Create More Customers

I recently came across 2 articles, both discussing the idea of treating your spouse the same way you, hopefully, treat your customers, with exemplary service.  The 1st article, "Manage Your Marriage Like a Business," was written by Louis Upkins, Jr. for Business Week magazine. The 2nd article, "Treat Your Spouse Like a VIP Client," was posted on the Gene & Julie Show blog.

Both articles suggested that our marital relationships would most likely improve if we were to treat our spouses with the same courtesy and respect that we show our customers.  The Gene & Julie Show blog post used the example of a Nordstrom salesperson following a customer all the way to the airport because that customer had accidentally left their airline ticket in the store. I call that great customer service.

They then asked the question whether or not you would feel inconvenienced or put out if your spouse had accidentally left his or her airline ticket on the kitchen counter and you had to drive all the way to the airport to give it to them.  Chances are a lot of us would probably be upset and give our "loved one" an earful, even though it wasn't done on purpose.

These articles got me to thinking about the relationships we have with our friends. I know that for me, my friends represent my extended family and are certainly every bit as important. After all, I chose them and they chose me.

5 Principles of Superior Customer Service

So, what would happen if we applied some of the principles of superior customer service to our friendships? Would the relationships be better, worse or unchanged? Let's look at just 5 of these principles:

1. Treat your customers the way you'd like to be treated- We've all been on the receiving end of poor customer service. We probably found it hard to imagine that any company could stay in business for very long when they treated us so poorly. How about the way we sometimes treat our friends? Now, our friends may be more forgiving than a customer in a store, but still, do we always treat them the way we'd like to be treated?
2. Realize that it costs much more to acquire a new customer than to retain an old one- Your current customers are always your best source of new business and they cost a lot of money and time to acquire in the 1st place. We don't come by friends quickly and easily either. Deep and meaningful personal relationships take time, sometimes years to cultivate. They're not easily replaceable and, certainly to me, far more valuable over the long run. I would much rather have 5 "best" friends than 25 acquaintances. It's all about quality, not quantity.
3. Understand your customer's needs- To be successful in business you have to know what it is that your customer wants. Your job is to provide it for them to the best of your ability. The same thing applies to friendships. In order to have a friend, you have to be a friend. How do you find out what your customer or friend needs? You listen, you ask questions. You be quiet. You be empathetic and understanding. You stop selling for a moment.. Realize that it's not all about your product (if they're a customer) or you (if they're a friend). It's about them.
4. Exceed the customer's expectations- There's a certain level of service that all customers expect. It's when you go beyond that expectation that you build loyalty. Loyalty is all about relationship building whether it's with a customer or a friend. Isn't it great when you know that you have friends who have your back, who will be with you through the good and the bad times?
5. Say "please," "thank you" and "I'm sorry"- 3 little phrases that go a long way with customers and friends. As a customer, I know that on those rare occasions that the representative I'm speaking with utters any of those 3 phrases, I feel that I'm being heard, that I'm being listened to, that I'm being respected. Sure, some people come off sounding as if they don't mean it, but for those who are sincere, it goes a long way toward defusing a situation and enhancing the relationship.

Better, Worse or Unchanged

I think that by applying each of these principles of superior customer service to the relationships we have with our friends, it could only enhance those friendships and make them better. Even more, when we treat our personal relationships with more care and more respect, we'll usually get the same in return.

Comments...

Have a comment or other examples ? Please let me know.

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The concept of "above the fold" is still a very important concept although not in the same way as previously thought.

Above the fold is a newspaper term that refers to the headlines and stories that are visible when the newspaper is folded in half as in a news rack. These are what sell the paper. In web terms, above the fold simply means the first full screen that a user sees without scrolling. (We're speaking about vertical scrolling, not horizontal scrolling, which is a complete no-no).

 
Do users scroll?

It used to be thought that most users don't scroll and therefore anything that was important, had to be placed "above the fold", or it wouldn't be seen. It's not as black and white as that. Users still don't like to scroll anymore than they used to but they will scroll, and probably always did as long as there was a reason to continue further.

 
What causes users to scroll?

Great content. That's the bottom line. Users will scroll if you've kept their attention. That initial screen has to let them know what you're offering, what's in it for them, and why they should do business with you. If you can answer those questions to their satisfaction, they'll most likely stay on your page and scroll down for more information.

 
 Should important items still be above the fold?

Yes, critical elements should still appear above the fold. Elements that tell your visitor who you are, what you're offering and why they should do business with you have to be seen on that first screen, or you've lost them.

That doesn't mean you should jam everything possible onto that first screen. That's just as poor an option as not answering the above questions. Don't fill that first screen with all your headlines, body copy, graphics, opt-in boxes, navigation bars, calls-to-action, etc.

Just make sure that the first screen they see conveys exactly what your website is about and what's in it for them,  in as clear and simple language as possible. If they have to scroll to understand what your website is about, they won't. They'll go elsewhere.

 
 Where is the fold?

This is a huge question. A lot of designers will create a page so that portions of images or text will be cut off at the fold, to let visitors know that they have to scroll down further. To do this, they have to know where the fold is, don't they?

The truthful answer is that they have no real idea of where the "fold" is for a specific visitor. It depends on the screen resolution the user has set, as well as the screen size of their monitor. Bigger screens show more content above the fold and require less scrolling. Smaller screens show less content above the fold and require more scrolling.

A study conducted by Onestat.com shows that as of September 30, 2008, 40.28% of all computer screens worldwide were using a screen resolution of 1024 X 768. If you look at just normal screens as opposed to wide screens, that percentage increases to 61.8%. The lowest screen resolution in their study, 640 X 480 accounts for only 0.16% of all screens, while a screen resolution of 800 X 600 accounts for just 4.01% of all screens. This data helps, but you still can't solve"where the fold is" for all users.

 
What do I need to do?

The most important item on your page, both above and below the fold, is your content. If your content is interesting and valuable to the reader, they'll scroll down for more. If it isn't, they're on to the next website.

What you put on that first screen, no matter where the fold falls, is very important because that will probably be your only opportunity to grab your visitor's attention. Make sure it spells out very clearly what your website is all about and what you have to offer. Don't pack it full with a lot of "noise." Just pack it full of valuable and compelling content.

That's how you keep them on your website and eventually turn those visitors into customers.

Your comments are appreciated.