Imagine this: You’re right in the mix of things at your office – producing wonderful
documents and printing them on your trusty inkjet printer when, all of a sudden, the
unthinkable happens… your printer cartridge runs dry. Your day comes to a grinding
halt, and you have but one overriding mission: must get a refill. This scenario really
happened for a couple of local business owners, and the story that follows is true.
Eric Reamer and Angel Tuccy, owners of Littleton-based Experience Pros, LLC headed
straight to Cartridge World in Englewood, CO. All they needed was a refill for their
printer cartridge. What they got, instead, was a warm, friendly greeting by Ron Skinner,
the business owner. He then proceeded to ask them leading questions that helped them
better understand the whole world of remanufactured ink and toner cartridges, and even
showed them how to keep their entire printing system running at optimal performance.
They were given the red-carpet treatment and left his store feeling amazed at the level of
genuine concern and interest Cartridge World had for their specific business needs.
That story reflects the meeting of a need for a product (ink jet cartridge). What about the
following story that deals with the service side of business?
Jay Carpenter is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services who takes the
time to really develop a relationship with his clients. Jay sends his customers birthday
cards, follow up letters, and hand-written “thinking-of-you” notes several times a year.
He brings people together not just for a sale – but also to demonstrate his appreciation for
the relationships he develops with his clients. His kindness extends to making sure that
you don’t have to go out of your way to meet with him – he will come to you. He’s more
than likely to show up with a cup of your favorite coffee in hand, too… just because he
knows you’ll appreciate it. And oh yeah… he’s great with managing your investments.
What do these two independent businessmen have in common? They are both recipients
of the Experience Pros Extreme Customer Service Award. They have been
acknowledged among their peers and within their communities for having gone the extra
mile to make a difference in the hearts and lives of their customers.
Experience Pros is a company that offers professional consultation and systemic training
to service-industry businesses of all sizes. “We specialize in business development via
extreme customer service and strategic relationship training”, says Reamer. “Simply
put,” he says, “we put the relationship back into business by training our clients how to
bring back the lost art of extreme customer service”.
“We aren’t just trainers,” says Tuccy. “We’re also consumers. We shop in our
neighborhood, and do business in our community. There is a direct correlation between how a business’ customers are treated, and the overall health of the business.” This fact
led the Experience Pros team to develop an award program that specifically looks for
companies who not only understand the importance of, but also implement the execution
of customer service that goes beyond what is expected.
The Extreme Customer Service (ECS) Award was designed to acknowledge the fact that
just maintaining the status quo – isn’t enough. Businesses do not get “points” for
meeting the needs of their customers. That is the basic expectation, and is considered the
minimum level of effort in order to maintain a decent customer experience. In order to
qualify for the ECS Award, businesses must demonstrate an exceptional level of
customer-forward awareness, which translates into an overwhelmingly positive customer
experience.
“One of our core values as a company is that ‘every encounter must be an experience’.”
says Reamer. “What makes you different? What sets your business apart from your
competition? What do you specifically and intentionally do to win the loyalty and
subsequent referrals of your customers?” These questions, and many others are the
foundation for the service-industry training provided by Experience Pros. Having a
company culture wherein you are able to answer those questions with unique, confident
responses likely brings you closer to qualifying for the ECS Award.
The award is always accompanied by a presentation celebration, and press releases to
local area media and chambers of commerce. Businesses may be nominated for
consideration by way of the Experience Pros website, www.ExperiencePros.com. One
may also request a professional “secret shop” experience and free evaluation by
contacting them either through their website or by calling their offices at 720-344-2446.
