All of us appreciate our customers because they’re not so easy to keep. It’s important to know what they feel about us. Whether they’re a repeat or “one-time” customer, what are they hearing? What are they seeing? What causes them to think about us, as Towers, the way they feel about other groups or businesses? What are they telling others about us? Are we measuring UP?
Through the years, it’s been my privilege to physically visit many towing companies in the North, South, East and West. They’ve may have been successfully built but they may still be missing something. As we go through our busy day, we tend to forget customers are the reason the company exists. If a business can’t meet the needs of a customer, then the business won’t survive and it’s only a matter of time before our “life support” is turned-off.
These days, just meeting a customer’s needs isn’t enough. Developing relationships with customers will give us the information we need to delight them and build their trust which brings loyalty.
Delighting customers is imperative for developing a customer’s loyalty. Hope you heard that. It’s very important! Developing increasingly satisfied customers comes through delighting them every time we or our team work with them because helping and satisfying their needs is at the heart of everything we do. Understanding that will truly generate customers for life. (I will give examples to you in a minute). For now, let’s talk FOCUS and COMMITMENT.
Total customer focus means absolute commitment to the customer. That commitment drives everything. Commitment is the way individuals think, the way they work, and the way each department is managed. Your total customer focus can be achieved only when everyone and I mean, everyone on your team – your dispatcher, driver, day-time or nighttime manager, your yard people, all work together.
Here are some examples. Real world stuff!
Example 1 – A large loaded 18 wheeler needs to be picked up taken 3 blocks, then unloaded and taken to a repair shop 42 miles south. Dispatch explained the need to the day manager and a tow truck was dispatched while I was sitting in the conference room writing a new chapter of a book on delighting our customers so they can be our raving fans and brag on us. The manager asked if I could drive to where they are unloading the 18 wheeler and pick up the driver and take him to a hotel located near where the truck is
to be fixed. So, I stopped writing and drove to pick up this driver. He and I made one stop at a Wal-Mart for some personal items and then I dropped him off at a hotel close to a restaurant where he stayed 2 days. Folks, that’s the kind of customer service I was writing about.
Example 2 – Another time, I’m at a different location. While in the office, I overheard a
driver’s conversation with the office. A family was stranded out on the highway with food from a trip to the grocery store. After retrieving my keys I pointed my car toward the stranded family and dropped them off at their home. Later that day, the mother dropped off a plate of brownies to the office staff. Picking up that family wasn’t a big deal to me BUT it meant a great deal to that stranded family. Help people where you can.
I’m sure you and your team have plenty of similar examples you could share with us. We can brag about our customer service and it means something to others. However, when customers brag about us, it means much more. Actually it’s worth 10 times more for someone to brag about you than you bragging about yourself.
Let me close this article with a thought on service and my favorite quote. Service is NOT AN OPTION. It is the bottom line for every business. NO Service – NO Customers. NO Profit – NO Business.
Service sprouts and cultivates new business. A good reputation stabilizes growth while excuses destroy business. I feel service is what really makes the difference. Your customer dedicated loyalty is built on what your team has to offer your customers. What those customers are telling you comes from what your customers are seeing and hearing from your team.
I leave this thought with you.
Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, they become your destiny.
See you next time.
