A Tale of Two Providers & Who Won Our Business

This is a tale of two providers.?One got our business.?The other didn’t.?And you won’t need a business coach to tell you why.

We went away for 10 days at the end of June and had to board our new puppy overnight, as the timeshare property we go to doesn’t allow dogs.

As new “parents,” we were understandably concerned about his having to be away from us for the first time and how he’d fare.?So, I had a lot of questions for the potential service providers.

After much research, I contacted four businesses.?Two never returned my calls.?Hmmm.?Makes ya wonder what’s goin’ on there.

With the two I reached, the experiences on the phone couldn’t have been more different.

I had one delightful call with a young lady I found out later was the owner’s daughter.?When I told her we couldn’t keep Willy with us at the Inn, she instantly commiserated with me.?I felt heard and understood.

She then patiently answered all my questions … just as you would expect an owner with a keen interest in getting the business would.?She was friendly, engaged, understanding, reassuring, and accommodating … everything I needed and wanted.

On the call to the other facility ... offering “luxury accommodations” ... I got a young guy on the line.?He was nice enough, but when I started to ask him a question, he asked if I’d looked at the website, because “your questions would probably be answered there.”

Yeah, I’d looked at the website, but how could I know if I would get friendly, engaged, understanding, reassuring and accommodating treatment from these folks without actually talking in some depth with someone who knew the ins and outs of daily life at the boarding facility?

One person spoke to me like an owner … the other like an employee.

As is so often the case in life, communication isn’t just about transmitting information.?It’s about those intangibles mentioned above … friendliness, engagement, etc.?It’s about relationship building.

We do business with people we know, like, and trust.

And that knowledge, liking, and trust come from actual personal interaction.

In this case, we connected on the phone, and it was more than sufficient, but often, with longer term commitments and more significant monetary transactions, an actual in-person conversation is key to making people feel comfortable and confident in choosing you.

So, what does this story mean for you??

I’ve noticed that even when folks ARE the owners, they sometimes don’t speak confidently and assertively with prospective clients as an owner would.

Maybe it’s because they don’t want to come off as too salesy or promotional.?Sometimes they think the simple, straightforward information they provide is enough to encourage people to pull the trigger.

They don’t get that the intangibles that flow from a personal connection are what really move people to act.?

You’ve spent time with them, and they come away liking you, because they can sense you understand them and want them to feel comfortable and confident.?You want them to feel served … and not treated as just another person coming down the assembly line.

I would imagine virtually all of you business owners reading this would agree with me right away on this point, so why do I mention it??

Because a lot of times, it’s not as stark a contrast as one business engages with you and the other doesn’t.?It’s about who goes the extra mile to make prospects feel good about doing business with you.

The rest of the story.?They loved Willy and he loved them.?He never cried, whimpered or barked.?He had a ball playing with other pups his size, and the staff members would excitedly cry out, “It’s Willy!” whenever we dropped him off.

Every day, we had encouraging interactions like this and conversations with staff and the owners that made us feel really comfortable and reinforced our decision to board him there.?It all worked out great.?Never a single issue.?They loved Willy … and we loved them.

SO … Go the extra mile.?Speak and act like an owner who welcomes you in with open arms and a warm heart.

That’s what Ziggy’s did with us, and these new puppy parents are very grateful they did.

Best Wishes,

Denise

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About the Author:?Denise Hedges?is a business development coach and speaker coach with over 30 years experience in sales and marketing.?Denise has helped?thousands?of women business owners, nationally and internationally, move past any uncertainty or fear they have about sales and marketing, so they can attract more clients and make more money!?

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