You say collage I say college

What do you do when someone points out an error in your copy?

Maybe this is a grammar police issue, or maybe it's bigger than that.

Have you ever posted information about an upcoming offer and had some error in spelling or punctuation pointed out? How did you respond? Were you embarrassed, grateful, irritated beyond belief?

I saw a post recently that was so bad, I debated on whether to point it out at all. I considered waiting for someone else to do it so I wouldn't have to be the one. If I hadn't cared about the person I probably would have kept my mouth shut, but I knew that every second the clock ticked another hundred people were likely to see it and turn away.

I won't share all of what was written or who wrote it, just that he was comparing the cost of college to the lesser cost of taking his program, which in his comparison was of higher value. Except. He spelled "college" wrong. He wrote "collage".

Sigh.

It's pretty hard to take seriously the idea that a college education is worth less than a program offered by someone who can't spell the word college. With love and humor I gave a shout out, first saying how incredible my own experiences in his programs had been to soften the blow of making such a seriously funny error.


My hope was he would be nimble on his feet and turn my comment around in his favor, you know, saying something about how his college education was missing the "spellcheck" component, or darn, how his excitement about offering the program got ahead of him having a second set of eyes look it over before posting.

Anything but what he did. Really bad client care. Friend or not, I'm a potential client, with huge email lists full of even more potential clients.

He got defensive. He insulted me. He lost me as a client, or joint venture partner, probably forever. We find out who we are in situations like this, when the pressure is on. Who are you gonna be next time?

Don't be Dead Right

Learn to use complaints to show people who you really are and establish your brand.
 
Once upon a time, the customer was always right. They could scream, rant, and call you names and you had to take it.
 
This eventually changed, as well it should have. No one deserves, or should have to allow another person to treat them with such disrespect. However, the pendulum seems to have swung too far in the opposite direction, where the customer’s opinion is irrelevant.
 
There are 3 ways you can respond to a customer complaint:   

1. Ignore them – Cross your fingers and hope it goes away. Sometimes it will seem like it has. Just remember that for every person that lodges a complaint, there are dozens, if not hundreds of others who had a similar concern but didn’t express it.
2. Argue with them - Tell them how you’re right and why they are wrong.
3. Listen to their feedback – Somehow listening to complaints and responding in a courteous, understanding manner is no longer the norm. I’ve even heard it described as “kissing their ass”, and is something many business owners feel they are above doing.

Each of these responses has a predictable outcome:

1. If you ignore them - In today’s world of internet marketing, where things can go viral in hours, ignoring a public complaint is like paying thousands of dollars for market research and then ignoring the results. One comment can be seen by hundreds of thousands of people who will be watching for your response. Even if it’s only a dozen people, people will talk, and when it comes time to buy, they’ll remember.
2. If you argue with them - This reminds me of something my gramma used to say. When crossing the street you may have the right of way but you still better watch for oncoming traffic because it’s better to be wrong than dead right. As a business, customer complaints are your oncoming traffic. You may be right, you may win the argument, but you won’t win loyalty or their repeat business. What you will do is alienate them, and everyone they talk to.
3. If you listen to their feedback – Listening isn’t kissing ass. Listening gives you valuable insight into how the minds of your market are experiencing you. It gives you the chance to go above and beyond and to offer them the chance to come back.

The way Starbucks handles complaints is a great example of a happy middle ground. I’ve had a number of less than stellar experiences with Starbucks, not because they are inherently bad (I know there are those of you who would disagree) but because they are a large corporation with a lot of moving pieces, and are staffed by humans. We all know that to err is human, so sometimes Starbucks employees make mistakes.

Whenever I’ve had a Starbucks complaint to lodge, whether it was about grounds in my cup, slow response time, or inappropriate comments made behind the counter, the reaction I’ve received EVERY time, went like this:

1.    We’re really sorry that happened.
2.    Let me give you another drink.
3.    Here are coupons for future visits.
4.    Thank you for letting us know.

Not once did they become defensive or argumentative. I was never told I was wrong. Their response told me in no uncertain terms that my business with them is valued and they’ll do whatever it takes to make me happy. Even if it costs them a couple cups of coffee, they know that it could cost them even more in lost revenue and a soiled reputation. 

Reframe

Great Client Care or Customer Service isn’t about kissing ass; it’s about good business practice. There are times when you need to let a client or customer go, fire them even, because they’re a bad fit. Make sure you’ve exhausted the possibilities of turning them into people who’ll be loyal for life and give you the word of mouth referrals that rule today’s marketplace before dismissing their feedback out of hand. And certainly don’t let your ego dictate your policy.

The Value is in the Services, not in the Fees!

Value lies in the services, not in the fees!

Are you ready to step it up? Make the changes, explore the depths, learn a new skill, or face a fear? Better yet, are you finally done with the one-size-fits-all, cookie cutter blueprints for life and living? Are you ready to do it YOUR WAY??? Me too! What a relief! Like a blip on the radar I went from serving my community, to being in service to my fees. I forgot that for me, success isn’t about making more money; it’s about helping more people!  My value lies in what I have to offer, not in what I am able to charge. To all of you who saw the worth in what I offered in the past, I give you my gratitude. I thank you for your referrals, and for valuing the work we’ve done together. Now, prepare for some major rule breaking. I’m dropping my client fees. Radically. For almost half a decade I’ve received $125 per session. The gurus said do it, so I did it. Yikes! Now you’re going to get the same exact session for a fraction of that. Even better, if you choose my package of 5, you’ll save more, because what was once $125.00 is now $45.00, and the package is just $180.00. (Yep, you get a freebie) BTW…This isn’t a one shot deal, nor is there a time limit. These are my new rates. Period. Are you starting to wonder what the catch is? There are two ~ Participating in a complimentary half hour strategy session is required in order to register to ensure we’re a good fit. I can only accept 6 new clients at a time. Please don’t think of this as pressure to buy now. I’ll have a waiting list. Register when you’re ready. I’m also going to break the rule of offering only one service. Yep. I’m a rule breaker. Choose one, or choose them all. You can even give your sessions to other people. Range of Services: Family Coaching – Whatever your families shape or size, we’ll sort out the challenges based on your unique needs. I’ve years of experience with families of kids on probation so I KNOW what tough looks like, and how to make it work. Life Coaching – Stop being your own obstacle and start living the life you dream of. No matter what your situation, there IS a way! Business Coaching – We’ll design your unique business blueprint, or product, use social media to market, and I’ll teach you how to sell in a way that is actually fun :-) Client Care Systems – Keep the Clients you already have! Create TOTAL Client Loyalty that results in repeat business and word of mouth referrals. Public Speaking – Fear of public speaking? I used to be afraid to even raise my hand in class! Then I learned the secrets to successful public speaking and have had countless (seriously) of amazing opportunities and invitations to speak on radio, television, and in front of live audiences ranging from 3 to 17,000 people! SAT/ACT/GED Tutoring – Test taking strategies/tutoring that will raise ANY test score. Essay Tutoring – Whether it’s emails or essays, your words have impact. Make sure you’re making the impression that you intend. Anger Management – Learning what to do instead of raging changes everything. Recover from Childhood, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Sexual Abuse - Anyone who’s had these experiences had to learn coping skills to survive.  In our work we’ll strategize your release, both from the abuser and the memories. Thriving after Surviving! Ecopsychology – At a certain age you look around and wonder, is there more to life than this? The answer to your question is, YES! I’ve created an amazing program for you to gracefully come into alignment with who you know you’re supposed to be. Learn the language of the natural world and take your rightful place in the circle of life. Once more ~ 1.    I’ve dropped my rates from $125.00 to $45.00 2.    Package of 5 is $180 (you get a freebie) 3.    You can share your package with friends and family. Give them a session. 4.    I have room for 6 new clients. 5.    Register when you’re ready. This is NOT a onetime offer. Let’s have some fun! Call, text or email so we can get started :-) Be well, be wild, Corey Corey Hale, MA, PhD (abd) in Depth Psychology, BA Gender Studies and Political Science. Certified in Anger Management, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Prevention, and Victim Advocacy.  For over two decades Corey has created and facilitated workshops, trainings, coaching, and educational workshops for hugely diverse communities across the country. Her expertise ranges from workshop companies training entrepreneurs in sales and online marketing, to government agencies working with displaced and challenging populations. Her extensive education and background have given her an irresistibly unique and engaging perspective that makes doing the hard stuff fun

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