Powersport retail expert, John Wyckoff, writes this great article. He describes how a seemingly minor detail can make a big impact on a small retailer such as a motorcycle dealership.
My idea number 21: Make your restrooms sparkle. I am serious that this is an idea to improve a dealer’s (or any retail business’s) profitability.
First, more […]

Employee Loyalty Second: Any customer loyalty program must factor in the front line of the business. It’s the point of contact between customer and employee that sets the foundation of repeat business. “Hire for attitude, train for skill. Hire nice people. As a customer, I’m always amazed when small businesses put unfriendly, surly people in […]

Other than the current buzz words, customer service has changed very little since commerce first began. If you want a customer to buy from you again, and to recommend your product or service to others, complaints or problems must be handled properly.
“A satisfied customer will tell five people about their experience, a dissatisified customer will […]

Show us one experienced, switched-on consumer in a mature consumer society who does NOT google once a day. Or even once an hour. One consumer who has NOT researched the cheapest available fare, price, charge before buying a big ticket item. Who has NOT invested some time reading reviews, recommendations and suggestions from experts and […]

Some great thoughts by a fellow blogger Ron McDaniel over at the Buzzoodle Blog. Read on…
Sometimes something seems very simple to you. Sometimes something you do does not seem like a big deal but to the person you do it for, it is a big deal.
This Halloween, I am reminded of this by my daughter. […]

The idea is to walk in the shoes of your customer and test every aspect of presenting your offering and serving a customer - a concept I believe is worth repeating.
The concept is simple and practical. Place an order from your company as any customer would - exercise whatever purchase agreement is standard, submit an […]

It seems like a simple enough concept. Every business owner knows it, and the smart ones drill it into their employees. Customer service is king, and the customer is always right, not necessarily because he or she really is always right, but because he or she is the customer and has other places to spend […]

Every small business struggles at times to deliver first class service, but sometimes quality service is the only competitive differentiator a small business has. Below is an easy acronym to use to help improve the quality of service your company provides.
S is for say you’re sorry.
There’s nothing like a sincere apology, delivered right away, to […]

Strong customer relationships are like money in the bank, literally.
Our world is constantly changing, big box retailers like Wal-Mart and Home Depot are dominating the landscape, promoting the promise of “one-stop shopping”, and the Internet is making it easier to make online purchases with limited human interaction. On the surface, these changes make it seem […]

In tough economic times, how we serve our clients is more important than ever. One of the critical elements to serving our clients well is listening to them, not just before they buy but continuously during our relationship.
The suggestions I make below are things that should be kept in mind for all customer touch points […]