Customer Service skills?

[tricksterpup]

Ok folks,
I have seen many threads posted around the internet about seller’s getting angry and frustrated with the demands of the customer and that they told them off or just being frustrated with the sale.
I understand the bad sale; hey I have been there even recently on buying snakes. I changed my mind the last minute due some bills I have at home. It happens and it happens to many of our customers. We just need to work with them and if not, wish them a good day.

But I also saw a post recently where the seller stated And yes I will have to post this. And I apologize. I am not trying to bash the original poster but use this as a learning tool.

“I had a jack off call me and tell me tell me he could buy mystics for $800 and thats what he was going to pay for mine..... I REALLY LOST IT!!! I really told him where to stick it”.

Now seriously if someone talked about potential customer’s like this publically would you want to be from this person? I have no telling what this person may say about me as a buy or a potential buyer. Typically I would avoid buying from people posting items like this.

Now I do customer service for a living. My job is to help people day in and day out and some times I fail myself but I strive to give them more the next time. I try to give them the Pickle. Huh? What? Yes, the pickle. It’s from Bob Farrell and its one his customer service stories. I highly recommend that you check out this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJjf6ifg7U0


Remember we may have a good rep here but to people who dont come to these forums well it doesnt matter does it? But a bad sale, or an angry conversation has lost 100 customers, cause guess what. If I get pissed with you, i am gonna talk to my friends and so on. It spreads like Wild Fire and we dont want this. We want positive sales and business come our way.

I hope this can start a decent conversation on customer service and that many of us can learn from each other. Heck, I want everyone to have great sales and be winners here.


Also check Bob's website for more videos but you have sign up there.
http://www.giveemthepickle.com/

 

[dionythicus]

We've talked about "the pickle" before in my office. I do customer service for a living, too, and have done for 20+ years. I would NEVER speak to a customer like that no matter what they had to say to me and I've had the rudest, nastiest people on the phone, believe me, mostly doctors. I keep a list of doctors I would never go to or tell anyone else to go to because of their behaviour. Despite someone's attitude towards me, there is no rhyme or reason to speak to someone like that. You simply let them know that you will not be able to help them and end it there. I would love to tell a few of our clients where to go, and ask more than a few "are you really that stupid?" because they work in health care and seem to be idiots. I shudder to think they actually provide direct patient care. But its my job to keep the peace and fix mistakes, day in and day out, 8 hours a day, every day. Sometimes I think WE are the morons and can't do anything right. Yet there is no cause to respond with foul language or hostility. Its bad business, its bad karma and its just bad in general. You should strive to be the "good guy" at all times when its your business, even when giving bad news. You can fume, mouth off and be pissed as hell AFTER you've dealt with the customer. I repeat, AFTER. And you don't broadcast it on a forum where that customer can see it. :bang:

Courteousness will get you so much further in business.

 

[tricksterpup]

Another post I have seen was some one asking if it was Jumping through the hoops to send someone pictures of parents that were het for X.
This person was interested in an animal of theirs and it seemed this person was put off by the fact that some one wanted pictures of the parents even though they were normals. She thought the person was demanding to much of their time. They explained they were normals but the buyer wanted pictures.

I stated in the thread its not jumping through the hoops but good customer service.
But I think what it is, many herpers understand the animal aspect of things but do not understand the Business end of things. This is why so many fail. They don't under stand customer service or people.

I guess why I am posting this thread, get people to talk about it and understand maybe they are lacking in this.

 

[Khaman]

“I had a jack off call me and tell me tell me he could buy mystics for $800 and that’s what he was going to pay for mine..... I REALLY LOST IT!!! I really told him where to stick it”.

Depending on the tone and attitude of the caller I might react the same way though I doubt I would be bashing them on a forum unless they got especially nasty. Animals are a sellers market you can put whatever price you want on one, you may not get it but if it doesn’t bother you to take all your animals’ home at the end of the day then there really is no problem. I have had countless people approach me at shows and tell me that another vendor has the same animal on their table for less and if I drop my price they will buy from me. What I hear is “You have better quality animals than they do but I don’t want to pay for the time you have put into your animals”. My general response is “Then you need to buy from them” and 9 out of 10 times they come back for the quality.

I just recently had a conversation about just such a situation. A guy approached a friend at a show and said something along the lines of that guy of there is selling the same species for $1000/pair so he would give him the same for my friend’s animals. My friend pointed out that his were priced at $1200 each, were a year older, selectively bred for color and if he wanted quality he could pay for it or buy from the other vendor.

 

[dionythicus]

I don't know if I would take the time to photograph normal parents for a buyer, either. I don't have time to photograph all my snakes and if it puts a buyer off, then so be it. I doubt Don S or other breeders have time to take pics of parents. You usually don't even get pics of the babies. If a buyer doesn't understand that, then that's ok with me. I would be polite, but I would explain my side of it. If they chose not to buy the babies, I'd understand.

 

[remy]

I understand where you are coming from 800 is an insulting price for a mystic, however being abusive isn't the answer. Dealing with customers is often very frustrating. I find that a firm assertive answer usually stops the nonsense ie: The average market price for a mystic is at least 1200; I will not sell my animals for less than average market price. Thank you for your interest in my business, Have a good day. Leave it at that. Ignore further e-mails about that topic.

However everyone who has been in customer service snaps at some point a person can only take so much crap. It happens learn from it and don't let it happen again, it will ruin your business and be prepared to take a few lumps for it.

 

[TandJ]

This is part of the reason why I am choosing to lay back.. I doubt I am going to be posting much here any more as i watch the desolve of this industry by back yard breeders and hacks who can actually muster up a good ass kissing job to coax the seller into buying something less than steller..

Although some people might be put off with my additude the last few years, its because I am feeling the crunch of people on the other side of the fence, where they will practically do anything to make a sale.. Hench the downing and the trashing of the market place..

My simple solution and answer is to let the potential customer know they are more than welcome to purchase the other animal, I know I am not unreasonably priced.. Please, be my guest and go buy from the other person because I generally can't compete with a blow out price...

 

[JoannaD]

I am not offended if someone tries to bargain with me. I expect it! I don't think it is rude for someone to say that they saw a similar snake on another table and they'd like to pay that price for what's on my table. I can either agree or explain why I won't reduce my price. It's my choice but if I am rude about it you can be sure that I will have lost the sale. I might not like that they are comparing my snakes to ones that I think do not look as healthy or as beautiful but that's my issue not theirs and if I am there to sell then I need to suck it up!

Having said all that I am always surprised at how few people have tried to bargain with me at the shows that I go to. I don't think I look particularly stern or threatening, nor is my display so fancy that they would think I am a store or someone that is so serious they would not bargain.

What gets my goat is the number of people that walk by multiple times, tell me how beautiful the snakes are, don't ask if I am willing to negotiate the price of the snakes and then walk out of the show with a snake from another table! I enjoy talking to the people and doing some teaching if they are interested but it drives me nuts when they then walk out with someone else's snakes! I hope I don't show it because, again that will lose me a sale now or in the future.

 

[Fatman608]

I can only give the customers perspective. The last corn I just bought was today and I talked the breeder down allot on his price to help pay shipping. The breeder could have said NO and did say no to my first offer which was ridiculously low and he stated his lower than advertised price and I countered and we came to an agreement on price.

He was not the first and will not be the last because I have gone to reptile shows and horse traded many big name breeders into lowering their price.

The way I fill about it is the seller can say NO and should if he believes he can sell it at his normal price. I just hate paying retail when I can pay wholesale and snake are not the only thing I haggle over.

Love the Fatman

 

[Em Wright]

I understand the bad sale; hey I have been there even recently on buying snakes. I changed my mind the last minute due some bills I have at home. It happens and it happens to many of our customers. We just need to work with them and if not, wish them a good day.

I've been there, too in the last few years. You can't expect your customers to go without groceries, electricity, or fuel just so they can purchase your animal. And sometimes a person thinks, "Oh well I'm getting a $300 bonus from work, I'll use it to splurge and buy a snake I've been wanting." so they work out a deal with a seller, make a deposit or whatever, and then the brakes on their car go out, or your kid gets sick and you have to pay for a doctor's visit or whatever... the frivolous things must be sacrificed.

I know as a seller it's very frustrating, but as a buyer it is, too. And treating the buyer rudely doesn't help anything... For that matter treating a customer rude for any reason doesn't help anything. It just loses you business.

And I don't haggle with sellers. I don't want to offend them by making too low an offer or anything like that so I usually just go with their asking price. For many of the animals I've purchased the asking price was well worth it and suits me just fine anyway.

Oh and that video about the pickle is great! I really wish more businesses adopted that philosophy and actually made their employees stand by it. Seems like most places have forgotten that: The Customer is Always Right.

 

[bitsy]

For many of the animals I've purchased the asking price was well worth it and suits me just fine anyway.

The perception of the buyer is the key. If they think a Corn is only worth $8, then that's what they'll pay and they'll go to a small private breeder who's stuck with animals and is trying to offload any way they can.

If someone values quality, the breeder's rep, the track record for healthy animals and reliability, then they'll pay a higher asking price (or darn near it).

"Value" is in the eye of the beholder and it isn't just monetary.

You can't expect your customers to go without groceries, electricity, or fuel just so they can purchase your animal.

TBH if they'd have to go without in order to buy an animal, it makes you wonder how they'd feed it or pay vet bills anyway. A bit of discounting is only going to make that situation worse - for both the buyer and the snake.

If you're asking a fair price for a low-end morph like an Amel or Snow, then one measure of a buyer's ability to care for the animal, is whether they can afford that. If they ask for a discount pleading poverty, then perhaps both sides ought to be thinking twice.

 

[Susan]

I've never had a major issue with customer service in the snake world as both a buyer and a seller. I've had buyers back out, take an eternity to make up their mids, change their minds a million times and ask a million questions. I try to take it all in stride. I also know that I've probably irritated at least one person whom I purchased snakes from and have had a few poor deals as a buyer over the years.

I have more problems with customer service issues in my real job (veterinary technician) and can honestly say that the customer is NOT always right. Too often, they simply don't understand and refuse to accept the fact that we can not break state and federal regulations. We can not sell prescription medications for pets we have never seen, pets we haven't seen within a year and pets that have not had the required testing performed. We can not act as a pharmacy and fill prescriptions written by another doctor at another hospital for their clients and patients. We can not accept returns and issue refunds for prescription medications that have left the building, especially 6 months later. We can not refill prescriptions before it is time for them to be refilled (ie - if you were given enough medication to last 2 months at once a day dosage, don't ask for more after 30 days because you gave it twice a day instead or gave some to your other pet as well).

My favorite clients are the ones that try to argue with me saying they have been giving heartworm prevention to their dog faithfully every month, yet our records, both written and computer, show that they purchased a 6 month supply...18 months ago, and have a similar history for that pet since we started seeing it 12 years ago. And then yell at us because it's our fault when the test comes up positive!

And now I have to get ready to go to work...and I'm ever so thankful I don't have to do much reception work as they are the ones that get the brunt of all the complaints!

 

[TandJ]

He was not the first and will not be the last because I have gone to reptile shows and horse traded many big name breeders into lowering their price.

The way I fill about it is the seller can say NO and should if he believes he can sell it at his normal price. I just hate paying retail when I can pay wholesale and snake are not the only thing I haggle over.

Love the Fatman

I just hate seeing people dump the price because they just want to move it.. Its a shame they will chastize the hell out one person for lowering their prices but think nothing about it dumping their over stocked animals for whole sale to the general public.. That really helps the industry... NOT...

 

[Fatman608]

I just hate seeing people dump the price because they just want to move it.. Its a shame they will chastize the hell out one person for lowering their prices but think nothing about it dumping their over stocked animals for whole sale to the general public.. That really helps the industry... NOT...

Everybody price dumps that is why I buy a 2008 SUV in 2009. I have no idea about the chastise part because I am not a breeder and I buy almost everything I own wholesale only a fool would want to pay retail. I have no idea what industry you are talking about because I thought this was a corn snake forum.

Love the Fatman

P.S. It is chastise not chastize the spell checker caught it.

 

[remy]

I've never had a major issue with customer service in the snake world as both a buyer and a seller. I've had buyers back out, take an eternity to make up their mids, change their minds a million times and ask a million questions. I try to take it all in stride. I also know that I've probably irritated at least one person whom I purchased snakes from and have had a few poor deals as a buyer over the years.

I have more problems with customer service issues in my real job (veterinary technician) and can honestly say that the customer is NOT always right. Too often, they simply don't understand and refuse to accept the fact that we can not break state and federal regulations. We can not sell prescription medications for pets we have never seen, pets we haven't seen within a year and pets that have not had the required testing performed. We can not act as a pharmacy and fill prescriptions written by another doctor at another hospital for their clients and patients. We can not accept returns and issue refunds for prescription medications that have left the building, especially 6 months later. We can not refill prescriptions before it is time for them to be refilled (ie - if you were given enough medication to last 2 months at once a day dosage, don't ask for more after 30 days because you gave it twice a day instead or gave some to your other pet as well).

My favorite clients are the ones that try to argue with me saying they have been giving heartworm prevention to their dog faithfully every month, yet our records, both written and computer, show that they purchased a 6 month supply...18 months ago, and have a similar history for that pet since we started seeing it 12 years ago. And then yell at us because it's our fault when the test comes up positive!

And now I have to get ready to go to work...and I'm ever so thankful I don't have to do much reception work as they are the ones that get the brunt of all the complaints!

I agree with you 100 %. I am a vet tech too and have been for 12 years. The best job I had was at the Bronx zoo because I didn't have to deal with people (however some keepers can be just as annoying as clients). What really gets my goat is when the doctor sacrifices proper patient care for the sake of the client. My belief is that it is our job to advocate for the animals, who can not speak for themselves and I feel that the veterinary profession loses credibility when we humor the client at the expense of the patient. This is one of the many reasons vet techs have such a high burn out.