10 Services Your Business Must Offer for Long Term Success

Whenever I assess a company with our customized Perception Study, I get super anxious for the preliminary data. Why? To see what services our client is offering their clients. The answer is usually none or very little. If any services are offered, they are usually low value and poorly managed. Yet Services are the ultimate competitive weapon.

"How can this be?" you ask? Simple. The Law of Scarcity. You see, I can buy a box, bottle, bag or crate of just about any product -- tires, clothing, ketchup or motorcycles for example –– from thousand of vendors, sources or stores. In fact, in my area, I have literally hundreds of choices regarding where to buy just about any product. Now I am hearing, "Yeah, great Mark. But I'm an attorney, I don't sell widgets, and I don't believe what you are saying." Ok. As an attorney, even YOU are a service provider the the Law of Scarcity applies to you. In fact, you are a PURE service provider -- you sell hope, guidance, advice and reassurance, usually at $350 an hour! Nice. Read on.

Ah, but service. That's different. Not service in the sense of when you go into a restaurant "service" but the things people do -- design, delivery, install, calibrate, advise, support, etc.. These are huge competitive advantages only because service in the US sucks -- it is horrible most of the time. When it's good, that's RARE. Thus, services are key to any business' differentiation, customer loyalty and ultimately, growth.

Which services? There are tons. But I'm going to give you The 10 your business must develop and implement to be competitive vs. simply selling boxes or "naked" products. Here they are.

1. Design Services. Create the customer aids that heighten your value to the customer. For Example: Your a doctor. You patient comes to you via referral because you are a specialist. Your diagnosis requires the patient to have surgery. You tell the patient to get ready for surgery and notify his family. Fine. As a medical service provider, you could (a) create and print a visual aid for the surgical process to help them prepare, (b) create a timeline that works with their schedule, especially if they travel regularly to incorporate the surgery, recovery, physical therapy (if any), followup and outpatient activities (exercise, monitoring blood pressure, etc). In this way, you ensure your patient gets the right stuff for their given situation. What high-value design services can you offer?

2. Delivery Services. Ensure the right stuff gets to the right place. For Example: You're a gravel company. You have received an order for 8 tons of crushed granite to be delivered two hours away from your office. Two days prior to delivery, you (a) contact the client to confirm delivery date/time and location, (b) you personally double check the order to ensure it is accurate and complete; (c) the driver (before leaving) has been given detailed driving instructions and customer contact information; (d) contacts the customer to notify them of the in-route delivery and confirm delivery time and location. (e) Upon arrival, contacts the customer, places the crushed rock at the right place and reviews the order with the customer. (f) Prior to leaving, thanks the customer and leaves a brief document describing other delivery options (faster, larger loads) to help the customer. What high-value delivery services can you offer?

3. Setup Services. Unload, setup, connect, install, or put together the product For Example: You sell home theater gear. Customer has ordered a surround sound system -- receiver, speakers, remote control -- the works. Your team arrives with the gear and carries it inside the home, unpacks the boxes, connects the equipment, calibrates the gear for the environment, hides the wires/cables while not tracking dirt or mud into the house. The customer is blown away! What high-value setup services can you offer?

4. Calibration Services. Ensure the product delivers the optimum experience. For Example: You're a couch maker. Your client has ordered two couches from you: one for the bedroom and one for the family room. Your team delivers the couch, connects the parts, removes the plastic and Scottguard treats the fabric. Before leaving, they have the client sit on the couch and adjust the feet on the couch to ensure product stability and viewing height for the actual client. What high-value calibration services can you offer?

5. Training Services. Never leave the customer struggling with product usage. You're a hairdresser. Your client has come to you for a makeover and wants you to help her create a new style, which you do. However, the client is very concerned with maintaining the look after getting home. You have a template ready on your computer and simply fill in the specific steps needed to keep the exact same look she now has. You even take a 360 degree photo of her, insert into the template and print for her in color. As an added value, you create a PDF and email it to her home email so she has a permanent copy. A few days later, you contact her to confirm she is able to keep the style looking good and invite her to return anytime for a quick adjustment. What high-value training services can you offer?

6. Support Services. Ensure your client knows you always are holding their hand. For Example: you're a car mechanic and just gave a customer her tuneup. Upon leaving the shop, you provide her with your direct phone and email contact. You remind her that she has 90 days parts and labor warranty. You cite for her on your card her account number and explain if she has any questions, she may contact you directly or go onto your website, enter her account number, and review all repair details and mechanic comments in plain English with any computer. What high-value support services can you offer?

7. Uninstall Services. Provide profound flexibility for your customers coming and going. For Example: You're an art dealer. One of your best customers has purchased several expensive pieces from you which hang with pride in her home. She informs you that she will be moving and asks if you know of a safe & careful mover. You inform her that you offer such a service and schedule a time to personally remove the pieces from the wall, remove them from the frames, prepare the canvasses and frames for packing while noting which pictures go with which frames. You inventory the pieces, number them and create an inventory. Finally you box them up and have them "mover ready." What high-value uninstall services can you offer?

8. Online Services. Ensure online access to customer information and activities. For Example: You're a graphic designer. Your customers seek you out for creative designs in ads, brochures, articles and websites. With their account code and password, each customer is able to log in and review the work you have completed, preview work in progress, review their account information and directly chat with your team. What high-value online services can you offer?

9. Integration. Pull the pieces together and create a complete solution for your customers. For Example: You're a food caterer. You client is hosting a Winter Ball and has contacted you to provide most of the event's food. However, the venue is offsite and will incorporate other caterers for speciality foods. You obtain the list of caterers and offer to collaborate with them to develop a unified menu that each can uniquely support. The client learns of this, review your suggestion and is blown away with your personal involvement and willingness to tie in disparate food vendors (your competitors) to ensure your collective customer's success.

10. Bundles. Offer solutions based on your individual products. For Example: you are a printer. Your customers come to you for great images, good prices and fast turn around. You realized that your customers may need volume and offer that as a means to discount; however, you also realize they need to have many projects ongoing and offer to bundle your services to include printing, addressing, mailing and sales of your printings. Suddenly your customers can come to you to have their pieces created, published, distributed as well as collect the revenue from their sales. What high-value bundled services can you offer?

How your business is perceived is vital to your customer loyalty; customer loyalty is the key to long-term business success. To learn more, call us at 786.399.6571 or email us at info@perceptionlab.biz.

Like what you read? There is more: check out businessmri.blogspot.com for more. Listen to our podcast with iTunes (search for "mark ware" or "perceptions").

This email and its content are copyright 2006 Perception Lab, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email and its contents cannot be reproduced without written permission. Please feel free to forward this unaltered email to all of your friends. For reprint permission, please contact us.

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™© 2006 All Rights Reserved Perception Lab, Inc.

Building brand is easy; it's the time commitment that's tough

Often I am asked, "But Mark, what do I have to do to build my brand and get the word out about my business?!" The short answer is time consistent management across a myriad of activities specifically tuned to bring visibility to you and your business.

Here are 8 such activities you can engage in to aggressively promote your business. But be warned: you may not have the patience or the time to make it happen. Only a business owner truly committed to growing the business should attempt these activities. Okay; here they are.

1. Speak. Ideally you should be public speaking at least once a month somewhere. Get out and present to groups that your customers would likely join or whose meetings they would attend. Examples? Professional organizations, civic groups, chambers, trade associations and so on. There are literally hundreds of venues for you. Before you book yourself out: spend 10 sessions with your local Toastmasters chapter. Then you're ready.

2. Write. As with speaking, write all you can. Keep a daily journal. This ezine is a great tool I used to convey value, at no cost to the reader while keeping my name and expertise in front of my clients, former clients, partners and prospects. You could do the same. Maybe yours is every other week or perhaps monthly. Tip: have someone read your piece before you publish. And you should read your final piece out loud to ensure it reads as you intended.

3. Join Forces. Scout and recruit a new alliance partner every 90 days. Smart alliances can generate a ton of visibility and income. The key is to (a) romance the right business, (b) both of you to agree on the value of partnering and (c) agree on ground rules for the alliance including payments, fees, timeline and responsibilities. Imagine your results with the right partner after just one year. Powerful.

4. Volunteer. Once a month, get out and volunteer your yourself or your company. Many non-profits are hungry for credible speakers, volunteers and supporters. Why not you? Get involved and network at the same time. Speak to groups you otherwise might not have encountered. Be a giver of value continually and you'll get even more given back to you.

5. Donate. Anytime is good. More often is better. LIke volunteering, many organizations would be thrilled to have your product or services made available at no or little cost to their members. Selectively giving yourself away can be a great way to gain even more visibility and do some good works.

6. Sponsor. Every quarter, help with expenses for a good cause or great organization. Consider where your clients volunteer or donate. Why not sponsor an event, trip, workshop or seminar? Underwriting is seen as being plugged into the community, working with others to make a difference. Sponsoring organizations such as schools, chambers and networking venues will get you noticed too.
7. Advertise. This is the one item everyone thinks of first. But once you start, don't stop! While advertising may crank up the visibility of your business, unless it (a) contains a compelling message based on your customers' experience, (b) is in the appropriate media for your target audience and (c) is noticed, advertising will not do much for you. There is no silver-bullet ad. For best results, ads are crafted from market insights and written to appeal to a specific audience regardless of the media -- print, radio or internet. Even then, an ineffective ad may be "tweaked" over time in small ways to become an awesome one with great impact. Don't make the mistake of using your sister-in-law who's handy with PageMaker and loves to write. Use a pro.

8. Leverage your advantage: as you have wins, look at the rationale behind those wins and incorporate them into everything you do. Of course if you aren't tracking your progress, if you aren't plugged into your market, you have little to work with and subsequently will be guessing with any initiatives or changes you implement. But ...... if you do track your progress, check your metrics and stay plugged into your customers' experience, the world is yours! You will then be in the position to not only create more compelling ads, but also testimonials -- video testimonials and incorporate into your collateral (brochures, website, etc.) and speaking venues. Talk about powerful: wow! Do this and watch your business explode. Be patient. It may take you several months to arrive at this point, so don't give up! Stay focused.

How your business is perceived is vital to your customer loyalty; customer loyalty is the key to long-term business success. To learn more, call us at 786.399.6571 or email us at info@perceptionlab.biz.

Like what you read? There is more: check out businessmri.blogspot.com for more. Listen to our podcast with iTunes (search for "mark ware" or "perceptions").

This email and its content are copyright 2006 Perception Lab, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email and its contents cannot be reproduced without written permission. Please feel free to forward this unaltered email to all of your friends. For reprint permission, please contact us.

To unsubscribe to this eZine, first realize you will be missing out on powerful insights each week at ZERO cost to you; sometimes, they are even funny (or at least cute). Second, simply click reply and put "unsubscribe" in the subject. You are done.

™© 2006 All Rights Reserved Perception Lab, Inc.

8.5 Customer Mistakes Your Employees Make Everyday

Over the past few weeks, I have been reminded just how bad service can be in the US. The real shocker is that seemingly "caring" businesses are not immune to poor service, which in turn ruins the customer experience and any chance at customer satisfaction (forget loyalty). The mistakes being made are not rocket science but are easy to spot and correct. Here they are.

1. Look who's talking? Your people -- constantly sometimes. Listening (which is more than waiting for your turn to talk) should be the priority. Recently I had the opportunity to meet with a sales manager of a large hotel chain. I explained to her that typically I have to closely police each workshop/seminar I am leading as the hotel vendor almost always gets major things wrong. Her response was (1) interrupting me while I spoke, (2) telling me how she would never let that happen to me, (3) and not letting me finish my sentences by talking even more. After my encounter with her, what do you think my expectations are for the event? Hint: she talked much more than she listened, and I felt frustrated.

2. Not my department Part 1. Lacking product or service knowledge is one thing, but being unwilling to bring in a more experienced and knowledgeable associate is a customer killer. How up to date are your staff on their industry? How much time do they put in keeping current? What resources do you make available to encourage professional development? How often do you help your employees measure their overall product/service knowledge? Leadership sets the example. What's yours?

3. Not my department Part 2. Do your employees have a willingness to serve? If the front of your business obviously has a mess at its door, do your employees just file by ignoring the mess customers will no doubt see? Or do they stop to correct the situation without being asked by management? What about the trash? Scents in the air? Messy shelves? Cluttered waiting room? Do you have to give your employees a "honey do" list each day or are they plugged in and caring for the business as you would?

4. Take it Personally. How personally are your employees involved and showing their care and concern over the customer experience with your business? Taking the business personally is the best non-sales way of generally judging how committed your employees are to the business. For example: you're a CPA. Client is dying to get you their tax data, is at deadline and calls into your office appealing for help. How do your people respond? A creative solution such as, "No problem. You're only 20 minutes from us; I'll be happy to come by and pick up the papers and bring them here for the CPA."? Probably not. Probably more like, "Sorry; we're open until 5 if you can get them here." How personally do your employees take the business?

5. Capital Offensive -- how easily can your employees be offended? Customer comes into your business. Customer is hot as hell mad. Instead of listening and "falling on the sword," your employee begins to explain why it's not his/her fault and how screwed up the company is and that if they will just calm down he/she will try to help. Can you say "train wreck?" Ouch. Yet this happens just about everyday in most businesses. How "battle hardened" are your employees? How prepared are they to manage profoundly unhappy customers? How easily offended are your staff?

6. Looking the part. Ever gone into a great restaurant only to meet the staff -- wrinkled clothes, scuffed shoes, stained shirt, etc.? Eateries are not the only places -- think about your doctor, attorney, CPA or dry cleaner. What message is being sent to you? Would you want your customers thinking the same of your employees and business?

7. Being Accessible. How available are your employees? When a customer needs to locate the right person for their concerns, how well are your employees able to locate this person and how accessible is he/she?

8. Being Responsive/Accountable. Have you called your own business and experienced how long it takes to get an answer, locate information or simply be called back? Try it. How responsive are your employees? Do your employees simply give the info or go beyond it to WOW the customer? If a customer needs information, why give them the 800 number when your people could simply offer to call for the customer, get the information and call the customer back?

8.5. "Our policy is ...." Being able to use good judgement is critical. Customers can easily tell when they are being fed the corporate line. What they want is their problem resolve, question answered and their needs met. Not corpo-babble. Would you? How well do your employees creatively solve your customers' concerns?

How your business is experienced is vital to your customer loyalty; customer loyalty is the key to long-term business success. To learn more, call us at 786.399.6571 or email us at info@perceptionlab.biz.

Like what you read? There is more: check out businessmri.blogspot.com for more. Listen to our podcast with iTunes (search for "mark ware" or "perceptions").

This email and its content are copyright 2006 Perception Lab, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email and its contents cannot be reproduced without written permission. Please feel free to forward this unaltered email to all of your friends. For reprint permission, please contact us.

To unsubscribe to this eZine, first realize you will be missing out on powerful insights each week at ZERO cost to you; sometimes, they are even funny (or at least cute). Second, simply click reply and put "unsubscribe" in the subject. You are done.

™© 2006 All Rights Reserved Perception Lab, Inc.

5.5 Steps to Radical Business Growth

"What's the fastest way to real growth?" is the question I hear most often when meeting for a client the very first time. We seem to want nearly-instant gratification in our personal lives (no surprise there); this also carries over into our business lives. Real growth is rarely rapid or easy. However, there are steps the small business owner can quickly take to initiate real growth. Here they are.

1 Aggressively Audit Your Project Management –– many of us sell something we create, pack, deliver, and support. Few of us however do this flawlessly and efficiently each time. Measure how well your team creates, packs, delivers, installs/sets up and support your client. Chances are, a percentage of your projects run late, are rescheduled, are cancelled or just returned to you. Measure how much time and money you could save if you became more efficient, determine the triggers to inefficiency and take steps to prevent reoccurance.

2 Listen to Your Market –– so few businesses take the time to regularly listen (which is more than waiting for your turn to talk) to their customers -- their experience with the business, their complaints, their desires and their kudos. Continually look for ways to leverage the best and minimize the distractions your customers experience with your business.

3 Train Your People to Care; Fire Those Who Won't –– A basic "charm school" training is critical to your personnel's ability to provide timely and intelligent customer care. Typical employees are "nice" until an awkward situation occurs; then they may become defensive, have a negative tone and forget about their charter: take good care of the customer. Train your people and hold them accountable.

4 Review your Business Performance Regularly –– How often do you look at your business' numbers –– sales, cost, margin, hot products, dog products, etc.? Daily? Hourly? Weekly? Monthly? Never? To provide meaningful guidance to your team and yourself, you must monitor your business performance at least twice a day (AM/PM) and assess the results and determine the "why" behind it. Maybe sales personnel are not pushing the right products or services; perhaps you don't have enough people on staff; perhaps staff lack credible product/service knowledge. Track your numbers, investigate the results and implement meaningful change to better leverage your team's selling time.

5 Crank Up Your Visibility –– word of mouth can be a powerful tool for spreading the word about your business. However, imagine if you could get in front of more of the right people --- people who can say "YES" to you. That's powerful. There are many tactics for doing this such as creating a weekly ezine, publish a useful website, network your target customer's trade organizations, volunteer your time with non-profit organizations. Leverage your product/service with other businesses that create synergies with you via co-branding and co-advertising.

5.5 Rapid growth is really the result of putting into place a few key initiatives and then being PATIENT. Putting processes and tactics quickly into place will not necessarily guarantee quick results, although it can happen. And the critical key to quickly putting initiatives into place is making the commitment to do so every day.

How your business is perceived is vital to your customer loyalty; customer loyalty is the key to long-term business success. To learn more, call us at 786.399.6571 or email us at info@perceptionlab.biz.

Like what you read? There is more: check out businessmri.blogspot.com for more. Listen to our podcast with iTunes (search for "mark ware" or "perceptions").

This email and its content are copyright 2006 Perception Lab, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email and its contents cannot be reproduced without written permission. Please feel free to forward this unaltered email to all of your friends. For reprint permission, please contact us.

To unsubscribe to this eZine, first realize you will be missing out on powerful insights each week at ZERO cost to you; sometimes, they are even funny (or at least cute). Second, simply click reply and put "unsubscribe" in the subject. You are done.

™© 2006 All Rights Reserved Perception Lab, Inc.