Last year when I had my car inspected, Klingemann Auto did a decent enough job in a timely manner. This year when the time came to repeat the inspection, I headed back to them but was met with a surprise. Their service was not what I was expecting. They were inconsistent and thus lost my business.

Is your service consistent?

You must continually provide your customer with a quality experience. People who have done business with you in the past may return because they were pleased the first time around. However, if you don’t provide the same level of service they are expecting, they’ll walk right out the door and into the arms of your competitors.

If I called you up to purchase your product, would I get the same response if I called you next week? Would my friends get the same service if I recommended you to them?

When your customers know that they’ll be treated well at your business, they will avoid the unknown competitor and remain faithful to you. To maintain the positive impression in your customer’s mind, you must reinforce it with every interaction, transaction, and meeting.

Consistently meeting and exceeding your customer’s expectations will retain them as long term return customers.

Self SEO has a good article on why you should be monitoring your website statistics. Their reasons include:

• Learn what your visitors and site users do and do not like about your site.
• Track and correct any issues or defects you detect within your site.
• Improve your marketing efforts and eliminate wasted time and money.
• Understand exactly what your target user wants in your site content, determine your business marketing needs, improve your return on investment (ROI), drive customers to your virtual front door, enhance their experience, and promote a higher rate of repeat customers.
• All your efforts to capture attention will do you no good if you can not see what works and what is a waste of time.

You’ll never know what your online visitors are up to if you’re not paying attention. Without accurate reporting, you may be focusing your efforts on low ROI projects.

Making solid decisions requires having the proper information. Website statistics and metrics help you get that information.

Eat your own dog food. No, you’re not a dog. When your company uses its own products, you’re essentially eating your own dog food. Does your business practice this? How does it taste?

Van’s knows

A few days ago, I stopped by Van’s Auto Parts to pick up an air filter. I also needed something to fix a big scratch on my car.

I went up to the counter and asked the clerk if the scratch remover I had found worked. She said she had used it without much success. After she explained that she was trying to remove small scratches, I figured it wouldn’t work for me. I bought the air filter and went home.

Are your products any good?

The clerk at Van’s had used the product and knew it wasn’t that good. She, without hesitation, gave me her honest opinion on the matter.

Can you honestly tell your customers what you think about your products?

By sharing her experience with me, the clerk unknowingly built a relationship of trust with me, the customer. I’ll return again to Van’s when I need auto parts.

Do you even know the truth about your products? Take them for a spin and put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Are you satisfied with your product? If not, make some changes. Even some slight improvements can yield great rewards.

After my distasteful experience trying to get my car inspected, I got back in my car and drove a half a block down the street to another auto service station: Riethmeyer’s.

Upon entering the office, I was promptly served and was done in a mere 15 minutes. The staff was cordial and friendly. This was in complete contrast to the shop up the street I had just left.

Remember that your competition is everywhere. They are conveniently located just down the street. They can be reached by a simple phone call. Their website is just a click away.

You must treat your customers with the respect they deserve or they’ll jump in their car, leave, and give their money to your competition.