Secretarial Services - Impress your customers

It Only Costs $8 to Impress Your Customers!
by Nancy Gillespie

Recently I bought a piece of furniture from Hunters Attic in Vista, California. The person who waited on me was very knowledgeable about his inventory and took the time to answer all of my questions. That impressed me and made me feel that I mattered. Then he discounted the price of the item (which always impresses me!). Then he delivered the item at exactly the time he had promised. But what really impressed me was that when he arrived to deliver my piece of furniture, he explained that he had inadvertently overcharged me -- he then handed me an $8 refund!! Wow! Such honesty is so unusual nowadays.

This so impressed me that I told several of my friends. Such a small thing, yet it made a big impression on me. See how that works? For $8 Hunters Attic got a little free advertising and a loyal customer.

Customer loyalty is especially important in these times of economic uncertainty. When people are looking for ways to cut expenses, they will be less inclined to "fire" you if you have gained their loyalty.
Here are a few ideas to help you gain loyal customers:

Educate your customers.
Explain what you are doing and why. Give them helpful tips. Tell them about new products. Educating your customers shows you care and may bring you more income from add-on sales.
Make your customers feel important.

Remember their names -- people love the sound of their own name!
Keep a stack of postcards and stamps with you -- when a customer mentions it is his birthday, scribble a "happy birthday" message on a postcard while it is fresh in your mind. If your customer is mentioned in a newspaper article, clip and send a copy to your customer (only if the article is positive!).

Give freebies and/or discounts.
People love free stuff! How about a complimentary item (that you got free from one of your vendors). Samples of new products. Or a promotional item imprinted with your business name and phone number -- something that will help them think of your business every time they use it. Give discounts for "VIPs" or for early payment (an incentive for them to pay on time).

Be dependable.
Show up when you say you will (or call to explain that you are running late). Call when you say you will. Return phone calls in a timely manner. Only promise what you can deliver.

Be honest.
Give a refund or credit if you make a billing error. Admit when you screw up (hey, we're all human).
These are just a few suggestions to help you impress your customers. Hopefully, they will get your creative juices flowing and you will come up with even better ideas that will work for you!

Nancy has operated A+ Secretarial and Business Services In Vista California for 9 years. She the author of "14 Surefire Tips to Get the Job of Your Dreams," a concise book to assist job hunters. For more information about her secretarial services or her book, call 760-945-666, email nancyjg5@cox.net, or visit www.aplusnancy.com.