The Restaurant Doctor - Electronic House Call

ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL -- October 10, 1997

I have a brief break in the travel schedule. I have been working on the November issue of "Home Remedies" and it reminded me that it is time to check back in with the e-mail group. Here are a few notions that might be of interest:

TO STEAL CUSTOMERS, YOU NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE
by Bruce Kasanoff

Frequently, the only difference between your Second Tier Customers (STCs) and your Most Valuable Customers (MVCs) is that your competitors are better at serving the needs of your STCs. In short, your STCs are someone else's MVCs. To capture their business, you have to change your behavior. Don't expect the customer to change first. Here's an example of the wrong way to proceed.

I travel a lot and enjoy premium traveler status on most airlines except one, which I will call "Acme Air." I'd like to give more business to Acme; in fact, my credit card is an Acme VISA, issued by Citibank. But on other airlines, I can get free or low cost seat upgrades. Lacking Premium status, I can't do this on Acme, which means I often choose other airlines.

Last week, I called Acme and described my dilemma, explaining that eight times out of 10 I choose other airlines because they treat me better. If Acme could be flexible enough to match the treatment I get elsewhere, I proposed, it could win my business right away. Two supervisors and one customer service rep all failed to grasp the concept and resorted to quoting airline policies to me. They didn't recognize the opportunity. I could be a profitable customer for Acme Air if only they would be flexible enough to capture my business.

[This article was taken from INSIDE 1to1, a publication of marketing1to1/Peppers & Rogers Group. I have mentioned it in this newsletter before (and sent a free copy of "50 Tips" to Mike Jay for suggesting it). You'll find lots more information about one-to-one at their online resource center, http://www.marketplace1to1.com along with information on how to sign up for their free newsletter.]

SLOWING THE REVOLVING DOOR
Ponder the possibility that people don't leave companies, they leave managers.

YECCH!
I was reminded again recently what a horrid product grated parmesan cheese from the can is. If you are not prepared to shred the cheese fresh, my feeling is that you shouldn't offer it at all!

That will do it for now. Margene and I will be in Ireland and England from October 22nd until November 3rd, doing work for three different clients, two of whom ran into me on the Internet. How long are you going to wait before putting up YOUR web page?

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