Listening to Ravi Zacharias this past week—one of the most profound voices on radio today—I was struck by something he said: "What you win people WITH is what you win them TO!" I told my wife, "I think I found the subject of my next blog!
In an effort to sell their product, many companies endeavor to WIN people with great marketing campaigns that use slick ads, but containing a mountain of hype. It's frustrating, when you buy into that hype, only to find you've been duped, and that the real value of their product is far less than advertised.
"What difference does it make?" you say. "Winning the customer is everything—what does it matter HOW?"
You see this system of empty promises dished out by restaurants, phone and cable companies, consultants, retailers, nonprofit organizations, car dealerships, banks; yes, printing companies and, dare I say, government agencies? I could fill up several pages with examples of less-than-stellar businesses that tout quality and service as their number one priority; yet time and again fail to deliver.
I've mentioned many times in blogs, and in my book "System Busters," that if you want to know a company's real priorities, call their Customer Service Department, then turn right around and call their Sales Department. You will soon discover which department is better staffed to quickly respond to your inquiry. They'll be happy to SELL you the Brooklyn Bridge—but, you can bet, the Customer Service line will find you on-hold when your pilings begin to crumble.
Think about it—What You Win People WITH, is What You Win Them TO!
A disturbing trend with some companies is that they place more emphasis on the hard-sell pitch to move product, than on having the best quality products and services that can keep customers coming back. These companies will then use the same dishonesty when something goes haywire with the customer's order or job:
- "Uh, I'm sorry, this has never happened before!"
- "Yeah, bad day...we had equipment problems!"
- "One of our new-hires fouled up!"
- "It couldn't be helped...it was an Act of God!"
Sad fact is, some salespeople are trained to, "Just make the company look good, at all cost, should any mistakes happen."
Truth is, you will rarely see that kind of company ever getting serious about real quality and service through the use of good quality control systems—provably, the ONLY way to guarantee quality happens on a measurable and consistent level. They will continue to lie to themselves, prospects, clients, and employees, rather than change.
What you win people WITH (great products and services…OR hype and inferior quality) is what you win people TO. You may WIN a customer with either, but likely only the first time, if it's the latter—then you LOSE!
The only sure way to win customers, that will put your company on a firm foundation, is to seek out and implement control systems that ENSURE consistent quality and service.
Can we talk?
Did I mention? Great Systems Work!
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Philip Beyer, founder/president of Ebiz Products LLC and founder of Beyer Printing Inc. in Nashville Tenn., is a chronic entrepreneur, business systems analyst and consultant. Author of "System Busters: How to Stop Them in Your Business" and recipient of an InterTech Technology Award for the design and development of System100 business process management software. Beyer speaks to business owners across the country on how to bring lean, sustainable order to their businesses. Contact him at (615) 425-2652.