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Ken Blanchard of "One Minute Manager" fame and fortune recently teamed up with co-authers Jim Ballard and Fred Finch to craft a One Minute Manager-style approach to what they titled "Customer Mania." The book, published in 2004 made its goal patently obvious with the sub-title: "It's NEVER Too Late to Build a Customer-Focused Company." It is one of many books that should be on the shelf, or better yet, on the desk of every small business owner in town. In the era of chronic complaints from small business owners across the nation about the plethora of Big Box retailers and Mega-Service operators, the Blanchard team has captured the essence of how to win the war for customers through the keys to focus. When it's you and your 2,000 foot store against the 100,000 square foot behemoths, the reality is that the only plus you can honestly bring to the counter is the level of your customer-focus. Mom and Pop have an extreme advantage when properly pressed into action - Excellence in Quality Customer Service. Three choices on the shelf versus 300 isn't a level playing field. Price per unit when you're buying a dozen and your competitor is buying a million is enough to permanently raise your eyebrows. But, the eyebrows you need to raise are the ones right in front of your face on the customer who needs your help. Even if your people are prone to rolling their eyes when the eyebrows come into play...even if you have associates who are more concerned with kicking the customer in the teeth than kissing their assets...it is NEVER too late to turn the tide. You may never get the unhappy campers in the crowd back...but you can certainly learn how to (and teach your team how to) make sure that the next crew down the trail have a more enjoyable and more memorable experience. In Customer Mania Blanchard's team cites four critical steps to doing it right: Aim for the right target - the one that has you taking care of your customers... Treat them the right way - establish the kind of experience you want them to enjoy... Treat employees the right way - hire, train, and create a culture of recognition... Build the right kind of leadership...empower your people...you can't do it all by yourself.
While this particular book looks at the successes of Yum! Brands - including KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, A&W, and Long John Silver's...it is easily translatable to any business at almost any stage in it's life cycle. As always...the book is not intended to be The Holy Grail. It's a simply written set of guidelines in very readable fashion that can lay the groundwork, for your small business, if properly deployed and consistently maintained. There really are no magic bullets for success at the retail counter. The magic has to come from within...and has to be genuine...and has to be ever-present. Anything less is short-changing to not only your customers but your colleagues and co-workers as well. Even if your reputation has become tarnished by falling short of expectations, every day is a new day. Catch up, rather than give up. Smile rather than smirk. Start today to be a customer-focused business that has a new lease on life. Live the culture and earn a new reputation. It honestly is NEVER too late. If you really want to be inspired by the power of quality customer service...click on the following link and be prepared to be amazed! http://www.stservicemovie.com/
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