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What Makes You Different?
By
Maury Z. Levy
We hear this all the time. We ask business owners if they think they’re
better than others in their categories, people who sell basically the
same products or services. “Of course,” they say, “we’re
better than our competition. Why? Because we care!”
Bzzz. Not good enough. You want to know the truth? Most businesses aren’t inherently better than their competition. If you’re selling widgets, maybe you can price them a little better. But, when you get right down to it, you’re probably selling the same widgets as the guy two blocks away.
The same goes for service businesses. We’ve represented a good number of law firms and medical practices over the years. Are the people at Becker, Decker and Pecker really smarter than those at Smith, Jones and Abramowitz? Probably not. Most likely, they went to similar schools and learned similar skills. Sure, they might think they’re fabulous. But they’re not the only ones who think that.
Not that there aren’t businesses that are head and shoulders above the rest. The problem that most business owners have is trying to get clients and customers to understand that. Resumes are nice. Accomplishments are great. But that doesn’t stop potential customers from listening to the advice of their brothers-in-law or hearing a name mentioned by someone at their last cocktail party. “You have back problems? You have to go to this guy in Cherry Hill. He treated my uncle and my uncle swears by him. He goes out dancing all the time now.” Now there’s science.
But don’t walk away with your chin down. We do have some good news for you. There is one way that, no matter what you do or what you sell, you can stand out from the crowd. What’s the secret? It’s customer service.
How do you excel in customer service? Well, you’re helped by the fact that, in a business world of diminished expectations, most companies think that good customer service is putting a better voice mail menu on your phone system. Wrong. What’s the one secret to great customer service? People.
My wife and I shop a lot at Banana Republic. We like their styles but, quite honestly, there are a half dozen other chains that sell reasonably the same stuff. But Banana has the edge because they train their people better. They greet you without pouncing. They’re helpful when you need them, but they understand what “just looking” means.
We always remember the time when the manager of the Cherry Hill store chased us halfway through the mall. When we were in the store a couple of weeks earlier, my wife saw a skirt she really liked. But they didn’t have it in her size. The manager called around to other stores, with no luck. We thanked her for her trouble and we left.
Two weeks later, back at the mall, we heard footsteps behind us as we stopped for a soft pretzel. There was the Banana manager, very out of breath. “Boy, I’m glad I caught you guys,” she said. “You know that skirt you liked? Well, someone returned one in your size, and I stashed it for you under the counter. I know you guys are here almost every week. I made sure no one sold that skirt until I saw you.”
Well, the skirt fit, everyone was happy, and Banana has
two more loyal customers. That’s what good customer service builds. Loyalty. And
whether you’re selling widgets or selling yourself, loyalty is
always a perfect fit.
