How To Be Out Of Business in 365 Days By Art Byrd

This is will be Art’s 8th speech.

It is Project 4-The Professional Seminar from The Professional Speaker Manual.

Part of the Advanced Communications Series.

His seminar presentation will be 10-15 minutes.

The title is
“ How To Be Out of Business in 365 days.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, Art Byrd

Good evening.

How to be out of business in 365 days is a harsh title for a presentation. Most of you are owners, soon-to-be owners and managers of a business, service or product.

My title is Consumer Observer. I go into businesses and watch how they treat customers or the consumer.

Was the employee polite or hostile towards the customer? Did the customer looked satisfied or disgruntled with the service or product they received or didn’t?

To be fair, I will go back to the same businesses 2 to 3 times to see if there's a pattern.

For many businesses, there is a pattern to them. And the customer can sense it, good or bad.

 (Pulling money out)
In my pocket, I have 5 $100,000 bills. I would like to give five of you $100,000 toward your business.

(Give the money to the audience members)

Ladies and gentlemen, you will lose my $500,000 and be out of business in 365 days. If your business, service or product doesn't have a super customer/consumer service approach.

You may be thinking, we do care about the customer, we treat them right.


Do you send them thank you notes? Call them personally to see if there's anything else you can do for them. You know their names by their 3rd or 4th trip to your store, receiving or doing business with your company.

If you answered “no” to any of those questions. You're not doing super consumer service.

I am a good predictor. I can predict if a business will keep going or be out of business in 365 days. In fact, I am very good at it. My record over two years has been 3 serve out of 4. There were locally owned businesses. The other two implemented super customers service.

Paper Route
I got my 1st experience on how important good customers service is with my paper route. In Ohio, winters can be hard. With deep snow, I thought it was my duty to make sure that everyone got their paper every day.

During the winter, a lot of people sealed their outside windows with plastic. Also, some sealed their front door with plastic.

 One afternoon that had heavy snowfall, I had put a paper in an outside mailbox at a door on the front porch of a house.

As I was going up the street. I noticed a woman coming from the back door of the house. She was wearing a coat wrapped tight underneath I can tell she was wearing a thin housecoat. She had on untied boots. The woman went to the front porch and got the paper and slowly struggled to get back to the backdoor as the cold wind kicked up.

On collecting day where we get the money for the papers. I said to the woman, “ I saw you getting the paper from the front door.” I asked her “would you like me to put the paper in the back door. She said “would you do that?” I said sure, I'm already outside.

I thought others may like the paper somewhere they get to it easier during the winter. So I began asking other customers where would they like the paper.

At that time, the price of a paper subscription was a $1.10. Some customers gave me a $1.25 which was a 15 cent tip. So after asking customers where they would like the paper put. I noticed that I was receiving a $1.50  from the customers I had asked about putting the paper in a different place.

I didn't do it for the extra tips but because it made life easier for my customers.

Here is a mantra or saying I would like you to remember. If there's nothing else you take from this presentation. Take this with you. They comes from David J Schwartz in his book “The Magic of Thinking Big.” He wrote ”plant service and harvest money.”

Let me say that again” plant service and harvest money.”

According to the 2010 Customer Experience Impact Report (CEI).
It states 80% of consumers stop doing business with the company as result of a negative experience.

During economic downturn, customers think more about how they spend their money. 55% of customers become a customer of the business or service because of their great customer service reputation.

Another interesting fact from the report. 85% of consumers say they would be willing to pay more over the standard price in order to ensure a superior customer experience.


That blows the super service door wide open.

Now after the suggestions I present to you. You may be thinking I can’t afford that. In using the old adage, you cannot afford not to. If you're not willing to do super service. I guarantee you someone else will.

In this presentation, I'm going to concentrate on 3 business, service and product areas that we all can relate to because in some way because we have use them. 
Auto sales and repair, food services like restaurants and walk-in stores.

Auto
Most of us have cars. And we have to deal with getting them repaired. Repairs are way of life. But what happens when you get your car back after the repair. It basically looks the same with the white paper left on the floor.

How do you feel? I just got back the old saying car.

Friends-Dirty Car
I had a friend whose car was serviced. It was so dirty afterwards she had to call the shop to have the car cleaned. She had to drive back to the shop. Her time loss, plus the frustration that she had to endure. The shop should've known the car look terrible. But they did nothing about it.

75% of consumers that had a negative experience with the business or service told others about it.
How did I find out about the story. I wasn't at the shop with her.

Friends-BMW
Now I have another friend who has a BMW. The story is different. Each time, her car is serviced. They wash and vacuum the car. After the repairs and the wash, the car feels brand-new that is the feeling BMW wants their customers to have. With service like that. What will be that person’s next car purchase.

I let you answer that.

What does it cost to make the customers experience with your business, service or product special.

For your auto repair shop....
Hire someone to wash and vacuum cars after repairs at your shop. Pay a little more than minimum wage.

Make sure the customer feels extra special.

Counter Stare Down
I learned about service working at a fast food restaurant with the golden arches. We were trained to say “may I help you” and to polite. Nowadays what I've experienced going into some fast food restaurants and coming up to the counter and the person stares at me in the eyes and says nothing.
It felt like a Clint Eastwood Western where we are facing off with each other (music comes up). The staring continues. Finally one of us gives up usually it's me because I'm hungry.

The whole situation felt hostile. Is it a place I would like to go back to.

Front Liners
This employee was a front liner. That means they are the first contact that the customer has with your business, service or product. It is your job as a owner and manager to make sure they are giving good service.

Color and Size
I seen front line people treat certain customers different because of their skin color or size.  You need to make sure your employees are trained to see everyone equal or green. Green in as in money.

When a person of color or a certain size goes into their wallet.
They do not put out a black, brown, or pale or heavy dollar. The dollar is green and worth something. They should be treated as green.

It doesn't take much time to talk to employee on how important good service is and give suggestions to improve.

It comes down to training but it comes down to observing.

Train and retrain your employee to give good service.

Walk in-
Walk in business are usually at stores. There is an advantage, you didn't have to go after the customer. They walk in freely on their own will.

They are looking to buy. They should be treated extra special.
Have you ever walked into a store, looking for something. People who work at the store walked by you and never ask you if you need assistance.

Greeter
One home improvement store I went to on a Saturday morning. Right at the entrance there was a woman from the store she greeted me and asked if I was looking for anything. I told her what I needed. She knew the store and directed me to the exact place I needed to go. I was out of the store in less than 5 min.

Store Map
One suggestion for the stores is to provide a map when the customer comes in. The greeter person at the door could circle or draw a line to where the customer want to go. At the register, the customer could give the cashier the map and they could recycle it in a recycling bin. Making the company green.

Saving the customers time can be a super service for them.

Give the customers directions for spending in your store

As I said before I'm a predictor of some businesses that will be out of business in 365 days.





BBQ Place
I love barbecue. Years ago, I can go to a Ribfest and rate ribs.

A few years ago a new barbecue place opened on one of the main streets in the city. This barbecue place was a little different, they had a grill outside which they cooked the ribs. This was unique.

One evening I went to the place to order a rib dinner with sides. order. I saw them get my ribs. Yum. That feeling went to huh.

As the person went to the cooler and grabbed a macaroni and cheese and baked beans. As he came up to the counter, I asked him doesn't those side come warm.  And with a straight face, he told me you can heat them up at home.

I gave this place 365 days to stay in business. That night I was there. The parking lot was full of cars.

In the coming weeks, there are few cars there. With the grill still there.

A few weeks later, no cars. The grill was still there. Another week, the store was dark. The grill was still there but not cooking ribs.

A few weeks passed as I drove by the grill was gone.

It didn't take 365 days for them to be out of business it took 302 days.

So remember:
1) make sure the customer feels extra special.

2) make sure your employees, your front liners treat every customer the same, no matter of color or size because everyone is green. Green as in money.

3) give the customer directions for spending in your store

There are so many other ways to help your financial bottom line. If not, you will find yourself at the bottom (out of business). You have to become more service oriented.

For those that I gave the $100,000 bills to. Please hold them up.
(Taking the money)

Don't forget to use the mantra: plant service and harvest money.
Because if you don't, the consumer will vote with their dollars. This money that should be yours will go into your competitor’s pocket.

I guarantee you you'll be out of business in 365 days.

Delivered Aug 8th 2011 at Toastmaters 408 meeting.