Which Coffee Shop Are You Like?

Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement

Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement

J C Penney

I want you to coming on a quick shopping trip with me. We're going to the local coffee shop - one where we've been a hundred times before. We walk in the door and up to the counter. It's not particularly busy and the lady at the counter is on the phone. She sounds like she's sorting out some advertising for the yellow pages, what she's not doing is paying any attention to us.

After waiting for what feels like an eternity, she finally gets off the phone and comes to take our order. No apology and no sign of recognition, just a short, 'Can I help you?' I order the same coffee I've ordered the last 100 times I've been there (OK, so I'm not very adventurous with my coffee!!), and you order a flat white. The coffees finally arrive, except I get your flat white, and you get something that looks like a banana smoothie.

At that point we walk out - and drive another 5 minutes away to a coffee shop we've been to a couple of times - only it's a bit further out of the way so not quite as convenient. This time we walk in the door and the lady behind the counter recognises us smiles and addresses us by name -

Hi Rochelle and friend, how are you today? Would you like the same coffee's you got last week, or are you after something different today? We have some really delicious home made brownies that I know you're going to love. How about I give you one to try, and if you like it, you can get one next time.

Hi Rochelle and friend, how are you today? Would you like the same coffee's you got last week, or are you after something different today? We have some really delicious home made brownies that I know you're going to love. How about I give you one to try, and if you like it, you can get one next time.

Hi Rochelle and friend, how are you today? Would you like the same coffee's you got last week, or are you after something different today? We have some really delicious home made brownies that I know you're going to love. How about I give you one to try, and if you like it, you can get one next time.

When she brings our coffees over - the correct ones that we didn't even have to ask for she says "We've got a draw for a lunch for two - would you like me to put your business cards in?" We walk out of there feeling happy and wanted. When you check your e-mails later on that evening, you see one from the cafe.

Just a quick note to say thanks for coming in, and good luck with the draw for a lunch for two. By the way, if you don't mind we'll send you the occasional e-mail to let you know of any specials we have coming up for our VIP customers.

Just a quick note to say thanks for coming in, and good luck with the draw for a lunch for two. By the way, if you don't mind we'll send you the occasional e-mail to let you know of any specials we have coming up for our VIP customers.

Just a quick note to say thanks for coming in, and good luck with the draw for a lunch for two. By the way, if you don't mind we'll send you the occasional e-mail to let you know of any specials we have coming up for our VIP customers.

So which coffee shop are you going to go back to next time?

What's the main difference between the two shops? It's how they treat their existing customers. The first coffee shop was about to spend $7000 on advertising to get new customers through the door. What they didn't realise was that they already had a gold mine of existing customers. A fact that the second coffee shop realised only too well. You may have heard that it costs 6 times more money to get a new customer than to keep an existing one.

Leap 'n' Bound: What are you doing to look after your existing and past customers? Are you guilty of neglecting them in favour of finding new customers? What one action can you take today that will let your customers know you care?

Leap 'n' Bound: What are you doing to look after your existing and past customers? Are you guilty of neglecting them in favour of finding new customers? What one action can you take today that will let your customers know you care? What are you doing to look after your existing and past customers? Are you guilty of neglecting them in favour of finding new customers? What one action can you take today that will let your customers know you care?

Rochelle Dent partners with Mumpreneurs to increase their profits and decrease their stress. Visit the website at http://www.leapsnboundscoaching.com to get your FREE copy of Mumpreneurs: Ensure Your Business Success by Avoiding These Costly Errors.

http://www.leapsnboundscoaching.com