Comments on: Loving your customers means never having to say you’re sorry http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/loving-your-customers/ Semiosis Communications: Sustainable marketing for people, planet, and prosperity Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:56:24 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Rob Elder http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/loving-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-3441 Rob Elder Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:51:40 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/?p=3399#comment-3441 Oddly enough I have this information about his success directly from him. We actually had a great conversation about his business which took a turn for the worse when I didn't bend over and get him a feature article in tourist publication we put out. I did what I could for him and had him put on a list to get one done. The editorial department opted not to do it because he was interviewed and included in several other articles. When i explained this to him he said," I guess your reporter will find my number about the same time I find the number for the Sandpaper(our direct competition)" and hung the phone up. Since he is a seasonal business and this was at the end of the season, I've decided to let him cool off for the winter and hope he has a better attitude towards me next year. Oddly enough I have this information about his success directly from him. We actually had a great conversation about his business which took a turn for the worse when I didn’t bend over and get him a feature article in tourist publication we put out. I did what I could for him and had him put on a list to get one done. The editorial department opted not to do it because he was interviewed and included in several other articles. When i explained this to him he said,” I guess your reporter will find my number about the same time I find the number for the Sandpaper(our direct competition)” and hung the phone up.

Since he is a seasonal business and this was at the end of the season, I’ve decided to let him cool off for the winter and hope he has a better attitude towards me next year.

]]> By: Peter Korchnak http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/loving-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-3439 Peter Korchnak Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:15:50 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/?p=3399#comment-3439 @Rob: I haven't considered the power dynamic in this context, but it makes sense - an apology puts you in a weaker position. Perhaps the client is staking out a negotiating position for future deals. If there's trust in a business partnership, an occasional mistake can and should be forgiven. It's so much easier to focus on the negative, so I'm not surprised the initial weakness is all the client sees. Could you have a conversation with the client to highlight the success of your work and suggest your results vastly overshadow your initial misstep? If not, I think you already answered your question. That the client's business is "not worth the hassle" suggests it may be time to fire the client. @Rob: I haven’t considered the power dynamic in this context, but it makes sense – an apology puts you in a weaker position. Perhaps the client is staking out a negotiating position for future deals.

If there’s trust in a business partnership, an occasional mistake can and should be forgiven. It’s so much easier to focus on the negative, so I’m not surprised the initial weakness is all the client sees. Could you have a conversation with the client to highlight the success of your work and suggest your results vastly overshadow your initial misstep? If not, I think you already answered your question. That the client’s business is “not worth the hassle” suggests it may be time to fire the client.

]]> By: Rob Elder http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/loving-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-3437 Rob Elder Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:56:00 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/?p=3399#comment-3437 A very Interesting observation, this past summer I got sent through the ringer by a customer over some misplaced ad copy(the problem was addressed at least a month before the ad ran). I apologized as I think should have. In retrospect I should never have apologized and simply taken responsibility for the mistake. He smelled weakness and made me jump through hoops for over 2 months. The relationship between us has been strained and I'm to the point with the customer that his business is not worth the hassle. On the idea that we are partners, I can't agree more. The advertising campaign I put together for him targeted two areas of his business. One area we increased his sales by 33% and the other area we were able to maintain even levels with last year while the industry lost about 30% in year over year sales. Oddly he never mentions this and only brings up my initial weakness. Any thoughts? A very Interesting observation, this past summer I got sent through the ringer by a customer over some misplaced ad copy(the problem was addressed at least a month before the ad ran). I apologized as I think should have. In retrospect I should never have apologized and simply taken responsibility for the mistake. He smelled weakness and made me jump through hoops for over 2 months. The relationship between us has been strained and I’m to the point with the customer that his business is not worth the hassle.
On the idea that we are partners, I can’t agree more. The advertising campaign I put together for him targeted two areas of his business. One area we increased his sales by 33% and the other area we were able to maintain even levels with last year while the industry lost about 30% in year over year sales.
Oddly he never mentions this and only brings up my initial weakness.

Any thoughts?

]]> By: bethrobinson (Beth Robinson) http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/loving-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-3391 bethrobinson (Beth Robinson) Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:03:10 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/?p=3399#comment-3391 Be helpful instead of just apologizing - applies to more than marketing from http://bit.ly/1f2OiI Be helpful instead of just apologizing – applies to more than marketing from http://bit.ly/1f2OiI

]]> By: Peter Korchnak http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/loving-your-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-3400 Peter Korchnak Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:39:07 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/?p=3399#comment-3400 @Beth: Thanks, Beth. Perhaps we've become too sensitive. It's easy to get sidetracked by apologies. @Beth: Thanks, Beth. Perhaps we’ve become too sensitive. It’s easy to get sidetracked by apologies.

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