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YOU WANT TO STAY IN BUSINESS? You better roll out the red carpet for your clients.
By Dr. Joachim de Posada

Every single day, in all different kinds of industries, I witness horrible customer service. I see it when I catch a cab, when I visit someone in a hospital, when I go to a restaurant, when I buy a piece of equipment, even when I deal with a government agency. In this article, I am addressing travel agents.

It is no secret that the travel industry has gone through tremendous changes. I can't think of any other industry where someone that makes a sale to their client, suddenly has commissions taken away. Just like that, from one day to the next, no more commissions from the airline industry. It's been a few years since and guess what has happened? Many travel agencies have disappeared, gone out of business! But, believe it or not, many travel agencies adapted to the change, became very creative and are now making more money than ever. What differentiates one agency from another? What makes one agency thrive under these difficulties and another one go bankrupt?

There are many answers to this question. The successful agencies are more creative, they are more resilient, can adapt to change much better, have better clients, better location, a better back office, more advanced technology, more effective marketing and some are luckier than others. All these are valid answers and we could analyze them all. For this article, though, I want to concentrate on one very important ingredient to success: Customers.

Customers are the most important ingredients in any business. Without them, little else matters. There would be no need for executives, customs agents, accountants, marketers, tech folks, or anyone or any business for that matter.

In my seminars, I often ask the question, if you were to open a McDonald's, what is the most important factor for you to be successful in that business? I get all kinds of answers but never the right one. They mention good marketing, good employees, follow the franchise operations manual, good supervision, a good accounting system etc. No one answers, HUNGRY CUSTOMERS. That is the correct answer. For your hamburger business to be successful, you need hungry customers. And if you offer hamburgers, your hamburgers must at least be eatable and when someone comes to buy them, they must be treated well and most importantly quickly.

So, how do you get your customers to choose you as a provider of services? Through marketing, the introduction of a new product line, or even maybe by accident. However, most often, people will continue to do business with you based on how well they are treated by your company. They will become loyal customers only-and I emphasize only-if they are treated well each and every time they deal with your company. Am I saying anything new here? Well, let's see. Maybe you have heard some of these:

"Customers are our number one priority"
"Think Customer"
"We are here to serve you"
"We are customer-focused in this company"
"The customer is king"
"We are customer driven" And so on, and so on.

These are nice slogans, and they make nice banners, but let me tell you, many customers will tell you that they are a bunch of lies. Many customers will tell you (even if not to your face) they are mistreated, they don't come first, they don't feel wanted, they feel you are only interested in their money, they think you lie, etc. And the sad part is that if you read most company manuals or procedures, you will notice that the customer isn't really number one.the procedures are!

Let me share ten customer service rules that you might want to cut out and give to everyone of your employees.

- Treat customers with respect. They are human beings and clients; they are not account numbers.
- Do what you say you are going to do. Keep your promises.
- Communicate with your customers. Tell them the truth.
- Don't interrupt. Always let your customers express their points of view, especially if they are upset.
- Answer the phone within the first three rings and not more than six-ever.
- When a customer has a problem, solve it.
- If the problem is out of your control, allow the customer to talk to someone who can make decisions and monitor whatever happens.
- Be clear on what you offer, how you offer it, why, and when.
- Be an expert on your field so that you know how to help customers.
- Intent is more important than technique. Always behave in a caring manner.
It is as simple as this: If you take good care of your customers, they will take good care of your business.