Monday, June 21, 2010

Customer Service at Its Very Worst

By Madeline Frank

We have exactly one hour to eat lunch at our Company. How long does it take for a restaurant to make a sandwich?


We went to a restaurant for lunch at 12:35pm this week. The restaurant was almost empty of patrons. We were led to a table and the waiter took our order for drinks, a cup of soup and sandwiches. The drinks were brought a few minutes later with a cup of soup for my husband. We were still waiting for the sandwiches at 1:15pm. I found a waiter and told him we needed to leave in a few minutes to go back to work. I asked him to bring our order and wrap it up to go. Nothing happened!

After 5 minutes we went to the manager and said we needed the food and the bill as we had to leave to get back to work. Still nothing happened! A third time we told them we must leave now!

At that point we left to go back to work. We agreed to never, never go back to that restaurant.

What are the three secrets your employees need to know to develop "Excellent Customer Service" in your restaurant or business?

1) Your employees should always smile, be polite and helpful to their customers. A customer should feel like an honored guest in your restaurant or business.

2) Waiters, waitresses, and sales personnel should serve their customers in a reliable and timely manner.

3) Employees, waiters or waitresses should be attentive and bring customers orders promptly.

What should your employees not do in your business?

1) Your employees should never ignore their customers.

2) Your employees should never disappear and force your customers to search for them to ask for their orders.

3) Employees in restaurants or stores should not forget to deliver customers orders.

Your customers are your best advertisers and if you do not do right by them, they will tell everyone they know about the disastrous experience they had at your restaurant or store. All customers wish to be treated fairly, honestly, and in a timely polite manner. If our customers do not like our service they will not want to do business with us ever again.

Remember we are there to serve our customers.


Madeline Frank, Ph.D. is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your businesses successful.

For more information on booking Dr. Madeline Frank to speak at your next event email her at mfrankviola@gmail.com

or visit http://madelinefrank.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Madeline_Frank

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Treat Your Customer Right

By Madeline Frank

My parents planned a family vacation at the beach 6 months in advance. The day had finally arrived. My younger brother and sister traveled with our parents, my older brother and his wife traveled together and my new husband and I followed in the next car. We drove caravan style from our homes to the hotel in four and half hours. We all checked into our rooms and several of us ran to sit by the beach but several of us stayed in our rooms.

We had been in our hotel rooms for an hour when the toilets backed up. Plungers did not work this was a major problem.We went over to the managers office and told them what happened. They sent someone to look over the problem and after trying to fix it they said it was major plumbing problem.

The head manager made a few calls to find us another place to stay for our entire family. When no other hotels were available he put our family in a house they owned by the ocean. The house was a dream come true where our whole family could unwind and enjoy themselves. The house was right on the ocean with five bedrooms, a large kitchen, several full bathrooms, a living room, dining room, and a large den beautifully furnished.

Several wonderful restaurants and shops were available 20 minutes by car. We felt as if we were on our own island on the beach. We had a wonderful week together at the beach.

This is how a hotel, complex, or apartment should be managed. If something brakes down at your hotel, complex, apartment building, office building, or restaurant have the problem fixed immediately. Do not wait till tomorrow!

What are the 3 secrets of treating your customers right?

1) When your customers enter your business your employees need to smile, be respectful, be polite, be helpful, be knowledgeable, be well groomed, dress appropriately and make a good first impression so your customers want to continue being your customers.

2) Your employees should speak to customers and their family members in a reliable and timely manner.

3) When the toilet, plumbing or something else brakes down in your business have it repaired immediately.

Remember leaking pipes only get worse and can destroy your reputation, your business, and your building! Remember we are there to serve our customers. Get it right the first time!

Madeline Frank, Ph.D. is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your business successful. For more information about booking Dr. Madeline Frank for your next event email her at mfrankviola@gmail.com or visit http://madelinefrank.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Madeline_Frank

Thursday, May 6, 2010

“Do the Right Thing to Keep Your Customers”

by Madeline Frank, Ph.D.



Should you listen to your customers? As a business aren’t we there to serve our customers?


My husband and I recently went to a new restaurant that just opened up near our home. When we entered the new restaurant there were no smiles on the owners or waitresses faces. We were seated and ordered off the menu. No bread was served. My husband ordered the fresh fish of the day. When the food finally arrived, after 30 minutes of waiting for it to cook, the waitress brought someone else’s order of pork chops. My husband looked at it and called the waitress back to find out what happened to his fresh fish dinner.


She said she was sorry, but the other table had already eaten his fresh fish of the day. That was the first and last time we went into that restaurant.

What are the three secrets you need to know to develop "Excellent Customer Service" in your business?

1) Your employees should always smile , be polite and helpful to their customers. A customer should feel like an honored guest in your restaurant or store.

2) Your employees should write down the customer’s orders and repeat it back to them to make sure it is written down correctly.

3) If your employee makes a mistake they should apologize on making the mistake and correct it immediately. The waitress should not try to pass off the wrong meal to a customer.

All customers wish to be treated fairly and honestly in a friendly polite manner. Remember we are there to serve our customers.

Madeline Frank, Ph.D. is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your businesses successful.

For more information about booking Dr. Madeline Frank for your next event email her at mfrankviola@gmail.com or visit http://madelinefrank.com/.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Where's the Customer Service?

By Madeline Frank

If you went into a business and the sales person was rude to you, did not know the sales price, and threw your canned goods in a bag would you continue purchasing in that store? What does excellent customer service mean to you?

There is a local chain grocery store near my house. The store is well lit and has a good display of products at a fair price. I located all the products I wanted to purchase and stood in line to wait for my turn to pay for my groceries. The unsmiling Cashier was not having a good day. When it was my turn to purchase my groceries
the Cashier rang up my purchases at the higher non- sale price. I reminded her about the sale price. She corrected it and I paid for my groceries. The Clerk then roughly threw my cans in a bag. I looked in the bag and my once beautifully shaped cans were mangled.


I went to the Manager of the store, I was so unhappy about my cans being ruined. The manager brought me new cans to substitute for the dented ones. The Manager did not apologize for his employee’s behavior and the Manager did not smile either.
Here are the keys to having your Business run smoothly:


1) Your cashiers or employees should always smile and be polite and helpful to their customers. A customer is an honored guest in their store.

2) Your cashiers or employees should know the sales items and if they do not they should apologize on making a mistake and correct it.

3) When the sale is completed your employees should carefully place the items purchased in the bag. It does not matter if it is a $2 can or a $500 glass lamp, your customers purchases should be treated carefully with respect.

All customers wish to be treated with courtesy and respect in a friendly polite manner. If we do not get it we will find another store where the customer is treated like an honored guest. Remember First Impressions can never be repeated!

Madeline Frank, Ph.D. is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your businesses successful.

For more information about booking Dr. Madeline Frank for your next event email her atmfrankviola@gmail.com or visit http://madelinefrank.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Madeline_Frank

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Keys to Survival During Times of Financial Stress

If your spouse passed away would you be able to pay your bills? If you were divorced would you be able to pay your bills and take care of your family? If your parents passed away would you be able to pay your bills?

Are you getting married soon? Several of my former students have just gotten married and next month another former student will be marrying his sweetheart. Whether you are single, married, divorced, or your spouse has passed away you need a plan in place for your financial future to protect you and your family.

When I was engaged to be married, my Momma, Romayne Leader Frank, a lawyer specializing in Family Law and Real Estate, was getting ready to give a speech to the local Women's Club on "Financial Success". Mamma had clients who were widowers, widowed, divorced, and single who suddenly had no money or credit in their own name. The credit card and bank accounts were in their deceased spouses name, their divorced spouses name or in their parents name which meant they did not have any money or credit in their own name and were unable to pay their bills and take care of themselves and their families.

My Momma asked me to listen to her speech to see what I thought of it! Momma spoke of the need for women to have credit in their own name, not in their spouse’s name, their former spouse’s name or their parents name but in their own name.

On that particular day Momma was talking to the Women’s Club. When she spoke to other organizations she said “Everyone, meaning both men and women, should always have their own separate checking, savings and credit card accounts in their own name so they would never find themselves without a way to support themselves and their loved ones.

I have over the years called our families’ accounts yours, mine and ours. The same name as the Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda Movie "Yours, Mine and Ours." In the movie the title referred to children though not to money. Over the years, I have shared my Momma's wisdom with many others. Her speech was well received by me and the Women’s Club and has stood the test of time.

What are the secrets my Momma, Romayne Leader Frank taught for women and men to be financially independent?

1) Open a bank account in your name at a secure bank that is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and start immediately to put your money in it for your nest egg.

2) Open a checking account in your own name and put your money in it.

3) Get an American Express and or Visa Card at a very low interest rate in your own name and begin to use it immediately and pay your bill as soon as the statement comes in to establish your credit.

4) If you buy a house make sure your name is on the title and before purchasing your house have a professional title search done to make sure there are no liens or prior owners of the house.

5) If you are paying a mortgage on your house pay the bill on time. If the interest is too high, talk to the holder of your mortgage and get it moved down. Always get a fixed mortgage rate.

6) If you buy a car make sure the title is in your name. If you are paying the car off each month pay the monthly charge on time. If the mortgage on the car is too high, talk to the mortgage company into lowering the rate. Make sure you have a locked in fixed rate.

By Dr. Madeline Frank

Madeline Frank, Ph.D. is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations discover ways to “Tune Up Your Business”. Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your businesses successful.

For more information about booking Dr. Madeline Frank at your next event email her at mfrankviola@gmail.com ,call 757-599-3575 or visit http://madelinefrank.com/

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Secrets of Growing Your Business Through Customer and Employee Retention

The bottom line in this shrinking business market is to keep your customers happy. That means the "First Impression" you and your employees make can never be repeated. It takes only a few seconds for a customer to decide if they want to do business with you.

We want our clients to come to us for the solutions to their problems and we want our clients to recommend their friends to be our new clients.

What are the five secrets you need to know to develop "Excellent Customer Service" in your business?

1) In business to retain customers during this shrinking jobs and services market, we need to train sales people to do the following: Smile, be polite, be helpful,be knowledgeable, be clean, well groomed, dress appropriately and make a good first impression so our customers want to continue being our customers.

2) Sales personnel should speak to customers and their family members in a reliable and timely manner.

Examples of what not to do:

Employees should not be talking to their friends on the phone and ignoring their customers.

If your sales personnel are responsible for apartments,rental homes, offices, buildings, or hotel rooms and the toilet is broken it must be repaired immediately. Not tomorrow! Remember leaking pipes only get worse, can destroy buildings, and be costly to repair!

3) If your employees know your customers name call them by name. The customer will feel that you care about their business and they will want to continue doing business with you.

4) If you are answering the phone at a business, answer the phone as quickly as possible. Do not wait for it to ring 4 to 5 times. The customer may be ordering a large shipment of goods or booking a reservation for 40 people. If you wait to answer the phone you will lose the sale!

5) Remember to smile into the phone, be polite (say please and thank you) and be committed to giving excellent service today. Your employee might say "but they cannot see me!" That is true, but they can tell by the inflection in your voice that you are smiling and want to be helpful. If you do not know the answer to their question, tell them you will find out immediately what the answer is and will call them back in 2 minutes. Remember to call back as soon as possible! Your customer will want to do business with you because they can rely on you to keep your word and solve their problem.



Madeline Frank, Ph.D. business owner, teacher, researcher, speaker and concert artist. She writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly Article & Musical Tips" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show".

If you need a speaker contact Madeline at mfrankviola@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Have You Ever Given Up When it Became Too Difficult For You to Solve Your Problem?

If you were the leader of your country and two other countries wanted to take over your country would you fight for a while and give up or would you fight "no matter what the difficulties" and embrace the motto - Never, Never Give Up? If you were a surgeon, a Medical Doctor, and the Pathologist at the hospital said there was no hope for your patient would you give up or embrace the motto- Never, Never Give Up?

During the darkest days of WW11 Prime Minister Winston Churchill stayed strong for his country! In 1941, Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited the Harrow School where he heard the traditional songs he had sung as a youth and spoke to the students on changing world events in the last year. Germany and Japan were expanding their control. In his closing remarks, Churchill said, "But for everyone, surely, what we have gone through in this period--I am addressing myself to the School--surely from this period of ten months, this is the lesson: Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

Prime Minister Winston Churchill also said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

My father, Dr. Robert J. Frank was my hero. He was a healer of patients. Every day he saved the lives of his patients. When the Pathologist at the hospital said there was no hope for a patient because of the numerous tumors, my father, Dr. Frank said, "Just show me where all the tumors are and I will remove every one of them." He never gave up on saving the lives of his patients. My Father, Dr. Robert J Frank improved and saved the lives of thousands of patients for over 45 years.

No matter how difficult the problem was Prime Minister Winston Churchill and my Father, Dr. Robert J. Frank would Never, Never Give Up! Winston Churchill kept his country safe and strong and Dr. Robert J. Frank saved the lives of his patients. They would Never, Never Give Up! The next time it becomes too difficult for you to solve your problems I want you to do the following three things:

1) Always have a paper and pencil ready, where ever you are, in case you think of a solution to your problem. Think of yourself as a detective like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson and look for your solutions at work or at home.

2) Give yourself time each day to ponder your problems. Be observant and a good listener. Start thinking how to solve your problems today!

3) Have a burning desire to solve your problems and Never, Never Give Up!


Madeline Frank, Ph.D. business owner, teacher, researcher, speaker and concert artist. She writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly Article & Musical Tips" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show".

If you need a speaker contact Madeline at mfrankviola@gmail.com

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Madeline Frank, Ph.D. business owner, teacher, researcher, speaker and concert artist. She writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly Article & Musical Tips" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show".