BUSINESS SECRETS?ARTICLES BROUGHT TO YOU BYCHUCK'S MAIL ORDER NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES |
I’ve been in several businesses over my lifetime and most of the secrets I’ve discovered are no more than common sense. Treat your customer the way you want to be treated. It doesn’t matter if you’re dealing face to face with someone or in the mail. If someone orders something from you that you are not the "prime source" for. Do you just keep your commission and forward the order to the prime source or do you write your customer an acknowledg-ment and explain what is happening with their order? I like to know what’s happening with my order when I order something so I can only assume that my customer is the same way. Here’s how I handle such an order. I sell memberships to a fine organ-ization call the INNER CIRCLE. When I sell a membership, I get to keep half of the $20 membership fee. I forward the order to Dale Rolland at the home office of the INNER CIRCLE along with the $10 required fee. Dale of course handles the installation of the new member and sends them a complete Welcome Package. I then write a thank you acknowledgment to my new customer. I first thank them for their order. I then explain that I have forwarded their order to the "prime source" and give them Dale’s name and the address of the home office. I also mention to them that Dale is usually pretty fast at getting out orders and that they should received their Welcome Package within 2 to 3 weeks. However, if they have any problems or fail to get the package within a reasonable time, I tell them to contact me or Dale and let us know so we can check the order and correct whatever problem exists. It’s going to take extra time to forward the order to the prime source so this way my customer finds out that his order has been received, and that something is being done about it, and just what IS being done at that time... Also, he’s left with some indication on just how long it’s going to be before he gets his Welcome Package with his promotional material. I’m sure not saying that this is the best way to handle an order that you’re not the prime source for, but it has been working well for me for years. Treat the customer as you would want to be treated and you’ll find that you’ll receive a lot more repeat orders. Of course we all know that the repeat orders are where we make the most money as we don’t even have to advertise again for them. Oh, I forgot to mention that when you are acknowledging the order to send along some other promotional material that may interest them. They may appreciate that you have been prompt and efficient with their order, they may just order something more from you. Yes, it sure does pay to put your customer first. That’s why we’re in this business, bottom line.. to make money! ........’Til next time..... ..... Chuck
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