Three Steps to Increasing Profits
By Jan Nirri
Welcome and thank you for purchasing my e-book. I know that means you are serious about growing your business and creating a better economy around you.
This short book is dedicated to my mother, Ingeborg Nirri, who gave me the foundations for small business ownership and customer service. Thanks mom!
I was born in New York, Queens, but when I was a year old, my dad’s work took us to Japan. It was the early 60’s and quite a place to be after the war. Because my dad was a flight engineer flying government contracts, my parents used the free travel to spend 3 months travelling in Europe every summer. My mother being German and my dad being Italian, we always had family to visit. We spent 10 years in Japan before moving to a small community on the coast of Oregon. My parents bought a hardware store, a gift shop, and then a dress shop, and I saw how a small business functioned from the inside out. I worked after school with my mom and she taught me valuable customer service skills.
When I graduated from High School, I moved to Columbia, South Carolina where my two daughters were born, and I obtained my IT degree which served me very well for the next 25 years. During that time, I worked as a mainframe programmer, project lead, technical trainer for a very large corporation, and then as a technical recruiter. I loved teaching and recruiting because I really loved helping people.
In my years, I have encountered people from all walks of life and most cultures. The rich and the poor, the sick and the healthy, the young and the old, and many different religions…. People. So, I’m coming from a unique background and perspective on businesses and customer service.
In this book, I’ll share tips and strategies on how to avoid many common pitfalls small businesses make and give you direction for creating an experience your customers will love and be back for.
Chapter 1 — Service to Your Customer
Who is your customer? What type of person do they tend to be? What needs, or problems do they have that you can solve?
These are great questions to think about when looking at how to best take care of your current and prospective customers with the services or products you provide.
Whether you are a flower shop, a vehicle repair shop, an accounting, tax, or bookkeeping firm, or a network marketing business, it’s important to stay in touch with the needs of your customers.
1. Communication
For example, years ago, I referred a friend of mine (We’ll call her Joan) to a mechanic whom I used a lot and who did great work for me at a reasonable price. Joan took her vehicle there for an estimate and in the end, did not decide to use him. Her feedback to me was that the franchise auto repair shop down the road, who had also given her an estimate, provided a complete printout of all the checks they did in addition to the estimate. They let her know when, in up coming months, she would need certain maintenance on her aging vehicle, and they put her down for follow up on those issues.
Though my mechanic would have done an outstanding job, would have looked at the same things as the franchise auto repair place, would have offered a better price, would have checked/refilled her oil and all the other fluids, and would not have tried to convince her of services she didn’t need (my favorite back in the day was, “oh, you have a tail light out”), he failed to communicate those things to Joan.
Unfortunately, many women who own property, tools, or vehicles run into those who would seek to take advantage thinking that we women don’t have the expertise to know whether they shorted the service, like changing the oil but not the oil filter. By first understanding the needs a woman customer has that may be different from a man, my mechanic could have communicated more intentionally in writing, noting things that would need attention in the future, mentioning all the added-value things (refilling all oil and fluids), and utilizing a follow up plan to keep maintenance on track.
2. The AGD (Anticipated Gratification Date): Setting Expectations
It is imperative in this day and age where purchase and service tracking happens instantaneously, we set appropriate customer expectations to lead them and keep them moving with us through the service process or to decision making, and follow up. A small business cannot compete with the speed and tracking messages of most online robotic ordering systems today, which has dramatically changed our AGD (Anticipated Gratification Date). I can normally make an online purchase and have the product on my doorstep within 2–3 days… and that’s even if I ordered it at 10pm or on a Sunday or holiday.
I recently ordered something from a lesser known online company on the West Coast. It took 10 days to arrive. No tracking emails. Nothing. It felt like forever, in fact I got on the site several times to verify that I had in fact placed the order. Without keeping me informed otherwise of the status of my shipment, my AGD was way overdue!
If your business involves a process of any kind, then you need to make sure you are communicating clearly with your client so they know what to expect from you.
“Thank you for your order. Your salad to-go will be ready in 10–15 min.”
“Once you submit your tax documents to us we will review them and will contact you if it seems something may be missing. In about two weeks we will schedule a time to meet with you to discuss your completed tax forms prior to submittal to the IRS. Once you approve them it will take 3–6 weeks before the IRS has processed your return and you get your refund.”
And don’t let it go at that, send follow up statuses as the IRS accepts the documents, and as the status of the return is updated. Once you know the client received the refund send them a follow up survey to ask for feedback and/or a review on google. And follow up through the year with tax tips and ideas on how they can adjust or take advantage of new tax breaks or rules.
Using clear communication, setting expectations, and then over delivering with value added products or services will position you as a go to resource for their future needs, set you apart in your industry, and keep people coming back.
3. But I don’t have a customer!
From roles such as payroll or tech support, to cleaning the office or providing back-office support that don’t deal directly with the main company’s customer it’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you don’t have a customer in your particular role. Every person you provide a service to in your role IS your customer. If you are the cleaning staff that means the person’s office space you cleaned is your customer. If you are in payroll or tech support, then the people you serve are your customers. We all are serving customers every day. Maybe your customers are even your children or your spouse!
Treating others as though our job depends upon it is an important way to think about what we do. Why would we care to do that? I think it’s about personal integrity that bleeds over into everything we do. If I work on a garbage truck for the sanitation department, the homeowner or neighborhood is my customer. I’ve was so impressed one time with a sanitation individual who stopped to mitigate a packing peanut ‘snow’ storm on a breezy day. And the delivery driver on a tight schedule who, passing through my neighborhood, saw that my elderly neighbor had fallen in the street getting his mail. This driver helped him into the house and even followed up and checked on him the next day. These actions said a lot about these caring and conscientious individuals and their character. I made sure to call those companies and commend these stellar employees. They were able to see beyond the tasks of the day and expand their view of who the customer was in those moments.
4. Always greet and engage your customer!
Where ever I go, I’m always noticing customer service and the way a place treats me as a customer. I intentionally patronize local businesses as much as possible because I love supporting local communities.
I can usually tell when I’ve engaged with the owner because they always give me GREAT customer service! There is a clear delineation between how the owner treats me and the staff treat me. So here are a few tips every employee should use with every customer.
· Greet the customer with a smile.
o This lets them feel welcomed and it opens the conversation to further dialog if the customer has a question later
· Use contextual conversation to engage them in conversation.
o Contextual conversation is using relevant, real time topics to generate conversation.
o So, if a customer comes in the store drenched from the pouring rain, offer to stash their umbrella, or hang their coat, or offer to let them hang out until the heaviest rain passes.
o Or if a customer comes in and heads to a specific area, let’s say the 50% off sales rack, you could engage them by helping them see where ALL the sales racks are. They may clarify and say, “No, I’m really here to get a present for a baby shower.” Now you have information on how you can help them.
o Using contextual conversation will help you creatively engage customers and make them more likely to talk with you in the future.
· In small communities you should know your regular customers by name and be seeking to get to know those who come in who are new to your business. Many small businesses employ younger college students. Just because their position is more ‘transient’ doesn’t mean this doesn’t apply to them.
· The DON’Ts…
o Don’t say, “No problem” or “No worries”, it implies you thought the customer is having a problem or is worried. Instead say things like, “Absolutely”, “Yes”, “Right”, “I can do that for you”, “It’s my pleasure”.
o Absolutely DO NOT engage in private conversations with co-workers EVEN if it’s about business related topics. It says to the customer that you are too busy to talk to them. From a customer’s standpoint, private conversations are just plain rude, making the person feel like they’ve intruded or like the 3rd wheel. If I’m spending my money with you and you have a job because customers, like me, come to shop where you work it is just rude to continue on with private conversations. I especially see this in retail stores, grocery cashiers and food service businesses.
o Even if you are tasked with re-stocking shelves, doing inventory, or reorganizing something, the customer comes first. Do not ignore the customer when they come into your area. Always be ready to drop your task to assist the customer. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into a store to do business and then left because I was ignored and everyone was too busy to even acknowledge that I came in or worse yet, I may not have even seen a sales person!!
Bottom line is just pay attention! Brick and mortar businesses and face to face businesses need to make this a priority if they are going to not only survive but thrive with repeat customers and positive word of mouth advertising.
Chapter 2 — Your Business Plan
Do you have a business plan in place? 60% of business owners do not have an up-to-date business plan much less one that strategizes on a growth plan for the next 1, 3, and 5 years.
So why would you want to take time to do a business plan? After all, things change so quickly these days, a plan could quickly become irrelevant! I totally agree!! BUT, just because you have great passion or vision or idea for your business does not mean it will be a success. What a business plan does is INTENTIONALIZE your plan and it gets everyone on the same page. Doing a business plan makes you think through the ‘why’ and ‘how’ to validate whether the idea or direction is viable BEFORE you get out on a limb and don’t know where it all went wrong. A business plan creates a foundation for future success.
No business owner wants to take time away from money generating activities and think about all the bad stuff that could happen IF. It’s also the main reason most people don’t have a Will.
Your business plan should identify your strengths and weaknesses/vulnerabilities and how they will either be used to grow the company or how you will address them in your contingency plan. To think about your contingency plan, basically, ask yourself the question… “How will my business continue to operate if… (the building burns down, critical personnel are unable to function in their role, there’s a flood, a storm, a disaster)”. Your family and staff will appreciate having a plan in place just in case! This is critical.
I worked as a cashier at a local health food market for a while (Rosewood Market & Deli in Columbia, SC). We kept a wooden box with everything we needed to do business in the event of a power outage and we kept it in a spot where we could find it in the dark! The kit included everything from battery operated calculators with a paper tape, so we could still give the customer a receipt, to manual credit card imprinters, to flashlights, to instructions on how to re-set the big freezers when the power came back on. We live in a digital world so very reliant on the internet. Do you have a plan that will allow you to continue to do business in the event of internet or power failure?
We usually lost power at least 3 times each year for various reasons. It was great to know what to do in those situations. Every other business in the area was dead in the water but we were still doing business!
If you are evaluating business planning software on your own, just be sure it comes with templates and instructions for completing the financial documents. There are many business planning tools out there. I can help you find one that suits your needs. If you need suggestions, I know of several so let me know.
Chapter 3 — Your Online Presence
For many business owners, the online world is daunting. I’m amazed at how many small businesses don’t have a Web site or even a business Face Book page. But even those with Web sites are often paying expensive rates to build a customized site they then have to pay another fee or an ongoing fee to update. And then, so you get a site, you still need for people to find your site. Unless you are also paying your Web site developer to perform search engine optimization, understanding SEO tools and concepts is entering into a Star Trek worm hole in space!! There are tools out there to help you do all this a little easier though there is still a learning curve.
And then there is social media. Do you need a twitter account, or Instagram, or Face Book?
The basics:
· Have a Web site of at least 3 pages or a click funnel. The number of pages will be determined by the type of business you have. I have done Web sites for people with as little as 2 pages. It’s about layout and it’s about flow.
o If you don’t have a Web site now but want one, you’ll need to get this information together:
§ What message do you want to convey? The story of how your started your business, your family history in the legacy of the store, is it an historical site, or maybe you want to convey your mission through this business. This could also be a menu and information about any locally sourced or specialty items
§ Pictures and video tell the story and set the tone for your business. You must have great pictures. If you are an event space here’s a chance to show your venue ‘dressed up’ in various themes to give people an idea of what is possible.
§ Your business Logo in a digital format for uploading
§ Do you want to highlight customer testimonies?
§ Your location, contact info, hours of operation
§ Lastly, have an idea of how you want them to interact with or contact you.
· Have a business Face Book page.
o Invite all your friends to like your page
o Post on it regularly using lots of photos/video and note… only you can best discern the most tasteful and respectful representation of your business but with that said you could consider:
§ Posting special events
§ Employees who excel
§ Employee birthdays/births/weddings
§ Owner birthdays/births/weddings
§ Promotions
§ Daily lunch specials
§ Tips and helpful information related to your business (ie if you are a plumber, advice for winterizing pipes or securing waterlines while you leave on vacation)
§ Since the government regulates to some degree most businesses some of those topics could be relevant to your customers for example changes in state laws regarding your car insurance or taxes.
§ AVOID posts that are politically or emotionally charged, and posts of a religious nature. Save that stuff for your personal page!!
§ Always be professional, always be courteous, always be helpful.
· Have a Linked In and Instagram pages following the same basic protocol as for Face Book.
· Have a method in place to follow up with people who hit your Web site or Social Media pages. Keep in mind the first business to respond within an hour has an 80% better chance of gaining the customer’s business, however the business that responds within 60 seconds increases their chances by 500%!!
· Have a plan in place to get customer reviews on Google search, Google maps, Face Book, Linked In, and Instagram.
o Make it a habit to ask every customer to go out and give you a review. Keep in mind, people are going to review you anyway. If you have 3 reviews and 1 of them is bad…. You’re sunk. But if you have 30 reviews and 3 of them are bad but the rest are great, it’s easier to over look the 3…. Unless of course they all complained about the same problem.
o Go the extra mile and reach out to those customers with negative reviews and make it right with them. They may be willing to change their post when you’ve satisfactorily addressed the problem.
Conclusion — All Those Hats!
As a business owner or entrepreneur, you often are wearing many hats. There are so many major tasks to handle every day, we can start to wonder if it’s worth it. I believe small town America still has a strong and valid voice. I believe entrepreneurs founded this country and are what makes it strong. We know what sacrifices we’ve made or perhaps our parents or grand parents made to establish the businesses we have. It’s long hours, and managing employees, and worrying about how payroll will be met, and if we can weather the economic turns of our country.
I have good news. We’ve come through tough times in the past and those who pressed forward instead of shrinking back in worry were the ones who came out on top and in fact grew in economic hard times.
I’d like to recommend some resources to you. Some of these links are affiliate links which means I’ll get a small commission if you decide to purchase anything on those sites.
Thank you for reading this book. I would really love to know your thoughts or questions.
· FREE app. Get FREE legal advice from Erin, our artificial intelligence consultant and much more. From your phone tap this link and follow the prompts to sign up: FREEAPP
· Grant Cardone, If You’re Not First, You’re Last
o Really great book about not only surviving but thriving in hard economic times.
· Grant Cardone, Sell Or Be Sold
o Concepts of being able to persuade others, it changed my thinking about sales and relating to people
Ø Check out Grant Cardone products HERE
o Inspirational book based on biblical truths helping you reach toward fulfilling your life’s purpose
Please contact me for more information if you are interested in any of the following:
Ø Logo
Ø Low-cost Web development (free or paid hosting)
Ø Professional Custom Web site
Ø Web site content writing
Ø Web site proofing
Ø Web site analysis (existing site)
Ø Comprehensive Business Suite of products and services
I welcome your comments and questions.
Here’s to your growing business!
Go be Great Today!
Jan Nirri
(803) 767–2755
