| Lately I've been pondering what I consider to be | | | | sales pitch for their services or are they sincerely |
| a glaring lack of outstanding customer service | | | | making an effort to engage their customers (and |
| among doctors, dentists, attorneys, accountants, | | | | potential customers) with helpful, meaningful |
| real estate agents, contractors, and others whose | | | | information? |
| essential services can take a pretty big chunk of | | | | My point is that too many professionals simply |
| change out of our pockets. When I say | | | | haven't kept up with an already-huge and |
| "outstanding customer service" I am referring not | | | | rapidly-growing segment of the marketplace, |
| only to the necessity for treating customers | | | | which includes a lot of their present customers |
| courteously and showing them how much they | | | | and--most importantly--virtually all of their future |
| are appreciated. After all, those principles have | | | | customers! They don't seem to realize that |
| always been a cornerstone of success in business, | | | | although they may currently have a sufficient |
| and professionals who don't abide by them aren't | | | | number of repeat clients, the changing |
| going to do very well (if they continue to exist at | | | | marketplace will inevitably reward their |
| all). Rather, I am more concerned with what I | | | | competitors who are making the effort to give |
| would call a customer service "gap" or "lag" that | | | | people what they want in today's |
| results from too many of these businesses not | | | | technology-savvy world (and are going to demand |
| keeping pace with the rapid changes that are | | | | in tomorrow's). |
| taking place in the marketplace as a result of | | | | In my own case, I've decided not to automatically |
| technology. | | | | continue using the services of my familiar doctor, |
| Let me give you some examples. When was the | | | | dentist, or other professionals unless they are |
| last time your doctor, dentist, attorney, or any of | | | | committed to providing the kind of outstanding |
| the other professionals on whom you spend a lot | | | | customer service (on an ongoing basis) that I've |
| of money sent you an e-mail (without being | | | | described above. And I'll throw in one more |
| prompted) asking how you are doing, or offering | | | | requirement while I'm at it: although we live in a |
| information that you might find relevant to your | | | | very informal culture where people love to |
| needs and interests? Have they ever sent you a | | | | complain about their problems in public, I will no |
| link for any short video (or audio) they've | | | | longer patronize any professional whose office |
| personally made, letting you know the latest | | | | staff cannot give me a pleasant, complaint-free |
| about what's going on in their industry? Are their | | | | experience while I'm there! (Example: I'm sitting in |
| websites anything more than a "pretty picture" | | | | my dentist's waiting room--a stressful enough |
| (or perhaps a rather drab picture!) just sitting | | | | experience in itself--and I am forced to listen to |
| there on the Internet doing nothing dynamic or | | | | the receptionists commiserating about their |
| interactive---no blog, no videos or audios, no links | | | | personal problems with each other!) |
| to other relevant sites you might like to know | | | | No more of that! If they want my business, it's |
| about? | | | | time for these professionals to get in sync with |
| Furthermore, even if these professionals happen | | | | today's changing marketplace and provide an |
| to be on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the | | | | ongoing experience of outstanding customer |
| other social media, how often do they actually | | | | service! |
| post messages? And if/when they do, is it just a | | | | |