Monday, October 1, 2012

Where has all the customer service gone?

This past weekend I gave two separate Publix bakeries the opportunity to be my hero. And to my dismay, both stores failed to rise to the occasion. I had overlooked ordering the right kind of cake for my son’s birthday, assuming that I’d be able to find something at the store without too much trouble. After all, I only needed a quarter sheet cake with a flat top where I could place a photo frosting sheet that I had purchased online, to go with my son’s Anime themed party. I figured they’d have an undecorated cake in the freezer or something. Unfortunately, every single cake was covered in sickeningly sweet roses and distorted blobs that were probably meant to represent balloons, but were applied by someone who was likely stocking shelves last week and figured cake decorating would be, (forgive me) “a piece of cake.” I had seen a Publix commercial where a woman was in the midst of some sort of cake emergency and a delightful Publix baker saved the day. Surely, it wouldn't be that big of a deal to scrape off a few roses and smooth out the icing? Apparently I was wrong. Staff at both bakeries told me that they could not (would not) do that for me. Their attitude was, “Here’s what we have. Take it or leave it.”

I understand that sometimes you can’t help a customer. Part of the reason I was not on the ball with the cake ordering thing was the fact that Publix would not do a cartoon character photo topper due to copyright issues. So I had to order it online and pay an extra $17 for overnight shipping. But I completely understand this instance of not being able to serve a customer. It breaks Publix’ rules, which are set in place to keep them from being sued. I get it and respect it and didn't push the matter. But as far as my problem with the cake itself, I was able to take a cake home, scoop off the flowers and do an adequate job of smoothing out the top myself, in a matter of minutes. Publix, with their better tools and infinite quantities of icing, could have fixed the cake in the bakery and made it look much better than I did.


I’m not sure if it was laziness or lack of training that led to my disappointment (in two different stores), but what really got me was the sense of apathy. Let’s say that there was a lack of training and that the bakery worker didn't know how to fix the cake. Or maybe bakery workers can’t do anything that’s out of the norm…think about restaurants who refuse to alter a menu item for a customer because they can’t figure out how to put it into the computer. No matter what the reason was for these bakers to not be able to help me, there should have been some expression of empathy and remorse that they couldn't do better. It would have only taken a moment for one of them to come from behind the bakery case to say, “I know how you feel, let’s see if we can come up with some ideas based on what’s here in the case.” That’s all I would have needed for me to walk away from there without spending much more time thinking about it. Instead, I started thinking about every disappointing Publix bakery experience I’d ever had…like when they stopped making my favorite lemon cupcakes, or the fact that I can never get chocolate cake at the Publix nearest my house, and that every decorated birthday cake that we order has clearly been decorated by an amateur and never looks like the photo in the catalog. I’m ready to give up on Publix bakeries now.


I was chatting with my girlfriend, Vashti, at the party about my poor customer service experience at Publix and she countered with some of her own stories of recent customer dis-service. Vashti’s in the middle of renovating a new house, and is therefore ready and willing to spend thousands of dollars on home improvement supplies. She’s been at Home Depot nearly every day for a couple of weeks. You’d think she’d be on a first name basis with most of the employees there. Instead, she had to chase down employees to try to get them to help her, and had them literally tell her that they wouldn't help her. Now we’re not talking about them saying, “No we don’t have that item in stock, but perhaps I have something else that will work,” or, “No, that’s not the right product for the job, but here’s what you should use.” In one trip, she was looking at lighting and wanted someone to check on pricing for an item that was on a high shelf. Several people told her, “I don’t work in this department,” or, “I can’t help you.” She was finally able to locate an employee who cared enough about the business and its customers to climb up on a ladder and get the item down for her. 


On another trip, Vashti wanted information on counter-tops. The employee in the kitchen department told her, “Oh it’s going to be a lot of trouble. We’ll have to send someone out to measure, etc…” But when Vashti tried to make an appointment to get someone out there to measure for her counter-tops, she was blown off. Maybe the Home Depot employee thought the job was too small. It’s the only reason I can think of that would someone would refuse to make an appointment in that situation. But what they neglected to consider was that even though the counter-top job was relatively small, this woman was renovating an entire house by herself and had she been treated like an important customer (as all customers should be) she would have continued to patronize this store. Instead, not only did they lose her business for the counter-top job, she is unlikely to do any more shopping at that store when there is a Lowes and an Ace Hardware right down the street.


In an economy where people are desperate for work, I can’t understand why people who are fortunate enough to have a job, don’t do everything they can to be the absolute best at their job. In most instances, I feel that it’s the fault of the company that employs these people. There is obviously inadequate training and a lack of accountability on the parts of both the employees and the managers. No employee will ever care as much about a company as the company owners do. Employees are usually paid, whether or not the customer is happy. A business that is large enough to have employees needs to establish a thorough training program with emphasis on customer service above all else. It’s not enough to just get through your day and to do the tasks that you’re assigned. Sometimes my teen-aged son will mop the floor, but there is still crud left on the floor. And I have to explain to him that the act of passing the mop over the floor is not what I’m asking him to do. I’m asking him to use the mop as a tool to create a clean floor. And even if the mop has touched every part of the floor, that doesn't necessarily mean the job is done. Employees’ interactions with customers are the greatest factor in whether or not a company retains a customer’s business. They need to be taught that their job is not simply to accomplish tasks of stocking shelves or babysitting a cash register. Their job is to be a part of the customer experience, to help solve the problem of every customer who walks through the door, and to help build the reputation of the business that will promote longevity and success for that business.


As a small business owner, you may be your only employee. Which means you are the only person who can create that ideal customer experience. In a party situation, you sort of take the roll of an employee who is tasked with making the party host look good so that everyone talks about how awesome the party was. So ask yourself, “When I go do a gig, am I simply doing the work (face painting, henna, tattoos, etc…) or am I helping to create an experience that will make these party guests think that the party host is the best party host ever?” 


In Japan, it is considered rude to tell someone, “No.” The word is practically non-existent in their language. A business person will strive to come to some agreement or compromise that will allow the business relationship to continue. It is extremely rare when I have to tell a customer, “No, I can’t help you.” If a customer is asking for something that I can’t accommodate, usually an unwarranted discount because they’re “having a hard time and can really use a discount,” I will try to at least give them some ideas on how to get what they need. I understand and relate to having a hard time and needing a discount. But it wouldn't be fair to my retailers or my other customers if I just randomly gave out discounts. I find out what kind of budget the customer has and give them suggestions on how to get the most value for their money. Sometimes they just need someone with a little experience to help them think outside of the box. 


In our industry, the number one reason that causes us to disappoint a customer is probably related to scheduling. We simply can’t be in two places at once, and it seems that everyone wants their party to be held on the same day at the same time. When you start having that problem, it might be time to start considering hiring employees. I’ve had people call and ask for a henna artist or a face painter for a last minute event or because the person that they hired had cancelled, and even if I didn't have a henna artist or a face painter available, I can always find someone who can do glitter tattoos. Any one of my kids could do that for a party, and the client will remember my company for saving their day. When you do start hiring employees, just remember that training does not stop at teaching them how to provide face and body art services. The most important service that they will provide is customer service.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Confessions of an under-earner

I happened to be on the Dave Ramsey website, watching a webcast for his “EntreLeadership” series and Dave mentioned that he always asks potential employees and consulting clients what they’re reading. If you’re a business owner, and you’re not reading material meant to teach and inspire you to do better in life and business, you don’t have your eye on the ball. I usually have at least 2 or 3 books sitting on my coffee table….and none of them are fiction. I’m not opposed to reading fiction, but if you’re not where you feel that you need to be, businesswise, and you’re not doing something about it….reading Girl with a …whatever, is not going to get you there.

I am a book junkie, and I prefer an actual book over an ebook, but for those of you on a budget, between free internet podcasts, internet business articles, libraries, thrift stores, and borrowing from friends….there really is no excuse to not be constantly absorbing new information about personal growth, business growth, marketing, finances, and new techniques. You could watch a new YouTube video on face painting every single day and never get through all of the videos that are available.

So, you might be wondering what I’m currently reading…. I have The Courage to Be Rich, by Suze Orman, on my coffee table, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, by John Maxwell, on my iPad, and I just finished Secrets of Six Figure Women, by Barbara Stanny. And in my spare time (lol) I’m listening to Dave Ramsey Entreleadership podcasts. I highly recommend his website if you have any personal finance issues or business finance issues. Using Dave’s methods and advice, our family eliminated all of our credit card debt and we’re well on our way to paying off our student loans and home way ahead of schedule.

So, the book that I just finished, Secrets of Six Figure Women, really had me a bit steamed when I read the first few chapters. I currently earn more than anyone in my family has every earned, and I’m even outpacing my husband who works for a major defense contractor and has been with the company for 20+ years. I would never in a million years consider myself an “under-earner.” But according to Barbara Stanny, I am indeed an under-earner. I have to concede that it’s not like I’m a complete slacker, since according to her definition; probably 99% of people are under-earners. An under-earner is simply someone who has settled for the status quo for the sake of comfort or due to other, often self-imposed, limitations. There are definitely areas that I need to work on.

One limitation that I’ve imposed on myself is the earning potential for my company. Comparing myself and what I do to the serious nature of my husband’s occupation, I have a hard time wrapping my head around a glitter peddler earning more than a defense contractor. Don’t get me wrong….Glitter rocks! But let’s face it; glitter is not exactly a priority in most people’s lives. I often find myself on the losing end of the profit equation because I give my staff raises, and offer new customer perks, but hesitate to raise prices even when I know that it’s needed.

How many of you are afraid to raise your prices because you feel that you would not be able to afford your prices if you were a customer? You have to realize that you don’t place as much value on something that you can easily do as someone who can’t or won’t do it themselves. I use coupons for grocery shopping, even though it takes me an hour or two each week to organize my trips, but then I’m willing to pay someone to clean my house, to mow my lawn, to clean my pool, and to tutor my kids. Sure I can do all of these things myself….but I am willing to pay whatever it takes to have someone else take care of a job that I would rather not do so that I can spend my time doing things that I would rather do. We only have so many hours available to us and we have to choose where our efforts will have the most impact. No matter how tough the economy looks, there will always be people who are willing to pay for your services. You just have to reach those people.

When I first entered the henna industry, henna artists were charging $25 - $35 per hour, while face painters were charging two to three times as much. Fortunately, henna artists have caught on and are not undercharging as much as they used to. For every henna artist in an area, you can bet there are at least a dozen face painters. So why would a henna artist charge less than a face painter? It’s very inexpensive to get started with henna, and most artists are self-taught. Henna tends to be a hobby that evolves into a business, and those who start out as hobbyists are very likely coming from an industry where they were being paid $10 an hour or less. So, it just seems unrealistic for us to go from earning $10 an hour to earning $100 an hour. We neglect to consider the hundreds of “unpaid” hours that we’ve spent learning the art and building our business. We forget that while we enjoy what we do and have obtained a certain degree of skill, it’s not something that just anyone can or wants to do. We perceive what we do as simply giving someone a temporary tattoo. The person who gave me my first henna tattoo opened a whole new world for me that was worth way more than the $3 she charged me. Sure you’re not going to change every customer’s life, but there’s more to it than you think. You’re providing entertainment, a souvenir of a special day, and the opportunity for someone to be the center of attention.

A huge issue currently facing me is that I don’t have the hours or skills available to me in order to take my business to the next level. I want to focus on getting more sales outlets selling my products. This involves developing packaging, signage, and marketing materials that are more boutique-friendly. And once I have that all in place, I have to find sales people who are able to get our products into these boutiques. So what’s holding me back? Just me. Sure there’s a financial risk, but the bigger obstacle is that I have to step waaaay out of my comfort zone to give up control in certain areas of my business. I’m working on learning website software now, and my husband told me how much he admires me for persevering on something that he knows I absolutely hate. It made me think that I need to put this perseverance to work on other areas of my business….like hiring the right people and putting those new business plans into action. It feels so much more comfortable to just keep doing what I’ve been doing and to keep earning a decent paycheck, but that’s what’s keeping me at under-earner status. If I want to earn an amazing paycheck and to see my husband retire early, I need to keep pushing the limits of my comfort zone.

So what are your self-imposed limits? Are you charging what you need to be charging for your services or are you limited by how much you feel you’re worth? Have you put off calling potential corporate clients because you feel like you’re not “big enough” to get a gig like that? Do you need to polish your website and put up new photos of your work? Do you need to learn fresh new designs instead of falling back on the same old ones that you can do with your eyes closed?

Take out a piece of paper and write down where you want your business to be in one year, in five years, and in ten years. Then write down the things that you think are preventing you from reaching those goals and tackle them one at a time. Start with the easy stuff, and work on the harder stuff as you build momentum. Chat with other artists to see how they have conquered similar problems. And read everything you can about business & marketing. It’s the quickest way to get that spark of inspiration back when you start feeling stagnant.

We’d love for you to stop by the Amerikan Body Art facebook page to let us know how you’re doing and to share some pictures.

~Erika

Sunday, April 1, 2012

What's missing from your business?

This weekend, my youngest son was invited to a skating party, and rather than suffer through ear-splitting pop music and a seizure-inducing light show, my husband and I decided to look for something else to do to kill time. You know you’re an old married couple when strolling around Home Depot qualifies as a date night. Luckily, we also found ourselves in proximity to a Panera Bread restaurant and my favorite black bean soup was being served that night.

When we walked into the restaurant, it was well after the dinner time rush and there were few patrons in the restaurant. I only briefly glanced at the bakery goodies, figuring someone would be at the counter to serve us in a jiffy. But this was not to be the case. There were at least a dozen workers going back and forth from the front of the store to the back of the store. Every now and then, someone would pause from their task to ask if someone had helped us yet. We would say, “no,” they would mumble something and scurry off, leaving us to wonder if we’re supposed to wait or just dish out our own soup.

Now, I am not denying that every person in that place was working their tushies off. Everyone was doing some very important job that was required to keep the business running. However, there was obviously a very important cog that was missing from their business machine. You can cook all the food and do all the dishes and stock all the bakery cases as much as you want….but without someone to serve the customer, everything else is pointless.

Whenever I come across either a really great or a really poor customer experience, I try to relate it to my own business and ask myself if there is something I can learn from the experience to make my own business better. Even though we’re a relatively mature business, we still find ourselves rapidly evolving to keep up with market trends and new product developments. This evolution allows us to still see a 20% or greater increase in sales each year, when other companies of a similar age might have leveled out with a very small annual sales increase. On the other hand, these changes also mean that certain parts of our business can become neglected.

For example, we have a tendency to want to focus our efforts on tradeshows where we make a profit, while other companies are willing to accept that a tradeshow is a place to meet new customers and introduce new products. There are plenty of companies that exhibit at tradeshows and don’t sell a single item at the show. When we avoid smaller shows and more expensive shows in an effort to minimize expenses, we fail to expose ourselves to new potential customers. In the past, we’ve exhibited at shows where one new customer was a big enough account to have made the entire expense of the show worthwhile. We’ve already started tackling this problem by signing up for some new shows for the upcoming year in areas of the country where we feel our customers have not had the opportunity to meet us face to face. And we are planning to offer workshops in our new building so people can learn in a smaller setting, without the expense of a convention.

Another area of our business that has been neglected is our website. While our current website is adequate, and way better than our previous website, there are still some functionality issues that have not been addressed and are potentially frustrating our customers. I know that I’ve left a website for no other reason than there was annoying music or a long-loading flash presentation. I can imagine that plenty of people have left our website without making a purchase because the shopping cart didn’t work well on their Mac computer or because we don’t have a search function. Not only is that a loss of an immediate sale, but that could very well be a permanent loss of a customer. They are going to look around for another company who meets their needs. And once a customer finds someone who meets their needs, they are very unlikely to switch back to your company. I have been researching new shopping cart software and hope to get some of those problems resolved within the next few months.

When was the last time you really analyzed your business shortcomings and did something about it? Is there a part of your business that you hate doing so it doesn’t get done? Have you considered hiring someone to do that job in your business? Do you find yourself in a rut and accepting the status quo rather than stepping out of your comfort zone to grow your business? Start looking at what your colleagues are offering their customers and ask yourself if you’re being competitive. Why would someone choose your company over another company? (And you should know that price is not always the determining factor when customers choose a company.) How much effort are you putting into advertising? Have you looked for every free and inexpensive place to advertise your company? Have you included an advertising budget in your business plan? Do you update your current customers when you have new products and services to offer? How does your website look? Is it easy to navigate? Does it show up in search engines? Sure having a great product to sell or being a fabulous artist is important to your business. But without all of these other areas of your business taken care of, your business cannot function effectively.

Just like in life, we let our diets slip when we get busy, and our household chores get neglected, leaving our house falling apart in places….our business can start looking just as shabby without us realizing it. It’s a gradual process and it happens to all of us. You have to step back and look at your business through the eyes of both a new customer and an old customer. Your product shouldn’t be just as good as it’s always been, it should be better than it’s ever been. Don’t be afraid to ask your current customers how they feel and if they would like you to address some part of your offerings. They’ll appreciate that you care and the changes that you make can attract new business.

I hope you are all as excited as I am about the weather warming up and the upcoming busy season.
Have a wonderfully prosperous month!

~Erika