Last week I went to get my hair cut at Belleza Salon in Knoxville. I’ve been going to Belleza every 4 weeks since 2002 and highly recommend their services. My most recent trip was a little different than any other previous trip, however.
I showed up a few minutes early for my appointment (I know it’s hard to believe that John was actually early for something!) and was greeted by stylist extrordinaire Rob Davis. Rob told me that the customer ahead of me had shown up late so he was running behind. He apologized and offered a free salon treatment while I was waiting. Being a guy, I was a little apprehensive. Was I really interested in a hand treatment? After a little deliberation, I decided to take the offer.
I sat down for my treatment and met Holli Brockwell who explained the process. She offered a card that is good for $20 off of a facial treatment. Again, being a guy, my response was that I ‘m not interested in that but my wife definitely would be. Holli said that was not a problem and that my wife could use the card anytime. And she offered a great suggestion: Go ahead and book the appointment for my wife, prepay for it and surprise her. Holli didn’t approach this like a sales person. Rather, she made sure the Belleza experience was exactly what you would expect from a high-end salon.
While I was getting my treatment, I noticed that several other customers were getting the same treatment. The thought crossed my mind that Rob wasn’t really running late at all and that this was a smart marketing move on Belleza’s part. What a great way to show even a long-time customer that they are capable of much more than just hair cuts. And of course, what guy isn’t going to take the suggestion of setting up a day at the spa for his wife or girlfriend?
What type of experience do you provide to your customers? Even if your business’s products are not easily differentiated from your competitors, you can always differentiate by creating an experience that your customers enjoy and look forward to. Many of your customers may not be aware of all of your company’s capabilities. There are many creative and innovative ways, like the approach taken by Belleza, to make sure they know about everything you can provide to them. The art is to create an experience that customers will want to return to.
August 26, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Great blog entry, John! I agree completely with your idea on offering additional ways to cross sell customers in a way that’s both pleasing and unexpected. I’ll certainly look for ways to do the same with my customers.
August 28, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Thanks David.
I think that so many companies tend to get in a comfort zone when it comes to communicating their value proposition to their customers and prospects.
The bottom line is if you are not constantly looking for ways to increase your value to your customers, your company will not continue to grow and be successful.