Marketing Without Customer Service Is Useless

Sales Man Up

Marketing Without Good Service is Useless

Business is all about the customer: what the customer wants and what they get. Generally, every customer wants a product or service that solves their problem, worth their money, and is delivered with amazing customer service.
Fabrizio Moreira

A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all. - Michael LeBoeuf

The other day, my wife checked the mail, and found a hand written thank you card addressed to her. What should’ve been an otherwise touching moment, culminated in disbelief as she realized that the card was from her auto mechanic shop. It was a kind and thoughtful gesture, indeed; but unfortunately, the last several trips to this shop had resulted in overcharging, indifference , and a general lack of service. After reading the note, my wife exclaimed, “ this would be a great blog idea. “ She was right.

We can have the sharpest, most effective state -of -the -art marketing in place, and even send out heartfelt thank you notes; but if we do not follow up, follow through, and provide clients with good customer service, then our efforts are in vain ! No amount of notes, emails, or chocolate chip cookies is going to wash the unpleasant taste of poor service from their mouth.

What makes a waiter or waitress better than average ? I would qualify this question by stating that whether the restaurant is a five star destination or a dew drop inn in a one stoplight town, the characteristics that keep people coming back are the same.

A good waiter or waitress makes eye contact and acknowledges you as a person. They are relaxed yet possess a sense of urgency when it comes to delivering your meal. They have a likeable personality, and above all, their interaction with you is peppered with humor. They seem to intuitively know what you need before you even
ask, but they also know how to respect your space and not smother you.

The exceptional waiter or waitress asks, “ Do you have everything that you need ? “ and, “ How does everything taste .” New drinks are poured without asking. They deposit the bill before the meal is over. Have you ever been in a hurry to get to another meeting, and your waitress has seemingly dropped off the face of the earth, and you cannot get your bill ? Ugh ! The stellar service people intuitively perceive just the right moment to airdrop that ticket to a comfy landing right when you are mid-bite, saying with a smile, “ No hurry, just wanted you to have this when you are ready.” Do you plan on revisiting these types of restaurants, when you have been made to feel special, and appreciated ? You bet.

We also distinguish our products and/or services by the experience that we offer to our clients. Are we like those exceptional waiters or waitresses that make us feel special ? Do we make it easy for our clients to do business with our company ? As a salesperson, have we managed expectations by explaining the process to our customers so that they know and understand the chronology, and what to expect next ? Like some waiters, do we merely drop the meal onto the table and run on to the next conquest ? Or… do we show up and ask if the customer is happy with their purchase? Do we keep their glasses full ? A good customer experience becomes a GREAT one when we EXCEED expectations . Under promise and over deliver.

 I believe this starts with the people out front … the salespeople ! The customer experience needs to continue with inside sales, customer support, manufacturing, warehouse, delivery - we all have a part in making that buying experience a positive one . What happens when the steak is burned or the kitchen runs out of baked potatoes ? We make it right. As exceptional account managers, we are proactive in finding answers, solving problems, and coming up with alternative solutions for our clients. We are as tenacious as a pit bull with a chew toy, until we get answers for our customers. We don't  blame the kitchen staff or throw them under the bus, because we remember that we are a Team. It is also wise to remember that the Kitchen staff is not standing in front of the of customer- we are ! We set the pace for a memorable client experience, and hopefully, they will return to do business with us again because our marketing AND our service have spoken the SAME message. Bon Appetit’ !


Customer service is just a day-in, day-out, ongoing, never-ending, unremitting, persevering, compassionate type of activity. - Leon Gorman


Photo courtesy of Pixabay - Waldorf Astoria NY

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die.
- Maya Angelou


We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. - Thomas Jefferson

When I hear the word “ respect “, I. can't help but think about Aretha Franklin belting out those words in that classic Motown beat, R-E-S-P-E-C-T .The tune is so catchy. The message is even more profound, because it emphasizes a foundational principle that guides every human being - that of respect for ourselves and for one another.

Thomas Jefferson penned it most accurately within the Declaration of Independence, marking the birth of our great nation, as we celebrate on July 4th. The premise of all of our rights ? That ALL men ( and women) are created equal. This was profound writing for a nation yet to come out of slavery ; facing the political and economic tyranny of King George III in England. History tells us that this declaration exacted a heavy toll on many of the individuals who signed it, ranging from loss of land, property, and lives. A tremendous price was exacted for the freedoms that we so lavishly enjoy today, and I know that I personally take for granted. All people are created equal. None is above the other, and therefore all should be regarded with respect. Webster defines this as “ to view or consider with some degree of reverence, to esteem as possessed of real worth.” Because you are breathing, you are worthy of respect. You are a person of worth just because you exist. Sometimes we forget this important principle and digress into determining someone’s worth only in what they can DO for us. So if a person cannot benefit us in some way, are they no longer of value ? If a person disagrees with us in their beliefs or lifestyle , are they not still worthy of respect ? If someone can't provide me with economic success, are they still worthy of my time and respect ?

My dad was  a WWII vet, and was a stickler about respect to elders. When I was a boy, I remember some of my first words being “ please” , “ thank you” and “ yes sir” .  ( Keep in mind , I am writing from a Southern US perspective …) I realize that part of this is cultural , but courtesy and kindness is a universal language no matter where we are raised. My wife and I brought our sons up with these same manners of consideration, noting that you would rarely get in trouble in life by having too much respect. Why ? Because all people are created equal. Thinking about others and not just ourselves is the concrete foundation in the building of our life and business.

Doesn't this translate into business relationships also ?  We render respect to our clients by showing respect for ourselves by presenting a professional appearance , keeping our vehicles clean ; and being prepared for our meeting. If we truly respect our clients, then we show up on time, and if not , we communicate the reason for our delay. We show respect by adhering to the parameters of our meeting, not taking more than the allotted time UNLESS the client is asking us questions and wants us to stay. Respect also means staying flexible and empathic towards our clients when life throws them a curve. I recently experienced this situation when showing up early for a meeting with a designer. Once we were seated in the conference room, I could tell by her expression that she was stressed. She exclaimed, “ I just had two deadlines dropped on my desk this morning , and both of them are due today ! Could we possibly reschedule at another time so I can hear your complete presentation then ? “ That’s when we take a breath, step back, and say “ of course!”  Live to fight another day. If a salesperson is known for their respectfulness, they will be invited back . If we trample on the client’s time, schedule, and show up and throw up ; then we will be like a bad restaurant experience - people just won’t go back !

Just a little bit R-E-S-P-E-C-T goes a long way !

Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners.
- Laurence Sterne