Drain the Swamp Instead of Fighting the Alligators

My son needed a haircut so I took him to a local salon. After waiting only a few minutes, I said to the receptionist, "It's freezing in here."

She replied, "I know. Our customers are always complaining that it's too cold."

"Why don't you turn down the air conditioning?" I asked.

"The owner likes it this way."

I went to my bank to make a deposit. All the pens attached to the chains were out of ink. I had to wait several minutes to get an employee's attention so I could request a pen. I said, "All the pens are dry."

"I know." She said. "Our pens are always running out of ink."

The climate of the building needs to be set with the comfort of the customers in mind. If your customers complain about being too hot or cold, adjust the settings.

Banking customers need pens. When they're chained to the counter, it's a message to the customer that he or she cannot be trusted. Banks should put out a whole tray of pens with the company name, web address and phone number on them. That way, if a customer does take one along, it will provide that customer with easy access to important information about the bank.

Think about the times when you've complained about an inconvenience and an employee responded, " I know. Our customers complain about that all the time."

Your customer complaints are alligators. If several customers complain, you've got a swamp full of alligators. When a business hears the same complaint from more than one customer, it's time to drain the swamp. Get rid of the problem that's attracting the gators.

If you know that something is annoying your customers, change it. Otherwise, they will eventually go away. Customers are too valuable to ignore their feedback. There's no point in listening to your customer's complaint if nothing is going to be done to fix the problem. Dealing with the same complaints over and over wastes a considerable amount of employee time that could be better-spent building positive relationships with customers.

Dissatisfied customers are gold. It's not mistakes that drive customers away; it's the way the mistakes are handled. When customer complaints are handled properly, loyalty increases.

To learn how to actually build loyalty while handling customer complaints, you can order the Teleseminar CD: How to Build Loyalty With Angry Customers.

You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader®", helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. Learn more at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/

customer service

Increase Your Television Sponsorship Odds

When you approach a television station to request a media sponsorship for your event, you are in competition with hundreds of other organizations with equally worthy causes. Here are some ways to help your event stand out in the crowd.

Know Your Message.

Television stations are interested in airing messages that offer mass audience appeal, exciting images and revenue opportunities. Your event or message also needs to have at least one of the following elements:

• Uniqueness—the event offers something new, unusual or exciting to the attendees: an opportunity to meet a well-known celebrity, “behind the scene” tours, a chance to be a “star” for a day, etc.
• Relevance—the topic enhances public understanding of a pressing issue: cancer prevention, domestic abuse, hunger, etc.
• Human Interest—the message is of interest to many people because it evokes a strong emotional response: terminally ill child, family in need, response to a crisis, etc.
  

Do Your Homework.

View the television station you are interested in. Pay attention to its format, community focus and on-air talent. Most television stations have annual themes and “pet causes.” As you are watching, ask yourself, “Does our event and message fit with this station’s focus?”

Know the Gatekeepers.

Historically, the community affairs director has been the gatekeeper for determining which events to sponsor. However, this role is shifting. Sales managers look for events that can create revenue-producing opportunities. News directors are interested in events that will give high visibility to the talent and increase news ratings.

Two effective avenues for connecting with the gatekeepers include:

Meeting with the Editorial Board—A team of station managers who review proposals and story ideas.

Call the station and ask to be scheduled as a guest at an editorial board meeting.

• When you arrive for the meeting, bring no more than one other person with you.
• Come prepared.
• Present a proposal that is no more than two pages long—do not bombard them with tons of material about your organization.
• Get directly to the point and tell the board members specifically what you expect from the station

Cultivating Relationships—This does not mean wining and dining station personnel.

Instead, look for ways to cultivate relationships by:

• Providing them with newsworthy opportunities and support throughout the year. Friendship and networking go a long way in pursuing television sponsorships.
• Respecting their deadlines and high volume of calls.
• Understanding that they are media sponsors, not event planners.
• Not expecting a lot of expensive production time and assistance.
• Accepting their decision gracefully if your event is turned down.
• Sending thank-you notes to everyone at the station who has met with you or provided services to your organization.

Good planning will make your event fit the objectives of the television industry. Focus on forming a partnership with your local television station to offer an event that has clear-cut benefits for both organizations. By doing so, you will increase your odds of getting airtime.

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You have permission to reprint this article in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your e-zine. Please use the entire article, Debra Schmidt’s byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. The Loyalty Leader™, leads businesses to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. Subscribe to her free email newsletter at TheLoyaltyLeader.com

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