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Hot Topics

Ideas for Customer Service Excellence – Part 5

April 11, 2013

In a world where everything we consume, including advertising to a certain extent, is becoming a commodity, why should a business decision maker choose to work with you? Customer service is one of the key differentiators. Are you doing everything you can to make it easier for your customers to do business with you? The goal is for your advertisers to understand and recognize the benefit of having you on their team.

This week we continue our Hot Topics series on Customer Service Excellence.

As a reminder, we’ve divided these ideas into seven general categories:

R  = Reliable

A(c)  = Accountable

D  = Disposition/Demeanor

I  = Integrated

O = Outstanding

 

A(p)  = Appreciation

E  = Extra Mile

 

Two weeks ago we discussed that everyone at the station plays a role in how the client perceives your station and ultimately decides to work with you. Business decision-makers have a lot of choices on where to spend their ad dollars. This week we’ll focus on some customer service ideas to help your company stick out from the pack.

  • Hold an annual station open house. Invite all key advertisers to meet the entire staff, including on-air personalities. Make the radio station tangible and memorable to advertisers by giving a brief and informal tour and providing station promotional items to each guest.
  • Be known for certain customer service items…the station that always produces the annual calendar of events/broadcast calendar, the station that sends roses or champagne for special orders.
  • Be known for certain customer service station events…Annual Halloween parties, Summer Boat Cruises, the WXXX New Year’s Eve Party, the KXXX Country Music Festival.
  • Increase top of mind awareness through clever themes for distributing presentations and current research data. For example, “We’re hot and we deliver” and attach one-sheets to pizza, attach a cume graph “We’re growing to reach more of your target customers” to a small office plant or packet of seeds, etc.
  • Join local business clubs or community organizations in which key advertisers are members (Rotary Club, United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Ad Club, Golf/Tennis Club). Stay visible and active in the community.
  • Be known as the “Research Resource” in town. Provide a Media Buyer’s Guide each survey detailing every station’s performance in the ratings, general market statistics, and qualitative information. Be first on the streets with the latest research information.
  • Participate and be visible at core advertisers’ special events even if your station isn’t involved.
  • If your customer is hosting a fund raising charitable event, supply a station donation or volunteer your assistance. When your customer conducts their biggest promotion of the year, show up.

Outstanding customer service helps differentiate you from the other media options a business decision-maker has at their disposal. It helps you move the conversation from rates to relationships and results. When your client feels that you are interested in their business and you show it, they’ll keep working with you through good times and bad.

Tune in two weeks from now when we focus on our next category, “Appreciation.” What happens after each sale is just as important for future business as what led to the sale in the first place. We’ll share some ideas for showing your clients that you appreciate their business.

-Marc Greenspan, Partner

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