by Michele Comeau, Customer Relations Strategist, Performance UnLimited

With a bad taste in my mouth from dealing with an unprofessional security company I'm back to square one. I open the yellow pages and start dialing. This time I'm a smarter consumer. If they can't pick up on four rings and sound half way professional I keep dialing.

I get to fifth on the list and am pleasantly surprised. The phone is picked up in two rings with a professional greeting, and I'm put right through to their Marketing person. She has the answers to all my questions and I book an appointment.

“How is tomorrow at 9am?” I ask.
“Can we make it between 9 and 9:30?”
“Perfect,” I say.

Next morning she arrives at 9:15 sharp.

When I open the door she asks if she can have a quick look around the house. First she checks out all the sensors and I learn they are well positioned. As we walk around the outside she mentions that in her 12 years in home security she has learned to look for the weak spots. She makes recommendations where to install a sensor light and a deadbolt lock and shows me the best places to put the security stickers.

Now we sit down. She answers every question and makes it easy for me to make the decision. I sign up. Once the paperwork is out of the way and she is ready to go she asks me.

“You have a teenage daughter don't you?”
“Yes.”
“Does your daughter have a cell phone?”
“Yes, why?”
“If ever your daughter does not feel safe, let's say she is driving home and her car breaks down, ask her to call us. I will put it in your file that we will send a uniformed guard to escort her home and he will make sure she gets into the house safely.”

Sigh of relief. Now I know I've made the right decision.

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Six Steps for Creating a Customer for Life:

1) Pick up the phone in 2-4 rings and sound professional. Yes, I know it sounds real basic but it's amazing how many companies just do not get it. When a prospect is shopping this creates the first important impression.

2) Under promise and over deliver. When she set the appointment between 9 and 9:30 she was there at 9:15 sharp. In other words, do what you say you are going to do. This goes a long way in quickly building trust.

3) First learn about your prospect and look for ways to add value before you offer a solution. This professional took the time to get familiar with my home and offer valuable suggestions before we even started to discuss price.

4) Let the prospect know what makes you an expert. Please, I would never suggest you brag. Remember that your experience and qualifications tell the prospect that you are worth listening to. It also puts their mind at ease to know they are dealing with an expert.

5) Help your prospect to make a decision. After all if you have taken the time to learn about their needs and you have the expertise it's only common courtesy to make a recommendation on how to best solve their problem.

6) After they have bought do something extra. The classic book “Guerilla Selling” calls this The Reward Stage and devotes a whole chapter to it. “The objective of the Reward stage is to leave the new customer feeling special.” (Levinson, Gallagher & Wilson, Guerrilla Selling, ISBN 0-395-57820-5).

Customers that have this kind of experience want to tell their friends about it. They also become customers for life.

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Michele Comeau coauthored the pocket workbook, "How to Turn Complaints into Ca$h" with Dr. Ian Brooks and is featured in the video "Tips for Turning Around the Customer from Hell" as well as other articles and audios.

Every year she works with a select group of businesses to successfully increase profits by turning shoppers into buyers and buyers into life long advocates.

Michele can be reached at: comeau@xtra.co.nz