How To Be Out of Business in 365 Days (A Toastmasters speech) by Arthur Byrd

How To Be Out Of Business In 365 Days (A Toastmasters Speech)

Given By Arthur Byrd in November 2014 to Executive 408 Toastmasters in Youngstown, Ohio.

How To Be Out Of Business In 365 Days How To be out of business in 365 days is a harsh title for a presentation. Over the past few weeks, I have been pleased and not pleased with the customer service I have received. Mostly, not pleased.

Fellow Toastmasters and honored guests. If you own a business that has customers.

Super customer service is something you cannot afford not to do?

What I can do? How can my voice be heard? I thought it can be.

So last week, I started a blog called “Hello, May I Help You? Adventures In Customer Service.”

The blog contains customer service situations of what I have encountered.

The last blog, I wrote about The Stare-off which is where I am the next in line for service and I come up to the counter and the counterperson just looks at me saying nothing like “May, I take your order or Can I help you? Nothing.

So, as the customer I am not sure if to say anything.

The counterperson and I begin the silent stare at each other. Like chess player waiting for the next move or It felt like the Clint Eastwood Western, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly where we are facing off with each other https://soundcloud.com/intoxicbeats/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly

The staring continues.

I am not sure if any of you have experienced the extreme of The Stare-off. It is not comfortable.

Should I feel that way in a place where I am spending my hard earned money?

Most business owners don’t know that their employee may do this to their customers.

How much money is lost due to employee’s bad customer service? I would figure a lot.

Yet, there is great customer service out there. I will blog about that, too.

Some of you may be owners, soon-to-be owners and managers of a business, service or product.

I have given myself the title, Consumer Observer. I will be in a business and watch how they treat customers /consumer.

Was the employee polite or hostile towards the customer? Did the customer looked satisfied or disgruntled with the service or product they received or didn’t?

Does your business, service or product have a super customer/consumer service approach?

You may be thinking, we do care about the customer, we treat them right.

Maybe not!

If you are a small to medium business. Do you send customers thank you notes?

Call them personally to see if there's anything else you can do for them. Do you know their names by their 3rd or 4th trip to your store or using your service, receiving or doing business with your company.

If you answered “no” to any of those questions. You're not doing super consumer service.

You may be thinking Art Byrd what makes you an expert on Customer Service. I learned the lesson of good customer service at a young age.

Paper Route At age 14, I got my first experience on how important good customer service is with my paper route, Route 352. I delivered the Youngstown Vindicator newspaper. In Ohio, winters can be hard. With deep snow, I thought it was my duty to make sure that everyone got their paper every day.

During the winter, a lot of people sealed their outside windows with plastic along with the door.

One day after a heavy snowfall, I had put a paper in an outside mailbox on the front porch of a house.

As I was going up the street. I noticed a woman coming from the back door of the house. She was wearing a coat wrapped tight underneath I can tell she was wearing a thin housecoat. She had on untied boots.

The woman went to the front porch and got the paper and slowly struggled to get back to the backdoor as the cold wind kicked up.

On collecting day where we get the money for the papers. I said to the woman, “ I saw you getting the paper from the front door.” I asked her “Would you like me to put the paper in the back door. She said “Would you do that?” I said sure, I'm already outside.

I thought others may like the paper somewhere they get to it easier during the winter. So I began asking other customers where would they like the paper.

At that time, the price of a paper subscription was a $1.10. Some customers gave me a $1.25 which was a 15 cent tip. So after asking customers where they would like the paper put. I noticed that I was receiving a $1.50 from the customers I had asked about putting the paper in a different place.

I didn't do it for the extra tips. I did it because it made life easier for my customers.

Here is a mantra or saying I would like you to remember. If there's nothing else you take from this presentation. Take this with you. They comes from David J Schwartz in his book “The Magic of Thinking Big.” He wrote ”plant service and harvest money.”

Let me say that again” plant service and harvest money.”

Super customer service is the key. It is the lifeblood of business. No business, service or product can survive with the customer using a service or coming into a store just once. Repeat business propels a business, a service or a product forward.

The 2010 Customer Experience Impact Report (CEI) states 80% of consumers stop doing business with the company as result of a negative experience.

During economic downturn, consumers are more thoughtful how they spend their money. 55% of customers become a customer of the business or service because of their great customer service reputation.

Another interesting fact from the report. 85% of consumers say they would be willing to pay more over the standard price in order to ensure a superior customer experience.

That statement blows the super customer service door wide open.

Now after the suggestions I present to you. You may be thinking I can’t afford that.

In using the old adage, you cannot afford not to. If you're not willing to do super customer service. I guarantee you someone else will.

Here is an example: Most of us have cars. On many occasions, we have to deal with getting them repaired. Repairs are way of life. But what happens when you get your car back after the repair. It basically looks the same with the white paper left on the floor.

How do you feel? I just got back in the same old dirty car that runs a little better.

Friends-Dirty Car I had a friend whose car was serviced. It was so dirty afterwards she had to call the shop to have the car cleaned. She had to drive back to the shop. Her time loss, plus the frustration that she had to endure. The shop should've known the car look terrible. But they did nothing about it.

75% of consumers that had a negative experience with the business or service told others about it.

How did I find out about my friend’s story. I wasn't at the shop with her. She told me.

How many other people will tell someone else?

Friends-BMW Now I have another friend who has a BMW car. The story is different. Each time, her car is serviced. They wash and vacuum the car. After the repairs and the wash, the car feels brand-new that is the feeling BMW wants their customers to have.

With service like that. What likely will be my friends’ next car purchase.

I let you answer that. Hint- A BMW.

Make sure the customer feels extra special.

Plant service, Harvest Money......

There are so many other ways improve customer service to help your financial bottom line. If not, you will find yourself at the bottom (out of business).

My blog, May I Help You, Adventures in Customer Service can be found on blogger.com with Art Byrd.

Money that should be yours will go into your competitor’s pocket.

Don't forget the mantra: plant service and harvest money.

Because if you don't, the customer/ consumer will vote with their dollars.

The money election may not go your way. And you will be out of office.

I guarantee you'll be out of business in 365 days.

Toastmaster This speech was given at Executive 408 Toastmasters in November 2014 Arthur Byrd is a member of Toastmasters 408 in Youngstown, Ohio.

In 2016, he earned a DTM which is a Distinguished Toastmasters, the highest award given by Toastmasters.