BEN KIILU

A while back, yes a real while, I remember reading a book called Raving fans by Kenneth Blanchard.In this book, Blanchard continues his trend of writing folksy easy-to-read books.

Raving Fans, the book, is a series of stories relating how fictional companies have created an environment of delivering awesome customer service turning your customers in to Raving Fans.

Raving fans are so excited about what you do that they want to brag about you. They become part of your sales force.

A summary of Raving Fans, The Book

A guy that has just been put in a management position requiring a turnaround goes on a fictional trip with his “angel” to visit businesses that have figured out their vision and their system to deliver customer service extraordinary. Based on three simple principles (Decide, Discover, Deliver), each company has created a group of Raving Fans (not just customers, but fans) who wouldn’t consider shopping anywhere else for what one of these companies offers. Within each story is other nuggets of common sense and good ideas that can be implemented in any company that has customers and wants to create fans.

In  summary, any business can create raving fans by following these three steps:

Decide what you want. Establish what your vision of your company’s relationship with your customers should be. This gives you a framework within which to target customers, a picture to fit customer comments and requests as you get them, and limits on your business as you talk with customers.

Discover what the customer wants. Discover what the customer is thinking. If necessary, alter your initial vision.

Deliver the vision plus 1 percent. Customer needs are rarely static. If you want raving fans, you need to consistently deliver better and better service. Improve 1 percent per week and, within a year, your service will be more than 50 percent better

So what made me remember this book?

You see, my wife uses some beauty products she obtains from a Mary Kay supplier in Manchester. So, yester night she asked me “Honey, will you drive me to Manchester tomorrow to see that Mary Kay lady?” Of course I agreed to take her. Minutes later, the lady calls to change the appointment time. Not a problem to me. Today, we drive to Manchester. Just as we are about to park, the lady calls ‘ I will be late by about 15 minutes’.

Bang, I remember Raving Fans and ask my self, will this lady ever create raving fans, if this is the way she operates?

One thing I know for sure is, the future is the customer. For any business to survive in this era of cut-throat competition it must create raving fans. Raving Fans, the book is a simple  must-read for every business owner and manager.