April 2008

1. The Truth About Trust in Customer Service
2. Did you know? Trust fact
3. Books you should read – Customer Expectation Management by Terry Schurter
4. Something to do
5. Featured Author – Iven Frangi
6. What's going on? - The Truth About Trust in Customer Service Breakfast, NEW 2-Day The Truth About Trust in Business Workshop + Innercents SME Forums

1. The Truth about Trust in Customer Service

Do you know exactly why your customers buy from you? Do you know what they expect? What they really need? What about what you've promised them?

The success of every interaction with your customers, no matter what kind of business you run is determined by three things:

1. What they expect from you and your products & services

2. What they really need

3. What you promised them - implicitly & explicitly

If your marketing & branding promises a friendly face and exceptional customer service, your customers expect that when they walk into your store, branch or office. If they really need to feel respected and cared for, they will be relying on that every time they come to buy from you. They trust you to deliver that.

A cranky salesperson, a long queue, being ignored, or being rushed into buying will break down the trust in an instant. Handing them an application for a loyalty card at that point is an insult!

Know what they expect, know what they need & keep the promises you make.

Build trust with your customers and they will keep coming back.

For more information on the 'how to's';

1. Check out the 'Something to do' section below

2. Register for The Truth About Trust in Customer Service Breakfast in Sydney on the 6th May, 2008 (Details in What's going on)

2. Did you know?

68% of customer defection takes place because customers feel poorly treated.

Source: TARP

3. Books you should read

Customer Expectation Management (CEM) is a business approach that identifies and shapes customer expectations, and once set by the company, those expectations are met without exception.

Author Terry Schurter reveals the idea of defining your business, not in terms of the goods and services you provide, but in terms of "customer expectations." Schurter explicitly links corporate strategy down into every niche and corner of the enterprise to ensure that your business sets and meets customer expectations --without exception. Providing clear and actionable guidelines, along with examples from FedEx, Virgin Mobile, Best Buy and a budget airline, he explains what companies can do to increase the customer pipeline, convert higher percentages of that pipeline to profitability, and extend the duration of the customer relationship where profitability is at its peak.

Purchase Customer Expectation Management here

4. Something to do

Next time you are talking to a customer, ask them:

1. What 3 things did you expect from me today? or What 3 things do you expect from this product?

2. What is the key thing you really need?

3. What promises do you believe we've made to you?

You might just be surprised!

5. Featured Author – Iven Frangi

Iven Frangi wrote the Customer Service chapter of my book The Truth about Trust in Business . Iven is a graduate in marketing. In sales he has been a qualifying member of the 'Million Dollar Round Table' and as the youngest regional manager at Australia's fastest growing life insurance company, looked after over 50 branches and a team with production in excess of $13 million annually. Iven is the man when it comes to presentations on how to create and deliver Incredible Customer Experiences. (www.frangi.com)

Watch his video and listen to Iven Frangi talk about trust in customer service.

6. What's going on

1. The Truth about Trust in Customer Service Breakfast - part of The Truth about Trust breakfast series

Based on feedback from the previous Entente Breakfast - The Truth about Trust in Sales, we have decided to run these breakfasts as focus groups - a real chance for you to ask questions, discuss issues and seek guidance and opinions from the experts.

We have the pleasure of having Iven Frangi, our featured author, and Steven Di Petrio, Managing Director of Shop'N'Chek, Australia & New Zealand, a worldwide mystery shopping provider (see www.shopnchek.com.au) at the table on the 6th May, with a short presentation from Vanessa Hall, Australia's trust expert.

Come and find out just exactly how you could be breaking down your customers' trust, why so many loyalty programs just don't work, share your challenges in serving your customers and find out how to actively build trust with your customers.

Why?

When you build and maintain trust with your customers, you get better results, more sales, more repeat and referral business, increased loyalty, less customer complaints and better relationships with your customers.

There are a limited number of places for this breakfast so get in early to avoid disappointment.

When: Tuesday 6th May, 2008

Time: 7:30am - 9:30am

Where: The American Club
Level 15, 131 Macquarie Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Breakfast provided

RSVP Tuesday 29th April 2008

Register here

2. The Truth about Trust in Business - 2 Day Program

11th - 12th June 2008 - 2 Day Program

13th June 2008 - Accreditation day for people interested in rolling out the concepts learned.

You will leave these 2 Days with:

• New insights and understanding of trust and its impact on your business

• An easy language and framework to address conflict

• New ways to attract and retain employees and customers

• An effective approach to increase sales

• Practical guidance to improve effectiveness of your marketing and reduce complaints

• Understanding of how to manage and meet the needs of your stakeholders

• Awareness of how to improve relationships inside and outside your business

Your Investment:

Normally $1,895 + GST

Register before 15th April for $1,495 + GST - Save $400

3. Innercents Forums

InnerCents supports Australian SME businesses

• Imagine having your own board of directors to guide and support your business!

• Imagine being able to resolve your challenges and share your ideas as and when they arise

• Imaging having ongoing support!

The InnerCents SME Forum is a platform that provides ongoing support for Australian SME owners.

In a confidential and professional manner, small groups of SME owners meet to share ideas and strategies that work!

Hosted by Meiron Lees, an Entente Accredited Consultant and Executive Director of Innercents.

Click here for more info

The Truth about Trust in Business just won a Bronze Medal in the Axiom Business Book Awards in the USA!

Purchase your copy of The Truth About Trust in Business here for $29.95 + P&H