Index
A
Accounts receivable business, 16, 141–143
Arizona tile, 95–96
B
Basic business principles, 29–30, 136
Basic operating formula, 33. See under customer-service
Belief systems, 36–38
Boutique shop, 138–140
Brand
definition, 52
positioning, 53
recognition, 51
Branding Concepts. See under organization
Branding
definition, 52
strategy, 53
Break-even points, 24
Business
models, 44–45
strategies, 44
success formula, 20
Businesses, no follow up required in. See under customer-service
C
Cash
business, 144–146
conversion business, 14–15, 145
cow, 42
gap, 14
harvest, 44
Cash-only policy, 16
Catalogue, 101
Clean and pleasant facility, 68
Communication objectives, 53
Competitive advantage, 1, 2, 7, 24, 32, 36, 42, 45–47, 50–51, 57, 100, 107, 132, 133
Competitive advantage, strategies for. See under organization
Competitive pricing, 23
Competitor’s, 107
Computer records, 143
Costs, 40
Cost control, 133
Customer base, 140
Customer care specialist, 2
Customer care, 2, 12, 28, 116, 127
Customer disservice, 84–87
Customer order, 133
Customer order backlog business, 15–16
Customer service business, 14
Customer service examples. See under customer-service, in action
Customer service seesaw, 80
Customer service, golden rule of, 74–82
Customer service, internet for, 54
Customer-oriented pricing structure, 22
Customers expectations, 91–92
Customers needs, 91
Customers, 82–87
Customers/end users, 32
Customer-service
basic business principles, 29–30
basic operating formula, 20–21
businesses, no follow up required in
accounts receivable business, 16
customer order backlog business, 15–16
employment business, 18
equipment business, 18
inventory business, 16–18
management and administration business, 19
plant business, 18
property business, 18
sales business, 15
elements, 2
organization
cash conversion business, 14–15
customer service business, 14
price, 3, 7–10, 12–14
pricing strategies
competitive pricing, 23
dollars per item, 22
market pricing, 23
percentage markup, 22
price sensitive strategy, 24
quality strategy, 24
unique niche, 23–24
quality, 2, 3–5, 10–12
sales function, purpose, 25–29
stakeholders, concept of
customers/end users, 32
employees/subcontractors, 32
management/supervision, 31
owners/shareholders, 31
suppliers/vendors, 31
timeliness, 2, 5–7, 12
Customer-service business
customer service, golden rule of, 74–82
customer, easy for, 82–83
customer, loosing a, 83–87
customer-service quick list
clean and pleasant facility, 68
employee attitude, 67
merchandise layout, 67
operating hours, 67
parking, 66
phone answering procedures, 66
pricing policies, 67
print size, 68
restrooms, 66
shipping policies, 68
signage, 66
store lighting, 68
new customer quest, 60–61
new customers, getting, 62
outstanding customer service, 64
present customers, servicing, 62–64
touch points, 68
employee issues, 71
facility issues, 69–71
operations issues, 71
product issues, 73
sales and marketing issues, 72
Customer-service excellence
customer clarity, 119
customer complexity factors, 112
customer service costs, 115
customer service to last, 128–129
customers types, 114
customers, changing for, 112
empowerment tips, 119
examples, 109–111
fresh perspective, 112
outstanding service empowerment, 116
rules and policies, 111
staff empowerment, 117–118
terrific touch-points tips, 120–122
traps that trip you up, 122–127
Customer-service quick list
Customer-service strategies, 48–50
Customer-service techniques, 131
Customer-service, in action
accessible, knowledgeable, and well-trained employees, 94
competitor’s, 107
customer service examples
Arizona tile, 95–96
home depot design centers, 96–97
whole foods, 95
customers expectations, 91–92
customers needs, 91
easy pricing policies, 92
electronics au go go (EAGG), 89–93
Lawn & Garden, Inc. (LGI), case study, 97–104
LGI’s touch-point review, 106
shopper and non-shopper, 92
skip’s dry goods (Skip’s), 89–93
touch-point evaluation, 104
touch-points, plotting the, 105
Cyclical inventory counts, 143
D
Decision making, 118
Differentiation strategy, 46
Dollars per item, 22
E
Easy pricing policies, 92
Effective pricing methodologies, 136
Electronics au go go (EAGG), 89–90
Employee
attitude, 67
issues, 71
Employees, 94
Employees/subcontractors, 32
Employment business, 18
Entrepreneurial style, 49
Equipment business, 18
F
Facility issues, 69–71
Finite manufacturing facilities, 133
Focus strategy, 47
Follow-up service, 137
Front-end analysis, 48
G
Golden cash-cow opportunity, 9
Good profit margin, 42
H
Happy customers, 63
High profit margins, 23
Home depot design centers, 96–97
I
Implementation capability, 49
Information systems, 49
Intangible attributes, 1
Inventory business, 16–18, 143–144
Inventory shrinkage, 135
K
Knock your socks off, 44
Knockout price, 5
L
Labor costs, 133
Large peaks, 18
Lawn & Garden, Inc. (LGI), case study, 97–104
LGI’s touch-point review, 106
Lifetime warranty, 119
Local business models, 45–46
Low cost leadership, 47
Low cost strategy, 47–48
focus strategy, 47
preemption strategy, 47
synergy strategy, 48
Lowest price, 24
M
Management and administration business, 19
Management/supervision, 31
Manufacturing, 133–134
Markdown price, 17, 21
Market
forecast, 38–42
orientation, 48
pricing, 23
Material costs, 133
Material usage, 133
Mental models, 36–38
Merchandise layout, 67
Merchandise purchased, 134
Multiple strategies, 49
N
Net profits, 14
New customer, 60–62
Non-response, 27
Non-service charges, 136
O
One size fits all, 131–132
Operating hours, 67
Operational analysis, 31
Operations issues, 71
Organization
belief systems, 36–38
branding concepts
brand definition, 52
brand positioning, 53
brand recognition, 51
branding definition, 52
branding strategy, 53
communication objectives, 53
positioning approaches, 53
business models, 44–45
competitive advantage, potential areas for, 50–51
competitive advantage, strategies for
differentiation strategy, 46
low cost strategy, 47–48
customer service, internet for, 54
customer-service strategies, 48–50
developing a web site, 54
some myths, 54
web site content, 55
web site purposes, 54
web site, reasons for, 55
local business models, identifying, 45–46
market forecast, 38–42
mental models, 36–38
sales, 38–42
successful product, 42–44
Organization. See under customer-service
Outstanding customer service, 64
Overnight promises, 77
Owners/shareholders, 31
P
Parking, 66
Pep talk, 60
Percentage markup, 22
Phone answering procedures, 66
Physical inventory, 144
Plant business, 18
Point-of-sale systems, 135
Positioning approaches, 53
Positive return, 14
Potential areas. See competitive advantage
Preemption strategy, 47
Pre-sale, 25
Present customers, 62–64
Price sensitive strategy, 24
Price. See under customer-service
Pricing policies, 8, 22, 67, 90, 92, 113, 115, 137
Pricing Strategies. See under customer-service
Print size, 68
Proactivity, 49
Product
issues, 73
lines, 39
pitching, 61
Professional practices, 137–138
Profit margins, 24
Property business, 18
Q
Quadrant map, 105
Quality strategy, 24
Quality. See under customer-service
R
Referral, 65
Restaurant/food service, 140–141
Restrooms, 66
Retailing, 134–135
Ritz-Carlton story, 77
S
Sales and marketing issues, 72
Sales, 38–42
business, 15
forecasts, 25
function. See under customer-service
Satisfied customer, 63
Search for excellence, 132
Services, 136–137
Shipping policies, 68
Shopper and non-shopper, 92
Short-term profits, 24
Short-term reporting criteria, 19
Signage, 66
Skip’s dry goods (Skip’s), 89–90
Small valleys, 18
Specialty shops, 138
Stakeholders, 31. See also under customer-service
Stocking distributors, 101
Store lighting, 68
Store-identified shirts, 94
Storeroom operations, 144
Successful product, 42–44
Suppliers/vendors, 31
Synergy strategy, 48
T
Technology, 57, 127
Timeliness. See under customer-service
Touch points, 68
Touch-point evaluation, 104
Touch-points, 68, 87, 102, 109, 120
Touch-points, plotting the, 105
Type of business, and customer service
accounts receivable business, 141–143
boutique shop, 138–140
cash business, 144–146
inventory business, 143–144
manufacturing, 133–134
one size fits all, 131–132
professional practices, 137–138
restaurant/food service, 140–141
retailing, 134–135
services, 136–137
U
Unique features, 23
Unique niche, 23–24
Unique process, 23
Unique uses, 23
W
Web site, 54–55
Whole foods, 95
Widget customers, 83