Best Practice
Why do we do it and do we do it right?
As Balanix Solutions moves towards our 8th Birthday, we’ve reflected on what has brought us the greatest success in our business and why. Like many others, we have spent a significant amount of time and money developing our client base.
During our time we have spent money on web development, advertising, promotion and networking. Which one has brought the greatest return? Without doubt, NETWORKING – not only in terms of dollar revenue but even more importantly, relationship building.
Balanix Solutions sets out to create long term clients as a major objective. To us this means that when a client comes on board it is because it works for both parties and both parties are interested in the long term based on a strong business relationship.
Balanix Solutions uses networking to develop relationships and not as a means of selling our services. In this regard, we look at ways of helping businesses to achieve success. This often means referring business to other businesses that are able to assist without seeking anything in return.
This concept is quite a paradigm shift when you consider that in joining a networking group, thoughts spring to mind that there maybe some people that you could never really successfully network with because they didn’t relate to your business in a way that would be productive. However, with the improvement of networking skills it becomes apparent what networking is really about. If you take the time to understand what others do and show a genuine interest in what they do, then opportunities will arise where you are able to help.
It is important to be genuine in your desire to know and help others. People can very quickly determine whether you are genuine or not which will determine the strength and longevity of the relationship.
When attending a function, don’t simply hand out business cards – take the time to build rapport. It is only when the person you are speaking with has built positive rapport with you that it is likely they will remember you and connect you to your business card.
Once the rapport has been established it is important to maintain the relationship. A system in place is needed to remind you to keep in touch with these people and, equally important, to be on the lookout for ways to help.
For example, recently a client needed to refocus in relation to marketing as they were spending serious money but did not really have a strategy. We were able to refer them to someone we knew that specialised in marketing. The end result was a happy client (because their problem in now well under control), a happy marketing contact (because they now have a client with whom they have the opportunity to have a long and successful relationship) and a happy Balanix Solutions.
Balanix Solutions’ system for networking includes a file containing all network contacts and information is added as we learn more about the person and their business.
We have found that this approach to networking reaps rewards for us. With this approach shared amongst contacts and fellow networkers, referrals come our way too; in some instances, when least expected.
For example, our hairdresser referred a client to us and since then that client has referred another client. The referral was born from a long and strong relationship with no expectations. This made the thank you and gratitude flowers more appreciated.
Which leads to the final point. In being genuine in your relationships, take the time to thank people who have passed on referrals. Depending on the relationship this can be simply saying thank you (in person or by phone if possible) or with a gift or gesture.
“Complaint” is not a Dirty Word
Sally Balwin
Recruitment | HR | Business Development
We only have one chance to make a first impression. We all know that to succeed in business we need to get it right the first time and every time.
However, mistakes and misunderstandings do happen and there is usually an opportunity to recover if handled properly.
Unfortunately, statistics indicate that more customers than not don’t complain to the business they are dealing with but rather just take their custom elsewhere. Moreover, unhappy people will tell more people about the cause of their unhappiness than happy satisfied people will tell of their good experience. This human nature does not help with word of mouth advertising!!
So how does one recover from a complaint? In a nut shell, FIX IT ASAP and in such a way to reduce retelling of the incident.
Not always that simple I hear you say … that’s right! It depends on the nature and severity of the complaint and the facts of the circumstance.
One key strategy to ensure starting on the right foot in a difficult situation is the current relationship with the complainant. If the nature of the business facilitates, ensure good and nurtured relationships with your customers. Starting with a strong relationship will encourage empathy and willingness from the customer to resolve things with you rather than going elsewhere.
If a customer complains don’t be defensive and retain composure at all times. Address the customer by name and demonstrate empathy for their frustration and anger whether at fault or not.
Offer an apology even if the issue is not your fault – for example, “I’m very sorry you are upset” – such response does not admit blame but does establish some rapport with the customer and shows your interest.
Give the customer your full attention and demonstrate this both verbally (ie, in the responses you give) and with your body language. Maintain eye contact with the customer, don’t fold your arms or use facial expressions which indicate not caring, disinterest or boredom. Don’t allow interruptions, such as taking phone calls or dealing with staff or other customers, when dealing with a complaint.
Don’t make excuses or blame others. Remember, the customer is looking for resolution and not to be fobbed off or worn down by explanation.
If you can’t resolve the matter on the spot, don’t explain the steps you will take to resolve the situation. Don’t lie about what you will or won’t do as this can make things worse. If you tell the customer you will contact them within two days then contact them within two days if only to tell them you are still investigating things and to keep them informed as to where you are at.
Endeavour to make the customer part of the solution … let them know what you can do (not what you can’t so) and see if you can find out what will turn the customer’s dissatisfaction in to satisfaction. Do they want a refund, discount, replacement etc.
If the customer agrees to a solution, act quickly. Don’t create another problem by dragging the chain. Finally, follow up with the customer to strengthen the relationship for the future.
Is Business Just Business or is it Personal
Sally Balwin
Recruitment | HR | Business Development
How many times have you heard the phrase “it’s just business”. We can set businesses up legally as its own entity and we can build a brand promoting this entity, however, when it comes to dealing with this entity, what is it that motivates people to do so.
At my recent Albany Creek Business Contacts (ACBC) meeting I posed this question to the members (who are small business owners) and found overwhelming support that it is personal.
Comments started by supporting the idea that, particularly in small business, the business runs based on the personal characteristics of the owner. The owners’ beliefs, values, ethics and desires are what shapes the business, its brand and its growth. Consultants and business literature will say to look at what your customers and market are looking for in order to make decisions on service delivery. This is true, however, the business’s people and the relationships they establish with customers will be the driving force of the business.
One ACBC member commented that in their service industry it is very personal. Customers need to establish trust and be comfortable with the people they are dealing with and will decide on whether they will use the service on a relationship basis. In this regard, customers don’t separate personal from business.
Other comments from a business owner’s perspective suggest that some decisions are made from a personal perspective rather than a business perspective. It was suggested that “if it doesn’t feel right then it’s not right”, inferring that some decisions are on gut instinct or personal comfort rather than rational business analysis.
In relation to branding of the business, it was suggested that if the owner and staff are not personally invested in the message and what is trying to be achieved, then how can they “sell” and support the message and the brand. It they are not committed and own the brand then how can they explain it to others in the way the business wants to be seen.
Finally, it was suggested that maintaining and projecting the “personal” part of a business can be a competitive edge particularly for small business competing with large players in the market. A good example is dealing with large organisations’ call centers. Although the caller is speaking with a person, many find the scripted process less engaging and personal feeling they are not important to the business. How many times have you said to the insurance company or telco company (merely by way of examples) “I know my account is not very big in the scheme of your business, however, I am not feeling very satisfied with the way I’m being treated”. This sense of sterility and lack of personal relationship impacts on customer satisfaction. The difficulty for a small business arises in relation to how to maintain the personal relationship with customers and the brand built if it grows into one of the large players.
Business Etiquette – A Competitive Edge
Sally Balwin
Recruitment | HR | Business Development
I am not telling you anything new when I say businesses in Australia (and for that matter around the world) have experienced some tuff times over the past few years. When in this volatile state, business owners can get caught up in the day to day, the changes in their business circumstances (which were out of their control) and basically just go into survival mode.
Spending has been tight and has needed to be focused on the critical rather than the global. So, having ridden the ride and balanced on the wire, what can business owners do to standout above the noise but not spend a fortune.
Have you thought about etiquette as a competitive edge in your customer service?
I don’t know about you but there are many things that businesses do that really turn me off. To name only a few … Being late for appointments (or just not turning up at all) without so much as a phone call. Rushing through what they want to tell me rather than listening to what I want. Only making contact with me when they want me. And my really big gripe … leaving their mobile phones on when meeting with me and (in the worst events) taking calls and responding to texts (arrrgh!).
Etiquette is not an archaic way of behaviour. It is about a way of behaviour that makes the other person feel comfortable and responsive. There are many actions a business owner and their staff can take to demonstrate good etiquette, but here are just a few:
Do What you Say
As mentioned above, there is nothing more frustrating for a customer/client than expecting something to find it does not happen. Remember, your customer/client’s time is just as important to them as your’s is to you. If you say you are going to do something and you don’t then word will get around and the phone will stop ringing. We all know unforeseen circumstances happen, however, how hard is it to organise a phone call to a customer/client to say you are running a bit late or to explain circumstances that mean you are sorry that you can’t meet what you said you would do but this is what you are going to do about it.
Be Present
Have you ever experienced a situation where either a business is talking at you and not listening to you or quite frankly looks like the representative is falling asleep and/or would rather be elsewhere? If you want the customer/client then BE PRESENT! It is about them not you! I am not suggesting you have to totally not move conversation along, but if you want to do better than your competitor, then listen and understand what your customer/client is asking so you can provide the best solution.
Say Thankyou
Thank-you seems to be becoming extinct from our vocabulary. And yet it is such a simple but powerful word. People respond to being appreciated and recognised. Thank-yous can take many forms from saying thank-you in person, shouting out thank-you on social media to symbols of thank-you like notes, a small gift (like a scratchy) etc. By way of example, here at Balanix we send a hand written note and some scratchies to those who refer clients to us to let them know how much we appreciate what they have done for our buisness.
Ask
If you are blogging a case study using a real customer/client situation – ask them if it is OK.
If you have received a lovely testimonial/review from a customer/client and you want to publish it on your website or social media pages – ask them if it is OK.
If you wish to let the world know which terrific customer/client you have done business with – ask them if it is OK.
Don’t just assume that others will be OK with what you want to do with the information.
And yes, I will tackle the pet peeve …
Mobile Phones
As indicated above, if you really want to secure the customer/client/sale … be present. Don’t answer your mobile phone when talking/meeting with someone … Don’t read and/or respond to a text, or check your Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or Google+ etc … remember, you want to impress this person … not make them feel that someone or something is more important.
I was impressed with the mobile message a friend in real estate has on their mobile (something along these lines):
“Hi, this is Jack Smith from Smith Real Estate. Unfortunately I can’t take your call right now as more than likely I am with a client at the moment. As a courtesy to them I have turned my mobile phone off so I can give them my best attention and service I can offer. I appreciate you phoning me and if you could please leave your name and contact number I will phone you back as soon as I can offer you my same focus.”
Running a business is tuff … but being courteous and considerate can do wonders!
5 Reasons Small Business Let Their Support Areas Slide
Sally Balwin
Recruitment | HR | Business Development
I spend most of my time working with and talking with small business owners … after all, it is my passion. One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the lack of time and money small business owners invest in their support areas.
What do I mean by “support areas” – things like financial management, IT management, planning and forecasting and human resource management. These are all critical parts of every business however are mostly ignored until crisis requires engagement.
As a small business owner, how many of the following can you say yes to:
- I tend to ignore unsatisfactory performance of staff until it is at a point where it can’t be ignored anymore.
- I generally recruit staff when I really really really need them for a particular job and not before.
- I generally make staffing choices in rushed and stressed situations.
- I generally engage IT, Accounting and other support services providers based on price.
- I rarely take time to plan and undertake forward thinking in relation to my business and its support services.
- I don’t have a business plan.
- I don’t have a cashflow or budget.
- I don’t have an IT plan.
- I really only know the bare minimum in relation to laws around staff.
- I avoid having to use an accountant or solicitor unless I absolutely have to.
- I have experienced significant interruption to my business due to something going wrong in relation to one of my support areas (eg, issues with Tax & BAS, major cashflow issues, major staff issue, major IT issue, major legal issue).
I am hoping as a business owner you don’t have any ticks above. However, in reality I know most will.
So, at the recent meeting of the Albany Creek Business Contacts (ACBC), which is a networking group of local small businesses who get together to support and help each other through referrals, I asked the question – “why do small business owners neglect their support services”. The answers fell into five responses:
- Poor time Management – too much time working on the tools that there isn’t time to work on the business.
- Focus is on Money making activities – the inference here was that the support services do not “make money” from a billable perspective and therefore were not the focus.
- Lack of knowledge – many small business owners are very good in relation to the product or service of the business however do not invest in learning how to run a business and the value add the support services provide.
- Previous bad experiences – it was suggested here that some small business owners have had previous bad experiences with providers of support services so once burned then never to return.
- Ain’t broke don’t do anything with it – the suggestion that if it isn’t broken or creating problems then nothing needs to be done.
The problem with this situation is that when issues do arise in the business it winds up costing many many times more in time, dollars and productivity to deal with the issue and/or fix it than if some investment had been made along the way.
For example:
- rule of thumb it costs businesses 2 ½ times the salary of a position to replace the staff member;
- industry research suggests a business should be investing 2-3% of its net profit on its IT; and
- costs associated with needing to engage an accountant or solicitor to address specialist issues can be ten times plus the cost than had advice and assistance been obtained from the beginning and along the way.
If you want to discuss how to get started in building support for your business without breaking the bank, call me today (3264 4783) – I can help!
