Creating Raving Fans

“A Raving Fan, Means That Your Business Owns That Customer”…

..that customer will not buy from any of your competitors. This book like other Ken Blanchard classics is written in a story form Mr. Blanchard also uses several real businesses examples that have actually created real raving fans. If these companies have created raving fans then it must be possible right? In 22 years working the restaurant industry sometimes it seemed it was all I could do to manage the ranting fans let alone feeling that any effort applied to the corporate management program of the month would be successful. I was confident that it surely would be forgotten within the next couple of months. Then we could just get back to business as usual. I’ll admit ranting is sometimes much more fun then raving, however how much nicer would your work environment be if we all heard a few more raves throughout the day from our employees and customers?

Employees well honestly this truly was the reason that drew me to building e-commerce businesses. The fact that you are in total control, you decide how you operate your business, who you do business with and what you get in return from your customers.

The main point that Mr. Blanchard makes in the creation of Raving Fans

“…That customer satisfaction is not enough, actual service is so bad in our society that people expect mediocrity.”

For instance in my former industry guests have come to expect a non-attentive hostess, a sign that says please wait to be seated, food that is served warm and bathrooms that are dirty. Sounds like your favorite restaurant? What would you change if you owned your favorite restaurant? What kind of experience do you want to create for your customers that visit your web site? Yes you are in control

When you own your own business you control your thoughts and behaviors, you do not need to work with employees that may have negative attitudes, attitudes such as these I am to busy, that is not my job, that is not my section. Mr. Blanchard expands upon this concept when he wrote this customers only comeback because their expectations are so low, not because they are satisfied with your product or service.” We assume they are satisfied because they do not complain. Most people hate confrontation, they will just not come back. These theories have been preached for years from all of the gurus, yet the level of service continues on its steady decline. No, I do not have studies of customer satisfaction I have my own over observant self to notice these trends.

Creating a raving fan is a multi-step process…

Creating raving fans requires 3 steps.

1. First you have to identify what you want to create and

2. then model your vision for your business

3. Then implement your vision in 1% increments

Yes that means you need to set goals for your business, then and only then can you create the business of your dreams. The second secret is to create a vision of perfection centered on the customer. Sounds like a no-brainer however finding out what each and every customer needs and wants is not so easy, once identified then begin to deliver that raving fan service. Third is the rule of 1%. That means you improve 1% at a time until you create raving fan service. Then go 1% beyond that service.

All successful businesses offline and online have three things in common

1. .systems,

2. accountabilities,

3. 3.training/continuous education.

The systems are the guidelines for the basic required service standard that is acceptable to create raving fan service. The accountabilities are how you inspect what you expect, the training is just that, relevant focused, targeted. It is necessary to apply the other two requirements.

Ken Blanchard also identifies two very important barriers to creating Raving Fans. These barriers I have witnesses not only in a corporate environment but also surprisingly in small mom and pop business. They are relevant to your ecommerce business, if you have employees, and act as a great reminder for managing the growth of your business.

The first barrier is described in this quote from Ken Blanchard

“most customer service hopes have been wrecked on the rigid shoes of immobile bureaucratic minds with in the corporate structure.”

This means the new CFO, COO, Vice President, or who ever the company just hired has to justify his high rate of pay. Thus 86ing most start up efforts based upon short term maximum bottom line improvement. Yes the customer gets shorted for the sake of the investor/owner. This sounds logical and is normal management philosophy right. I myself have been there done that. I applied the same justification and strategy to fixing broken restaurants. Yes this philosophy does create a conflict between doing what is necessary to create raving fans and the short term return on investment for the share holder. Again making the case for beginning and running your own ecommerce business eliminates the levels of managers that would kill you ideas. By eliminating these barriers you will have more opportunity to find and create more raving fans. However if you decide to contiue on with the crazy life of restaurant owner then remember this advice. Successful restaurants implemt the three step restaurant training program.

Train From the Start

Train Often

Train Always

Related posts:

1. You are Number 1 Don’t Be Treated Like Number 2