Customer Service

In theater, breaking the fourth wall refers to addressing the audience directly. Recently I had an experience where the customer service rep “broke the fourth wall” making me a fan for life. How can you apply this breakthrough strategy to your business?

I found myself alone with my daughter, Shi, and did what most dads do in this situation: went out for pizza. My daughter is two years old and taking her anywhere requires a multitude of items including toys, diaper bag and the kid herself. We went to the local Round Table Pizza where I ordered a King Arthur and then had fun wandering with Shi until the order was ready. While eating, an amazing thing happened — the young woman behind the counter came around to see how we were doing.

Now I would expect this at a more expensive sit-down style restaurant. But at Pizza it was startling. In that moment I went from quietly enjoying my meal to becoming a grateful parent.

Most businesses that have a counter between the customer and the employees use that counter as a barrier. The unspoken message is clear as you walk up: this is my side, that is your side. Most employees would never think to cross that divide.

This got me thinking about the “forth walls” we put up between ourselves and our customers. From phone systems to email there is an invisible divide that keeps us on our side and them on theirs. Being Incluesive means bringing the two together.

It’s time to bring out the wrecking ball and knock down those walls!

Marketing face-to-face can be difficult for many (most?) people. I know I feel a sense of envy when a door-to-door salesman appears completely at ease talking to me about their product on my front porch!

Welcome to Full Contact Marketing.

Full Contact Marketing is any face-to-face meeting with any (potential) customer. It can be door-to-door sales or working a trade show booth or taking orders over a counter. Often, Full Contact Marketing is considered just customer service.

But it is so much more!

Your poeple on the front lines represent your business brand more than any advertisement or PR campaign ever could. People relate to people. And if that relationship goes bad…

Front line people = Your brand

Are you inspecting your people before they go out to represent you? Do you offer coaching to help them polish their pitch, service and appearance? How can you inject confidense into your Full Contact Marketing program?

All of your vendors have a vested interest in your success. After all, the better you do, the more you’ll buy from them. And the more you will rely on them.

Most of your customers have a vested interest in your success as well. People like to support success (even if they are rooting for the underdog). People will root for you to win because if you win, they can claim part of your glory. And they will share in that glory in their own small, vicarious way. (“I was there!”)

So now that everybody is behind you, your business should take off like a rocket right? And survive the tough times - no problem! Right?

Only. Only. Only if you lead the charge. You cannot take the support of others for granted. If you do, the work will become harder. People resent being taken for granted. And they will distance themselves from you as a result (even if it hurts them).

It is your job to keep things moving. To give your people a rallying point. To give them something bigger than themselves to be part of. And with that, gain their loyalty.

To overcome customer objections, first overcome your own. Then overcome the objections of your closest allies: your employees and vendors.

Win the hearts and minds of your employees and vendors! When you do that they will win over your customers.

What is the difference between a $50 hotel room and a $500 hotel room? When looking for a hotel room you need only a few things:

1. Shelter
2. Bed
3. Shower

Everything else is extra. A room with a nice decor costs extra. Bigger bed - bigger price tag. Add amenities like a pool or gym, add some dollars. These “extras” have become standard in the hotel business and with good reason: people will pay more for them!

And all of these “extras” have a small up-front cost to a long-term (extra) income generator.

But the Accounting Trap will say that you need to bring in an extra X% before you can add these “extras”.

The essence of the Accounting Trap is that you have to save the money you want to invest instead of invest the money to enjoy the savings. Many a great business has fallen to the Accounting Trap. After all, “the numbers don’t lie.”

The numbers don’t lie. They are limited by what was, not what could be. Smart investments build value. Value is what your customers buy.

Experience marketing is all the rage and has been for quite a while. So how do you build an experience?

First, you need to define what the experience is you want to give away (we’ll get to that later - stay tuned). Then you need to work on your people. Stop hiring “customer service reps” and start hiring performers. You want people trained to deliver a world-class experience to deliver your world-class experience, right?

Think about how Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have revolutionized infotainment.

Call it… performance marketing.

Nobody wants an even exchange. Your customers certainly don’t. They want a deal. They want value!

Consider that your business is not only your investment.

Your customers invest in it, too. Every time they buy your product they are investing in you - your business. And they want (demand! deserve!) a BIG return!

Or they will start investing in someone else.

Years ago I worked at an art gallery while attending school. My major bounced between business and art so running a gallery was a good fit. I even got to work on my homework when it was slow.

Most of the business at this gallery came from custom framing. The owner, Miya, was brilliant. She had people driving in from all over the Sacramento area to work with her in Folsom. She even had customers from the Bay Area - a 2 hour drive!

Miya taught me how to do what she did. There was a lot to it, but the most important thing about custom framing is that when it is done right, nobody notices.

A frame should guide the viewer’s eye into the picture.

If the first thing someone says when they see your art, carefully hung on the walls is, “what a great frame” there is a problem! They should say, “great picture!” (or painting).

Business Design is similar. When your business is well designed, the customer does not notice the process. They are naturally led to the finished product. The result.

Where do your “extras” distract from the sale? Where does your process interrupt a smooth experience? Debugging your systems can save you thousands of dollars and earn committed repeat business.

The proof is that within a few months I had customers driving 2 or more hours to come work with me! You can too.

I got some great advice about leadership that I think applies to understanding the people who pay your bills (customers):

1. Talk less
2. Listen more
3. Ask better questions

Simple is a good thing.