Over the past few weeks, articles I have read and some recent events I have attended have been focusing on the theme of “Big Data.”

Multiple authors and speakers discussed how the need for big data was coming in many industries so that owners could manage their businesses more effectively. The comments ranged from utilizing this data in terms their website analytics to provide a better experience for their visitors.

We saw data for social engagement, customer behavior, website lead forms, and even for a customer’s total online experience.

We also heard the argument that data for data’s sake was just adding more information on an already overloaded business owner.

What to do? Who to believe?

My feeling is that data is important. But inherently there are challenges that businesses face. For instance, many industries do not have common standards as to what each metric means for their business.

In terms of a website, words like conversion, impression, click, visitor etc. can mean different things to different people. Companies can make data sound great because they are funneling it through what they want those numbers to say so they can showcase their efforts.

Big Data should take away the emotional aspect of running a business. I recently saw Billy Beane, GM of the Oakland Athletics, speak about how he would not watch the games because he did not want how he felt about a player influence decisions he may have to make based on the metrics he was using.

I agree. I have been guilty of this myself. I have heard myself make allowances for an employee’s performance because I know about their personal issues.  One of the best lessons I learned was to cover up the person’s name, look at the results, and then make my decision. Then uncover their name and see if my decision would change. Try it next time. It is enlightening.

But more importantly for me is that “Big Data” or ANY data without a process for action is a waste of time and energy.

What are you going to do with the data? How is it impacting what you are currently doing and how will this new information change your process of doing business.

If we see that more people are going to the website, do we adjust spending on some other part of your marketing? Would an increase in one department mean more staffing, training, etc.? If you see efficiencies in your distribution or delivery mechanism, are you changing the process to reflect this?

Too many companies go with the “hope” factor when change comes.

Here is a list of items you should look to address when looking at Big Data:

1. What does the data tell us?
2. What does it mean in terms of what we are currently doing?
3. Does it have any impact on process?
4. If so, what does it mean?
5. How will this be rolled out?
6. How will this be implemented?
7. What training needs to happen?
8. What accountability measures need to be put in place?
9. How will we monitor this in the future?

All of this has to happen or big data becomes a big pile of nothing on the desk of leadership.

Let me know your thoughts.

Glenn Pasch is the current COO of PCG Digital Marketing as well as a writer, National Speaker and Trainer. Glenn will be speaking at the upcoming Digital Marketing Strategies Conference in Orlando FL. February 5th-7th prior to NADA. 

Over the past few weeks, articles I have read and some recent events I have attended have been focusing on the theme of “Big Data.”

Multiple authors and speakers discussed how the need for big data was coming in many industries so that owners could manage their businesses more effectively. The comments ranged from utilizing this data in terms their website analytics to provide a better experience for their visitors.

We saw data for social engagement, customer behavior, website lead forms, and even for a customer’s total online experience.

We also heard the argument that data for data’s sake was just adding more information on an already overloaded business owner.

What to do? Who to believe?

My feeling is that data is important. But inherently there are challenges that businesses face. For instance, many industries do not have common standards as to what each metric means for their business.

In terms of a website, words like conversion, impression, click, visitor etc. can mean different things to different people. Companies can make data sound great because they are funneling it through what they want those numbers to say so they can showcase their efforts.

Big Data should take away the emotional aspect of running a business. I recently saw Billy Beane, GM of the Oakland Athletics, speak about how he would not watch the games because he did not want how he felt about a player influence decisions he may have to make based on the metrics he was using.

I agree. I have been guilty of this myself. I have heard myself make allowances for an employee’s performance because I know about their personal issues.  One of the best lessons I learned was to cover up the person’s name, look at the results, and then make my decision. Then uncover their name and see if my decision would change. Try it next time. It is enlightening.

But more importantly for me is that “Big Data” or ANY data without a process for action is a waste of time and energy.

What are you going to do with the data? How is it impacting what you are currently doing and how will this new information change your process of doing business.

If we see that more people are going to the website, do we adjust spending on some other part of your marketing? Would an increase in one department mean more staffing, training, etc.? If you see efficiencies in your distribution or delivery mechanism, are you changing the process to reflect this?

Too many companies go with the “hope” factor when change comes.

Here is a list of items you should look to address when looking at Big Data:

1. What does the data tell us?
2. What does it mean in terms of what we are currently doing?
3. Does it have any impact on process?
4. If so, what does it mean?
5. How will this be rolled out?
6. How will this be implemented?
7. What training needs to happen?
8. What accountability measures need to be put in place?
9. How will we monitor this in the future?

All of this has to happen or big data becomes a big pile of nothing on the desk of leadership.

Let me know your thoughts.

Glenn Pasch is the current COO of PCG Digital Marketing as well as a writer, National Speaker and Trainer. Glenn will be speaking at the upcoming Digital Marketing Strategies Conference in Orlando FL. February 5th-7th prior to NADA. 

Everyone is taking time to reflect on their blessings and their gratitude for customers and partners in business at this time of year.

Happy Holidays!!

Wishing you the best this season!

Hope Your Days are filled with cheer!

So say all of the holiday cards that adorn our refrigerators from friends and family. Same for the ones I receive at my place of business. Your Dealership sends them to your customers and friends.

But what happens March 5^th? Or June 18^th?  Or August 11^th? Do we have the same feelings at that time? Are we grateful for our customers or business partners as we are between Thanksgiving and New Years?

My guess is yes, but we don’t show it?  Most dealerships are focused on taking care of our day to day and unless there is a birthday or anniversary, we don’t find the time to be grateful.

Customer Service is a daily thing. It is an individual event that takes place with every call or interaction. Many times we are focused on the next lead, or the next email or the next meeting that we forget to take time and finish what we are doing with care.

When you think of great customer service experiences, maybe Disney comes to mind. Or Zappos, Nordstrom’s or Apple. If you sit back and look at each interaction you get the sense that nothing changes each day. Every day has the “holiday” spirit.

So what things do we see from these leaders that maybe you can implement in your business?

1. Phone skills: One of the skills least focused on by certain companies. I wrote an article previously focusing on how the receptionist is the most important person in your dealership because they give the first impression to customers. Zappos excels in this area with their teams of employees ready to take your call. As for your employees: Do they sound happy? Do they sound professional and listen so they can resolve any questions? Or are they just moving the call through and sound like this is a painful task.
2. Getting out from behind the counter. Nordstrom’s finishes all sales by getting out from behind the counter and handing you your purchase, shaking your hand. Do your sales or F&I staff get out from behind their counter or desk or do they make people reach over it. Or worse, just point them to where they need to go or most often, give the programed “thank you while the words “next” come tumbling out.
3. More help than needed. Think of the Apple store. Swarming with people who can help. Is your business focusing on cutting staff so low that customers wander your aisles looking for help? Maybe you think the cars you have on the showroom floor is enough to keep them busy till you feel you have time to go engage. Remember that each minute someone is not waited on feels like twenty.
4. Have Fun: What is the first thing people say about Disney? It’s that their employees (or cast members) all look like they are having fun. Does all of your staff communicate a sense of enjoyment to your customers during any interaction? People like to do business with people who like what they do and show it. It relaxes us as customers and makes us feel like your team has things under control.

All of these little things have differentiated these companies in our mind. You don’t get this level of service just because it is the holiday season. You focus on it every interaction day, every transaction, every day.

If you ever find yourself having a meeting where you need to prompt your staff to “gear up” their level of customer service for the holidays, then you need to rethink your approach during the rest of the year.

Even though we are becoming a digital species, we cannot let our people skills dwindle and every day should be a holiday because your customers have chosen to do business with you.

Happy Holidays (all year round) !!

Glenn Pasch is the current COO of PCG Digital Marketing as well as a writer, National Speaker and Trainer. Glenn will be speaking at the upcoming Digital Marketing Strategies Conference in Orlando FL. February 5th-7th

Everyone is taking time to reflect on their blessings and their gratitude for customers and partners in business at this time of year.

Happy Holidays!!

Wishing you the best this season!

Hope Your Days are filled with cheer!

So say all of the holiday cards that adorn our refrigerators from friends and family. Same for the ones I receive at my place of business. Your Dealership sends them to your customers and friends.

But what happens March 5^th? Or June 18^th?  Or August 11^th? Do we have the same feelings at that time? Are we grateful for our customers or business partners as we are between Thanksgiving and New Years?

My guess is yes, but we don’t show it?  Most dealerships are focused on taking care of our day to day and unless there is a birthday or anniversary, we don’t find the time to be grateful.

Customer Service is a daily thing. It is an individual event that takes place with every call or interaction. Many times we are focused on the next lead, or the next email or the next meeting that we forget to take time and finish what we are doing with care.

When you think of great customer service experiences, maybe Disney comes to mind. Or Zappos, Nordstrom’s or Apple. If you sit back and look at each interaction you get the sense that nothing changes each day. Every day has the “holiday” spirit.

So what things do we see from these leaders that maybe you can implement in your business?

1. Phone skills: One of the skills least focused on by certain companies. I wrote an article previously focusing on how the receptionist is the most important person in your dealership because they give the first impression to customers. Zappos excels in this area with their teams of employees ready to take your call. As for your employees: Do they sound happy? Do they sound professional and listen so they can resolve any questions? Or are they just moving the call through and sound like this is a painful task.
2. Getting out from behind the counter. Nordstrom’s finishes all sales by getting out from behind the counter and handing you your purchase, shaking your hand. Do your sales or F&I staff get out from behind their counter or desk or do they make people reach over it. Or worse, just point them to where they need to go or most often, give the programed “thank you while the words “next” come tumbling out.
3. More help than needed. Think of the Apple store. Swarming with people who can help. Is your business focusing on cutting staff so low that customers wander your aisles looking for help? Maybe you think the cars you have on the showroom floor is enough to keep them busy till you feel you have time to go engage. Remember that each minute someone is not waited on feels like twenty.
4. Have Fun: What is the first thing people say about Disney? It’s that their employees (or cast members) all look like they are having fun. Does all of your staff communicate a sense of enjoyment to your customers during any interaction? People like to do business with people who like what they do and show it. It relaxes us as customers and makes us feel like your team has things under control.

All of these little things have differentiated these companies in our mind. You don’t get this level of service just because it is the holiday season. You focus on it every interaction day, every transaction, every day.

If you ever find yourself having a meeting where you need to prompt your staff to “gear up” their level of customer service for the holidays, then you need to rethink your approach during the rest of the year.

Even though we are becoming a digital species, we cannot let our people skills dwindle and every day should be a holiday because your customers have chosen to do business with you.

Happy Holidays (all year round) !!

Glenn Pasch is the current COO of PCG Digital Marketing as well as a writer, National Speaker and Trainer. Glenn will be speaking at the upcoming Digital Marketing Strategies Conference in Orlando FL. February 5th-7th

Take a moment.  Close your eyes and picture what you would like your business to look like. If you could do what you want and have what you want, what would it look like? What would it smell like? Let yourself stay with this vision for a bit so that you get that sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Open your eyes, look around you and tell me what you see. Can you see things that could be? Or do you just see what is there. What is missing?

You cannot get excited about goals or the future if you are not willing to see it. Some of the best athletes picture themselves sinking the final putt or making the great shot. We as business leaders or even for ourselves we don’t give ourselves the freedom to picture our success so we know what we have to do to make it happen.

Some of you reading this may think that this is childish. Maybe even too “touchy feely.” I don’t see this as childish I see it as child-like.  Have you seen the commitment of children to their imagination? Where they see the battle ships or the enemies and fight with abandon? Do you see their excitement in possibilities? I have two young boys and they show me daily what it means to commit to your vision.

As we get older we tend to get bogged down in the “realities” of what we think we should do or what we think others will say.  What would happen if we allow ourselves to have that fun, allow ourselves to share our vision of what our business could be, paint the picture for others to share in their minds?

In the earlier exercise, I am sure there are things you could do today to inch closer to the vision. Change something in the store. Even if it is small, it moves you closer to the vision you had. How were you moving through your day in the vision? Is there something your could change in what you are currently doing?

Think of it as steps to renovating a house. You have the picture in your mind and then you set out, wall-by-wall, room-by-room until you have completed the project.

A few words of caution. Don’t get overwhelmed with what is not there. It is easy to just give up because there is many things to change but pick a few things you can implement immediately to help build momentum.

For example:

1. How did your employees look and act in your vision. If there is something different than what you see currently, point that out to them and work to hold them accountable.
2. How did your showroom or place of business etc. look in the vision? Could you straighten some things up or add a few photos or remove old times that have no use. Get your team involved in helping keep this clean, neat, and up-to-date.

One last thing I will caution you on is creating the vision for someone else. When you try to figure out how to please others and lose yourself in the process this way of setting goals will not work. It is like wearing a suit that does not fit.  When you are settled into who and what you are and create what you believe works, it is a much better starting point

So tell me, what do you see when you look at your company. What do you see that is not there? Keep smiling. It is not that far away.

Glenn Pasch is the current COO of PCG Digital Marketing & PCG Consulting as well as a writer, National Speaker and Trainer. Glenn will be speaking at the upcoming Digital Marketing Strategies Conference in Orlando February 5th - 7th

Take a moment.  Close your eyes and picture what you would like your business to look like. If you could do what you want and have what you want, what would it look like? What would it smell like? Let yourself stay with this vision for a bit so that you get that sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Open your eyes, look around you and tell me what you see. Can you see things that could be? Or do you just see what is there. What is missing?

You cannot get excited about goals or the future if you are not willing to see it. Some of the best athletes picture themselves sinking the final putt or making the great shot. We as business leaders or even for ourselves we don’t give ourselves the freedom to picture our success so we know what we have to do to make it happen.

Some of you reading this may think that this is childish. Maybe even too “touchy feely.” I don’t see this as childish I see it as child-like.  Have you seen the commitment of children to their imagination? Where they see the battle ships or the enemies and fight with abandon? Do you see their excitement in possibilities? I have two young boys and they show me daily what it means to commit to your vision.

As we get older we tend to get bogged down in the “realities” of what we think we should do or what we think others will say.  What would happen if we allow ourselves to have that fun, allow ourselves to share our vision of what our business could be, paint the picture for others to share in their minds?

In the earlier exercise, I am sure there are things you could do today to inch closer to the vision. Change something in the store. Even if it is small, it moves you closer to the vision you had. How were you moving through your day in the vision? Is there something your could change in what you are currently doing?

Think of it as steps to renovating a house. You have the picture in your mind and then you set out, wall-by-wall, room-by-room until you have completed the project.

A few words of caution. Don’t get overwhelmed with what is not there. It is easy to just give up because there is many things to change but pick a few things you can implement immediately to help build momentum.

For example:

1. How did your employees look and act in your vision. If there is something different than what you see currently, point that out to them and work to hold them accountable.
2. How did your showroom or place of business etc. look in the vision? Could you straighten some things up or add a few photos or remove old times that have no use. Get your team involved in helping keep this clean, neat, and up-to-date.

One last thing I will caution you on is creating the vision for someone else. When you try to figure out how to please others and lose yourself in the process this way of setting goals will not work. It is like wearing a suit that does not fit.  When you are settled into who and what you are and create what you believe works, it is a much better starting point

So tell me, what do you see when you look at your company. What do you see that is not there? Keep smiling. It is not that far away.

Glenn Pasch is the current COO of PCG Digital Marketing & PCG Consulting as well as a writer, National Speaker and Trainer. Glenn will be speaking at the upcoming Digital Marketing Strategies Conference in Orlando February 5th - 7th

I received a call from an automotive client whom I have become close with, and he asked me to help him prepare for a speaking engagement, “seeing as you do these things,” he said.

I asked him what the event was and he said he was asked to speak on a panel as well as speak for 10 minutes on employee retention and training.

He is a very humble person in public but very intense about business. He thought he needed PowerPoint slides or something intricate but as he bounced from idea to idea I stopped him and I told him to forget about all of these “things” he felt he needed to create and just speak from the heart.

I told him he was perfect to speak on this topic. He is an involved manager. He does not run his business from behind a desk. He is out on the floor shaking hands with the customers, watching his staff, and being a part of the daily flow of work.

Secondly, as a manager he strongly believes in ongoing training. Not only does he send his staff to conferences or regional training events, he goes as well. He is right in front, ready to learn. I asked him where he got this passion from and he said it started very early in the business, going with his dad to meetings and training and he became addicted to learning all he could about his business. He is so involved now learning about Digital Marketing because he sees how things were always changing so he had to be involved.

Lastly, my automotive friend is known for treating his employees as equals. When he is at these events I see how he speaks to his people, he is learning from them as they tell him about the sessions they saw. He listens and then he asks questions, taking in what others are saying. He expects them to know their position and leans on them to offer strategy and opinions. There is not a sense of “he is the boss so I cannot disagree.”

We read so many articles about leadership and setting the correct example. Here is someone who does set the example and it is no coincidence his business is ranked #2 in sales in the United States for his brand, just missing the number one spot.

So to summarize what I see as effective leadership tips that you can employ today:

1. Get involved with the people of your business. See what is happening in all departments. Get out from behind your desk. You cannot run a business just from looking at reports or meetings.
2. Invest in training. The best companies invest in making sure their employees are trained to compete. Product knowledge, customer service, process training and the list goes on. Make sure you invest in yourself as well so you can lead properly.
3. Get rid of “Title Ego.” Everyone has a role to play on a successful team. Leadership is about structure and execution, no self-involved power trips. Listen from your front line people. They have answers to help your company succeed.

The best leaders surround themselves with people who can execute on the things they can’t and who are willing to offer their opinion.  The best retention of employees comes from investing in them both with training and respect for their performance.

You would be surprised what your employees can tell you in terms of how to improve your business.

Glenn Pasch is the current COO of PCG Digital Marketing as well as a writer, National Speaker and Trainer.

I received a call from an automotive client whom I have become close with, and he asked me to help him prepare for a speaking engagement, “seeing as you do these things,” he said.

I asked him what the event was and he said he was asked to speak on a panel as well as speak for 10 minutes on employee retention and training.

He is a very humble person in public but very intense about business. He thought he needed PowerPoint slides or something intricate but as he bounced from idea to idea I stopped him and I told him to forget about all of these “things” he felt he needed to create and just speak from the heart.

I told him he was perfect to speak on this topic. He is an involved manager. He does not run his business from behind a desk. He is out on the floor shaking hands with the customers, watching his staff, and being a part of the daily flow of work.

Secondly, as a manager he strongly believes in ongoing training. Not only does he send his staff to conferences or regional training events, he goes as well. He is right in front, ready to learn. I asked him where he got this passion from and he said it started very early in the business, going with his dad to meetings and training and he became addicted to learning all he could about his business. He is so involved now learning about Digital Marketing because he sees how things were always changing so he had to be involved.

Lastly, my automotive friend is known for treating his employees as equals. When he is at these events I see how he speaks to his people, he is learning from them as they tell him about the sessions they saw. He listens and then he asks questions, taking in what others are saying. He expects them to know their position and leans on them to offer strategy and opinions. There is not a sense of “he is the boss so I cannot disagree.”

We read so many articles about leadership and setting the correct example. Here is someone who does set the example and it is no coincidence his business is ranked #2 in sales in the United States for his brand, just missing the number one spot.

So to summarize what I see as effective leadership tips that you can employ today:

1. Get involved with the people of your business. See what is happening in all departments. Get out from behind your desk. You cannot run a business just from looking at reports or meetings.
2. Invest in training. The best companies invest in making sure their employees are trained to compete. Product knowledge, customer service, process training and the list goes on. Make sure you invest in yourself as well so you can lead properly.
3. Get rid of “Title Ego.” Everyone has a role to play on a successful team. Leadership is about structure and execution, no self-involved power trips. Listen from your front line people. They have answers to help your company succeed.

The best leaders surround themselves with people who can execute on the things they can’t and who are willing to offer their opinion.  The best retention of employees comes from investing in them both with training and respect for their performance.

You would be surprised what your employees can tell you in terms of how to improve your business.

Glenn Pasch is the current COO of PCG Digital Marketing as well as a writer, National Speaker and Trainer.

Imagine you have a customer on the phone or right in front of you and they are not happy. This customer is looking for someone to help them. You feel that you are on the edge of a potential scene if you do not handle this correctly but you are not sure what steps to follow to bring a calm positive resolution to the situation.

Following these simple steps will not only give them great customer service but also give both parties a solution that is acceptable.

• You can’t out yell a yeller.

Beware of the situation escalating into a war of egos. They want you to understand their point but you also want them to understand yours. Neither of you will give an inch so the volume goes up and up and now it becomes a personal matter. Woah!!! Slow down.

Take your cue from martial arts. If someone comes at you with strength, move aside and let them pass. In this case, let them raise their voice and you lower yours. Become still and focus on them. This will have the effect of raising their awareness that they are the only one yelling. Once they realize they are the only one screaming, they will immediately drop their volume to match yours and don’t be surprised if they apologize and now you have control of the situation.

• Acknowledge their problem.

People want to be heard.  First tell them that you are sorry they encountered this problem and how you can see how this would be frustrating. By telling them you heard what they said and repeating back their issue, it gives the customer a sense of comfort that you understand and that puts you in control of the situation.

You have gained a first level of their trust in being someone who can solve their problem. 

• Tell them what you can do not what you can’t do.

In some instances when I hear people use the word can’t, I think they really mean they won’t. I wonder if the company’s processes have hindered employees from being able to solve problems or am I dealing with someone’s laziness and unwillingness to help.

Telling people what you can do keeps the situation in a positive light. Even if it means you have to contact a manager, tell them why you have to contact them and what will happen.

“I have to reach out to my manager so they can put in your credit. Can I put you on hold for a minute? I will be right back.”

Focusing on what you can’t do increases the frustration of the customer because now they are focused on their time being wasted by someone who cannot solve their problem.  Keep it moving forward by focusing on what you can do.

• Outline the solution.

When people know what is happening they are more relaxed. Uncertainty fuels emotions. Once you have a solution for the problem, take the time to outline what will happen, especially if the customer is required to do something.

Too many times a business will just say, “ok, it’s taken care of.” But this still leaves a sense of uncertainty in the customer’s mind. Make sure they walk away happy because they have a resolution that they understand.

• Apologize that this happened and offer your contact information.

As you close the conversation, take a moment to apologize for the company that the customer had to take time out of their day to deal with this. Most of the time businesses apologize for the product or service, but in reality, the customer is more upset because this is taking time from doing things they would prefer to do.

Lastly, take ownership of the solution and give them your contact information.  You will stand out from other businesses who would just send them back to a support line with someone who does not know their case.

Solving a customer’s issue can do more for your future business than just having happy customers. Let people share with others that you stand behind your product and are willing to do whatever it takes to fix a problem.

Glenn Pasch is the current COO of PCG Digital Marketing as well as a writer, National Speaker and Trainer. He will be presenting at the upcoming 2012 Driving Sales Executive Summit. 

Imagine you have a customer on the phone or right in front of you and they are not happy. This customer is looking for someone to help them. You feel that you are on the edge of a potential scene if you do not handle this correctly but you are not sure what steps to follow to bring a calm positive resolution to the situation.

Following these simple steps will not only give them great customer service but also give both parties a solution that is acceptable.

• You can’t out yell a yeller.

Beware of the situation escalating into a war of egos. They want you to understand their point but you also want them to understand yours. Neither of you will give an inch so the volume goes up and up and now it becomes a personal matter. Woah!!! Slow down.

Take your cue from martial arts. If someone comes at you with strength, move aside and let them pass. In this case, let them raise their voice and you lower yours. Become still and focus on them. This will have the effect of raising their awareness that they are the only one yelling. Once they realize they are the only one screaming, they will immediately drop their volume to match yours and don’t be surprised if they apologize and now you have control of the situation.

• Acknowledge their problem.

People want to be heard.  First tell them that you are sorry they encountered this problem and how you can see how this would be frustrating. By telling them you heard what they said and repeating back their issue, it gives the customer a sense of comfort that you understand and that puts you in control of the situation.

You have gained a first level of their trust in being someone who can solve their problem. 

• Tell them what you can do not what you can’t do.

In some instances when I hear people use the word can’t, I think they really mean they won’t. I wonder if the company’s processes have hindered employees from being able to solve problems or am I dealing with someone’s laziness and unwillingness to help.

Telling people what you can do keeps the situation in a positive light. Even if it means you have to contact a manager, tell them why you have to contact them and what will happen.

“I have to reach out to my manager so they can put in your credit. Can I put you on hold for a minute? I will be right back.”

Focusing on what you can’t do increases the frustration of the customer because now they are focused on their time being wasted by someone who cannot solve their problem.  Keep it moving forward by focusing on what you can do.

• Outline the solution.

When people know what is happening they are more relaxed. Uncertainty fuels emotions. Once you have a solution for the problem, take the time to outline what will happen, especially if the customer is required to do something.

Too many times a business will just say, “ok, it’s taken care of.” But this still leaves a sense of uncertainty in the customer’s mind. Make sure they walk away happy because they have a resolution that they understand.

• Apologize that this happened and offer your contact information.

As you close the conversation, take a moment to apologize for the company that the customer had to take time out of their day to deal with this. Most of the time businesses apologize for the product or service, but in reality, the customer is more upset because this is taking time from doing things they would prefer to do.

Lastly, take ownership of the solution and give them your contact information.  You will stand out from other businesses who would just send them back to a support line with someone who does not know their case.

Solving a customer’s issue can do more for your future business than just having happy customers. Let people share with others that you stand behind your product and are willing to do whatever it takes to fix a problem.

Glenn Pasch is the current COO of PCG Digital Marketing as well as a writer, National Speaker and Trainer. He will be presenting at the upcoming 2012 Driving Sales Executive Summit.