I have read Raving Fans before – it is a quick read 1-2 hours max. I received the book as a thank you gift for helping with the CALNARPM conference so I decided to read it again.
The theme of the book is how to provide Exceptional Customer Service. In our current economy, where businesses are working hard to stay afloat, can’t afford to advertise or market and may have had to cut employee hours what is it that successful businesses are doing to stay afloat and even thrive? The answer is they are providing Customer Service and providing it in new creative ways.
In recent years customers don’t expect service. Everything is do it yourself or if you have to get on the phone you wander through a menu tree only to get to an automated self service directory.
I think it is sad that I tell new customers that I always return calls within 24 hours, that we answer our phones live, that I have a live 24 hour answering service for maintenance emergencies, that my vendors actually show up even when the surf is good! I have gotten new business just because I answered the phone and returned a call. This is an indication to me of how low the expectations are for customer service.
The book talks about how it isn’t good enough to have satisfied customers we need Raving Fans to survive and grow our businesses. The book outlines how to go about creating Raving Fans. How to distinguish your business, how to create the vision and execute it. How to train your employees to be on board and understand how they contribute to creating the Raving Fan.
I would recommend for any employer to read the book, do a one day off site brainstorming meeting with employees and set up a road map for how you are going to go about creating your Raving Fans.
I don’t advertise but I do spend a lot of time teaching, and networking, and building relationships so that most of my business comes from referral. I love to work from referral because I love helping people. I want to help my colleagues clients, friends, family to have a successful experience with me and if they do, then they refer their network of friends and family.
Creating Raving Fans is about exceeding expectations consistently. You can’t do everything and shouldn’t do everything but you can do a few things better than anyone else. Create your niche, your particular unique service and do it better than anyone all the time.
I highly recommend reading the book and get inspired.
Please check out my website at www.PortolaRentals.com if you are interested in properties in Santa Cruz or have rentals in Santa Cruz, CA.
Kathleen Richards
