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Saying yes

September 2, 2011 in Company Culture, Connecting, Customer Service, Marketing with 8 Comments

When it comes to customer service, saying yes easily sets you apart. Customer connections can be built by being a problem solver.

This summer I was on a short road trip with my family. We had just purchased a car for my wife and were enjoying our first trip. About two hours into our journey we started to hear a vibration noise. Sure enough as we pulled into a rest area another traveler alerted to something dragging under the front of the vehicle. A close inspection revealed that the noise plate screws under the engine had loosened, causing it to drag. While it was not a dangerous situation we still wanted to make sure we could get it fixed before we continued. I decided to drive another 15 miles to the nearest town, since there was no clearance under the vehicle for me to fix it myself.

Call it conditioning or just good marketing, I first thought of the tire sales and service chain Les Schwab. For as long as I can remember they have been known for running out to meet you with a helpful mindset. If they could not fix your roadside issue they would quickly call someone to arrange a solution. Never would they leave you in a bind. They have always been known for their yes, at least they used to be.

As we pulled into the parking lot I knew we were in for a different experience. No one ran out to great us. Walking into the lobby I got a obligatory look from the woman tending the counter. As I began to explain my problem the manager standing near by over heard and simply told me there was nothing they could do. He explained they were too busy and didn’t have the right tools. He even told me they had no duct tape. I then gave him another chance and asked if he knew of a shop he could refer. Again he said “no”. I have heard their service had gone down hill but this was pretty bad.

From where I stood I could see an auto service shop across the street. Knowing I was not going to have help at Les Schwab I decided to give the other business a try. The shop appeared to be busy as well but the service employee outside said he thought they could help. Going inside I again explained my problem. They were indeed busy and had no one handy to help. What was great though was the owner handed me a roll of duct tape and said I was welcome to use the parking lot. As I walked back out to the car the customer service woman ran out and motioned for me to drive around back. As I pulled around to the back of the shop she guided me to the car lift where I could prop the front up enough to work on the plate. The car easily now had enough room to secure the plate. They had succeeded in helping us get back on the road. It all came down to a simple “yes, we can help”.

I don’t care what your business is, no should be a last resort. People ask our business all the time for services we don’t offer. We always direct them to someone who can help. The simple act of loaning me duct tape guaranteed I will always remember them. I have already told many about their act of kindness. I have spent thousands of dollars at Les Schwab and none at Kelly’s Auto Service. To them it didn’t matter, they just said yes.

She’s a communications manager! Now what?

August 31, 2011 in Connecting, Customer Service, Marketing, Social Networking, Tools, Twitter with 0 Comments

Today a friend contacted me with great news. She was recently hired as a communications manager for an event center. She has reinventing herself. So at the outset of this she asked what advice I could offer as she ventures out into this new space.

Not wanting to overwhelm, I decided to keep the first steps really simple. So I shared these three principles: Listen first, engage, and most of all promote others. Yes, it is much more complex than that. What I see too often is communications made too complex. So here is how I broke those three down for her.

Listen: Gather all the interested parties that exist in your business world (customers, collaborator/partners, vendors, champions, friends and colleagues. Never discount anyone as the contact database and scope is developed. It is hard to gauge who will be a valuable contact. Sometimes the most unlikely ones will be the best. Hangout where the community gathers, both on and off line. Really learn about the community before you jump in. Use tools like Rapportive to gather all the outposts they use.

Engage: Once you have a feel for the community, begin to engage and add value. Be sincere and open. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Some things will work and other won’t. Only trying will tell. Don’t assume that a tool like twitter is the one to use. Fill the toolbox with what the community already uses. Most of all give them a place to gather; preferably your home base (like a blog) where the attention gained can easily be guided to the things you want to offer.

Promote Others: Luckily this principle is a staple in the event business. Other than just being a good practice because it is the right thing to do, you will become known for someone of value, someone to be connected to.

Please add more since this is an ongoing conversation. I am so excited to see where she goes with it.

LinkedIn got it right

August 5, 2011 in Connecting, General, Marketing, Tools with 4 Comments

It takes a lot to catch my attention through email. LinkedIn did it this week, and they did it well. They did a brilliant job in perking my interest in both my closest connections and their recent stories. As a professional networking site, most of us see it as an interactive resume. Users barely log in more than once a week or even once a month. On Wednesday I got a message that displayed a shot of several of my closest connections that have either changed jobs, started something new, or were promoted. During a time when bad news seems to be everywhere, LinkedIn got my attention by showing me something remarkably hopeful. Not stopping there, they made sure somehow that most of these people are more than just business connections. Each face in the picture comes with a great story.

I have posted recently on friends seeking jobs. I have created a twitter list honoring those who have left mediocre jobs to venture out into something new. I love stories about linchpins changing the world. Linkedin tapped right into that for me, and they even got me to click through “to find out more”.

Brevity and connection

July 22, 2011 in Connecting, General, Marketing, Publishing, Rants, Social Networking, Tools, Twitter with 3 Comments

Twitter taught me how to get a point across in 110 characters of text. Many of us noticed our writing improve on blogs and in books. Another benefit was the ability to know quickly if you were someone I wanted to connect with. In the short descriptions on a good twitter profile I knew who you were, what you did and where you did it. Better yet I had a link to find out more.

As people add me to circles on Google + I am noticing a common occurrence. Just like twitter, Google Profiles are where I quickly assess whether I want to add you to a circle or not. Several profiles read like resumes or worse they are just one solid block of five hundred words or more. Most of all they are boring.

The profiles that catch my attention are short, creative and utilize all the tools that Google has offered including the photos banner. And like twitter, really your profile is as good as your last post.

Like the subject of this post I am keeping it brief. Please feel free to comment, disagree or share your own profile insights.

If we are not connected on Google + you can find me at http://gplus.to/johnflurry. See you there.

About you: Google profiles

July 13, 2011 in Connecting, General, Marketing, Social Networking, Tools with 10 Comments

I first started using google profile about two years ago. It just makes sense. Google allows you to add as many links as you want as well as a useful description about yourself among other items. It is probably the most public place where you can tell the world about you. Remember the term “google me”. When I originally updated my profile I found that I showed up first on an organic search (raw search of google where you type in a term, like your name). Just for reference there are over a hundred John Bergquists in the U.S. with professions ranging from MDs to computer engineers.

Those seeking new careers or just graduating college have asked me what is the best way to connect with employers or potential business. Simply making sure that your information is readily available is key. An about.me page or a resume site can do the trick. The more creative you can be the better. Honestly, now as google + takes off (I have not seen a social network grow as fast as it has over the last few weeks), it makes sense to have a robust and complete google profile page. It certainly can’t hurt. I am working on a post about my following methods on social networks. A complete profile helps me know if you are someone I need to connect with.

As always I recommend that you never leave your most creative content out on anyone else’s platform. Let all roads lead back to home base as Chris Brogan coined it. Make sure your blog or website is the curation site that holds your remarkableness.

A quick note on privacy. Like any content on the web, be mindful of your rights as well as privacy settings. Too many people are not educating themselves on the details. Make sure you understand what you are sharing and how it can be viewed as well as used in the future.

If you are not on google + I still have invites. Send me a note here with your google account name and I will add you.
If you are on google + you can connect with me there as well.

I chased him down

May 31, 2011 in Connecting, Customer Service, General, Marketing, Social Networking, Twitter with 0 Comments

We were having a meeting in the Soma Games/Code-Monkeys office a couple of weeks ago near the front of the shop. In the middle of the meeting Chris Skaggs our CTO yelled out, “he is wearing our shirt!”. We all turned to look out the street front window. A guy in his twenties had just walked by wearing a Soma t-shirt. I immediately jumped up, opened the door and chased him down. He turned around as I called out, noting that he was wearing our t-shirt. I then asked him where he got it, telling him I thought it was cool he was wearing it. He said a guy named Chris had given it to him when he stopped in the shop out of curiosity. I thanked him for wearing it and invited him in to come in anytime to play XBox or see our latest projects.

I remember thinking to myself as I began to chase the guy down “what the heck am I doing”. I realize I really didn’t care if he thought I was nut. I was so excited this guys was walking around with our brand on him. I was going to do anything to make sure he knew we appreciated it.

That is what makes the difference today. Every fan, customer and community member matters. They have a voice and they hold the keys to you getting your name known. So when they wear your t-shirt, give you a shout out or blog about you, chase them down and make sure they know you saw you appreciate what they do. It doesn’t cost a thing and it goes a long way to further enchantment.

Here are a few examples of brands that listened this week.

A friend asked about the best Microsoft Office document app for the iPad. We had a conversation on twitter and Quick Office chimed in with a thank you.

I have a twitter list I use to promote Authors who are engaged on line. Using Paper.li the list sends out a note about the top posts from that list. Several Authors say thanks. Two of which are Ted Coine and Laurie King through her famous character from her Beekeepers Apprentice Novels Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes’ young assistant.

These gestures are worth more than prizes and they can never be bought.

Cutting to the deal

May 6, 2011 in Connecting, Marketing, Rants, Social Networking with 6 Comments

A few months back I was going through a few personality tests. The last one I took was the Core Value Index. I learned a big lesson from the CVI. I value relationships so much that I have a tendency to delay or stall closing a deal when doing business. On the other end of the spectrum there are people who leap to the deal too soon. There is a sweet spot. I am learning that if my skills and knowledge can benefit you I need to make that known and offer it up. Of course I need to feel that I have gained your trust first. For those of you ready to cut to the chase to early, slow down and get to know us first, discern if we really need what you offer. As I get to know you, I will naturally want to spread the word and if it is valuable to me I will buy your gadget or ask for your service.

This also applies to people already in our network. Just this week a friend who I had not heard from in a while contacted me and right away tried to sell me something (I admit I have made this mis-step too). It was just a big turn-off. Ask me how life is going first. Hang out with me for a while. Get reacquainted. Then, like I plan to do better, cut to the deal.

And the cards were flying

March 2, 2011 in Connecting, General, Marketing, Social Networking with 8 Comments

Last night I arrived in San Francisco and the team at Soma Games decided to get out and meet up with friends. We are here to attend the 2011 GDC (Game Developers Conference). Our first stop was the Facebook party. At first glance it looked like it was going to be fun. Plenty of industry workers and company owners were enjoying themselves. As we settled in I soon realized that one thing after the next was going to happen. I would meet someone and they would hand me their card. Then they would ask “so what games have you done”. And that was basically it. It felt scripted. After the third time I began to get bored. Many of the people in attendance were young but it didn’t dawn on me till later that these were all either college students or recent graduates. And they were playing the classic game of networking.

I did get a chance to explain a bit about the communities I have helped build and how I they formed. A bootstrapper asked us how we find our talent as well as our for-hire gigs. From what I could tell he really had not tried to build a community yet. I was honest and told him it was all about friendship, trust and enchantment. I went on to share that ninety percent of the time I am just visiting with clients and partners. We talk about our families and our hobbies. We share our struggles and stories. Yes we talk shop but it is rarely about selling and mostly about life.

Know your short pitch about who you are and what you do and then calm down and ask the other person about their life. Find out how their trip to the conference was, where else they have travelled recently, where they went to school. Find some way to connect their world to yours. Think of who in your circle of friends they just have to meet. If there is an obvious connection, you will never need to hand someone a card because they will ask for it. Most of all don’t strive. Nothing is more unbecoming.

When I get home and all I have is your card it will usually go in the trash. If you told me a great story or I got to know a little about your family and what makes you passionate you can be sure I will look you up, check out your work. If I can’t find a way to work with you then I will make sure I find someone who can.

Most of all remember it is about people. For more on that read Surprised in Vegas.

Old boots and lasting customers

February 15, 2011 in Company Culture, Connecting, Customer Service, General, Marketing with 11 Comments

n the early 90′s Eddie Bauer was still trying to uphold the great customer satisfaction guarantee their founder established back in 1922. He basically said that you could bring back any item no matter how worn or old, for a full refund, no questions asked. The customer’s satisfaction came first. It was that policy that made me want to work for the company back then. Over the years as stock manager and floor salesman I met many lifetime customers that stayed with Eddie Bauer for the integrity of that policy……

How and why I use location-based tools

January 26, 2011 in Connecting, General, Marketing, Raves, Social Networking, Tools with 7 Comments

People ask me two questions regarding location-based tools like Gowalla, Foursquare, Whrrl or Yelp. The first question is: why use them? The second is: how do you choose which one to use?

The answer to the first question has three parts…