Good Old Fashioned Customer Service
Recently I had the occasion to need two new tyres on one of my vehicles. I took it to the tyre shop that I have been using for over 20 years now to get them to replace the tyres. While I was there, I had a good chat to one of the principals of this small tyre business, and we were talking about the current economy and its impact on business.
The two people who own the business have been in it for close on 40 years; one of them is nearing retirement, and the other is probably within 5 years of retiring. They have the next generation that will probably take over from them already there involved in the business.
This is not the Wal-Mart of tyres, it is not the biggest tyre shop that you’ll find, but I keep going back to them, and during this conversation, it highlighted why I’ve been a customer of this place for 20 years. It was good, old-fashioned customer service. As Frank (one of the prinicpals) said, all business is about is talking to your customers, finding out what they want, and giving it to them as best you can.
As simple as that statement is, it’s something that often in business we make too complex. It was stating that if business just talked to their customers, asked them what they wanted, and gave it to them in the best way that they can, then the business will thrive.
The reason I keep going back is the fact that I can talk to them; they talk in the language that I understand. I have limited motor vehicle knowledge; I like a car but I have no idea how to maintain one, that’s what I pay others for. They take the time to talk to me. They take the time to ask what I want, explain why they recommend a particular tyre over another, and do the work required as fast as possible, working in with when it’s convenient for me, and I leave happy. Simple!
So why in business do we forget this? Why in business do we try to complicate it? We have procedures and systems and beaurcracy that take us away from the simple practice of engaging with our customers and delivering what they want.
It is imperative that we return to this simplicity of business, this good old-fashioned customer service – understanding your client, conversing with your client. And then the important last point he mentioned was “to give it to them as best you can”. He wasn’t giving all the great MBA phrases of “customer experience” and “the experience economy”, but in essence what we was saying was, “Don’t just supply a product or service to a customer, give it to them as best you can”. Give it to them in a friendly way, give it to them in the right manner with the right education, with the right desire and passion to deliver that product or service – and your client will be happy.
So I walked away from this business, once again happy, and I realised something else. After having left the business, I don’t know what they charged me. I’m an account customer because I’ve been there so long; they send me an account at the end of the month and I pay it. But before getting the tyres and getting those tyres fitted, I didn’t get a quote. I didn’t compare their price to another store; I didn’t get online and check which tyre is the best tyre suited for my vehicle versus other tyres. Twenty years of good, old-fashioned customer service meant that I wasn’t even worried about the tyres, because I know aI will be looked after, and they will be fair.
How many people have I told over the years about them? Plenty.
These owners are not any great intellectual MBA students, and I know if they see this post they won’t be offended – they will understand that it’s simple customer service that is delivering them customers.
So, in conclusion, Frank and Jeff’s Discount Tyres, at Ipswich, is the business. No, they don’t have a website. You’ll find them in the phone book, if you want a tyre business that just believes in simple, old-fashioned customer service. Take this lesson to heart in your business. It really is quite simple. Provide good old fashioned customer service.
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Nice writing style. I look forward to reading more in the future.