A counter offer they can't refuse - Part 3

By Mike Dandridge

aITUSTOMERS were always waitlUins in line for Tom Boudreaux.

"Wiat's your secret, Boudreaux?" I managed to ask him between sales. He grinned like a 3-year old at a birthday party. Looking around to see if anyone else was listening, he motioned for me to lean closer. Cupping his hand, he whispered into my ear his two-syllable secret: "Lan-yap." Then he straightened up to his full height and nodded his head with complete reverence, as if he'd just explained to me one of the mysteries of the universe.

It was a word I'd never heard before, if it was a word at all. But, as I watched Tom with the next customer, I understood completely its meaning. Amazed by his candor and ingenuity, it struck me that Tom had stumbled across the third building block of Customer Experience Architecture, after Appearance and Performance.

The third element will be the hardest lor most companies to accePt. That's good news for dealers who build on this foundation, because it means their competitors will be less likely to try it. Properly implemented, it will improve margins, establish loyalties, and trigger word-of-mouth marketing. But this third building block isn't about what you receive. It's about what you're willing to give away.It's Generosity.

I "Lagniappe!" was the word Tom Boudreaux whispered that daY, and here's the rest of his secret. With each commission check, he would buy

No More Boring Counter Days

Instead of offering the obligatory and genenc "Counter Day," try incor' porating a theme into Your event.

For instance, throw a SuPer Bowl Countdown Day a few daYs Prior to the game. Use football paraphernalia as door orizes. Recruit vendors to offer "Super Specials" and turn it into a marketing campaign. Some other suggested themes: March Madness, NASCAR, holidays, seasons.

a bag of 500 wire nuts, a couple of boxes of tape, and a carton of assorted batteries. He'd tear open the wire nuts, repackage them into little Ziploc bags of 10, and, along with the batteries and the rolls of tape, dump them into a bin under the counter. As he was finishing an order, he'd pull one of the items out of his bin and hold it up ceremoniously in front of the customer. Then Tom would smile and say, "Lagniappe!" before dropping his gift in with the rest of the order.

The word came from Tom's Cajun heritage. In Louisiana, it means to add "a little something extra" to a customer's order. Tom didn't do it every time, so customers never knew when it was their turn to receive lagniappe. The practice made him quite popular. Spending his money on the gifts earned him extra commission that offset his out-of-pocket expenses.

Frankly, the idea of spending one's own money is tough for most peoPle to accept who work for someone else. The thinking seems to be, "Well, the company should provide that." And maybe they should. But, Tom didn't blame the company. He simply made the best of his situation and his customers loved him for it.

What are some inexpensive extras your customers would enjoy? Starting the practice of randomly adding lagniappe to your customers' orders will quickly move you far ahead of your competitors.

2 nudg"t for it. I dreaded the day those caps with our company name embroidered across the crown would arrive. There never seemed to be enough. Then a customer would get mad because someone heard someone got a cap and he didn't get one, and the next thing you know it's "Don't I spend enough money here to get a stinking cap?"

Looking back, I see the problem resulted from never buying enough. As far as giveaways go, caps are expensive. Though, if it's a good- looking cap, from a marketing standpoint it's a bargain, because a customer will wear it like a billboard promoting your company all over town. That's cheap advertising.

If you offer a giveaway, budget enough money so you don't run out. Ever. If you can't afford to do that, don't do it at all. There are other ways to be generous without having to give something away as costly as a caP.

3. If you feed them, they will come. I stole the idea of serving cookies baked in a convection oven from my friend Tony. He told me the fan in the oven would blow the smell of fresh-baked cookies through a showroom. Soon the musty odor of our sales counter succumbed to the fragrance of warm chocolate and sugar. The oven cost $99. The cookie dough came from a wholesale supplier. Again, it was cheap advertising. New customers and "old" ones we hadn't seen in years started frequenting our counter. The resulting new business more than offset the hard costs.

Of course. it doesn't have to be cookies. Plenty of inexpensive treats have universal appeal. Many dealers have popcorn machines creating apPetizing aromas at their sales counters. We had other successes with Tootsie Pops, doughnuts. and bubble gum. Find something unique that customers will identify with you. Many businesses set out a bowl of peppermints, but a jar filled with Atomic Fire Balls is unexpected. Use your imagination. Try different approaches. until you find something that b€comes your signature. Word will spread. Feed your customers and they will feed you.

Appearance. performance and generosity are the bricks, mortar and cement of Customer ExPerience Architecture. The need to influence customers at the counter has never been more important. The differentiation of channels is disappearing. Contractors have multiple choices of where to buy. It's vital to grab their attention and offer proof of value.

It takes a certain amount of faith to give something away with no guafimtee of return. But, the law of generosity is as real as gravity. When you've sown enough, you'll reap an abundant harvest that will yield profits and loyal customers.

- Mike Dandridge is founder of High Voltage Performance and author ofThe One Year Business Turnaround. He can be reached at (254) 624-6299 or via wt+,w.hi g hyo I t a gepe rformanc e .com.

OSHA Revisits Fox Lumber

A Sept. 7 machinery accident at Fox Lumber Sales, Hamilton Mt., caused severe scalp injuries to a female employee and is being investigated by OSHA.

According to the company, Brandy Banks, 23, was operating a fingerjointing machine and had to clear jammed material. When she restarted the machine, some strands of her hair caught on a protruding hex screw and wrapped around a shaft-pulling her hair and scalp from her head.

According to Fox, Banks' hair was pulled back in a ponytail at the time of the accident. He said that first aid personnel at the plant covered her wounds to control bleeding from her injury. Although she has now been released from the hospital, she is receiving outpatient care and won't return to work for several months.

During an OSHA investigation last fall, Fox received I I serious citations with proposed penalties of $33,200 and 12 repeat citations with $86,800 in proposed penalties-which the company is contesting.

Company officials said they have taken several steps to improve safety. A retired OSHA inspector was recruited to help spot potential hazards. while a committee of l0 employees meets regularly to discuss ways to improve safety. In addition, employees are paid a safety incentive of 50 cents an hour. "We don't want to see anyone get hurt here," said Tim Shroeder, who oversees safety coordination at Fox Lumber.

Extraordinary Ace In Arizona

A new Ace Hardware in Chandler. Az., is more than an ordinary hardware store.

"We're redefining what Ace should be," said Robert Vasquez, who co-owns the store with Brian Freeland. "We want this to be the new flagship of the nation, more than just nuts and bolts but also unique and cool items," said Vasquez.

A barbecue and patio showroom includes a working barbecue island. complete with granite countertops and a waterproof TV, that will often feature cooking demonstrations and free samples to promote top-of-the-line Viking and Capital grills. "We will install it, whether you want a prefab island or built into your home," said Freeland.

The store will also offer a line of

"We tell our employees, leave your problems at the door when you come in to work. I will walk up to employees and say. 'Hey. go and do some stocking in the back if you can't smile while you're talking to a customer."' custom, handmade, wrought iron furniture, while a "boutique" in the middle of the store sells gift items such as sandstone coasters and fragrant handcrafted candles. plus various soaps. "They're something you find at a spa or a boutique, but they're better priced," said Vasquez. For children. the store offers toys hand-painted in Europe. "They're great for kids because they stimulate creative play." he said.

- Dean Harrison, manager, Builders Supplt, Palm Springs, Ca.

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Answer: The EE$f & n|}SI comprehensiue sales and service in the fcr.cst products industry.

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