Becky Rhone-Nowlan

In internet marketing, we get a lot of email.  Some has great content. Some not so much. Almost all of it is meant to make a sale at some point in time.  Recentyly I purchased Tellman Knudson’s List building CD and I was looking forward to the bonuses he offered.  When I tried to access the bonuses, I ran into a bit of trouble.  As happens with me sometimes, my name caused me not to be able to access them.  Many times website scripts only allow letters and sometimes numbers however, I have a hyphenated name.  My hyphen is considered a symbol and therefore not allowed.  This was the problem in this case. 

I went to Tellman’s support area and submitted a ticket.  It was in a place that was easy to find and once i logged in, easy to use.  This is very important on your website as it can make the difference in how irritated your customer is by the time you get to them.  I was only mildly irritated because i know this does happen.  The irritation was mostly that the scripters didn’t take us hyphenated folks into account. 

I received the usual “your ticket has been received” email.  Less than 12 hours later, I received the solution to my problem.  Instead of just telling you about it, I have gotten permission from Tellman’s Customer Experience Manager to post the reply so I can actually show you what can be accomplished in a short email and why it impressed me so much.  Obviously some things will have been removed  for privacy sake.
 

Hi Becky-

We have reset your username and password.

We are so excited to help you with your Listbuilding efforts.

The Listbuilding Club is PACKED with useful information that I am confident will
help you to turn your
business into one that is successful.

To access your account, please go to:

Access Page: (removed for obvious reasons)

Username: my user name
Password: my password

***When you log into ListBuilding Club, there is one offer, however, if you wish
to decline, all you have to do
is scroll to the end of the page and click “cancel.”  Then, you will
automatically be rooted to the homepage of the club.***

Don’t forget about the Live Members Only call tomorrow evening 8PM EST.
Call in details are located on the homepage once you login.

Please let us know if you have any further client support needs.

Sincerely,

Andrea

Determination is Everything!

P.S.

Let Us Know What You Think: http://overcomeeverything.com/cs

We take pride in being able to offer you support as you develop your On-line
Business and

have made the lofty goal of providing our clients with the best support that
they have ever experienced!

Please help us to accomplish our goal by letting us know about your experience:
http://overcomeeverything.com/cs

We look forward to providing you with continuously improved client support.

Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: (removed)
Department: Other
Priority: High
Status: Open
 
That is the email I received.  Let me tell you why I am so compelled to share this mail with you and why if you implement a few of these techniques you will earfn more loyal customers who will come back time and time again.

It starts off with a friendly casual greeting.  After that, you will notice, that it immediately addresses my problem and offers a solution.  As a customer, this difuses any irritation I might have and it shows me that you respect the fact that I had a problem.  This is important because you aren’t wasting their time.

The next thing she does is tell me that they are excited to help me.  She doesn’t just say thank you.  When I read this, I was anxiousto get started. I was inspired to take action and use the material. She showed enthusiasm and that translated in the email.  With all the noise out there, anytime you can differentiate yourself from others, go for it!  Enthusiasm is an excellent way to do that.

She goes on to tell me about the pproduct I purchased and gives me explicit instructions on how to access and use my product. Telling me what to expect and then she even reminds me about a call the following evening and how to access that call.  Everything she has done here is to help and support me in reaching my goals. Here she is using the company’s goals and ideas in a way that feels supportive to me as the customer. She has sold me further while solving my problem. Remember, part of the package I bought is a free trial of Tellman’s List Building Club.  In one short support email, Andrea has already created customer loyalty and I haven’t even tried the club yet. 

Then at the end of the email,she does something I am always going on about. She asks for feedback.  Not only does she ask, she gives me the URL of where to go to give her that feedback. She has made everything so easy and understandable that I feel happy and satisfied.  She has done everything right for me as the customer and right for the the company, Overcome Everything Inc. She has done a wonderful job of supporting both and creating a win/win situation.

I know not all of you are at a point  in your online journey  to have a customer support department as Tellman is.  However, you don’t need one to create this sort of loyalty. All you need to do iswrite your support emails using he same or similar techniques that Andrea has.

Here is the process in a step by step fashion.  I have counted 10 of them. 

1. Make sure your support area is easy to find andeasy to use.
2. Respond quickly (24 hours or less is optimal)

3. Friendly, casual greeting

4. Address customers problem/issue witha solution

5. Write in a way that differentiates you from your competitors (Andrea used enthusiasm to get me excited about the product)

6. tell your customer about your product and how to access it. Also tell them what to expect. (Allow no surprises)

7. If you have other support information, products, or trainings remind them about that.

8. Write this in a way that supports your customers goals. (This sounds difficult but it’s not. You know your product. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes.  Just tell them about it in a way that creates a winning situation for both you andyour customer.

9. Ask for feedback. Customers love to communicate with you.  You will find you get more compliments than anything else.

10. Provide a place forthem to give  you that feedback that is easy for them to find and use.
So there you have it.  Hard to believe that much can be accomplished in a short email? Not really, help your customers in a way that shows you care and they willremember you.  If you use one or more of these techniques and your support emails will create more loyal customers.

If you would like to learn more about how to get your customers to keep coming back time and again, check out my book, Secret’s of the Second Fortune.

Go check out Tellman Knudson of Overcome Everything Inc. at http://www.listbuildingpower.com

I can personally vouch for the service they provide.  Do you have a situation I can help with?  An email you’d like me to help you with or give an opinion on?  Let me know what you think by leaving me a comment.

After all, that’s what I do.

When I sat down and began to consider what I wanted to write about for the New Year, many possibilities sprang to mind.  I finally decided to write about the top 10 customer service interactions that impressed me this year.  The thing that is kinda sad is that is took me a while to think of 10.  My thought is that somewhere in the 10 you will find a new uidea that perhaps you can implement into your business and impress your customers so much they might want to blog about you. :)  Maybe you already are and that would be awesome!  So without further ado, my 10 in no particular order and why they are.

 Cafe Bixby - I mentioned this in my last blog post http://fortuneinthefollowup.com/CustomerCare/?p=13- They have a busboy who brings only the kind of cream i like for mine coffee. This makes me feel special and I love it.  They also have a waiter named Andreas who always tries to upsell.  Usually I don’t like to be bothered with that sort of thing.  However, upselling can be done and when done properly you not only make more money, your customers remember you and continue to come back.  The whole key to doing this properly is to do it in such a way as to identify something you can  help them with that perhaps they hadn’t thought of.  You can also do what Andreas does and add in grace and charm and be memorable to them.  Andreas started off by always suggesting pie. Of course this makes some sense since I usually have coffee.  However, lately he has been taking notice of what I actually order and has been offering those items.  I have been to a lot of restaurants and not many have waiters that remember what I have previously ordered. 

RedRobin- This year I was invited to a birthday party at Red Robin.  I was astounded when the hostess opened the door for me. Then I noticed the huge Television screen in the floor in the waiting area.  if you were watching sports and wanted to catch what was going on with the game, this would be the place to do it.  The service and food were really great and I was also charmed when the hostess once again opened the door for me on the way out.  Now I ask you, how many restaurant have hosts and hostesses that open the door for you when you arrive and leave?  Not to mention a TV in the floor in the waiting area.  Definitely a place that stands out in my mind.

The next entry on my list is kinda personal.  :)  I hired my son Ronny Nowlan-I needed  some graphic work done and I had an idea for a video for youtube.   Being on a shoestring budget, his prices were right (no not free) Despite the fact I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted in a header graphic, he kept bringing me designs.  Not once did he make me feel like I was a pain (even though I was) As far as the video goes, we had a couple of challenges that he needed to fix and he did so with style.  You can see my header graphic at Customer Service

…and here is my youtube video: 
The Truth about Customer Service on the Internet

 Pat O’Bryan -I have blogged about Pat before.  If you have been with me for any length of time you know I admoire Pat.  You probably also know that I am learning to take my business to the next level under Pat’s tutelage. The thing about Pat is he really knows how to connect with his customers and readers and he also over-delivers.  He is a man who really cares about your success. It’s those people who will keep me coming back again and again.

OSH Orchard Supply and hardware- I had purchased a light from them and when I opened the box at home I found it was broken. I took it back and instead of making me open the box and show them what the problem was the Customer Service person said to go get a new one and he would just exchange it.  In today’s world most stores make you show them the problem and sign in triplicate. This was a nice little break especially during Christmas. 
Dr Mani- I am a big admirer of Dr Mani.  Not only because of who he is and what he stands for but because what he teaches about blogging is simple and easy to implement.  I recently signed up for one of his programs and didn’t receive my link.  I contacted his support desk and was answered promptly and courteously.  It took less than 24 hours.  From my experience with online help desks, it usually takes at least 48 hours to hear anything.  When taking care of customers, within 24 hours is ideal. 
#7- Codrut Turcano - This was much  same as my experience with Dr mani.  Anyone online that answers a help email within 24 hours stands out in my mind.  As you can see it takes just a few outstanding touches to be memorable to your own customers.

Angela Treat-Lyon- I emailed her a question regarding an EFT situation.  Not only did she personally reply to me, she helped me work out my situation.  Will I give her more of my business and refer people to her?  You bet I will.  Why?  because she cares and showed me that she does.

Sky Diving- I waited 2 years to make this dream come true.  They made my first skydive the experience of a lifetime. The attentiveness and care for my safety was one I will remember. When I go up again- and I will- it will be with them

Doughboys- This is an army surplus store my son enjoys going to.  This thing that makes them stand out is that they are always checking up on you.  Their attentiveness goes above and beyond. If they hear you talking to someone and it sounds like you are looking for something, they will offer to help.  If you decline help, they back off.  Once you have your purchases on the counter, they take care to make sure you are buying exactly what you want. A truly lost art in todays business environment.

So there you have it, my 10 best- Now I invite you to share your 10 best customer service interactions, or if you’ve a mind to, your 10 worst…  Perhaps you’d like to tell me what you think of my picks, either way- click comment and let me know :) 

I interviewed Becky Rhone-Nowlan about Customer Service dynamics.

The following is Part 2 of the interview:

MagicBecky Messmer: May I take it from an on-line perspective?

Mooie Infinity: Yes indeed.

MagicBecky Messmer: I talk about this in my book, “Secrets of the Second Fortune.” When you begin the process of creating your on-line business you look for a problem to solve right?

Mooie Infinity: Right.

MagicBecky Messmer: So you start researching and getting into your prospects head, thinking how they think, figuring out how they feel.  Your next step is to create your product and start communicating with them.

So you expend all this energy and time making a connection with them.  Are you not at this point working on *serving* your customers needs?

Mooie Infinity: Yes.

MagicBecky Messmer: At this point you are doing customer service.  That’s the very interesting distinction that people don’t seem to get.

Mooie Infinity: Customer Service is a genuine attention to the needs of the customer.

Mooie Infinity: Customer Service is a genuine attention to the needs of the customer.

MagicBecky Messmer: Problem resolution on the other hand- is solving
(or resolving) a very specific problem they are having.

MagicBecky Messmer: Yes, Mooie! I love that statement, Genuine attention to the needs of your customer.

Mooie Infinity: Yes you can use that somehow–it has a certain ring to it.

MagicBecky Messmer: Sounds like the title to an article.

Mooie Infinity: I want to address the lack of communication skills.

MagicBecky Messmer: So, back to what I was saying.

Mooie Infinity: People need to altruistically learn how to
communicate.

MagicBecky Messmer: After someone plunks down there money, most people on-line
want to automate the rest of it.  So they are basically automating their customers right out of their business which does one thing. It alienates the customer which ruins all the time and energy the business owner has spent in connecting with them in the first place.

Mooie Infinity: Yes.

MagicBecky Messmer: I agree about the communication.

Mooie Infinity: Communication is key, and largely overlooked.

MagicBecky Messmer: Yes it is but then that goes back to the whole
taking responsibility issue.

Have you listened to how we as adults communicate with each other and our children?

Mooie Infinity: Yes, we all can fall prey to negative communication.

Also–people tend to allow their emotional hot buttons to be pushed as opposed to learning the art of detachment in talking to others.

MagicBecky Messmer: Glad you brought that up Mooie.  This is one of my favorite parts of service.

Mooie Infinity: As I said in Ho’oponopono and Stellar CS (a bonus to your forthcoming electronic book). Love is all you need.

MagicBecky Messmer: We are emotional creatures. We have 2 sides of our brain,
the emotional side and the thinking side. 

Mooie Infinity: Yes–creative and rational, spiritual and practical.

MagicBecky Messmer: When you are upset, the emotional side takes over.  That is why its so important for someone doing problem resolution (or CS) to learn how to let a customer rant while supporting them in their right to be upset.

Once they get done ranting their brain equalizes itself out and they  can then *hear* what I or any CS person has to say.

When a customer is really angry, you could say, I am going to give you a million
dollars and they wouldn’t hear you.

Mooie Infinity: Are CS people trained in communication?

MagicBecky Messmer: Whether they are trained in communication, depends on the company.

Where I worked we took CS classes all the time- including one called Communication 101.

Mooie Infinity: You could write an ebook about that very problem: Lack of communication skills and the solution for CS workers.

MagicBecky Messmer: I did want to speak on one more issue if that’s ok.

Mooie Infinity: oh please, do.

MagicBecky Messmer: The idea that customer service is not a revenue producing activity.

Mooie Infinity: Ah, yes.

MagicBecky Messmer: Many believe that because it doesn’t immediately put
a check in your bank account that it doesn’t make you money and therefore
not such an important part of business.

Mooie Infinity: How wrong “they” are.

Everyone in an organization needs to be CS minded

MagicBecky Messmer: My thoughts on the matter are if you don’t take care
of your customer they won’t stick around.

Mooie Infinity: Every one must be a CS person in any organization.

MagicBecky Messmer: Everyone in an organization should be treated like a customer,
whether they are internal customer or an external customer.

Mooie Infinity: Now there’s a good point! As an employee, I recently wrote
to the Vice President of my hospital about a very serious problem–and got absolutely no response.

A few weeks later I sent the letter back, saying I expected the nursing staff
to be empowered and not blown off.

MagicBecky Messmer: Are you not HIS customer?

Mooie Infinity: I am. And that’s why I sent it back, and got an answer then.

MagicBecky Messmer: But see that’s another reason why CS is not done
correctly in many cases. Everything trickles down from the top.  If the people at the top don’t value service, then who is teaching the employees?

Mooie Infinity: Good point.

MagicBecky Messmer: It all works together. If a marketer on-line doesn’t think customer service is important, how well do you think his or her staff is going to take care of the customer?

Mooie Infinity: I believe whole organizations could learn from this, from several
hundred or more to the lone marketer, like us.

MagicBecky Messmer: I agree, because it is such an integral part of business.

Mooie Infinity: Respect, cooperation, compassion, kindness, humanity.

MagicBecky Messmer: Whether it be a huge corporation or a small online business,
the one thing everyone seems to forget is the reason we are *in* business is for the customer. Is that not who we create products and services for?

Mooie Infinity: Yes.

MagicBecky Messmer: So let’s not forget them in the equation.

Mooie Infinity: Building relationships and trust, loyalty– Fans!!!

MagicBecky Messmer: Trust me they will remember it and thank you for it
by spending with you again and again.

As I like to say, A customer will never remember what you do for them but They will ALWAYS  remember how you made them feel.

Mooie Infinity: True. That’s what I always remember, as a customer.

MagicBecky Messmer: Me too!

Mooie Infinity: Thank you Becky! This has been enlightening.

MagicBecky Messmer: And of course that goes right back to your idea about love your customers.

Mooie Infinity: Love is all you need.

MagicBecky Messmer: My pleasure Mooie. You got me to talk
a lot.

Shhh– It’s a secret.

It’s the Secret of the Second Fortune!

Mooie Infinity: Yes it is.

MagicBecky Messmer: Definitely. How to tap into your customer’s heart.

Mooie Infinity: Our conversation today will help people see the mportance of nurturing Customer Service in their businesses.

Thank you for coming!!