Google

Provide Exceptional Value - Grow Your Business


The primary objective of a business is to get and keep customers. Growing a profitable business requires providing exemplary customer service and products or services of exceptional value.

In the classic book, The Science of Getting Rich, Wallace D. Wattles writes that it is essential to provide customers with more in use value than you receive from them in cash value. Exactly what does that mean?

Imagine purchasing a training course contained on a set of CDs, and that its price is $1,200. Some would consider this rather expensive, especially if they are working with a small budget. The costs of copying a few CDs, and the packaging and shipping costs would not nearly be worth $1,200!

However, suppose you used the knowledge and resources contained in the course to generate several million dollars of income during your lifetime. In this case, you have obtained far more in use value than you paid in cash value. In fact, you might consider your purchase of $1,200 to be a real bargain.

The seller was not responsible for whether or not you would use the material. Nevertheless, he or she provided a product of extraordinary value.

This principle is easy to understand. It is also one of the most essential business practices in today's volatile economy. Just like you and me, our customers and clients are particular about how they spend their money. They deserve the most value possible for each dollar they spend.

Here is a little exercise that is fun to do, and provides some valuable insight. Think about all the companies you've done business with over the past year. Pretend you are holding a personal "Company of the Year Contest." Who would win, and why?

It would probably be the company whose product or service gave you far more in use value than you paid in cash value. It would be one whose product satisfied important wants or needs-one you enthusiastically told your friends about.

Consider also that both you and your winning company benefited when you made the purchase. By using this simple value principle, you and your customers will benefit beyond expectations.

You'll grow a profitable business because you'll get and keep more customers over time. They'll keep coming back and keep giving you referrals because they know you'll give them truly exceptional value!

© Copyright 2005 by Steve Brunkhorst. Steve is a professional life success coach, motivational author, and the editor of Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of Inspiration, a popular mini-zine bringing great stories, motivational nuggets, and inspiring thoughts to help you achieve more in your career and personal life. Get the next issue by visiting http://www.AchieveEzine.com


MORE RESOURCES:

RELATED ARTICLES


Attitude of Service
When conducting a training session about customer service, I always spend a fair amount of time talking about attitudes. After all, to be of service, you must develop an attitude of service.
The History of CRM -- Moving Beyond the Customer Database
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is one of those magnificent concepts that swept the business world in the 1990's with the promise of forever changing the way businesses small and large interacted with their customer bases. In the short term, however, it proved to be an unwieldy process that was better in theory than in practice for a variety of reasons.
Boomerang Customers- What You Might NOT Think Brings Them Back!
With all of the calendars and PDA's and lists I make I recently did a really dumb thing. I forgot my best friend's birthday and her anniversary.
Clients - What They Want from You
A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to help others and go on to fulfil this call by training to become a practitioner in one of the healing arts.The range of conventional, traditional, holistic, complementary and alternative therapies is extensive with new thoughts on old themes being introduced almost daily.
Improving Customer Service
Improving customer service starts at the top - with us owners and managers. We need to be living pictures of how we want our staff to treat customers.
Customer Service: Stop Sabotaging Your Customer Relationships
If you've called for customer service recently you're familiar with this recorded message "This call may be recorded or monitored for quality purposes." I immediately think to myself, "Oh great, here comes the game of 20 questions.
Customers - Hold Onto the Ones Youve Got
You probably spend a great deal of your time looking for new customers or clients. However, are you sure your doing enough to hold onto the ones you've got.
Does Your Customer Talk Back To You?
What is your customer saying about you? Do you really know? Does your customer really know who you are?If you don't know what your customer thinks about you, your business, your product and your services, then you might as well close shop!A customer is the lifeblood of every business and you must always strive to be in tune with what your customer thinks and how they feel. Don't leave your customers unattended and in the dark.
CEM Can Improve Customer Loyalty
'A 5 percent increase in customer retention increases profits by 25 to 95 percent.''The greater the loyalty of customers, employees, suppliers, and shareholders, the greater the profits reaped .
Should I Have My Company Mystery Shopped?
I wish I had a nickel for every time someone said to me, "Oh, you do Mystery Shopping; I always wanted to do that!" I think most people do find the thought of posing as a customer and reporting back on how they were treated, rather intriguing. But there is a lot more to it that skulking around in a trench coat and spy glass!I believe most companies have taken the plunge and decided that it really is important to conduct frequent "mystery or secret shops" of their businesses.
How To Boost Your Bottom Line With Two Little Words
I hate to sound like one of those cheesy get-rich-quick commercials, but this week I am going to let you in on a little secret that is so powerful that it will immediately change the way you do business.In fact, this little secret is so powerful that you will be amazed at its immediate effect on you, your employees, and your bottom line.
Sorry, No Customer Service After 4:00 P.M.
A few months ago, I wrote about ingenious styles of customer service that every business should know about, mostly because their employees were inflicting them on their customers.For instance, I warned about "in your face customer service" and "run for cover customer service", two equally effective opposites.
Increase in Customer Sales = Increase in Customer Service
One of the most popular questions asked in online business forums or even by my customers and subscribers is this :"How the hell can I increase my sales?"or"I've got tons of visitors but nobody seems to be buying anything? What gives?"FISHNETS WITH HOLES? ANYONE?Getting traffic is not the be all and end all of a successful online business. It requires skills, specific online marketing strategies designed for your site and a robust customer service strategy.
The Marvelous World of Metaphors
Recognize metaphors from every angle and round up more insight into your own innovation. Nobody can do it better than you can!A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that means one thing is used to describe an object or ideas to which it is not literally applicable -- a ship is said to plow the sea.
CRM For Beginners - Customer Relationship Management Basics
In order to maintain a successful business, the business must understand and maintain a positive relationship with its customers. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is the process of bringing the customer and the company closer together.
Mexico: Online Ordering-Dont!
I got it into my head sometime in December 2004 that I wanted order a laptop computer. I thought I would get one from the hugely popular computer company that allows you to call their 800 number and custom order what you want.
Setting Up a Customer of the Week Program for a Mobile Car Wash
In a mobile detail or mobile car wash business you are on a first name basis with your customers. You sink or swim with your ability to please your customer and rely on them to build your business by referring their friends, associates and neighbors.
The Number 1 Rule for Businesses - Be Professional
Have you ever walked into a store and things looked sloppy? Stores should have nice neat displays, right? Normally, yes, but sometimes they get a bit messy on busy days and we all understand how that can happen.But what if you were to walk into a store as soon as it opened in the morning and the place looked liked it had been ransacked? What would you think?You'd probably think it wasn't very professional-looking.
From Disgruntled to Champion - How to Turn an Unhappy Client Into Your Best Customer
It's a salesperson's worst nightmare- the phone call that comes in from a disgruntled customer. Not only does it create extra work for you, but it cuts into your valuable selling time.
Client Appreciation - It Means Everything!
Want to know the secret for keeping your clients forever? And what if you could keep your revenue growing by 25 percent every year, because your clients loved the way you appreciated them? In this article, you will learn how easy it is to develop a powerful client appreciation program. Once in place, an appreciation program will forever change the way you operate and manage your business.