I have always felt the very best marketing lessons are learned by observing others’ reactions to firms not in our field. As an example, recently I was having a conversation with my 29-year-old daughter regarding her having some service work done on her vehicle. She was relating to me how nice it was to patronize a business that kept their appointed time. They explained to her what they would be doing and why it was important to have the work performed sooner rather than later. They advised her of the costs before they began working.
The vehicle was ready for pickup – freshly washed – at the agreed upon time. Her exact words to me were, “Dad, I hope that they are in business for as long as I own a car.” At her age, hopefully that will be quite some time.
You may be asking yourself what does any of this have to do with me or my flooring business? How is getting a vehicle repaired similar to having flooring installed? Actually, I think there are many lessons to be gleaned from this story. Let’s see what they may be.
My daughter is in most ways very typical. She is finishing a second college degree. She has the potential to make a nice living in the future, but today every dollar is important to her. She was entering a predominantly male-oriented business – not always the most comforting of positions.
In her mind, the prospect of getting taken advantage of was real because she was purchasing both products and services she didn’t really understand. She had to spend money on necessary items that were not exactly on the top of her wish list! I don’t know anyone, regardless of income, that enjoys spending money on unplanned auto repairs. This is especially true when money is tight, as it is for many people today.
She is working a full-time job while going to school. Her time is valuable to her. In her eyes, 8 a.m. Tuesday means 8 a.m. Tuesday, not sometime between Monday and Wednesday!
All of these challenges would seem to be a recipe for disappointment. Quite the opposite actually occurred. This automobile repair shop developed a loyal customer for years to come by recognizing what was important to her. They did this by personalizing their work. They established the what’s in it for me that every good service provider knows to be critical to a customer’s happiness. They did not try to educate her on the products. Trying to convince her that they were going to use the strongest bolts or the slickest grease would have only served to intimidate her.
Knowing that her car would ride better, and her tires would last longer was important to her. Understanding how they were going to accomplish this was not. Properly quoting the work and honoring the quote was important. Hearing some baffling story about finding additional work that needed doing once the project commenced would not have helped to win her confidence. Having the work done in a timely fashion was critical to her. Getting some lame excuse about being shorthanded surely wouldn’t have won her over if the repair was delayed.
The real key to this experience for her though was having a clean car to drive away. This was an unexpected treat. It made her smile. It made her tell this story to anyone who would listen, with little cost to the service garage.
Think of the dollars the average business spends on advertising trying to attract a new customer. Now think of the relatively few dollars it takes to keep a satisfied client. Many would think of the car wash as an added cost. On the contrary, this was a very wise use of marketing dollars indeed.
Reflect on how your most recent installations were performed. Was this a purchase the customer had anticipated? Was it made unexpectedly? Was the installation performed in a timely fashion? Was the job completed on budget? Did you have the customer’s trust? What condition was the jobsite left in? Did it cause a joyful reaction or something less? Remember, your installers’ last actions become your customers’ first impression. Did they cause an unexpected smile?
Encourage your employees and company representatives to be constantly aware of how they are being treated when spending their personal money. By paying careful attention to the actions of others, your staff will begin building advocates of your business, not just a customer list. Always remember that reorders are so much more enjoyable and profitable for all involved.
Tom Jennings
