Find Out What Your Customers Think

1^st a Customer Service Parable     

   A young boy named Johnny walked into the corner drug store and placed four $1 bills on the counter, asking the pharmacist to give him dimes so he could make phone calls (this happened within most of our lifetimes, but seems ancient now).

    Johnny sat down in the phone booth in the back of the store and started to make calls. With each call, he told the person that he cuts grass for a summer job, and for a very cheap price, would like to cut their lawn.

   The pharmacist watched Johnny as he made each of the 40 phone calls. And in hearing one side of the phone conversation, the pharmacist could tell that none of the 40 phone calls resulted in a sale as Johnny closed with, "Thank you anyway. Goodbye."

   As Johnny walked back through the pharmacy he had a big smile on his face. The pharmacist of course was curious and asked how Johnny could be so cheerful when he had failed to make a single sale. The explanation by Johnny was, "I already cut each of their lawns. I just wanted to call to see if a cheap price could buy their business away from me. I must be doing pretty well."

2^nd a Customer Service True Story

   In Charlotte last week, Regional Sales Manager Jim V. and General Manager Dave N. did the modern day equivalent of calling on a pay phone: They met with the Charlotte based  supervisors and specialists of a large payroll processing company—a group of around 35 people.

   As soon as Jim and Dave were introduced, the meeting room broke out in applause.  “The next 20 minutes were filled with individual testimonies about how they and their clients love our service,” reports Jim.  One payroll specialist reported on a client that had moved locations and were now receiving service from UPS; according to the specialist, “they called me and requested to go back to LaserShip as soon as possible”. 

   Information: Prompt and accurate.  That is specifically what the payroll company likes about LaserShip's services.   “Inquires are handled promptly by LaserShip team members Chase and Matt and the information is always accurate” said one payroll specialist.    

   “What can we do to improve our service?”   The answer from the group was a resounding, “Expand your service territory” so more of our customers can experience LaserShip.

   Asking our customers what they think of us—what they like, what they would like—is the single best way(other than calling them on a pay phone to lure them away with a cheap price) to ensure customer loyalty and longevity.