What’s your WOW?

I have a friend who once had a business called What’s Your Wow? Doesn’t that name just open the mind to all kinds of possibilities that run the gamut from “How does a company do a good job of telling customers and prospective customers about what they do?” to “What do customers and prospects think of the company?” to “How do team members feel about working with the company?” to “Are all team members motivated to WOW customers?”

Another friend, a kind of management guru, says that anytime is a good time to put a business under the microscope to rediscover and/or reinvent a company’s WOW. To get started, she suggests that team members make a list of questions that could help them see the business through customers’ eyes.

• Are we staying in touch with our customers in the right way? Are we asking the right questions to make sure that we’re serving our clients in the right way?
• Are we really listening? Think about when you go out for a meal and encounter a server who keeps asking, “Is everything all right?” This doesn’t always give the impression that he or she is really interested in whether you’re enjoying your meal. It’s sometimes more of a rote question that’s part of the restaurant’s serving routine. Once or twice would be just fine, but after that, it’s simply an unnecessary interruption. In other words … bring the food … make sure the customer is happy … leave the customer alone.
• What is it that we really do? Can we put it into a 15-second elevator speech?
• What are we really good at? What skills and services make our company unique? Is there a certain service that makes us really stand out from the competition – the most valuable proposition (MVP), distinguishing (unique) feature, product, service, or benefit/added value that we offer? Something that clearly differentiates us from the competition?
• Why would our customers and prospective customers think we are the best at what we do?
• What is the model/perception that our company presents to them? What do we want our customers and prospects to feel when they think of us and our offerings?
• Are we really listening when the customer is talking?
• Are we confident and positive when working with our clients?
• Do we sound as if we genuinely want to help customers?
• Do we present the feeling that our goods and services come with value?

Some of these questions might seem redundant, but to make sure a company’s phones keep ringing, and to get prospects to return calls, it’s good to go back to basics every now and then.

My “guru” friend suggests that company visibility is a huge part of WOW. Some suggestions for keeping your company in the public eye are:

• Get involved in local chamber and business groups. Go to every networking opportunity where you can meet potential customers.
• Connect with your advocates – your cheerleaders – including past customers who love working with your company.
• Give your best performance every time! Just like in a Broadway show, where no matter how the stars are feeling they have to make everyone feel like they came on opening night, you need to make every customer feel like you’re presenting an “opening night” show every time.
• Refer to the Golden Rule. Treat others as you want to be treated. Those who do good, do well! WOW is all about doing good so others can appreciate the good. Those who achieve success have built their WOW by helping others.

WOW is the result when a company and its team members are passionate about their work and about giving the best service they can.

Author Chip R. Bell said, “Customer service isn’t about satisfaction. It’s about dazzlement!”

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