Today’s post is a first hand experience by Joe’s wife Mindy. Her story highlights the need for consistency and uniformity on each interaction with customers.

We recently had an IKEA open about 15 miles up the road from us. Just like everyone else in the city of Austin, we made our obligatory trip to see what the big deal was and we came away adoring fans. What’s not to love? Their products are ingenious, the price is right, and the Swedish Meatball platter is worth the trip alone. (Joe would also tell you not to pass up the cinnamon rolls as you’re walking out the door.)

During our last trip to IKEA in April, I found the perfect fabric for curtains to finish off a recent minor kitchen remodel we’ve undergone. They were out of this particular fabric at the time of our visit, but assured me it would be replenished “in about two weeks.” That would put me into crunch time, as I had a book group to host, a visit from my parents, and my son’s second birthday right around the magic two week deadline. However, I asked if I could leave my phone number so they could call me when the fabric came in, and asked for their number and extension so I could check in with them as well.

So here’s the story: it’s now August. Still no fabric. I’ve called just about every week since April to check on the status and it’s almost become a game, because in the sixteen weeks that I’ve called, the standard answer has varied. I’ve heard plenty of the “two week” platitudes, have been hung up on, and have even found a couple of helpful customer service reps who patiently explained that the fabric I want is part of a “family” of fabrics and they have to sell out of an entire family before the fabric is replenished.

But here’s what I don’t understand. During one of my weekly calls, I was helped by a very customer-centric employee who checked the computer to find out what the stock level was and discovered there was a shipment due within the next week to be delivered to their store.

Hmmmm.

I never got a phone call telling me the fabric was in. In the subsequent calls since then, IKEA employees have reverted to telling me that they don’t have that fabric. So what’s the real story? Why would one employee be able to check the status when others claim they can’t access that information or that the computer doesn’t give them that information? Why should I feel like I’m playing Russian Roulette just to reach one competent employee on the phone?

The equations are simple:

consistency = trust and confidence

inconsistency = confusion and mistrust

Which would you rather impart to your customers?

How many times have you called a wrong number? At least a few times. You probably found out because the person on the other end told you that you were in the wrong place.

When a customer calls up your business phone number, how do they know they are in the right place?

You have to tell them.

It’s simple, I know. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t identify themselves when customers call.

I called the merchant account company that we use for our Family Says business and was greeted with an automated message. This message didn’t tell me which company I had reached but rather jumped right into the phone tree maze.

All the department options were generic and could probably apply to my merchant company but I was never sure.

Once I finally reached a human, I found myself having to hand over account information to a person that I could only hope was really from the company that handles my account.

Do your customers ever end up in this position? They shouldn’t!

The same day I had the trouble above, I called Authorize.net to ask a question. I was greeted with: “Thanks for calling Authorize.Net. You can press 0 at any time to talk to a customer service representative.” Then, only after telling me who they were and how to shortcut to a person, did they take me into the phone tree directory.

There was no confusion and I was free from any doubts about who I had reached.

Your customers have enough doubts as it is. Don’t throw one more at them by not clearly stating who you are when you answer the phone.

There is a simple solution: greet any incoming phone call by stating your company name.

When was the last time someone told you how much they appreciated you? How do you feel when you get a thank you note?

If you’re like most, you get a warm fuzzy feeling inside. You smile. You feel a little bit better.

Don’t you think your customers would like to feel that same joy?

My wife had to call our bank the other day to discuss a charge on our account. The bank representative looked up our account information and said “I see you’ve been a customer of ours for some time. We really appreciate your business.”

Thanks for noticing!

Your long-term customers are loyal and faithful to your business. Keep them happy with some of these key steps:

• Don’t treat customers as just random account numbers. Personalize your interactions with them so they know you actually value them as individuals.
• Give current customers special promotions, discounts, or benefits that new customers don’t receive. Nothing makes me as frustrated as seeing the “new customers only” fine print on all these amazing offers I see advertised by my current service providers.
• Remember your customer’s history. Don’t treat your next interaction with them like you have to start everything over from scratch. Build upon your relationship with customers with relevant recommendations and service options. You should know what type of upgrade a current customer needs or that their widget was sent in for repair last month. Your customer should not get the impression that you’re asking “do I know you?” when they call.

Your customers want to be appreciated. Thank them with your words and actions.

Earlier this week I posted about Logoworks’ automated email message that had a typo.

Within a few hours of posting that story to ReturnCustomer.com, I had a voice mail and two emails from a Logoworks PR representative. That is quicker than some of you even got around to reading the original post!

How did Logoworks reach me through three different channels? A little investigation and some persistence.

The first email I received was from my contact page on this site.

The second email was via my Web Development business site which she had found via my About Return Customer page.

The most surprising, however, was a voice mail left on my office line at my day job. This one took some work as I can only assume she saw where I worked on my “About” page, looked up that website, found a phone number, then asked to be transferred to me.

Persistent, yet effective!

The PR associate asked for more details on the problem so they could correct it.

I forwarded the typo email my wife had received, and was promised a quick resolution.

There are numerous ways to track what people are saying about you on the web. Once you pick up on something being said on a random blog, follow up!

I commend Logoworks for their surprisingly rapid follow-up on my issue.

Your customer just bought your product. What are you doing to make sure it isn’t returned?

For my birthday this year, my wife got me a new electric razor. In reviewing the enclosed documentation, I saw a sheet of paper stating:

Please stick with it. It’s worth it.

Like many of the finer things in life, your Panasonic Sonic Shaver requires a little time to get used to.

That message was timely because my initial impression of the razor was not great. I wanted to go back to my old razor. I was full of doubt.

That doubt was curtailed by the simple piece of paper I noticed as I emptied the box. I thought, “oh, this is normal, I just need to give it some time.”

We all get that feeling of doubt after a purchase (especially with expensive purchases). You, as a business, need to help customers get over that hump. You don’t want them to act on that doubt and return your product.

Set Expectations

At the time of sale, explain to customers what to expect once they take your product home. The picture in the customer’s mind might not match reality. You have to set the customer up for success.

Help Included

Like my razor’s package, include a note or instructions of what to expect once the customer begins to use your product. Include pictures, words, how-to steps, etc. that will erase many hurdles your customer may encounter.

Create a Great Experience

Please make your “out of box” experience as smooth as possible. Your product should be easy to assemble, plug in, and work. Complex setup will reduce your customer’s chance of successfully using your product. If they can’t get your product to work, it doesn’t matter how great it is!

Repetition

From pre-sales to product packaging and onto post-sales support, you need to guide the customer along so they have a great experience.

Identify common concerns, doubts, or problems with your product and either fix the root cause of those issues or help mitigate them with adequate communication.

What are you doing to counter any doubt the customer has once your product leaves your store?

I recently went to AutoZone, an auto parts store, to buy some new wiper blades for my car. My interaction with the sales person shows how effective recommendations can be delivered to your customers.

Establish Trust

I asked the employee to help me find which blades I needed. He looked my car up in the computer and led me to the right aisle.

His friendly and helpful manner prepared the way for the next step.

Make the Recommendation

Then the magic began. He expertly upsold me to a higher priced set of wiper blades. I’m usually a penny pincher and too often buy based on price. So how did this happen?

He pointed to some blades and told me that I could buy those because they had “a moderate price but high quality.” My mind connected the dots and concluded that with the cheaper set I’d probably also get an inferior product.

Tell Me Why

The simple act of telling my why he recommended the product helped me draw the conclusion that he wanted all along: I should buy the more expensive item.

I thanked him for his help and stood staring at the shelf. I picked up the brand he recommended and proceeded to the checkout.

If the employee had simply pointed me at the aisle and walked away, I most likely would have bought the cheaper product. Even if he had said: “I recommend these,” without an explanation, I probably would have gone with the cheaper blades. It was only with the “why” attached to the recommendation that it becomes truly effective.

What are the results?

Was he right? So far, so good. We’ve had an inordinate amount of rain lately and the wipers have worked great.

The reality of a good product in action reaffirms the AutoZone guy knew what he was talking about. I’m therefore that much more likely to take his recommendation next time I’m in the store. Consistency is the key to repeat business.

When your customers view you as the expert, they will trust your recommendations. Build that trust by making solid recommendations supported by your reasoning. Be sure your customer knows why you are making a recommendation.

Think back to when you were in school or college. Remember your professor telling you that if you have a question, you should ask because odds are the person next to you has the same one?

The same is true of your customers. If one of them has a question, doubt, concern, or problem, there is a good chance others are feeling the pain too.

I was recently researching the User Interface Conference I’d like to attend in the fall. In checking their website, the information still only showed their 2006 schedule.

I emailed the folks behind the conference, User Interface Engineering (UIE), and asked when their conference would be this year.

First thing the next morning, I got a reply answering my questions.

Later that same day I saw a post on UIE’s very own blog announcing the upcoming conference and that details would be soon forthcoming.

Was it coincidence that my email, UIE’s response, and then their blog post all seemed to fall one after the other?

Or did my initial email spark the need to publicly inform everyone?

Regardless of what prompted their blog post, the sequence of events highlights an important concept that your business should be practicing.

When you hear from a customer, take an honest look at their questions. Would these questions and the answers help other customers or clients? If so, get that information out there publicly. You can send out the answers in a newsletter, post them to your blog, or add them to your help documentation.

If you find yourself answering the same questions over and over again, this is a sign that you may have waited too long to communicate the facts publicly.

On my website dedicated to Chile, I get lots of questions from people all around the world. I try to post these questions and answers to the site. I’ve found that this reduces the repetition of questions and adds some good content to my site that then attracts new people via search engines.

Remember: if one of your customers has a question, odds are there are others who silently have the same ones.

Every time I stop at a Valero gas station, the pump screen asks me for my zip code. Since I have no other choice but to enter it, I do.

On my last trip to an Exxon gas station, I saw a sign above the pump. This sign stated that they’d ask for my billing address zip code when I swiped my credit card. This information would be used to help prevent fraud.

I can assume Valero was asking me for the same reasons. However, they didn’t explain why they were asking. I was thus left to guess their intentions. Exxon, on the other hand, actually informed me that they were helping me.

If you’re doing something to help your customer, take that opportunity to inform them of that fact! This will ease any hesitancy of providing extra information and will build goodwill with the customer.

When is the last time someone graciously accepted your thanks?

If you say “thank you” or “thanks,” what is the usual response?

• sure
• no problem
• yup
• uh-huh
• a smile
• a head nod
• a grunt

Or are you met with silence? No reaction?

How should you accept a person’s thanks? Let’s look at two examples:

My Pleasure

During every trip to my local Chick-fil-a restaurant, I say thanks to the cashier. The response is always the same: “my pleasure.” Since I never hear this response elsewhere it always catches my attention.

It should be our pleasure as businesses to serve our customers. After all, they do pay us and are really the whole reason we are working and surviving.

By saying “my pleasure,” you have to actually think about what you’re doing. Are you taking joy and satisfaction in how you work? Are you really happy that you can help customers?

You’re Welcome

In the movie Take the Lead, actor Antonio Banderas portrays a dance instructor who goes out of his way to say “thank you” and actively encourages others to say “you’re welcome.” If someone he thanked didn’t respond, he’d say a dramatic “you’re welcome” for them.

Banderas’ character reminds us that it is a common courtesy (although not so common nowadays) to accept other’s expressions of gratitude with a hearty “you’re welcome.”

Respond

Any way you choose to respond to customers, saying “my pleasure” or “you’re welcome” will force you to:

• Talk to the customer as a real person
• Remind you why you’re working
• Remind you of who you are serving

My most recent computer purchase was from Dell. I went through their online computer configurator and purchased a model number E520 with the E6400 Intel Dual Core processor.

I made the conscious decision to buy this processor over some older versions that Dell was also selling.

When my order arrived, I checked the packing slip and saw everything was in order except for this line describing the processor:

DIM E520, P4, E6400 (2.13GHZ),HT

As you can see, parts of the description matched what I had ordered:

DIM E520, P4, E6400 (2.13GHZ),HT

Great. But wait a minute. The other parts of the description used specific terms that identify older Intel processors:

DIM E520, P4, E6400 (2.13GHZ), HT

P4 could be a Pentium 4 which is a much older processor. The HT could be Intel’s older HyperThreading technology.

So there I sat staring at my packing slip wondering, “Did Dell trick me? Is this really an old processor or a new one? Why is part of the name what I ordered but part of it not?”

These are too many questions to be asking. I should have received my order, glanced at the packing slip and had no questions. I should have gone straight to opening the box.

Instead, I was worried. The excitement I felt upon my purchase arriving had completely faded, and now, I was faced with the possibility of returning a computer I didn’t order. Not only that, but it would probably be less of a hassle if I returned it unopened.

This story doesn’t end here. It expands to calls with customer service and even an online chat. Nevertheless, this story should never have even started.

The packing slip should have the same wording as the product ordered.

Use the same keywords, capitalization, and format whenever you mention the same products. Discrepancies lead to fear, uncertainty, and doubt in the customer. These feelings lead to customer service support that you, as the company, then have to fund.

Keep it simple. Avoid the post-sales support hassle by simply being consistent in your product naming and descriptions.