BUSINESS: Repeat business

Savvy business owners understand the financial gains that come from delighting customers. It begins with attitude about customers.

Leaders attitude about customers

My first example is from a local business owner whom I’ve worked with before. This was our second time hiring Alonso, owner of Riverview Marble & Granite. Some of the things he did during our customer journey:

• Proactively communicated

• Exceeded timeline expectations

• Saw a potential issue with the size of our sink and called allowing me to make the decision instead of just moving forward, cutting the material for the sink (thank goodness he proactively communicated when seeing the issue — we ran to PDX and swapped for a smaller sink).

• Was very aware and careful to cover furniture and clean up.

Sounds great so far, right? Was this enough to “seal the deal” and receive a rave review, free advertising, and repeat business? Maybe so. Is there anything so far that’s out of the ordinary or is the list what one would expect from a professional? What do you think?

For us the clincher happened when he and his crew were leaving, having finished installation. He “sealed the deal.” What he said to us reflected his company’s attitude about customers and resulted in free advertising (two mouthpieces, Jeff and myself, recommending their services now and many multiple times in the future), a rave review (posted on Google), and our repeat business.

When he and his crew were leaving last Friday he took just 10 seconds and looked both Jeff and I in the eye, shook our hands, and said, “Thank you for allowing us to help you.”

Whoa! Who wouldn’t want to work with someone who has that attitude about their customer? That feels amazing.

The second example was sent to me by a friend and is a most excellent example of the right way to fix mistakes, when they happen. We will all make mistakes. There is a right way and a wrong way to fix those mistakes if the goal is to obtain raving customers.

How to fix mistakes and gain rave reviews, repeat business, and free advertising: Outdoors RV owners group

“Sheri R. and I spent the weekend at The Nugget RV Resort in St. Regis, Montana, and I gotta tell you, The Nugget RV Resort is the best. Not only do they have a very friendly staff, lots of amenities like pickleball, a pool, and disc golf but, when they had someone break down in the site we were supposed to check into, they:

“1. Called us to let us know, 2. Put us in a temporary site until the other campers could leave, 3. Paid for our weekend stay and then, 4. On top of that brought a quart bag of wonderful huckleberries. “It just doesn’t get any better than this.”

Do you have an example of stellar service that moved you to writing an amazing review and become a marketing mouthpiece for a business? Email me and let me know! Samantha@Kaizen.Zone.

For everyone interested in support so that your business gains rave reviews, repeat business, and free advertising because your customers think you’re the bee’s knee’s, email me to set up a 20-minute Zoom. Let’s see how to support your business!

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This story originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Columbia Gorge News' Home and Garden section.