TOMA

Posted on October 13, 2010 by David

T.O.M.A.

No. Not TOGA. This isn’t a college frat party!

T.O.M.A. = Top Of Mind Awareness

A fellow blogger and Disney Institute alum recently commented that in her business, a bulk-mail operation in Indiana, she has clients calling her before they call the post office because they know that she will answer their questions in a way they can understand. When they think of mail, she wants them to think of her! Way to go Donna!

Another term that describes this type of awareness is brand loyalty. What do your customers think of when they hear your company name?

One such company that enjoys this type of brand loyalty, this top of mind awareness, is the Disney family of companies. From ESPN, ABC, the Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, to movies, TV shows, websites and professional learning, the Disney company is ranked as the 8th Best Global Brand according to BusinessWeek.

Now you may be thinking that you’re company may never get to the level of a Disney or IBM or Coca Cola. But those companies didn’t become an overnight success. They took time, doing the same thing day after day until they achieved a level of respect as a leader.

Everyone in your organization plays a key role in developing customer loyalty and brand recognition. If you are one product in a sea of products, it is your brand you want them to notice. You’ll be surprised at the relationship between loyalty and the health and future of your business.

Posted in Brand Loyalty, Disney, Disney Institute, Recognition | 4 Comments

Milestones

Posted on October 11, 2010 by David

Most of us have had numerous milestones in our lives. The birth of a child, marriage, first house, first car, first love, 20th High School Reunion (and you survived!), etc.

Since this blog began in December of 2009, it has reached a few milestones. First, the blog was read by someone outside the state of Georgia. Next came a day when it received it’s first visit from a foreign country.

Now, I’ve been blessed with getting the message out to 25 states and 17 foreign countries. With nearly a thousand page views a month, the word is getting out.

To my friends who have “retweeted”, “liked”, or somehow passed on the message, I cannot thank you enough for your generosity and support.

Just remember, everything you do is about your customer.

Also, kudos to a good friend who gave me the title of this blog. It’s what he has preached for years and his customers believe it. And when they don’t believe it’s working, they let him know about it.

What are you doing in your business that really shows your customers are a priority?

Posted in Liked, Milestones, Shared, Tweeted, Views | 2 Comments

Nil Desperandum

Posted on October 7, 2010 by David

Did some reading Wednesday night and I saw this phrase in two totally unrelated articles and one blog post.

Fate? Encouragement? Inspiration? Call it what you will.
Nil Desperandum – Never Despair
It’s pretty simple. Never give up. Don’t despair. This came from the pen of a man who lived over 2000 years ago in an age where social class meant everything. And he had none. 
Early this coming Saturday I am running in my first 5k POHSE. . . post open heart surgery era. Yes, for those who don’t know, I had open heart surgery March 11, 2004. The problem was discovered and rectified in less than 72 hours. There was no time for despair. No time to quit. We had just had our second child and were only married 7 1/2 years at that point.
As I approach the finish line Saturday, this thought will be in my head. That and “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe! My legs are killing me!”
This could be the change I’ve been seeking for years. I hope it is.
Nil Desperandum
PS. This is a little off topic from my regular postings about customer service. If your business is suffering in these lean economic times, don’t give up. Don’t despair. Nil desperandum.
Posted in Despair, Hard Work, Nil Desperandum, Social Class | 7 Comments

Do you buy "in-house"?

Posted on October 6, 2010 by David

One of my store fronts is in a great traffic location. No, it’s not out in the middle of the road. The shopping center in which we are located gets a lot of pedestrian traffic walking in front of the store. I see customers and other shopping center employees crisscrossing all day long.

What struck me as odd the other morning was an employee of the grocery store anchor walking by. It was his return trip that really caught my attention. He had what appeared to be a sub and a drink from the deli located in our shopping center. Yes, this was around lunch time.

Can you see where I’m going with this?

His store offers a full service deli . . . in-house. Assuming this was for himself, why did he go elsewhere when he should be able to get the comparable product from his own business? That $5 he chose to spend somewhere else is now gone. Multiply that by the number of customers a day times the number of days a year they are open and soon that $5 trip turns into a large sum of cash.

Are your employees spending their dollars someplace else? Do you know why? Have you tried to change that? Have you asked them? What are you missing?

These are key questions leaders need to answer.

Posted in Choice, In-House, Money, Satisfaction | Comments Off on Do you buy "in-house"?

Customer Service Tips – Be Helpful

Posted on October 4, 2010 by David

This is nothing new. People come in and use you for information then spend their dollars elsewhere. That’s okay. If they keep coming to you asking questions, you keep on providing answers. They trust you.

If they start telling their friends and family to do the same thing, that’s okay too.

That’s your reputation.

If they end up buying from you because of the level of service you continually offer, that’s great!

That’s your relationship.

If your business grows because your customers can depend on you, well, isn’t that why you’re in business?

That’s your reward!

So, go ahead, be helpful to everyone . . . . everywhere . . . . everyday!

Posted in Business Growth, Excellence, Relationship, Reputation, Reward, Service | 8 Comments