Customer Relationships
How Much Do You Wax The Floors?
I remember meeting with one of our retail clients a while back when an interesting question came up: “How much do you wax the floors?” Wax them too much and…
Customer Relationships
Finding a 2-Way Fit
A few months ago, I was at a lunch with a prospective customer, discussing a new project. Partway through our meal, I said, “Jim, you know if this is going…
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It’s Still About the Basics
Another college football signing day is on the books. For coaches, getting there is always a long process. Throughout the year, coaching staffs scrambled to reach good prospects to fill…
Customer Relationships
It’s Still a People Business
I was reminded back around Christmas that most of our work is still a people’s business. In the retail sector, no matter how hard the electrons try, they cannot replicate…
Customer Relationships
On the Road…Again
“When I get home I shall write a book about this place…If I ever do get home.” –Alice in Wonderland My oldest daughter and her buddies used this phrase to…
Customer Relationships
New Business from Word of Mouth Endorsements
To me, most service businesses–whether construction, real estate, legal, financial or other–are like buses traveling the road. If you do not like the bus you are on, just get off….
Customer Relationships
How a ‘Feeling’ Wins and Maintains Business
You have heard it a million times: We never get a second chance to make a good first impression. While initial thoughts might take us toward in-person meetings, this adage…
Customer Relationships
Saying “No” and “Yes” With Equal Conviction
In business, most of the time it’s easier to say “yes.” We wish to serve, to solve problems and keep our customers happy. But “yes” isn’t always the right answer….
Customer Relationships
On the Road to Simplicity
This week, we were finalizing a contract with a new customer. The process of the last few days did not go as I had expected. Confusion from too many details…
Customer Relationships
Burns Club: Old Acquaintances, Not Forgot
A few weeks ago, I was the guest of a customer (and friend) for a Robert Burns dinner in Nashville. As you recall, Robert Burns was a talented Scottish poet who…