Finding Your YAMIDs
Are there certain practices in your business that inadvertently make it difficult for customers to do business with you? You're probably thinking, "Of course, not!" But without knowing it, nearly any business has little idiosyncrasies that, when corrected, make it easier to do business.
The suction cup lesson Here's an example.
You should know, first and foremost, that I HATE to shop.
When I find it necessary, I try to buy as many of my purchases in one place as I possibly can.
In shopping for holiday gifts for a friend, I stopped at a quaint little gift shop that promised to have what I needed to complete my shopping for the holidays.
I found a lovely stained glass sun catcher that was perfect! I took it to the counter along with several other items and asked the cashier if I could buy the suction cup on which it was displayed.
That way, my friend would enjoy the sun catcher immediately upon opening the package.
The cashier replied, "We don't sell those but you can pick them up at any grocery or hardware store.
The only ones we have are for our displays.
" The problem here was that it was late, I was in a hurry and I did NOT want to make another stop on my way home.
I pleaded with the cashier, "But can't you please just sell me one suction cup so I won't have to make another stop?" She replied, "No I'm sorry I can't.
" So without hesitating, I declined to purchase the gift and the others I had selected, walked out of the store and made a second stop at another gift store on my way home! How smart was it for this shop to lose $35 in sales because they would not sell a 25 cent item to go with a $10 gift? I call this the "YAMID Syndrome.
" YAMID stands for "You-Are-Making-It-Difficult.
" How many YAMIDs occur in your business? Is parking convenient in front of your establishment or do you require customers to drive around trucks and park in the back? Does your telephone answering system require that the caller listen to a lengthy message, then press several sets of numbers to talk with a real, live person? What happens when callers are put on hold? Is there a looping commercial message, obnoxious music or nothing? What happens when a customer complains? Are phone calls returned promptly and pleasantly - or do complaints fall the bottom of your desk, being handled only after all the other fires are extinguished? Do you apologize to an unhappy customer and take immediate action to see that their complaint is handled fairly? Are your front line employees practiced in the art of negotiation, listening and courtesy.
.
.
or are they defensive? A defensive tone discourages complaints and, ultimately, results in lost customers.
Do you have policies in force that are stated in negative language? An example is any statement with the words, no, none, never, can't, won't, etc.
and generally focuses on what you can't do.
Is it difficult or cumbersome for customers to access information you've collected in soil sampling or other tests? Are your employees knowledgeable about the products you sell and the services you provide? All employees should be able to explain the advantages of any of your products or services and answer questions about them as well.
YAMIDs apply to your internal as well as external customers.
When someone from another department requests assistance, it is granted pleasantly - or "griped" about behind the person's back? The way you treat internal customers often reflects on your handling of external customers as well.
Evaluate and fix your YAMIDs Use this early part of the year to evaluate your procedures and find your YAMIDs.
Merely looking at procedures won't really reveal the information you need.
Conduct customer surveys to find out first hand about your YAMIDs and get feedback and suggestions from the customer as to how the YAMIDs can be eliminated.
Then make the effort to correct them so your customers feel welcomed, cared about and pleased to do business with you.
June Van Klaveren owns Compelling Communications, Inc.
, a company specializing in helping companies attract more customers.
She can be reached through the web site http://www.
compelcom.
com or 800-779-0067
The suction cup lesson Here's an example.
You should know, first and foremost, that I HATE to shop.
When I find it necessary, I try to buy as many of my purchases in one place as I possibly can.
In shopping for holiday gifts for a friend, I stopped at a quaint little gift shop that promised to have what I needed to complete my shopping for the holidays.
I found a lovely stained glass sun catcher that was perfect! I took it to the counter along with several other items and asked the cashier if I could buy the suction cup on which it was displayed.
That way, my friend would enjoy the sun catcher immediately upon opening the package.
The cashier replied, "We don't sell those but you can pick them up at any grocery or hardware store.
The only ones we have are for our displays.
" The problem here was that it was late, I was in a hurry and I did NOT want to make another stop on my way home.
I pleaded with the cashier, "But can't you please just sell me one suction cup so I won't have to make another stop?" She replied, "No I'm sorry I can't.
" So without hesitating, I declined to purchase the gift and the others I had selected, walked out of the store and made a second stop at another gift store on my way home! How smart was it for this shop to lose $35 in sales because they would not sell a 25 cent item to go with a $10 gift? I call this the "YAMID Syndrome.
" YAMID stands for "You-Are-Making-It-Difficult.
" How many YAMIDs occur in your business? Is parking convenient in front of your establishment or do you require customers to drive around trucks and park in the back? Does your telephone answering system require that the caller listen to a lengthy message, then press several sets of numbers to talk with a real, live person? What happens when callers are put on hold? Is there a looping commercial message, obnoxious music or nothing? What happens when a customer complains? Are phone calls returned promptly and pleasantly - or do complaints fall the bottom of your desk, being handled only after all the other fires are extinguished? Do you apologize to an unhappy customer and take immediate action to see that their complaint is handled fairly? Are your front line employees practiced in the art of negotiation, listening and courtesy.
.
.
or are they defensive? A defensive tone discourages complaints and, ultimately, results in lost customers.
Do you have policies in force that are stated in negative language? An example is any statement with the words, no, none, never, can't, won't, etc.
and generally focuses on what you can't do.
Is it difficult or cumbersome for customers to access information you've collected in soil sampling or other tests? Are your employees knowledgeable about the products you sell and the services you provide? All employees should be able to explain the advantages of any of your products or services and answer questions about them as well.
YAMIDs apply to your internal as well as external customers.
When someone from another department requests assistance, it is granted pleasantly - or "griped" about behind the person's back? The way you treat internal customers often reflects on your handling of external customers as well.
Evaluate and fix your YAMIDs Use this early part of the year to evaluate your procedures and find your YAMIDs.
Merely looking at procedures won't really reveal the information you need.
Conduct customer surveys to find out first hand about your YAMIDs and get feedback and suggestions from the customer as to how the YAMIDs can be eliminated.
Then make the effort to correct them so your customers feel welcomed, cared about and pleased to do business with you.
June Van Klaveren owns Compelling Communications, Inc.
, a company specializing in helping companies attract more customers.
She can be reached through the web site http://www.
compelcom.
com or 800-779-0067
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