Small business
Words never said enough: Thank you for a Job Well Done
A big (BIG, really BIG) Pet Peeve of mine is that more people send negative feedback than they ever do positive. And even worse, this has trained us all to expect the bad and not the good.
When I worked at Royal Bank years ago, one of my jobs was the Information Desk. You know, the main front desk where everyone stops to get information – who to see, how to do this etc etc. Not many people liked to cover my desk when I was away for a few reasons:
- You needed to know a lot about what was going on in all areas of the branch.
- You got a lot of complaints here – banks cards eaten, not working, big lineups, can’t see banker because of no appointment booked etc etc. Lots of negative things.
- It could get real busy.
My philosophy was always to help out everyone to the best of my abilities; solve problems, fix things, and then of course the go the extra mile to help. Yes, you got the crappy stuff all day long – but you also got the good stuff, the people so happy you helped them, so appreciative of your services. I always said the good may not have outweighed the bad, but the good was so good it would wipe out all the bad.
That’s how I am with service now, I comment on both good and bad service received. But my good always outweighs the bad – that is my personal policy on giving service comments. I have made it a personal commitment to prove to the world people do give feedback on good service too.
In doing so I have learned a few tricks, and the # 1 trick in in how you ask for the comment card. When asking staff for a comment card to fill out, indicate something like this :
I wanted to share how happy I was with the service today, do you have a comment card I can fill out?
If not, you will cause a panic situation. As soon as you go up and say to someone:
Can I have a comment card?
Most times you will get a response like:
- Is there something wrong?
- Can I help you with a problem?
- Did you have an issue with your service?
Others may hear you as well, and come over to offer to help fix the bad service you obviously received since you are asking for a comment card. We have all been trained to expect the worst. I’m not saying feedback on bad service is not to be shared,m it needs to be, no one will learn and improve if not, but share the good too!
So… why not try this out yourself? Those simple words, “Thank you for a job well done” should, in my opinion, be said more often that they are.
One of my most recent comments was about an employee at a Building Supply store here in Dartmouth, Kent at MicMac Mall. We have been dealing here for years and have done some kitchen renos recently. After a fabulous service experience with someone there, I took a minute and filled out the card at the service desk. (I try to do this right there so I don’t forget why or the name of the person who helped me).
What surprised me about this feedback, was when a few weeks later received a letter in the mail from Kent, thanking me for the comments and letting me know that the associate would be receiving a ‘star’ at their next team meeting. (One of the few times I ever had a comment acknowledged – a great practice for any business to implement and one that will encourage more good feedback I am sure!). Even better, the letter came from the Human Resources Department at head office… it was so nice to know my good words went far and wide. That letter made me feel great.
We also had above and beyond service from the contractor who did our bathroom and kitchen renos… so we sent him 
and his family a fruit bouquet (*See picture* It’s a really cool thank you item to send anyone , it was from Fruitful Expressions a local biz here) – this totally surprised him and his wife, as it probably is not something that happens often. People would say thanks, great job – but not always take it a step farther.
His wife called my contractor immediately and then he called me. Everyone was happy, them for the thought and acknowledgement of a good job and me, because they appreciated my thanks.
Thank you for a job well done
Words that can change the world and the attitudes of everyone you encounter. I challenge you all to send one positive feedback item every week of your life. Your mood and the mood of others will change, I guarantee it!
Taking Care of You
As a small business owner, your business can be operating like a well-oiled machine, but if you’re not taking care of yourself, you’re going to be stressed out. It’s ironic that when things are going really well, we typically end up spending MORE hours on our jobs because we’re just having so much fun and we’re seeing all the fantastic benefits of hard work.
To be a healthy person, you need to be a well-rounded person. Here are a handful of tips to make sure your business isn’t taking over your life at the expense of your health and well-being:
- Get physical
You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again – regular exercise reduces anxiety, combats obesity, and makes you a nicer person to be around. If you are sitting on your rear in front of the computer most of the day, you have to find some way to move your body on a regular basis. It can be as simple as a 15 minute walk first thing in the morning, or as intense as a 2 hour gym workout. Just choose something and do it. Commit to this for three weeks and you will probably develop a life long healthy habit.
- Get some rest
I’m willing to bet that at least once in the past month, you’ve found yourself up way too late, finishing one last work project, answering one more email, or putting the finishing touches on one last product. On an occasional basis, these nocturnal escapades are no big deal, But burn the midnight oil night after night after night, and you’re frying yourself. Not only does sleep deprivation make you anxious, edgy and unable think clearly, it also makes it harder for you to work at peak efficiency. Set a bedtime, and stick to it.
- Get a hobby
You will probably laugh at this, thinking you don’t have time for a hobby. But the truth is, you don’t have time NOT to have a hobby! Whether it’s knitting, canoeing, genealogy, cooking, or grooming llamas, you need something that will provide balance to your life. There will be days when the business side of things isn’t going so well, and you will need an escape. Get a hobby before you’re forced to find one.
- Connect
Connecting with those around you is critical to minimizing your stress. At the end of your life, you’re going to be worried more about the people you love and less about the business you created. Show your family and friends how important they are to you NOW by giving them their rightful share of your time. The bonus? It will calm your anxiety when you know you’re investing time where it’s going to matter most throughout your lifetime.
It will take time to get all of these items as part of your regular routine, but stick with it, if you do your health, mind and family will all be more appreciative, as will your clients and business!
Business Referrals – How NOT to accept one
This was the look I got!
For the first time EVER in my life, I was given a referral and was absolutely floored by the response it got! The response was really an eye opener for what people and businesses should never do when someone refers you a client or business.
What happened?
Well, we have been renovating our house and tore down a wall between our kitchen and dining room. The reno has meant we had to look at a few options for filling in the gap where the wall used to be. I was trying to salvage the new flooring laid in the kitchen last year so we were looking for a unique solution.
Since we moved here in 2008, we have been using the same flooring place for everything we have needed. The service has been excellent, the work as well and that has meant we are a loyal customer to this company. Anytime I need flooring or information I head straight to TK’s Carpet and Flooring in Dartmouth and talk to Claude.
This unique solution I was looking for involved getting a custom piece done so they referred me to another local company, close by that specializes in hardwood (I’m going to play nice and not say their name). So off I went this weekend to inquire about me needs.
When I explained what I was looking for, the woman indicated that they actually could not do this type of item and she gave me some other advice about how to go about it as well. As always, if I was referred to a business I like to let them know, most people always like to know why your chose their business. So I mentioned that TK’s had sent me there thinking they would have the skills/abilities to help. The response?
Oh yes, they always like to send people here when they don’t want to help you out.
Now, this might not seem like a big deal when the words are written out, but when you add the change in her facial expression along with the disdain in her voice as she said this the entire tone of the comment changed. I should have commented right there – but I have not always been as quick with retorts as some can be (My sister is really great at this and would have taken her down for sure).
I left thinking “What a rude way to take a referral for business”. No matter what she thought, she should have said something complimentary as opposed to shooting down the business that sent me to her doors in the first place.
As I drove away, heading in fact to TK’s to check out my other options, I was really thinking about how that was such a crappy thing fro her to say. I appreciated TKs giving me a name to check out, but definitely not her reaction to it.
SO… I did what any good and loyal customer would do – I let them know at TKs the response to their referral. I highly doubt they will refer to them again. And I will never recommend them either.
Lesson learned: Always think about what it means to accept a referral.
Someone, no matter who they are, felt you could help the person they sent to you. Accept this complement in the way it was intended, with courtesy and thought. Anything less and you may find yourself losing customers and future referrals because of your attitude.
What referral good / bad stories have you experienced? Please share here by posting a comment.
Blogging to your Target Customers
Blogging can help build your visibility online. When you write a blog post, you want to speak to your target customer and need make the content relevant for them.
If your market is attracted to your blog, as they read and follow your new posts – they will learn more about your services and products. You want to have a content guideline so that you stay focused and on target with your content.
To stay on track it’s important that you first consider your target customers before proceeding with the series of content that you would like to post. Without proper thought, you might miss the real purpose of your blog, which is to catch the attention of your prospective customers. It’s okay to have blog posts interspersed that are not fully on target with the content, but overall you want to keep the focus to keep speaking to your target customers.
Web surfers are very diverse and they have different backgrounds, preferences, and lifestyle. Therefore, market segmentation is very important. Your target market will depend much on the products or services that you are selling, and you better know your products very well. It is your products that determine the demographic profile of your customers. Before deciding on the theme of your blog, it would be better if you have a definite profile of your ideal customer in mind.
This profile will represent your target market segment. The basic demographic profile includes age, gender, and social or economic status. The categories under each profile are as follows:
- Age. Does your target market consist of children, teenagers, adults, or senior citizens?
- Gender. Are your target customers male, female, or transgender?
- Economic Status. Do they belong in low income, middle income, affluent, or rich group?
- Location or address.
These profile or sets of traits should match the characteristics or features of the products or services that you are offering. Remember, however, that these classifications are still relatively broad and apply only to basic commodities where product differentiation by consumers is still not so distinct. Examples are medicines or medical services, foods, educational services, and others. Items everyone needs regardless of demographics.
For stricter market segmentation, you can differentiate your target markets or narrow them further according to customer temperaments, needs, goals, and fears. Specifically, you can distinguish them according to:
- Needs – sense of accomplishments, sense of belonging, self actualization • Goals – productivity, efficiency, savings, safety
- Temperaments – serious, happy go lucky, complacent
- Fears – old age, poverty, ill health, rejection
There are still more categories to further narrow your market segment such as educational attainment, lifestyle, mindset, family size, political views, etc. These are relevant if the products or services that you are offering are highly specialized or customized such as travel or vacation packages, luxury cars, high tech gadgets, and other such items.
Having a clear picture of the common characteristics of your target market when blogging for business will help you decide what theme or blog design to use, the appropriate mode or tone of your article, and the right images that you need to use.
These details may overwhelm you at first. But, you should realize that your purpose for blogging is to attract web users who are more likely to use your products or services and to influence them to buy and patronize what you offer. Keep this in mind as well that customers now are more discriminating, especially if the products are quite expensive. They scrutinize details and compare them with competing brands.
So to make your blog more effective, know your products well and create a profile of your target market based on your products’ characteristics and features. Then, post blog content that will appeal to your target market.
Remember, your business blog is created to ultimately generate sales; first having gained the trust of the blog readers. Keeping your focus will help you stop reduce wasted time and effort when blogging for business.
Do you think about your target customer when you write or oplan your blog content?
Peer Support is Vital to your Success
I was recently listening to a CD on delegation for small business owners and one of the points the speaker made was one of the top reasons businesses fail. Support.
As a small business owner you are everything to your business. Sales, Marketing, Operations, Admin, bookkeeping and many other parts. Having peer support is one of the things that can help you build your business.
Connecting with people of like minds, in a similar industry can really help boost your own business. You need a sounding board, you need someone who understands where you are and what outside influences can affect how you run your business.
For the past couple of years I have met weekly with an Accountability Group. We started as two then built to four people. All Virtual Assistants, in some way or another. We met to discuss plans, goals, issues and more. Being in the same industry we never felt like competitors, but more like colleagues and collaborators. We understand the issues that affect our specific businesses and the support we provide each other actually helps each of us continue to grow and build our own businesses.
Last spring, we decided to take this group a step farther and meet in person to dig deep into our businesses and do some intense concentrated work on our businesses. A time to step away from the daily work and issues that keep us from going deep into our plans.
And this is where I am right now… locked away in a house in Ontario working hard on new plans ( and in some cases old plans that never made it to completion) with 5 other fabulous women business owners.
We are intense into our Mastermind Retreat weekend and have been working hard every day. We scheduled time and specific As a small group we have been able to take time and listen to each others issues; sharing ideas to help, techniques, tools and in some cases confirming beliefs that have been sitting in the back of our minds and needed reassurance that yes it is time to change. 
(one of my contributions was the lobster dinner – direct from Nova Scotia! An experience for two of the group who had never tasted lobster before)
Peer Support is soooo helpful to entrepreneurs and small business owners. The inspiration and information you will receive and share in a group like this should (and will) propel your business forward. And networking is how you will find your own support group.
Whether networking in person or online (as I do a lot of mine), you can look for and discover people that you connect with, you resonate with and ones who will also have a different opinion to share with you. They do not have to be clones of yourself – that won’t always be helpful… eyes that have a different view on your business are more helpful to you than a clone.
Take a look around your business world and circle of contacts – who there do you see that appeals to you as a peer? Can you bring something to the table to help them? These are a couple questions to help you find and start your own Accountability / Peer Group. Get out there and be the instigator and create your own group. It may take some time to grow and find the right people; but it really will be a help to your business. Having the extra eyes and ears will become something you enjoy and look forward to with your regular meetings.
My peer group support this week has been invaluable! Thanks to all the Gals who committed to themselves and each other to make this happen!
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