Business Coaching

Does your business have a reputation for poor quality or service?

What can you do to change that perception?

There aren’t many businesses that haven’t had to deal with concerns like these, but if you let people know you understand their concerns by speaking the truth, guarantee your customer’s satisfaction and take steps to make necessary changes, your business can actually grow and become stronger.

Just look at Domino’s Pizza.

Domino’s knew it had a major issue with perceptions of quality and service, and faced it head on. Interestingly, this strategy has paid huge dividends for the ubiquitous pizza maker, who has seen its stock price rise 233% since the company began its “brutally honest” campaign in 2009.

In addition to their marketing campaign, Domino’s improved the ease and convenience of their website, even adding a “Pizza Tracker” so people know each step of the process as their pizza is delivered.

Not only has this improved the perception of the company with its customers, but it has also grown their business. Today, more than 25% of Domino’s business is done online.

What is the primary issue facing your business?

For Domino’s the problem was the quality of their product. Years ago, Domino’s delivered one very famous guarantee; getting your pizza within 30 minutes. But speed wasn’t the problem, quality was.

To turn this around, Domino’s faced the reality that people thought it’s pizza wasn’t very good. It was fast, easy and convenient, but tasted bad to most people.

Of course, just a marketing campaign alone couldn’t have changed people’s perceptions, so Domino’s improved the quality of their ingredients before letting people know about the improvement through its latest marketing campaign.

So if your business has a bad reputation, don’t avoid it and hope it will go away. Be proactive like Domino’s and face those challenges head-on. Guarantee that whatever issues plaguing your business will be dealt with and your customers will be happy. But, most importantly, your bottom line will grow.

What is the one thing your company does that others in your category don’t do? Is it a method of delivery?

Is it customer service?

Or is it something else that uniquely defines your business, a unique way you manufacture your product, or an interesting geographic location?

Whatever it is, identify it, define and it and start using it to differentiate yourself in the market place.

Don’t think that a “commodity” product can have a USP? Just go online and look at how the grass seed company Scotts markets its “Turf Builder” line of grass seed.

Don’t know if a “small” company can define itself against a larger competitor? Pick up a copy of the book about the US-based company, In-N-Out Burger, which beats McDonald’s in terms of overall profitability and same-store sales, with fewer stores and less menu items.

Wonder if you can profit in your small niche? Take a look at Porsche, which targets a select few customers at a very high product performance level and price point, and in turn, is one of the most profitable car makers around.

Next, offer a guarantee.

While every business is required to make good on its products or services, add some extra value to your guarantee, and make it part of your overall customer experience.

For years, top-tier retailers have all had generous guarantee and return policies, and those policies have only strengthened customer loyalty to their stores.

Can you make your guarantee stand out? Can it become the industry standard?

If so, start telling your customers and your prospects and start making it a distinction you can sell in the marketplace.

And don’t worry about getting ripped-off with a strong guarantee. Sure, some will take advantage. But in the end, your reputation and additional sales will more than make up for the single digit percentages that look to scam you or take advantage of your policies.

Once you do these two things, not only will your marketing efforts start to generate real results, you’ll be able to compete on everything other than price.

You’ll also find once you and your customers get price out of the way, you’ll be a lot more creative in your added value propositions, your marketing and your customer service. You’ll also have much bigger numbers on your bottom-line.