does anyone want my money blog passion squared

Does Anyone Want My Money?

May 20, 2013Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

 “We asked ourselves what we wanted this company to stand for. We didn’t want to just sell shoes. I wasn’t even into shoes – but I was passionate about customer service.” Tony Hsieh

I have noticed a very sad trend happening with small businesses and it makes me wonder if anyone really wants or needs my money. I do not have a ton of it, but when I need something, when I am ready to spend it, is your business ready to take it? I know, sounds a bit fundamental, but there is a reason I was inspired to write this post.

The Awning
My beautiful awning in the backyard has been slowly deteriorating for some time. A few Santa Ana winds (what we call wind in la la land) literally tore my awning apart. I called USAA where I have my homeowners insurance, they are awesome. They were ready to give me the money to get the awning fixed, I just needed to get a quote. Easy enough I thought. Well, not really come to find out.

It took me 3 months to find an awning company in LA to take my money, well part USAA’s and part mine. Why? Not a single company returned my emails and phone calls.

Finally, I stumbled upon an awesome company called Superior Awning. Found them on YELP. To my surprise, they actually answered my email inquiry with a phone call, within 24 hours. They had a highly trained awning guy at my house within 36 hours and had the job complete within 2 weeks. They clearly wanted my money and I happily gave it to them. I guess those other companies were doing so well they had no desire for a new client for life.

The Salon
My Mom just moved back to So Cal after 30 years on the East Coast. To say I am thrilled is an understatement. What is one of the first things people do when they move to a new city? Find a salon. How do people go about finding salons in today’s connected economy? They head to Google, YELP and ask their friends and family.

Since I did not know any salons in her new town, I went online and found a couple via YELP that I thought she should look into. So as any good Mom does, she follows her daughters recommendation. :)
She found one she liked, and used their “Contact Us” form on their website. And the waiting game began. One week, radio silence. No response. No reply. Well, my Mom is pretty patient so she decided to call the salon. She left a voice mail. And waited. One week, radio silence. No response. No return call. I guess that salon is fully booked and has no desire to engage with new clients.

Mom did finally find an awesome salon & hairdresser, Penelope at Salon Ana, based on a good old fashion referral from a friend, and she is very happy.

The System
You have systems for cutting hair, for creating color formulas, for ordering inventory, for cleaning brushes, but do you have a system for engaging new clients?

Here are a couple things you may want to take a look at in your salon:
1. What is your system for returning voice mail messages?
2. What is your system for email inquiries from your website?
3. What is your system for email inquires from your Facebook biz page?
4. What is your system for client questions posted to your social pages?

Change the system. Change the result. It’s really is that simple. If you want new clients that is.

If you are in the LA area and are looking for awning repair or a new awning, Superior Awning is the BEST.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

the social era

Are You Listening?

January 9, 2013Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“Brands are either part of the conversation or they’re not and as a result, they’re either part of the decision-making cycle or they’re absent from the heart, mind, and actions of the connected customer.”

Brian Solis, author of Engage and The End of Business As Usual

As many of you know, I spend a ridiculous amount of time on the web. I have a healthy obsession with engaging and listening because I care about you and want to help you and your business.

Recently, I have seen a lot of chatter on Facebook about the ROI (return on investment) of engaging on the social web, and how it really is just a big waste of time. What that tells me is there is still a BIG misunderstanding of these platforms and how important they are to the future of business, both big and small.

Engage.
These online platforms are no different than our offline platforms (i.e. the salon) when it comes to business. They are designed to allow us to engage with current and future customers in a meaningful way. To listen, to have two-way conversations, to solve problems, to build relationships, to create and deliver value. How in the world can someone not see the ROI in that? SMH.

Listen.
I overheard a conversation a while back from a business saying “If we have a business Facebook page, then customers will want to talk to us and ask us questions, and that is a lot of work.”  My response was simple: What could possibly be more important than engaging with and listening to your customers? How awesome is it that they care enough to engage with your business and buy something from you? Think about it.

Care.
I love this infographic that illustrates the trend of the connected customer when it comes to expecting customer care via social platforms. By 2014, refusing to communicate with customers via social channels will be as harmful as ignoring phone calls and emails. WOW. Take a moment and let that sink in.

the social era (infographic discovered on Google courtesy of Bluewolf)

Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics said it best…”The ROI of social media is that your business will still be around in 5 years.” I could not have said it any better.

So remember. Engage. Listen. Care. Three simple yet powerful words to remember, both online and off.

If you ever have any questions for me regarding my blog posts, feel free to post questions to Facebook or email me by clicking here. I will always respond, both online and off. Because I care.

(shared with LOVE from your passionista Nina)

starbuckslove

From Starbucks With Love

November 29, 2012Nina KovnerGROW

“Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible. Care more than others think wise.”

Howard Schultz, CEO Starbucks

 starbuckslove

Gordon & I  probably talk about coffee, espresso and Starbucks way more than most people, but hey, when you love something so much, you feel compelled to share it with the world.  Oh yea, it’s called customer loyalty, happiness and word of mouth.  Sound familiar?

I felt compelled to write on this topic after an experience I had at “my Starbucks” last week.  I call it my Starbucks as its my main spot I have been going to, nearly every day, for the last decade. Do you have a “my Starbucks”?

It’s All In A Name
They know my drink (talk about creature of habit), they know my name, they know my sister, my Mom and my brother.  They even know when someone comes in and orders my drink, almost always asking, “Is this for Nina?”  Talk about customer care.  I have a bond with them, a relationship, a trust that is priceless.

Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone?
They know when I have not been in for a while, they know my business, my hours, when I have gotten a new tattoo.  When I moved away from LA for over a year and came back in, they welcomed me home.  They remembered me, and my drink, even after a year had passed.  They missed me, and I felt it, in my heart.

Please Don’t Go
So last week, I made my daily visit to my happy place, where the baristas make me smile.  One of my fave baristas told me he was moving to the East Coast for a new opportunity.  My heart sank. I could not even believe that I would not be seeing his kind smile, genuine interest in how I was doing or enjoy the perfect Venti Black Ice Tea in a Trenta Cup Extra Ice Unsweetened drink he has made me thousands of times.  I grabbed my drink, hugged him, wished him the best, told the gang to have a great day, and walked out the door. And cried. Yep, that actually happened.

So I began to think about other companies I do business with, and began to wonder if I would cry if one of the team members left, or worse yet, if the business closed down. I am not saying that having customers cry is a good thing, but what I am saying is if they do, it says a lot about the depth of your relationship with them and how much they care about your people and your business.

So now let’s talk about you.  How much time and energy are you putting into building relationships with your clients, both online and off?  Can they “feel” how much you care?  Will they cry when you are gone?  Some very important things to consider when evaluating your team, your systems and your customer care.

(shared with LOVE from your Starbucks loving passionista Nina)

PS: If you are ever in LA, be sure to visit the BEST Starbucks on the planet located at 7122 Beverly Blvd.