For Small Business Owners & the Self-Employed

Insider Secret:

Cultivate Repeat Business by Providing Spectacular Service

Going the extra mile for customers pays even in paradise

by Alex Goumakos, CPA

Last summer I had the opportunity to visit the Greek Island of Santorini. If there’s ever a contest for a place called paradise, Santorini would definitely rank as one of top ten finalists. A truly magical place, it’s one of the most spectacular islands in the world. Because of its unique history and volcanic composition, Santorini’s legend is matched only by its reality.

Nearly everything about the island is spellbinding. There’s no shortage of perfect views, weather, entertainment and friendly people. Even businesses on this small island paradise are hard to find fault with. If you think about, there’s really no need for any business on Santorini to go the extra mile for you. The island’s magnificence more than compensates for any instance of poor or mediocre service you may encounter. Everything is so beautiful that it seems almost petty to complain.

Yet despite the status quo, one business takes exception to the idea of ordinary customer service. Astra Apartments, a hotel overlooking the caldera basin of Santorini, has made an art form of going the extra mile for its customers. I know, because I was one of their guests. From the moment I arrived they made me feel like I was part of their family. I quickly realized that this was going to be a great place to stay even though my initial experience with the island was not a positive one.

When I first landed in Santorini, I learned that the airline had lost my luggage. No one had a clue what happened to it. It had seemingly vanished off the face of the earth. So there I was, in paradise with literally nothing but the clothes on my back. Not a great start to anybody’s travel plans. When I explained my situation to the hotel’s manager, George Karayiannis, it was immediately apparent that the nice people at the Astra were going to go the extra mile for me.

George Karayiannis and fellow co-manager of Astra Apartments, Santorini, Greece

George offered to contact the airline and airport until my lost luggage was found (which, incidentally, turned out to be several times a day for six days!). I thought this was incredibly nice of them since I’ve traveled extensively and lost my luggage on several occasions. No other hotel anywhere I’ve stayed, offered this kind of service. And I’ve stayed at some rather large, well-known hotel chains.

Nothing compares to the service at the Astra. In addition to providing each new guest with a personal one-on-one "mini-seminar" on places to visit and things to do on the island, George and his staff will take care of the details and make all the necessary arrangements for you. Their accommodations, cleaning, room service, maintenance and recommendations are second to none. Everything they do is beyond industry standards. They’ll even give you the shirt off their back, which is exactly what one of their staff members tried to do when he found out I had lost my luggage and didn’t have any clothes to wear!

The Astra’s customer service philosophy is no accident either. It’s a deliberate effort masterminded by George. When I explained to him that I had never met such an attentive hotel staff before, he told me that everyone is trained and handpicked to work closely together. It’s a team approach according to him, and it’s the secret to their outstanding customer service. Everyone from the bartender to the chambermaid is focused on your well being. If you’re not ready for a room cleaning, no problem; they’ll come back when it’s more convenient for you. Even the maintenance workers will stop what they’re doing if it in any way detracts from your comfort or relaxation.

One of the many churches on the island of Santorni. This one is near the Astra Hotel.

The Astra really doesn’t have to work this hard for its guests. Its rooms have spectacular views and breathtaking beauty. You will most likely have a good time there even without the exemplary customer service. But the question is, would you be compelled to go back again or to refer someone else to go there? You might, but you don’t become one of the nicest hotels in all of Greece by leaving success to chance. The Astra is considered one of Greece’s nicest hotels because it delivers customer service beyond industry standards.

I personally can’t wait to go back and stay there again. And I would certainly recommend the Astra to anyone wanting to visit Santorini. One of the secrets to building a gold mine business is to actively cultivate repeat and referral business. Repeat and referral customers, (also known as loyal customers), are the best customers to have. These types of customers will help you grow and expand your business beyond you’re wildest dreams. And they’re the most cost effective customers to have because you don’t have to spend advertising dollars to attract them.

The best way to create loyal customers is to deliver customer service that is beyond industry standards. Anybody can deliver satisfactory customer service, but when your service is beyond industry standards, you distance yourself from your competitors. All things being equal, a customer will need a tiebreaker to make a purchasing decision. Why not let spectacular customer service cast the deciding vote?

Delivering service beyond industry standards is not difficult if you:

• Look at customers as long-term, repeat profits instead of short-term dollars. Many business owners chase the business equivalent of a "one-night-stand". Instead of focusing on number of customers and sales volume, you must look at each customer as a long-term stream of profits.
  

• Reward and mold a customer’s behavior. When a customer visits, buys, telephones or has some contact with your business, he or she will experience certain consequences as a result of his or her action. The future behavior of the customer depends on what those consequences are. As a result, it's important to provide a compelling "buying experience".
  

• Master the points of contact. A point of contact is how and where you actually engage customers (i.e., face to face, on the telephone, through the Internet, etc.) In order to provide a high level of service, it’s important to know how to handle each situation properly.
  

• Train your employees incessantly on how to deliver exceptional customer service. Remember anyone can deliver good customer service. If you want to build a gold mine business you must deliver service that is beyond industry standards. You must show your employees how to do this as well especially if they are the only ones who come between your customers and your business.
  

• Do things the customer is not expecting. Most people love unexpected gifts. When you shower a customer with a gift or token of your appreciation it's like spreading "Miracle Gro" on your sales. There are numerous things you can give to customers to show your appreciation such as discounts, incentives and invitations to special sales.

In my business success guide, Gold Mine Tactics: The Business Owner’s Success Manual, I show many more ways to deliver customer service that’s beyond industry standards. I explain everything I just discussed above in alot more detail too. Click here for more info.

Keep in mind that when you deliver spectacular customer service, you create loyal customers that will buy from you over and over again and recommend others to buy from you too. Its how gold mine businesses like Astra Apartments become and stay successful.