If you saw "Smokey and the Bandit, you are familiar with the work of Jackie Gleason.  He was an entertainer with a long string of success years before the hit movie came out late in his career.

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The Disney Corporation has delivered famous service for over 60 years.  Don’t believe it? Visit a resort, restaurant or theme park and see how well you are treated by the workers (known as Cast Members).

                "Someone will always find a less expensive way of doing what you do.
                   But people will pay more for an exceptional experience with you."  
                                                                                                               -Clark Howard
Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned from our sons as they are involved in the reinvented service industry.  How do you feel about these changes?

THERE IS A REASON FOR EVERY TRADITION

POLICIES VS. PERKS

I heard a story years ago about a young bride who made a roast for her new husband. She carefully put in the meat, the carrots, the potatoes, onions and seasoning.  Just before sticking the pan in her oven she cut both ends off the roast.  

Her husband had never seen this practice and asked her why?  She answered confidently, "It tastes better.  Besides, that's the way my momma taught me to make it."  Curious, he asked his mother-in-law a few days later why she taught his wife to prepare a roast that way.

She answered that she thought it tasted better and her mother had always cut the ends off the roast and that is how she was taught.  Now this became an obsession. So several weeks later, while visiting the grandmother, the couple asked her why she always taught to cut the ends off the roast before putting it in the oven.

IS THIS IN YOUR MANUAL?

How do people feel punished for doing business with you?  I have referred before to the McDonald’s practice of making you park in their “waiting zone” to satisfy their internal timer at the drive-up window.  The McDonald’s near my house gives bonus coupons for having to wait. They go beyond the policy manual and corporate restraints.

POLICIES VS. PERKS

Friends and family who fly Southwest swear by them.  The other customers in the boarding area said it couldn’t be beat.  I have written about Southwest Airlines as an outsider previously on how they lead in customer service as well as making a profit every year.  Now I was about to find out why…

WHAT IS YOUR IMAGE WORTH?

When you hear the name Joseph A. Bank, what comes to mind?  

I asked this to a group last month and someone shouted, “Three suits for the price of one!”  In my younger days I wanted to own a suit from Jos A. Bank.  They were one of the most expensive quality suits a man could purchase.  Then they purchased Men’s Warehouse and began running sales several times a month.  They cheapened their image thinking they would be successful.  Their strategy hasn’t worked out very well so far.

If you listen to your own reviews you will probably be listening to some false information.  I am not against self-confidence. I am against over confidence to the point where somebody feels invincible. 

Learn to tell the difference between the Soup of the Day and lasting trends. The Soup of the Day is good for just what it say: only one day. Then is thrown out the next day in favor of the next one. What are you?

Is your product or service the current trend? Will it last the test of time? What can you do to make a lasting impression on people and stay in the mainstream? Like Apple, motorcycles, Chick-Fil-A, shampoo, Chinese takeout, etc.

Wikipedia says the term "Don't shoot the messenger probably dates back to Plutarch in ancient Greece.  

He wrote: "The first messenger, that gave notice of Lucullus' coming was so far from pleasing Tigranes that, he had his head cut off for his pains; and no man dared to bring further information. Without any intelligence at all, Tigranes sat while war was already blazing around him, giving ear only to those who flattered him.'

If you have to educate most customers how to jump through the hoops to buy from you… Fix it!  

A room of sales account executives were asked about the biggest complaint they got from customers.  The unanimous answer was, “Billing.”  They each said the follow up from the company was difficult and not easy for customers.  One lady said her customer told her, “Your billing process is confusing.  If I had known how difficult it would be to pay, I would have never bought from you. I wish you had warned me of your process.”

Stop doing it the same broken way and FIX IT!

Is your website buyer friendly?  We live in a one or two click world.  Your competitors know that eager buyers don’t want to go through a lot of trouble to purchase.  That is why they make buying easy.

EBay members know that buying is simple if you already have a PayPal account.  It is a matter of two or three clicks and your product is on its way to you.

WHAT ARE YOU?

Learn to tell the difference between the Soup of the Day and lasting trends. The Soup of the Day is good for only one day. Then is thrown out the next day in favor of the next one. What are you?

Famous "Soups of the Day" were Furbies, Tickle Me Elmo, Good to Great, LEAN, Palm Pilot, the Pony Express mail delivery, Biplanes, Boom boxes, Saturn automobiles, etc.

Is your product or service the current trend? Will it last the test of time? What can you do to make a lasting impression on people and stay in the mainstream? Like Apple, motorcycles, shampoo, Chinese takeout, etc.

What are you doing that will last?

How can you increase value and sales in a turbulent and unpredictable economy?

5.   Charge more!  You would think this would make sense… if you want to increase your value, then charge more for what you offer.  But most people are scared to charge more.  They think if you offer a cheaper price you will get more business.  You won’t.

How can you increase value and sales in a turbulent and unpredictable economy?

4.   Move on!  The first week I started cold-calling a woman named Victoria was rude and hung up on me in a matter of seconds.  It made me angry.  I knew how to put her in her place.  But as I picked up my phone to call her back and royally chew her out a thought occurred to me: I still won’t be able to sell to her if I win the argument.  It won’t make me feel better to get in the last word and still not make money. 

How can you increase value and sales in a turbulent and unpredictable economy?

3.   Bundle your offer.  Sell multiple items together as a group.  Do you know anyone who has their auto insurance with the same company as their home owners insurance?  Why?

How can you increase value and sales in a turbulent and unpredictable economy?

2.  Market the results, not the process. Most people don’t care how your product or service will help them or solve their problem; they just want it solved. They don’t need to hear the process.  They need the help they come to you seeking.

How can you increase value and sales in a turbulent and unpredictable economy?

1. Find the right audience.   Who would buy what you sell in the first place?  Most new sales account executives have no idea how to find a following of people who want what they sell.  They exhaust their resources in a matter of days, because they don’t know how to “prospect” for people who already like or want what they have to offer.  Sure, you will sell to people who don’t start out wanting what you have, but you can sell far more to people who already do.  So how do you find them?

Several years ago I heard consumer reporter Clark Howard say, “Someone will always find a way to do what you do for less. But people will pay MORE for the experience of doing business with you.” 

Consider Starbucks coffee.  Is it overpriced? Many people think so, but they have developed a strong niche experience that keeps them at or near the top in coffee shop retailers.  Many people just can’t do life without a stop at the local Starbucks each day.  Customers enjoy being seen with a Starbucks “Venti” cup in their hands.

Last month we stayed at the La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  This is a renovated hotel with every amenity you can imagine.  I was presenting the keynote for the New Mexico Hospitality Association  Governor's Conference.  

Several of the hotel staff members and executive leadership attended the conference.