Comments on: Fire Your Customers! – Part 1 of 3 http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/ The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:35:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Service Untitled » The Star System for Customers - customer service and customer service experience blog http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/comment-page-1/#comment-480019 Service Untitled » The Star System for Customers - customer service and customer service experience blog Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:38:04 +0000 http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/#comment-480019 [...] I’ve written about firing your customers before. It is a topic that interests a lot of companies, especially smaller ones that don’t have the time to deal with really annoying customers on a constant basis. A reader made an interesting suggestion about how to deal with the problem, though. He suggested using what he described as a star system; essentially, you rate customers on some sort of fairly objective basis (i. e. 1 to 5 stars). The rating is based on their value as a customer - how often they buy, what they buy, who they’re referred, how often the company has screwed up with them in the past, if they are an active customer (i. e. lots of feedback, etc.). Customers that meet certain criteria are given a star rating. Say I am a customer of company X and I’m a good customer - I buy their most expensive products, I visit their store and buy something at least once a week, I refer others, I have a store credit card, they have screwed up one or two times and I am still a customer, I talk to the store manager every now and then, etc. Basically, I am a good customer who helps the company / store. I would be a 5 star customer. If, on the other hand, I was a customer of a services company and used their lowest end plan, called them 3 times a day, never referred anyone, and have canceled twice before, that would make a 1 star customer. [...] [...] I’ve written about firing your customers before. It is a topic that interests a lot of companies, especially smaller ones that don’t have the time to deal with really annoying customers on a constant basis. A reader made an interesting suggestion about how to deal with the problem, though. He suggested using what he described as a star system; essentially, you rate customers on some sort of fairly objective basis (i. e. 1 to 5 stars). The rating is based on their value as a customer – how often they buy, what they buy, who they’re referred, how often the company has screwed up with them in the past, if they are an active customer (i. e. lots of feedback, etc.). Customers that meet certain criteria are given a star rating. Say I am a customer of company X and I’m a good customer – I buy their most expensive products, I visit their store and buy something at least once a week, I refer others, I have a store credit card, they have screwed up one or two times and I am still a customer, I talk to the store manager every now and then, etc. Basically, I am a good customer who helps the company / store. I would be a 5 star customer. If, on the other hand, I was a customer of a services company and used their lowest end plan, called them 3 times a day, never referred anyone, and have canceled twice before, that would make a 1 star customer. [...]

]]> By: Service Untitled » Sprint fires customers. - customer service and customer service experience blog http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/comment-page-1/#comment-103369 Service Untitled » Sprint fires customers. - customer service and customer service experience blog Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:35:11 +0000 http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/#comment-103369 [...] Part 1 - Introduction and about internal priorities (staff before customers, etc.) [...] [...] Part 1 – Introduction and about internal priorities (staff before customers, etc.) [...]

]]> By: Fire Your Crappy Customers - The Homestead Hubbub » Instigator Blog http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/comment-page-1/#comment-4345 Fire Your Crappy Customers - The Homestead Hubbub » Instigator Blog Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:49:12 +0000 http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/#comment-4345 [...] Doug at Service Untitled does a 3-part series on firing customers reflecting on Justin’s blog post. It’s a great, very detailed read. [...] [...] Doug at Service Untitled does a 3-part series on firing customers reflecting on Justin’s blog post. It’s a great, very detailed read. [...]

]]> By: Glenn Ross http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/comment-page-1/#comment-3093 Glenn Ross Thu, 21 Dec 2006 23:27:20 +0000 http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/#comment-3093 Exactly, Service Untitled. A business doesn't make money by selling to its shareholders. It makes money by selling to its customers. Exactly, Service Untitled. A business doesn’t make money by selling to its shareholders. It makes money by selling to its customers.

]]> By: Anonymous Cog http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/comment-page-1/#comment-3029 Anonymous Cog Thu, 21 Dec 2006 02:06:12 +0000 http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/#comment-3029 Hi, Just stopping by to wish you a Merry Christmas. AC Hi,

Just stopping by to wish you a Merry Christmas.

AC

]]> By: Service Untitled http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/comment-page-1/#comment-3028 Service Untitled Thu, 21 Dec 2006 01:27:28 +0000 http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/#comment-3028 I agree with Glenn. I think if you make your employees happy, who will, in theory, make your customers happy, then the business results (and subsequently service to shareholders) will be good. I think most shareholders in companies will agree with a model that puts customers and employees ahead of them. Keep in mind that their results are based off of customer happiness. If customers aren't happy, chances are they won't buy. If they won't buy, there won't be money for shareholders. I agree with Glenn. I think if you make your employees happy, who will, in theory, make your customers happy, then the business results (and subsequently service to shareholders) will be good.

I think most shareholders in companies will agree with a model that puts customers and employees ahead of them. Keep in mind that their results are based off of customer happiness. If customers aren’t happy, chances are they won’t buy. If they won’t buy, there won’t be money for shareholders.

]]> By: Glenn Ross http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/comment-page-1/#comment-3026 Glenn Ross Thu, 21 Dec 2006 01:24:01 +0000 http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/#comment-3026 I disagree with Jazmac, and I agree with Brian. Jazmac, that's a good theory, but like Marxism, it doesn't work in reality. If you hire the right people who sell quality products or services while doing their best to exceed their customers' needs, then shareholder value will take care of itself. Regards, Glenn I disagree with Jazmac, and I agree with Brian. Jazmac, that’s a good theory, but like Marxism, it doesn’t work in reality. If you hire the right people who sell quality products or services while doing their best to exceed their customers’ needs, then shareholder value will take care of itself.

Regards,

Glenn

]]> By: Brian http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/comment-page-1/#comment-3016 Brian Wed, 20 Dec 2006 20:37:38 +0000 http://www.serviceuntitled.com/fire-your-customers-part-1-of-2/2006/12/20/#comment-3016 1. Staff (ours) 2. Clients 3. Everything else, like thought leadership, being super-creative, being cool Different version: 1. Integrity 2. Profitability If we can't do both, then we quit. And sometimes that involves firing clients, sometimes firing staff. 1. Staff (ours)
2. Clients
3. Everything else, like thought leadership, being super-creative, being cool

Different version:
1. Integrity
2. Profitability

If we can’t do both, then we quit. And sometimes that involves firing clients, sometimes firing staff.

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