Lisbeth Calandrino::

The answer to this question seems clear. Of course you would change. The thought that obstacles would not occur in life or business is an unreal idea.  Ask yourself, “can I handle obstacles?” Again we go back to, “what would you do if you knew your couldn’t fail.” Lina Sanchez talks about it in her article in the Gwennett Network. We have no choice in life but to handle obstacles; even if we “don’t handle them” we’re handling them!

Companies often wait too long to change. As Eastman Kodak files for bankruptcy, the 131 year old company, with a great formula but one that couldn’t change quick enough. Who can forget the Kodak name,  the leader of inexpensive cameras? What we don’t know about Kodak is that  the company’s own researchers had invented the first digital camera way back in 1976. This put Kodak in a position where they could have dominated the industry and owning every category of cameras, printers, inks and more. Unfortunately it never happened. It’s been said that the Kodak leaders couldn’t imagine a world where pictures weren’t shot on film. This company had the technology but not the vision on how to use it. Kodak believed in saving family memories by capturing them on film–they were way ahead of the social media revolution. (If you’ve not seen this video on the social media revolution this will be an eye opener!)

 Nokia is another company that failed to act despite the fact that they had created a formula for a tablet-shaped handset.  They just couldn’t execute the plan. (The Harvard Business Review, November 2011 has many great articles on companies that couldn’t change.)

 Being a leader means understanding when things change in the environment, such as in our present economy the business has to change . Unfortunately making changes in one’s business because of environmental changes is very reactive and  good leadership should be proactive not reactive. As we see, some companies such as Neihaus Companies (which I featured in my last blog) are flourishing in this economy, why, because they have a  plan and have stuck to it. Having a plan doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible in fact being flexible and giving yourself “wiggle room” should be part of your plan.

 Here are 5 ways that you can help your business and your life be proactive.

1. Don’t wait for things to happen. Build your business on sound principles, and prepare today for the future. If you’re planning for an eventual new roof, prepare for changes in the economy and that your ideas may need to  be replaced. This leads to changes in your  differentiation and reviewing your competitive advantage. (Your customers can help you with this.)

2. Stop running in crises mode. If you are constantly reacting, stop and look at what you’re not seeing. Why would you let yourself get in this position? Being in constant crisis mode causes stress which can eventually lead to a serious disease for you and your business. Remember if you’re losing money you can’t make it up in volume.

3. I know this is old stuff but start goal setting and goal planning and hold yourself accountable. This should be done yearly not every 10 years.

4.  Include your major customers in your goal setting. Have someone interview them to find out their business challenges. How can you plan for your business without  information from your customers? How can you upgrade  your customer service unless you know what your customers want? I have done this with dozens of companies that are sure they know what their customers want and after the survey are amazed at what they don’t know. Learning from your customers will help your business stay ahead of your competitors.

5. Prepare for changes in the world. Globalization has changed how companies do business, what type of business they will do  and where they will do business.

When I write these type of posts I begin to think about my own life–did I plan for the roof?

Sorry about Eastman Kodak; they will be missed.

Lisbeth Calandrino is a business coach and speaker. Her book Red Hot Customer Service is used by many companies to improve their customer service business.

Here it is again, the trip many in the floor covering industry love and dread. Despite the sore feet from all the walking,  it is definitely something to be excited about. This is where we get to see what’s hot, what’s in, what’s out as well as looking at new designs.

 I hope you are planning on attending the show In Las Vegas, being held at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, January 23-26. The 23^rd is the start of the education show with more than 78 great classes to choose from. Unfortunately you can’t attend all of them but there is a CD you can purchase which has all the seminars recorded. Of course there are product and installation seminars as well as all types of business seminars.

I will be offering two seminars that will add profitability to your business whether you are in retail or wholesale. Retention Marketing: Are your Present Customers Putting You Out of Business and Red Hot Customer Service. Everyone I’ve spoken to has a customer service horror story despite the fact that businesses are in competition for customers. Customer service is a  place where businesses can shine. If you want new ideas that will   add to your bottom line and your customer base, head on over to my seminars.

1/23 Retention Marketing:  Room MO13A 1-2:30 PM

1/23 Red Hot Customer Service: MO17A 3-4:40 PM. I am giving a free autographed book (Red Hot Customer Service) for those of you who mention this article or  bring a copy to either seminar.

By the way Fabulous Floors Magazine will be sharing a booth with Floor Covering Weekly. Stop in and pick up a copy of our latest issue of Fabulous Floors Magazine.

I have read so many comments on LinkedIn about Surfaces—the pros and cons of attending. If you’re in the floor covering industry how can you not attend this show? Every industry has a trade show a place to go and meet other people in your industry.  I’m always excited when my optician comes back from the Optical Trade Show and tells me what’s new. I also feel like he’s on top of new products.

I have another friend who just came back with some new ideas for my business which he got from the Promotions Show. Whatever your business, you owe it to your customers to be on top of the trends and products that are new in your industry. Knowing these things increases your credibility and your expertise with your customer. If you’re writing a blog or using other social media, you will find great information for your customers.

My hunch is that those who are making it through these tough times are businesses that are on top of the industry, are showing the best products and know the trends. Don’t forget to gather up as many trade publications and product information for your employees back home. Don’t forget to sign up for the CD.

I’ve been in the industry for a long time wearing many different hats. For 14 years as an owner of a 7 store floor covering and furniture chain, then as associate publisher of Fabulous Floors Magazine and  industry trainer. As the day to leave arrives I put on my Surfaces hat and begin to get excited as to who I’m going to meet in my seminars and what I’m going to learn from exhibitors and other speakers. When I get to the showroom floor I feel proud to be part of the flooring industry.

Of course I get a CD of all of the seminars and can’t wait for it to get to my mailbox.

Despite the economy, Surfaces still exists and is the best show in town. Hopefully you can come out and support our industry as well as get  great ideas for your business. To register for the seminars, go to http://www.surfaces.com/attendee/show-information/registration.aspxrror.

I hope to see you there.

Lisbeth can be reached via email: Lcalandrino@nycap.rr.com.

Several months ago I wrote a blog on how women were no different than men; it was sort of tongue-in-cheek and it caused quite a stir which is always fun. I’m always on the alert for gender related commercials; there’s a fine line between funny and insulting and it’s not always obvious. I recently read there are three parts to an advertisement,  the surface meaning, what you see immediately and your first impression, the advertising intention, what are they selling and the cultural part of the ad–how we really get connected. ( By the  way, this information is taken from and  included in an interesting blog, the Gender Ad Project Blog which shows you how to analyze advertisements and their meanings.  

And then I noticed  the  Progresso Soup commercials. The one I like the best is the one where the woman is excitingly telling the chef about her weight loss. Since he doesn’t quite get it she asks if there’s a woman she can talk to. In the photo above, this woman is talking about her weight loss and her engagement.

The commercials are charming and very clever and give us insight into this particular woman; she believes a woman would be more interested in talking with  her about her weight loss. 

 I went to YouTube and checked out the Progresso Soup commercials and found several more involving women , as well as some home grown  ”copy cat commercials” that are really funny. The commercials show  grown ups having fun talking about their grandmothers and one of our favorite childhood foods–soup. My own grandmother, Christine,  used to make a mean lentil soup. The key to all these commercials is the personalization and the connection to the family.

The commercials are just funny and nostalgic and involve happy customers. How does this fit for your business? Do your commercials involve nostalgia  and personalization? After watching one of your commercial do customers feel delighted and connected? Many business don’t realize that anything that anything that them to their customers is a form of  great customer service.

 Here are 6 ways to stay involved with your customers whether they’re men or women.

1. Vow to have fun with your business and your customers ; the world is far too serious so lighten  up. Go ahead and make fun of yourself and your business. As a salesperson, you need to to ask  your customers what they think about your commercials. This way you will have a way to connect and you will know what works.  Your customers know better than anyone if your advertising connects. Fun and humor are a great way to connect with your customers.

2. Involve your customers in your commercials; Progresso has a cute contest where you can make your own commercial and write a 300 word essay about your “soup” experience.

3. Post your commercials and ideas to your YouTube channel and invite your customers to do the same.

4. Invite your customers to share their ideas about the use of your product; give a prize for the most original idea or several prizes.

5. Don’t forget to feature everything on Facebook and invite comments. Who knows what you’ll discover about your products.

6. Whenever possible, build connections with your customers, personal connections. Get to know them, their likes and dislikes and become friends. 

I read through the comments on one of the Progresso videos  and someone wanted to know who made the tile backsplash–they wanted it!  It just shows, business can come from anywhere.

Lisbeth Calandrino is a small business consulting providing sales and customer service training. Her book, Red Hot Customer Service can be ordered from her web site.

People seem to be out shopping and the retail news seems to be positive. Could it really be true? I decided to call , Rebecca Marion Flach, Vice President of Membership and Communication for the Retail Council of New York State.

As Vice President of Membership and Communication for the Retail Council, exactly what do you do?

I’m in charge of all internal and external communication that supports the Council’s government relations, sales and marketing and membership functions. I’m also in charge of new membership benefit programs and services for the association.

Exactly what is happening in the retail sector, is business looking up?

We had a brisk holiday season and it appears sales grew in the 2-3% range over 2010. Our members gave the season an “A-” letter grade as part of the Council’s Holiday Sales Watch. This is all good news given the state of the economy.

What does this mean for 2012? It’s tough to say although economists are pointing to slow growth next year. Unemployment is down. The stock market is rallying. Gas prices have dropped. All of these factors and many others play a role in retail sales. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for steady improvement next year. 

How do you get your information?

My colleagues and I constantly talk with members to get the pulse of retail. How is business? What trends are members seeing? What new ideas are they implementing in their stores?

The Council also surveys its members during the holiday season. We just wrapped up the 2011 Holiday Sales Watch, which consists of one mail survey and three telephone surveys we conduct between mid-September and the week after Christmas. The mail survey measures our members predictions for the upcoming holiday season, The telephone surveys begin after Black Friday Weekend to gauge what actually happened in member stores at critical points in the season.

Rebecca. I remember when I was in the retail business we always had excuses for why customers did or did not show up. It was either too cold for them to come out,  or  so nice they decided to play golf or work in the garden.

Is there such a thing as  “good” and  “marginal ones retailers?”

The Council only reports what our members tell us is happening in retail and I wouldn’t be so bold as to try to discern the difference between a good and marginal merchant. Our members are the true experts and I’m here to support them. That being said, I’ve learned over the years from members that knowing your customer and treating them like family go a long way toward success in retail.

Successful retailers constantly survey their customers to find out what products and services interest them and what they’re willing to pay for it.  I don’t mean they send mail surveys or call their customers to collect this information (although they could). It’s asking simple questions while customers are in the store or just making observations. You have to know what your customer is thinking and what is influencing their thought process.

I’ve also learned that service makes or breaks the independent merchant. Service is what distinguishes small businesses from their larger competitors and can attract or deter shoppers from coming back. As one of our Hudson Valley member always says, “Treat your customers like family.”

How is technology affecting retailers?                                                                                               

For the last two or three years we have been talking about the use of social media including Twitter, Facebook, and Google Places. Many of our members have started to build Facebook pages and are encouraging their customers to post opinions as well as talk about their products.

Those members that use social media regularly are starting to see a difference in their referrals and customers. It takes time to stay connected but this is the new platform where the consumer is communicating with businesses and other customers. In addition, customers get information about products and reviews from each other so it’s increasingly important to monitor what’s being said about your business online.

In addition to social media, mobile technology is revolutionizing retail. QR Codes are becoming very popular ways to direct customers with smart phones to more information on a product or service. Foursquare and other check-in applications give retailers some fantastic opportunities to communicate with customers. Couponing sites might make a good awareness building tool for some merchants. The options are endless, but the struggle for the small business owner is finding the time to learn about and implement these tools.

Are there other events that are influencing retail?

Small Business Saturday, sponsored by American Express the Saturday after Thanksgiving had a major impact this year. This was just the second year for this event, but some of our members reported customer interest and increased foot traffic as a result.

Our independent merchants tell us Black Friday is a Big Box Store event and I think it was ingenious to create a holiday designed to promote small business. It brought attention to the contributions made by small businesses to our communities and encouraged a “buy local and small” mentality that lasted far beyond November 26.

We had members who capitalized on the free publicity Small Business Saturday generated by offering special in-store promotions, featuring “Made in America” products or talking about their business’ role in the community (job creation, history, etc.)

Rebecca I can only think that Small Business Saturday can only get better as we have a few years under our belt. Retailers who took advantage of it these past years will probably have some great ideas how to make it have more impact on their business.

What about the Wall Street protests? Good Morning America noted that this is starting to have an effect on consumers.

The Wall Street Protests also seem to have encouraged many consumers to reexamine how they spend their money and where. The protests against “big banks” and “big corporations” has brought new energy to independent retail much like Small Business Saturday did. Some of our members told us they had the best holiday season they can remember from a resurgence of interest in supporting local businesses.

You mentioned community teamwork; how would you define this?

We are hearing from our members that consumers have reawakened to shopping locally, and we’re also learning of retailers’ willingness to work together to promote each other’s businesses in a way I haven’t noticed in the past. Business owners seem more willing to cross promote with neighboring businesses or businesses with a natural tie-in.

I’ve talked to members who are sharing brochures and coupons with neighboring businesses, hosting joint events and co-branding marketing materials. It’s a great way to spread the word about these local businesses, help them develop new customers and foster a sense of community.

It certainly is good to get some other opinions from the world of retail. I hope that this continues and we continue to see growth. Maybe Rebecca will revisit us in a few months with an update.  

10 Tips for Revving Up Your Business for the New Year

Based on my conversation with Rebecca, here are some ideas to explore for implementation in your business in 2012.

1.      First, have an open mind. Start thinking, what are others doing that are bringing in customers? Are these good ideas for my business? Should I be joining with other retailers, sharing coupons and inviting them to share in events?

2.      Think community. Who do I know that I could “pair up with” and have an event? Is it a restaurant, caterer, jewelry store or the local candy maker?  What type of event could we hold? Can we swap coupons or give out gift cards advertising each other’s stores? How will “being green” help your community and are you doing your part?

3.      Think about what’s cutting into my customer’s spending. If food purchasing is taking a bite out of their budget how about giving grocery coupons or partnering with a grocery store? I remember when we were in business; food was always a good gift during the holiday season. We used to give out coupons of different values based on how much the customer spent. Giving away turkeys was always a big hit.

4.      Know your customer as well as you know yourself. Many retailers are afraid to ask for email addresses or if the customer is on Facebook, they feel like they’re being intrusive. How will you get know them better if you don’t find a way to keep in touch?

5.      Get involved with local activities and don’t forget Small Business Saturday.  It’s not too early to start thinking about next year, how you can market to your customers and what can you do better? Talk with other business on your block or in your neighborhood, how can you all join forces?

6.      Get moving with social media. If you’re doing social media explore how you can do it better and take advantage of new programs. Don’t forget Four Square and other programs which offer free gifts to customers. I have a friend how used Groupon and had so much success they were overwhelmed. They couldn’t believe the response.

7.      Develop your “small business hat.” Continue to talk about how shopping in small locally owned businesses and how it can help your community.

8.      Review your customer list from past years. Who are your good customers, who is giving you business and how can you keep in touch?

9.      If social media isn’t “your thing,” review the pros and cons. What are your objections, is it helping other businesses, how can you get your salespeople involved in getting your customers to “brag” about you on line. Talk with successful businesses and ask about their on line customers; what are customers talking about?

10.  Look at new ways to communicate with your customers. Are you using video regularly, are you reusing your television and radio commercials by linking them to your social media sites. Don’t forget that YouTube surpassed Yahoo for the first time in total U.S. search queries, making it the 2^nd largest search engine in the U.S. next to only its owner, Google.

Have a great New Year; maybe retail is really looking up!

Lisbeth Calandrino is a retail consultant and business coach. She can be reached through her web site or at redhotcustomerservice@nycap.rr.com.

Okay so the United States Post Office isn’t high on my list and is the butt of many jokes. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if “going postal” hasn’t made it’s way to the dictionary by now. I hate to date myself but I remember waiting for my weekly letter from my college boyfriend when I was a junior in high school. I loved the mail man. In my town, Craryville, New York, the general store doubled as the Post Office and Sam Flaum ran both.  Sam was so nice I used to think he owned the Post Office!

I personally don’t know anyone with worse customer service. I rarely go there; and when I do I’m afraid to move around too much. I’m afraid they might think I’m a spy. I’m not sure I wrote about my incident with them; I left my brief case by the counter, turned around to go back and get it and there was a sign posted on the door, “closed emergency!” I immediately got on my phone and called the branch and was told someone had left a suspicious brief case and they were taking it to the bomb squad. At first I thought it was a “little joke” and then realized they were serious and I was the problem. To make this short, they wouldn’t give me back the brief case for a day (and I was off to New Orleans to train) and it cost me $80.00 to have my brief case shipped overnight when it was finally released.) One of the clerks called and apologized; she said she knew me and told them  I was a good customer and harmless. Of course they wouldn’t listen. She also suggested they send it out free–since they  could– but they refused.

You know the airlines seem to always get dumped on and yet last week on my way back from Chattanoga, TN, the US Air flight attendant  put her coat over me while I was sleeping. I had mentioned I was cold; wasn’t than nice?

So why can’t the US Post Office make it? My friend Dan Alcorn, “Retention Marketing” tells me they have been trying for years to get permission to “become a business” but the federal government won’t allow them to act like anything other than a government agency. What a frightening statement. Are all agencies like this and I just missed it? You can’t even look at the “Wanted” posters without having the clerk give you the once over.

I don’t know any other agency with worse manners or “entitlement behavior” than the United States Post Office. With their “don’t cross over lines” and their signs “I’m closed” just as someone steps to the counter. Frankly I think it’s more than the fact they’re a government agency or am I just blind. Are they all this difficult? I never go to the Post Office, I go to my friend who owns The UPS Store #3639 where he has tootsie rolls and does everything including estate packing.

Here are my suggestions:

Set some budgets  for each outpost and close the ones that can’t make their numbers. Or if they’re the town gathering place let them do fund raisers to stay in business. I came from a small town where the post office was the gathering place so I understand this problem. 

Add some other services, why not do faxing, binding, make copies and business cards. I know what you’re thinking, they’re the “Post Office.” These days you have to do what the customer wants, not what you want if you want to stay in business.

Act like you like your customers. As long as I’ve had an address I’ve never received a note from them thanking me for my business. I get a card from UPS Store 3639. It’s not like the post office doesn’t have my address. How about a birthday card?

Do something with the commerative stamps.  Did you know they sold 124 million of the 1993 Elvis stamps. I think this is the biggest waste of time. I love the stamps and used to collect them until it became a hassle. They could have contests, charge more for these stamps and let real people put their faces on the stamps. Wouldn’t there be a stampede if this was possible?What fun, having your face on a stamp. I’m into it. What better way to build your brand?

How about an invite to a “stamp collecting parties?” It’s not like they don’t have access to their customers.

Wouldn’t it be fun to have country western night at the Post Office? (Along with a commerative stamp of course and a big deal country and western star?) They could have inductions like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Why not hire Ron Johnson who came from Apple and was grabbed by JC Penny? By the way there’s a great interview with him in the December issue of the Harvard Business Review; Retail Isn’t Broken the Stores Are. Is online postage, UPS and FedEx killing them? I’m sure everyone is stealing marketshare and with good reason.

How about a contest? What would you do if you owned the post office? Really, what would you do if you had that data base? The first thing you would do would be thank your customers for all the wonderful years of service and then ask them what they would like you to do.

How about some customer service training? I would like to see the post office get “red hot,” be a fun place to go and provide lots of new services. I wouldn’t mind doing some training for them.

If the truth really is that the Post Office must act like a government agency and this is the problem,  our government sure needs fixing.

Lisbeth Calandrino is a sales/customer service trainer and has been for the last 20 years. Her book, Red Hot Cusomer Service provides great ideas and suggestions for using customer service to improve the bottom line of your business.

I met John Gifford the way we meet everyone these days, through the internet. Actually I tagged John in one of my blog posts and he called me. With only a couple of years in the newspaper industry, John realized he would have to change. His take on “print” is different than most newspapers and magazines.

I found it very inspiring, it’s all about change. I hope it gives you some ideas.

John Gifford is publisher of “Indy Smallbiz. Indy Smallbiz  is the new monthly news magazine that will focus on the needs and interests of the small business community in Indianapolis.

“The aim of Indy Smallbiz is to help businesses grow and increase their profits. As you read our news magazine, we want you to learn something new to help your business or to appropriate a business strategy from one of our stories into your own business. Foremost, we want our publication to evoke action on your part.” – John Gifford

John Gifford is an interesting man with unusual vision and foresight. As the newspaper industry was drastically changing, John was too.

John, originally you were in the newspaper business but only for a short time.

I had a print newspaper from 2008 until January 2010. I realized that all print was being affected by the internet so I looked for a niche to fill. Most publications were focusing on large businesses so I decided to look at small businesses. In Indianapolis there are 60,000 businesses and 45,000  (the small ones) were being overlooked. I realized they needed help and so I decided to reach out to them. My idea was to establish the model, clone it and take it across the country.

What did you do when you saw that print publications were losing their appeal?

I tried to get them to move to online advertising but it was a tough push, but I continued to focus on my website. I knew that print was going away.

What did you see as the problem?

In 1880  the predominant market was selling whale oil lamps and then Edison came in with the light bulb. In 2009 and 2010 I was still selling whale oil and whale oil lamps (print advertising) when the online tip-point came;  on top of that came social media. It’s all like swimming upstream with weights on. Why do that? I changed my approach in 2010, dropped the print edition,  and concentrated my efforts on Indysmallbiz.com to increase readership and connectivity. The online delivery system has no printing costs or costly distribution. It is based on creativity rather than dollars. Generation X and Y are tipping the balance against the traditional way of getting the message out. Everyday there are more and more online venues. I don’t need a zillion customers, I just need to cover a narrow area and make it deep. Small businesses: realize that marketing is the key to your business.

It’s not good enough to “be good.” You now have to be good at what matters. You don’t need brute force (dollars);  just find the system and spend the time. Being good won’t help you unless you find something to be good at; today it’s continually changing.

People will come by word of mouth, and today everyone is in charge of their own marketing and marketing remains the key to success. The competition is mind boggling because of the internet. I like to problem solve and the rest I will outsource to my “tribe.”

Do you have a name for your model?

I call the new model “Boutique Marketing” made up of “a tribe” of people who can work together and impact various customers and businesses. I have put together my “tribe,” a simple group of like minded people, added social media to the mix and have my new business partners. Instead of print with advertising we will all work together in a collaborative way to add value and grow this new model.

Stay tuned for the rest of the article and John’s Boutique Marketing ideas.

Lisbeth Calandrino is an award winning author, trainer and blogger. She is  author of the book, Red Hot Customer Service, 35 ways to heat up your business and ignite your sales. Lisbeth can provide speaking or customer service/ sales training using the principles of her book at your place of business or through video conferences.

Sales is great customer service

I’ve been thinking alot about customer service lately and I’m convinced most companies haven’t a clue about what it is and how to deliver it. Of course these are my own thoughts and my own personal experiences but my hunch is that I’m not the only one with these experiences.

First of all, great salespeople have passion. Not only for what they sell but for life. It shows in how they build connections and network with people.

They have enthusiasm for all things good; and they spend time making “all things good.” Even things that aren’t good or things that go wrong or bump in the night. Consider the salesperson that finds out a big job is cancelled because the customer suddenly is taken ill and goes to the hospital. Rather than sitting around stewing and complaining about the commission loss, he/she runs to the hospital with the flowers.

When they speak, they smile and they have a twinkle in their eyes and it’s real. You just know they’re passionate. They’re passionate about what you’re doing or buying.

They are  aware of the world around them and how they fit. In other words, it’s not “all about them.” It is truly about the other person in their presence.

They think of customers first as friends.

They develop interests outside of their industry so they can connect with their customers.

They care about their community and make an effort to support what’s important; through these associations they build life long friendships.

They network face-go-face and on line. They know that social media will help them stay close to their customers so they take the time to learn new skills.  

They know it’s important to build “repeat and referral customers” so they find ways to stay in touch.

They treat their job as if it were their own business. They know it’s their job to market and follow through with their customers. They know that “consistency is better than good salesmanship.” Actually I think good salesmanship is consistency. (According to a study done by McKinsey, 70% buy because of how they’re being treated.)

Great salespeople don’t sell, pursuade, coerce–they educate.

They really care about other people, they are kind and it transcends the sales floor.

Over the past three months I have had many experiences as a customer, most “not so good” but some very, very good. I know the good experiences will stay with me forever.

They look for things to do and ways to satisfy their customers that are above and beyond what’s expected. I recently purchased a small camp and needed almost everything from heating to painting to cable services. My experiences were amazing–some great and some not so great.

The representative from Surbane Propane Gas who sees me pull into the driveway and says, let me help you unload your car-I can do it for you. (This was before the sales pitch, why, because he cares or knows it’s a good idea.) The other gas company didn’t even thank me for calling. I told Suburban Propane  I called them because when I was little the Surbane Propane delivery man pushed my mom’s car out of the snow. I was 9 at the time; who says kids won’t be customers?

My electrician who says, “Lis the house key is under the stone, the note is on the door to explain how to drain the water in the pipes, I put some cold drinks in the fridge for you and watered the new flowers you planted.” Why, because he knows it matters to me, did he charge me, no. Even if he charged me it would be okay. Wow, is he single?

How about the  advertisement for Angie’s List about the plumber walking the dog. The home owner is late to meet the plumber and the plumber walks the dog; it’s cute and gets the point across.  The plumber sounds like a thoughtful guy.

Customers will pay more money for great customer service not just ordinary stuff. My friend was sitting in the diner and told the waitress she was having a terrible day. The waitress said, don’t worry about a thing, I’m going to feed you and take care of you and I guarantee it will help.” My friend left a $5.00 top on her $8.00 sandwich. “I felt loved she said.”

The cable man who said, “let me clean out that gutter for you, I’m taller than you and it’s not a problem.  Along with, do you have your lap top with you, let me hook up your wireless router while I’m here.”

“I’ll build your dock at my house and deliver it. I know you’re near the lumber yard but think of all the clean up, lumber all over and your beautiful garden. I would hate to step on anything.” This is alot different  than “docks sure are expensive these days.” What does that mean?

The flooring installer who says, “I know you can measure Lis but suppose you’re wrong, that would be awful for both of us.” This is alot different than brand X who said, “we don’t care what you do, we don’t let customer’s measure.”

Great salespeople look for ways to give away their hearts to their customers. They know that being remembered by their customers after the sale will get them many more sales and many new friends.

Lisbeth Calandrino is an award winning author, trainer and blogger. She is  author of the book, Red Hot Customer Service, 35 ways to heat up your business and ignite your sales. Lisbeth can provide customer service/ sales training using the principles of her book at your place of business or through video conferences.

When I was a kid my mom would motivate me by giving me an incentive when I did a good job. Of course I worked harder to get the goodies. In her own way, mom was a psychologist; she understood motivation. Incentives work for both employees and customers. Incentives should be viewed as added value for your business or a form of customer service. Any business has both internal and external customers;those that deliver the products and services and those that buy them.

There are many ways to incentivize adults so I decided to give expert,  Jason McCallum, Director of Business Development for United Incentives in Philadelphia, P.A. a  call and discuss the idea of incentives with him. One of the big questions is, what works the best and where should a business spend their money? 

How did you get in the “promotions business?”

I got into this business because of my overall interest in influencing human behavior through marketing. When I was in the film industry I was responsible for managing marketing campaigns for film launches. I took the same strategies and moved to United Incentives, which has a great reputation in the incentive and loyalty industry. I felt it would be a great place to use my previous experience  to create strategic marketing programs for brands and corporations.

Many business use some type of incentives but the question always arises, cash or gifts? What’s your take on it?

Many times cash alone isn’t enough to motivate people. Cash can be easily lumped into expected compensation and sustains little if any association with achievements. Non-cash rewards have lasting trophy value and linkage towards achievement, they can motivate specific behavior, establish a unique competitive advantage and increase ROI and profitability. Besides cash has no shelf life; it comes and goes.

Funny you should say that; even people who win the lottery talk about what the money will buy not how much they won. Everyone likes getting gifts.

For companies there’s a difference in the cost of cash and merchandise. For every dollar of cash, the income tax liability for a company is higher. For merchandise the income tax liability is only for the”net tangible value” (NTV) of the merchandise. If an item is valued at $100.00 the actual tax liability is on the NTV, which is around $80.00. The NTV is the value of the redemption less fulfillment, handling and shipping costs. In most incentive programs this runs about 20%.

Points in a merchandise program offer instant gratification. Cash or checks easily lose their gratification value.

If you have an online points program or a group travel program, they become constant motivators. People can continue to peruse the online merchandise catalog and dream about what they will be getting or how they can earn a trip for a vacation experience.This is something they would not readily experience on their own. Think about all the online programs such as those with American Express and Diners Club; people save their frequent flyer miles and rarely turn them in for cash; they turn them in for what  the points can purchase.

There seems to be alot of scientific data out there about merchandise incentive awards vs cash.

Recent studies of three major incentive programs, where homogeneous groups were offered either cash vs. merchandise related awards were analyzed; merchandise groups averaged outperforming their cash group counterparts by 70-80%. This study by Ralph Head Associates involved 6500 likely incentive users. Basically a corporation can obtain as much motivation and improved performance from $600.00 in merchandise incentive awards, as they can from $1000.00 cash. Here’s a link to a white paper done by the Incentive Research Foundation, which talks more about the benefits of tangible non-monetary incentives.

How important is it to incentivize your employees or your customers?

Recognition of achievement is more important then the value of the reward. They don’t need to be very expensive, in our online programs we have thousands of reward options that are under $50.00. It’s good to have rewards for everyone. If your want better than average employees you have to reward them for what they accomplish. Typically people achieve more if they are rewarded for what they produce.

Jason, now we’re talking about incentives for our internal customers (employees) as well as external customers.

A company’s sales force and customer service reps are the ones who are interacting with their customers on a daily basis. Motivating these individuals allow companies to get closer to their customers and increases customer retention. We have robust sales incentive and group travel programs for employees.

Does the size of the company matter?

You don’t have to be big to have incentive programs. Incentive programs are a great marketing tool because you’re not paying the majority of the program until the desired behavior is achieved. For example if you want to increase YOY sales by 15% you wouldn’t pay out a reward until your audience hits that benchmark. The rewards would only be a percentage of the incremental increase in sales so the program itself can be self-funding. Incentive programs should be viewed as an investment and if structured properly the ROI is very high. We have great weekend getaway and group travel reward options, travel is one of the best motivators and has the highest trophy value.

This seems complicated, is this something your customers have to figure out on their own?

We have off-the-shelf programs but some of our best programs are  custom designed for our clients based on their needs. It is important to structure your program properly and we have the experience and knowledge base from thousands of executed programs to make sure your program performs well in the marketplace. First we ask what the company wants to achieve and then we look at the ways that it might be accomplished. There are many factors involved and the factors are different for each company. We look at our customers as partners; it’s important to discuss, strategize and develop programs with our clients prior to launch and fulfillment so we can structure the most effective program based on their goals.

For more information  on this program check out this link: http://www.unitedincentives.com/customer-loyalty/?utm_campaign=Lisbeth-Calandrino-Blog&utm_source=Blog

Lisbeth Calandrino is an award winning author, trainer and blogger. She is  author of the book, Red Hot Customer Service, 35 ways to heat up your business and ignite your sales. Lisbeth can provide customer service and sales training using the principles of her book at your place of business or through video conferences.

The field of customer service is very different than it was a   couple of years ago. For instance, follow up meant calling your customer after the order. Now follow up may also mean  having a QR code for your business. Social media and mobile communication are moving so fast it’s hard to keep up with the changes, but if you want to deliver the best customer service you will have to keep up with the trends.Customer service has made so many changes and taken so many new paths it’s hard to know where to begin. Consider the following interview as another way to look at your follow up and customer service. 

Interview with Irene Williams, owner of QRHere, LLC

While at Crossville’s booth at Surfaces, I noticed  that several of their products had QR (Quick Response) codes; this was the first time I had seen codes used in this way. I turned around and ran into Irene Williams, digital marketing communications and copywriting expert and  developer of Crossville’s QR code program and accompanying smart phone app. I’d previously connected with Irene on Facebook, and was finally going to talk with her about her new venture, QRHere, LLC. I must admit, I thought I was up on most things, and then I had a conversation with Irene ; she’s light years ahead of me.
For those of you new to the topic, QR codes are a kind of 2-dimensional bar code. You may hear the phrase “mobile tag” referring to these marks as well. These codes bring digital content to the physical world. Using an app on your smart phone you can scan these QR codes or mobile tags, and you’ll be immediately taken to digital information—very often a web page.
With QRHere, Irene has created a way to make QR codes true Customer Relationship Management tools. While the experience with most QR readers ends on a history log on the smart phone, Irene’s app connects to an online account. When someone with an account scans an item on the smart phone, that information can be revisited later online. That’s a pretty handy feature for anyone selecting tile products. On the flip side, the brand that created the code—in this case, Crossville—is able to better understand what products are getting interest in the market and to know what specific customers are interested in.
That’s a lot of information from one little digitized square on the back of a tile sample!

Irene has been in marketing and PR for 19 years, 13 of those with a niche in the tile/flooring industries. I couldn’t help but ask her a few questions about her QR code venture.

Irene, how did you get into this?
If you’re a marketer today, how would you not get into this? We are now living in a relationship economy. The interactions—the relationships—we build with our customers have value and bring long-term rewards. I was an early adopter of social media and started leading social media programs for my clients because companies simply must be part of the conversation to succeed today. Social media and mobile marketing are extensions and new incarnations of the traditional PR and promotions we’ve all used for so long. It’s just that these modern tools enable us to be constantly present in our customers’ lives in more substantive ways. What an opportunity!

How are people adapting to this technology?
Just as social media grew really fast, the use of smart phones and other mobile devices are taking hold quickly. People across the board, regardless of demographic, are awakening to the power of the smart phone as a tool that makes life easier. Of course, some businesses are still slow to connect what this can mean for their marketing and consumer engagement. All age groups and all types of people are increasing in smart phone use, and brands that are future-focused are going to make the most of this kind of ceaseless connectivity.

How are the QR codes being used?

The QR Code  can hold much more information than traditional bar codes, and you can get to that information by using a QR code reader app on your smart phone. QR codes were invented in Japan by Denso-Wave in 1994 to track parts during auto manufacturing, but they eventually caught on at the consumer level. Today QR codes are widely used in Japan where smart phone usage took hold early on, increasingly popular in Europe and now they’ve really hit the U.S. You’re seeing these codes used in a variety of ways here in the U.S.—in publishing, retail, real estate—anywhere marketers want to connect in the moment with consumers by taking them to web pages, v-cards, YouTube videos, whatever digital content they want to share!
I’ve even heard of QR codes being used on gravestones, scan the code with your smart phone and get the life story of the person being memorialized right there, in the moment. Obviously, the possibilities are endless!
Why would a business want to use QR codes?
Think of every QR code as another sales person out in the world representing your brand. In the moment, when a customer is showing interest, the QR code can take them to deeper information that may help inspire a purchase. QR codes basically invert the lead retrieval process, letting your customers immediately get the details they want for specific products, services or displays. And once companies realize how simple QR codes are to work with, the barriers for use really start to fade.
You’ve taken it a step further with your QRhere.biz
As a marketer of the digital age, I was immediately enamored by QR codes and knew a hundred uses for them out of the chute. However, I also saw some opportunities to deepen their use both for marketers and consumers. That’s why I launched my biz, QRHere—to close the loop and make QR code usage really valuable all around.
With my system, marketers can easily create and manage their code inventories. They also get a custom, branded mobile app that their consumers download to their phones to scan all relevant product codes. With the online component and the custom mobile app, marketers will not only know when a code gets scanned, they can know who scanned—in real-time. They can track activity by product, zip code or by individual consumer. That level of data is immensely valuable. For consumers, my system lets people create their own portfolios of information that can be revisited anytime on roomier screens beyond their smart phones. They can share what they scan socially, immediately request more information from the brand or business, and they have more reasons to interact with products and make purchasing decisions.
This is a  good idea for most anyone wishing to get their message out.
I believe my biz empowers both marketer and consumer to really get the specific information they need and want. And that’s the ultimate representation of where the marketplace is going as a whole—more targeted, direct messaging customized to the recipient at every turn. The future is here, and everyone who hopes to sell stuff to modern consumers better be “Quick to Respond”!!

Personally I”m most fascinated with the QR code on the tombstone; does this mean I will be working forever?

Lisbeth Calandrino is an award winning author, trainer and blogger. She is  author of the book, Red Hot Customer Service, 35 ways to heat up your business and ignite your sales. Lisbeth can provide customer service and sales training using the principles of her book at your place of business or through video conferences.

While talking with some retailers about their business  they showed me  a thank-you note with the above as the greeting. Inside the note was a small packet of espresso coffee. Really clever huh?

How about World Nutella Day? This isn’t until February 5, 2011 but what could be better? You have plenty of time to buy up all the Nutella for your customers.

How about create your own special day? I just read that  Buca di Beppo is announcing spaghetti day. Is Meatball Day far behind?

I keep thinking I’ve seen everything but it’s not true. There are so many creative and fun ways to thank your customers and most of the great ideas have come from people like yourself.

The holidays are  upon us, it’s time to get in the swing of things. What will you do to thank your customers? Check out foursquare a mobile application for your business.

What is your passion; is it coffee, fishing, hunting, playing golf, making doll houses? Build an event around what you love and it won’t be difficult.

What about your customers; can you build around their passions? Do you know what they love?

Holding on to your  customers is a lot of work. It  takes more than Constant Contact and an email to keep in touch. Connect a video or an offer to your email and create something special. It may take  some creativity on your part but there are plenty of ideas in cyberspace.

Your marketing budget should also include funds for a survey of lost customers or an advisory panel of your customer advocates.  Unless a business is paying very close attention defecting customers will be lost forever. Unfortunately they don’t let you know when they’re leaving. If you believe your business is about outstanding customer service you must practice it 24/7. Don’t forget your on line customer service; the internet is open 24/7 also.

What can you do to give back over the holidays?  Have you thought about caroling? Get a group of customers and take to the streets. The key is to turn customers into evangelists.

How about raising money for your local food pantry? You have plenty of time to plan,  it’s never too early for Christmas in July. Think what you can do for others. Get a group of customers together and deliver meals-on-wheels for the holidays.

What about Memorial Day or July 4th? Everyone is dying to know what you’re doing for the holidays. Drop me your ideas and I’ll post them!