Customer Service Extras On A Small Budget

About a month ago I went in to my mechanic for an oil change.  I remember waking up and thinking, ooooohhh, I get to go see Nick today.  I closed my eyes and visualized walking through his front door, checking in and staring longingly into the face of......the Keurig machine.  Something I have dreamed of having in our office for a long time.  To quote the great Wayne Campbell, "It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine".  In the meantime, that machine gives me something to look forward to when it is time for an oil change.  And on top of that, they give you coupons for your next visit, give your rides to and from work and leave you with a lot of great information regarding your vehicle.  They are the epitome of customer service.  But, all of that costs money and not every small business has that kind of income right now.  So, how do you know what appeals to your customers?

When I began working here, one of the first things I noticed was the peppermint candy.  We keep a container of it well stocked on our counter and we have customers who will pop in just to grab a few for the road, catch a quick conversation and head out on their way.  I love that and the excuse to talk to my customers.  During that time, I often learn about their needs and what we can do to better serve them.  We have to remember that our job is not only to talk but to listen.  During this time you can clue in to the needs of others. What types of needs am I referring to?  Well, having a small budget means we have to look even more closely, listen intently and remember the old proverb that says, "The poor man's budget is full of schemes". 

Often times I will be visited by families with children.  Everyone has different parenting styles and at times, it can be a bit difficult for the parent to juggle their children and listen to my sales pitch.  It is pretty imperative when you are trying to rent a unit that the customer is able to hear all you have to explain.  In the past, I would see one child running up and down our showroom while another was hanging off of Mom's arm and the other was in the public restroom doing ( ?? fill in the blank).  As I said, everyone has different parenting styles but the main key is to place the parent in a comfortable and relaxing spot so they can concentrate (and for me to be able to do the same!).   

We have a small store nearby that sells everything for a dollar.  Greatest concept since sliced bread.  One day while running errands, I went into this store and grabbed two puzzles, three childrens books, stickers for boys and sticker for girls and a small, plastic basket.  I put the girls stickers in a plastic container with a lid and the boys in another and marked them as such.  I placed everything in the basket and put it on the floor in the customer waiting area.  I did not spend more than $10. Not long after, a woman came in with her two children and was so pleased to see that we had shopped at the dollar store her husband managed.  She recognized the toys and they were enough to keep her children quiet so she could make a decision.  She became a repeat customer and she and her husband now have several units with us.  I turned that $10 into hundreds of dollars!

I'm a seasonal decorator as well. Nothing gaudy, just enough to brighten things up a bit.  I first started decorating our office as soon as the first sign of Autumn hit. Autumn just happens to be my favorite.  So, I went into the trusty little dollar store and picked up a bag of fabric leaves, some autumn print ribbon, a fabric bag in the shape of a black cat's face and two bags of suckers, total of $5.  I decorated the door and counter.  I also purchased an apple-cinnamon spice air freshener which helped with the autumn "feel" when you walk in the door (it has been proven that certain scents put people in a "buying" mood). I had a lot of compliments from our clients regarding the decor.  People DO notice.  I believe it makes them feel more comfortable when they come in to see that we aren't a cold, corporate office but we truly care about how they perceive us as a company.

Of course the holiday season always begs for decorating.  During the holiday's I brought out items that were festive but remained conservative with the amount I put out.  I think we can be a little overkill and that takes away from the ambiance of an already festive season.  I tested out some simple ribbons, bows and bells and bought a new candy dish.  Our customer's loved the simplicity and commented on this as well.  And once the season ended, everything came down.  It was as simple as that.

As you can see, it isn't difficult to offer customer service extras on a small budget. Giving top notch customer service is my top priority.  You can read many of my blogs and see just how important that is to me.  So, maintaining an environment that reflects that is equally as important.  It takes little time, effort and money to ensure your customers feel special because they ARE special.  We all are and so is your business.  Let's set the bar high so we are always reaching for the highest standards.  I promise, it will pay off.

Have a great day!

Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300

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Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300