SALES AND MARKETING: 5 Easy (Mis)Steps

I am baffled by the things companies do to lose clients. Now I can’t imagine anyone intentionally setting out to ruin a business; it’s just that their actions – or in many instances, their inactions – turn clients away and, over time, erode the health and longevity of their business. Here are five easy missteps you’ll want to avoid making.
  
1. Fail to ADDRESS  Complaints. No matter how well run your company is, you will encounter a dissatisfied client. Make certain you have a system in place for responding to these situations when they arise. As your company’s leader, it falls to you to know about every complaint. Ultimately, taking care of your clients is your responsibility. And once an issue has been satisfactorily resolved, call the client to personally thank him or her for choosing your company and for remaining patient while you fixed the problem. Ultimately, customer service comes down to how you make your clients feel each time they interact with your company.
  
2. Be difficult. Suppose I call your company about getting my yard landscaped. Would you answer the phone before the third ring? How long would it take to send a team member to my property? Would I  feel as if my job – no matter its size – is important to you? The way a successful company answers these questions is obvious. Make your company exceedingly easy – a pleasure, even – to do business with.

3. Neglect clients. Who you most often neglect may surprise you. They are the clients who never complain, who are a joy to work for and who keep their accounts current. Ironic, but nonetheless true. We neglect our best clients by failing to let them know how much we appreciate their business. Then, after years of taking them for granted, they are wooed away by a contractor who showers them with attention. We’re left scratching our heads, thinking about what we should have done to let them know they were important. Make a list of your top clients and another list of actions to take care of them. Begin with a personal visit or a handwritten note at least once a year thanking them for their business. In return, for a small investment of time, you’ll reap tremendous rewards.
  
4. Use too much  jargon. No matter how interesting you find your work, your clients care more about your ability to save them time, improve the appearance of their landscapes and increase the values of their properties. For example, I’ve seen many proposals that list only the plants’ botanical names. Unless your client is a botanist,  always list the common names. Always remember who your clients are and speak to them in their language. Make certain your desire to impress your clients is not in reality intimidating or turning them off.
  
5. Don’t train your front-line people. Your front-line team will, in fact, spend far more time with your clients than you will. It is imperative that they not only know how to perform the landscaping tasks required, but also that they know how to deliver superior customer service. Focus on teaching them how to handle difficult and dissatisfied individuals, as well as ways to go the extra mile for clients. Draw up a training plan that focuses on delivering superior customer service and follow it.  

Spring is a great time to distinguish yourself from the competition by making sure you don’t get off on the wrong foot with these five easy (mis)steps. 

Marty Grunder is a speaker, consultant and author, as well as owner of Grunder Landscaping Co., Miamisburg, Ohio. Reach him at 866/478-6337, landscapesales@gie.net or via www.martygrunder.com.