What happens when you have 200 businesswomen and a female speaker who knows the ins and outs of customer service in the same room? The expectation is the 200 will leave knowing more about how to do business better ”“ exactly what happened at Key Bank 4 Women”™s forum on Wednesday, June 9.
The event was held at The Grandview in Poughkeepsie.
Cindy Solomon, whose new book, “The Rules of Woo,” speaks directly to customer satisfaction and retention, encouraged women to “go back to the beginning … because we are in the new ”˜normal.”™ There is no ”˜normal”™ anymore. The opportunities are out there, but the world has changed. We have to understand how to take advantage of those opportunities by changing the way we view businesses.”
Strong sales without great service “is like shoving money into a pocket full of holes,” said Solomon. “None of us has the luxury to afford that. Research has shown a 5 percent increase in customer loyalty will produce 80-90 percent long term profitability.” Nothing to sneeze at.
“Average service doesn”™t work anymore,” continued Solomon. With today”™s technology, finding another company to provide the same service is just a mouse-click away. Solomon encouraged women business owners to move relationships with customers to a higher level.
“You have to make them really enjoy doing business with you and to look forward to the relationship they have with your organization,” said Solomon. “Because of our technology, they expect immediate gratification. Learn how to use today”™s social media to your benefit. Do yourselves a favor ”“ get an IT whiz kid intern from college this summer who can help you to best utilize the technology to make your company better.”
When it comes to hiring and retaining the best people, Solomon rated employees as A, B and C. “A”™s are the ones who would like to have your job. The B”™s are the most loyal and work the hardest.” And the C”™s? “They are the ones that produce the least, take up the most of your time and make the B”™s feel unappreciated and ignored.” The result? “76 percent of the time, B”™s will leave to find a place where they feel appreciated. Do yourself a favor; fire your C person. You”™ll be doing them and your company a favor. Let them go somewhere they will be happier in, and make your B”™s happier in the process and keep them with you.”
She also encouraged women to be courageous and smile, even when they are failing. “Learn from your failures, because each time you try again, you”™ll get a little bit better.”Â
And don”™t forget to keep those customers satisfied by having your company operating as a solid team, “one that consistently provides the customer with the positive experience they are anticipating they will receive.”
“I loved this,” said Thomas Morley, director of Rockland”™s New York State Small Business Development Center, one of the few men in attendance. “She really spoke to the heart of what women ”“ and men ”“ need to do to build their business and keep their customers to stay with them and keep them satisfied.”
