Let's Exceed Expectations

I've written here a few times about my absolute obsession with good customer service. I'm very picky as a customer and I really do expect a lot. After all, I'm parting with hard earned money in order to obtain something ... food, clothes, candles, whatever. We all have so many choices out there when it comes to where we shop. So I feel that people should earn my respect, trust, and business.

Designing jewelry is something I absolutely love. I get a special thrill when I am really happy with how a piece turns out. And, fortunately or unfortunately, in order to continue to design I must also sell my work. Which means I end up on the other side of that business/customer relationship ... and it means that I need to be sure to treat my customers the way I expect to be treated.

This year's holiday selling season may be tougher than most ... okay more than "may be" but I'm trying to be optimistic.

As a small little fish in a gigantic ocean, why should someone spend their hard earned dollars with me instead of someone else? Why should I part with my money to buy something from you?

I think the most important thing we can convey to customers is that we care about their business and we care about them. My customers aren't just another "sale" ... I WANT them to love my jewelry as much as I love to create it. I want them to be happy.

It's funny...I've had a few returns over the last few years and looking back on them it's not the returning of money that upsets me. It's that someone wasn't happy or thrilled with my work. That bothers me a heck of a lot more than having to return money. But I'm glad that they were willing to return it rather than keep it and not be happy.

So this season, just remember that those of us who sell, sell more than just a product or service. We're selling an entire experience. From start to finish we need to convince and convey that our "widget" and the experience of buying that widget is going to be the best that a person can find. Does that make sense???

Here's a great article titled "What Are You Really Selling?" that has some great ideas on making the customer experience better.

"In these challenging economic times it is more important than ever to know who we really are as a company, how we are unique in the marketplace and how we can better serve our customers with consistently reinforced service messages that will bring them back to our business again and again and again."

Hang in there. Yes, this is a roller coaster ride of an economy right now but I have faith that our system will survive and recover even stronger than before. =)