel) like we have to adopt male traits in order to make an impact and find success. This is often because many of our role models or predecessors in our chosen field are male. But while you might feel pressure to do this, in the long run it is not going to work if you try to be someone you’re not. Your customers will know you are not being authentic and you are unlikely to see success in your business because you are not able to use your strengths and abilities.

For example, if you are naturally friendly and like to put people at ease, but the ‘traditional’ way of interacting with customers is purely to ‘talk business’, don’t be afraid to be yourself. Of course there is always a balance – spending half a consultation making light conversation is not the best use of yours or their time!

Stereotypically, women tend to include emotional factors when making decisions. This can be really valuable – I have written recently about listening to your gut instinct, and that is definitely important! But if you find that many or all of your decisions are based on how you feel, you may find yourself making poor decisions. For example, we can all feel anxious, scared or apprehensive about a change in direction. But if we listened solely to those emotions, we would never achieve anything!

Finally, despite what we (or others) might be thinking, it is OK to fail. So many women that I know in business place enormous pressure to get everything ‘right’ and ‘perfect’. But I think most of us know, it is from our mistakes and failures that we learn the most. So be brave, surround yourself with other brave women, curb your perfectionism and rise to the challenge!

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Recently I phoned a day spa to make an enquiry about an appointment. What struck me about the staff member I was speaking to, was that she personified my expectations of a day spa. She spoke clearly and her manner was professional. She quickly established herself as knowledgeable about the services available by providing recommendations and being able to answer all my queries. The tone of voice she used was calming, and she established confidence that everything was being taken care of.

Anyone who has been to a day spa will know that a primary element is the overall ‘experience’ and atmosphere. A relaxed, pampering environment is essential for achieving that experience. Although my appointment is a couple of months away, the staff member I spoke began that process by exhibiting the same qualities and elements that will be evident when I am there in person.

Does this occur in your business? Is the first contact customers have with your business (over the phone, on your website or in person) a reflection of what they can expect? Are you projecting the image or ‘look’ that encompasses your business?

This first contact is vital. If your marketing efforts have resulted in someone contacting you, it is imperative that you build on that. That first contact should give new or potential customers the right idea about your business. This includes the words the customer hears, the impressions they get and the visuals they see. If these don’t match what your company offers, you are unlikely to secure or retain customers. Think about the image you want people to have of your business and ensure that everything you say and do promotes it.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

As you may have surmised if you are a regular reader of this column, some of my articles about customer service are based on personal experience. And as I am sure I have said in nearly every one of those articles, ‘bad’ customer service experiences are usually going to be talked about more loudly, and to more people, than ‘good’ customer service.

Unfortunately, my latest tale is not a good one! I was recently dealing with a business on behalf of a client. The information I needed to access via my client’s online account (with their permission) was not appearing as it should and I needed to contact the business owner. The first issue was that there were no contact details on the business’s website – no email, no phone, no address, not even a contact form.

After finally tracking down an email address via an invoice, the communication that I received from this business was nothing short of astonishing! Not only did they fail to answer my questions, they grew increasingly rude and antagonistic with each email. The sender of the email began to write in CAPITAL LETTERS to emphasise frustration at my apparent stupidity and ended one email with ‘you are not my customer’.

It was this statement that was the most telling about this business. In business, everyone you come into contact with is your ‘customer’. The definition of a customer for this business is “someone who has paid me money and who is on my list of customers”. What they fail to realise is that potential customers will not convert into ‘paying customers’ if you do not already treat them as valuable. Add to this the fallout from negative feedback, and this business has done themselves an enormous disservice.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

I have written many times about the importance of good customer service. I was compelled to write another article on this topic because of a fantastic example of customer service that I came across.

I recently booked a hotel in Hong Kong. I was a bit apprehensive about booking it because it was not a hotel that had been recommended to me and I was booking it online directly with the hotel.

My fears were very quickly eased. They responded to my queries within a few hours and provided me with comprehensive information. But what really made them stand out though was the email I received from them a few days before my arrival. Although obviously a standard communication sent to all guests, it was personalised with my name, the weather forecast for the days that I would be in Hong Kong, the events happening during my stay and contained a repeat of all my transfer and accommodation information. It also showed photos and names of their staff and was generally a welcoming and friendly email.

None of the actions this business took were difficult to implement and did not cost them any money. But those actions speak volumes about the quality of their business. They do seem to genuinely care about their customers, and seem to be seeking to make their customers’ experiences of their hotel positive.

The key to this ‘easy’ aspect of customer service is that they have great systems in place. And those systems have a good balance between personalised touches and automated actions so that staff are not ‘manually’ creating this communication each time. What systems like this can you implement in your business?

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Is it possible to keep your customers satisfied all the time? You may work in a particularly complex industry and scoff at such a question! Surely there is no way to keep a 100% customer satisfaction rate.

But why not? If you can honestly say that you aim for each of the following actions, you may find the satisfaction rate of your customers increases exponentially:

1. Fast response is paramount. Surprise your customers by getting back to them within an hour (rather than 24 hours) - and not responding at all is simply not an option! Even if you don’t have the answer, reply to let them know you are working in it. This is such a simple one, but it never cease to amaze me how often businesses are not doing it!
2. Offer solutions and choices. Particularly when a customer comes to you with a complaint, this gives them reassurance and helps them to feel included in resolving the issue.
3. Astound your customers. Don’t just ‘satisfy’ them, but do something well beyond what they expect. This will turn your customers into raving fans and they will remain long term customers. Weave these ‘extras’ into your every day procedures and your business will soon an enviable reputation.
4. Offer compensation. Wherever possible, offer a small compensation for ‘inconvenience caused’ or ‘for their understanding’. Most people are reasonable and you can turn an annoyed customer into one who appreciates when circumstances were out of your control. So often it is the way the process is handled that far outweighs the issue.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Last week I experienced some interesting scenarios in my interactions with local businesses. On the one hand, I was provided with excellent customer service via genuine and sincere concern by a business owner and her staff. On the other end of the spectrum, I was compelled to pen a rather long and detailed letter of complaint to a business that showed little disregard for fulfilling their obligations.

It was very obvious to me that my positive interaction was with a business who understands that their most important asset is their ongoing relationships with customers. They clearly demonstrated a desire to remedy an issue and did everything possible to ensure that I would remain a returning customer.

The negative interaction with the other business showed by their actions that they are not focussed on meeting the needs of their clients. Even when a situation was brought to their attention, they did little to remedy it.

It is highly likely that you will need to deal with complaints. It is how your business deals with those complaints that will set you apart. There are some essentials that are relatively easy to cover, including: respond to complaints as soon as possible; provide customers with an opportunity to be heard; assure the customer that you are seeking to find a solution; give the customer reasons to return to you despite the issue that has occurred.

Although you may not always find a solution that is mutually agreeable, the way you deal with the complaint will show your business in an exponentially better light than the one who deals badly with a complaint. Give the complainant as little to complain about as possible.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

No matter how long you’ve been in business, it is always a good idea to go back to basics for a reality check. Often it can be easy to forge ahead and forget about those fundamental lessons. So here are a few reminders:

1. Overestimate: have you noticed that when you try something new in your business, more often than not it takes you a lot longer than you thought? A good rule is to work out how much time it should take and multiple it by four. If it takes you less time, you can give yourself an early mark!
2. Care for your customers: we all know that great customer service is paramount, but in this instance I am referring to working out how to really cater for your customer’s needs before you try to sell to them. As Seth Godin says, “Permission Marketing is the privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them.”
3. Know who to listen to: it is always wise to get professional advice, seek opinions and do your market research. But as a business owner, you also need to listen to that ‘inner voice’. If you make decisions based on other people’s demands or agendas, chances are they will be the wrong ones for your business.
4. Be flexible: the world of business, particularly any linked in any way to technology (very few are not!), is moving and changing quickly. Five year business plans can be useful, but they should act as a guide only. You need to be ready to respond to change and opportunity at a moment’s notice – don’t get left behind!

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Why on earth would I be telling you to encourage complaints? Shouldn’t women in business be doing everything they can to discourage complaints? Short answer: no! I’m not suggesting that you should purposely create scenarios where customers are justified to complain. But I am encouraging you to create a culture in your business where customers feel comfortable to complain in the event that something does go wrong.

There are a number of key ways to do this:

• Have a written and highly visible complaints process

• Use encouraging, friendly language (“we want to hear about your experience with our business!”) • Contact the complainant within 24 hrs.

• Wherever possible, contact the complainant initially by phone and ask them to explain the situation to you, providing assurances that your aim is improve the outcome for them. You can then follow this up with written correspondence (although you may need to obtain legal advice before putting anything in writing to avoid legal implications in cases of possible negligence)

• You don’t necessarily need to admit any wrongdoing (especially if there wasn’t any!) and you may need to obtain legal advice in some situations. But the initial contact should be to simply acknowledge the complainant’s concerns and really listen to (and record) what they have to say.

• Don’t promise something you can’t deliver (i.e. you won’t always be able to give the complainant exactly what they want)

• Wherever possible (and appropriate), offer them something (a gift, a free or discounted consultation, etc) to say thank you for taking the time to provide feedback.

And most importantly, you then need to use your customers’ feedback to improve your services and ensure that the same scenario doesn’t occur again. This might involve training your staff to approach the situation differently or changing procedures so that particular situations don’t arise.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Most of us rave to everyone in ear shot when we receive exceptional service from a business. I recently dined at a restaurant that exemplified this and not only am I extremely keen to go there again, but I’m also telling all my friends about it! So what did they do that was so exceptional? - Attention to customers was balanced (always available but not hovering or checking in every 2 mins) - Appealed to my senses (instead of a dessert menu, they brought out a tray of amazing desserts to choose from – how can you resist that?!) - Showed passion and knowledge about the food - Always polite and helpful Really none of those things SHOULD be exceptional. In my opinion they should be the norm. But so many businesses don’t hold customers in such high esteem – when really, where would a business be without them? I challenge you to think about ways you can “be the exception”. Find ways to treat your customers like gold. It’s generally the “little things” (like sending a thank you card or a personal letter) that cost you very little in time and energy, but go a long way to being exceptional in the eyes of your customers. Aim for excellence with every customer. Not only will you create customers for life, you’ll also reap the benefits of word of mouth that spreads like wild fire! In the words of Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender