TIME TO STEP UP THE CUSTOMER SERVICE

I wanted all of you to know that we here at Vend Northwest are very passionate about our industry and want to share that passion with all of you.
  We understand that EVERYBODY is going through some sort of difficulty at any givin' time and want you all to know that we are here to help you through it and really be a partner to you in your business.
 The more we help each other, the more knowledge we all will have to help with the next time we encounter difficulties. I tend to think of the relationships as a sort of Association without the fees! There is definitely power and knowledge in numbers.
 Don't be afraid to ask, that is what "Full Line" Distributor is all about. We are here for whatever and whenever you need us.From New Products to helping you find the right equipment!!

Keep up the good fight people and give your customers an amazing vending experience!!!   Curt

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Happy Thursday people. There are some things going on at present that reminds me of how important Customer Service can be to the sustainability of all of our companies.
Not only is it important that all of us provide outstanding products to our customers but also maintain a level of Customer Service that should not be surpassed by our competition. Although I personally would hope that everyone receives great customer service no matter where they purchase, sometimes for one reason or another some companies have or strive to maintain the minimum levels of Great Customer Service. I don't know if this trend is because of profitability, quality of workers, time it takes to accomplish this or what? I just know that personally for us at Vend Northwest this has always been the owners "pet peeve" and the rest of us as a company diligently work very hard at making sure that we do not "cross" their paths on this standard.
A lot of times customers are even willing to pay a little more just for the peace of mind knowing that they are working with a company that truly "has their back". This is also one of the reasons I chose the tag line "Taking Business Personally One Customer At A Time". It really does sum up Vend Northwest perfectly. When dealing with even the most "difficult" customers it is important to realize and remember that they too make your paycheck possible and they deserve the same level of respect and service as your "easiest" customer. We can all sell a cracker or bag of chips to somebody but it is a totally different feeling when a customer actively searches YOU out to buy their product from you solely because of your reputation for understanding and caring about them, your customer.
Anyway I just wanted to quickly remind us all of how important maintaining customer service was to the prosperity of our business's.
On another note, My wedding is 10 days from today and i can't even think straight i have so much going on!! A lot of you i will see at the wedding and the rest of you i wanted to thank for all of the well wishes and prayers that you have given to me regarding the event! (i might not remember to thank you later) :-)

Regards
Curt Wokal

E-THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AUGUST 6, 2009

Good day fellow Vending Enthusiast.
In today's business "atmosphere", customer loyalty means allot more than just money in the bank today. It means that you will be around to put money in the bank tomorrow.
There are several things in my opinion that will help to foster and nurture a great relationship between you and your customers.
1. You should invite your customers to share their opinions with you regarding yours and their business', maybe even invite them to "test" products for a type of non informal product survey.
2. Do not allow or put up with any of your employees being grumpy, angry or hostile toward your customers. Your customers are as loyal if not more loyal to your employees as they are to your products and one bad employee can ruin a long term relationship with a customer in a matter of months if not weeks.
3. Find a way to bring all of your customers together in one place. If not quarterly, try and do it at least once a year. 90% of those that show up are usually your loyal guys and loyal customers love to talk and share their experiences with other loyal customers. This tends to re inforce their "emotional" attachments to you and your company.
4. Remember that loyalty is built over time and positive experiences.
5. Make sure your customers know that you understand and value them and their opinions, they must feel good about their relationship with you and your company. Customers need to know that you listen to them and share in some of the same principles that they believe in.
6. And finally never mislead, coerce or disrespect your customers. Some of these may not be as perceptible as you would think. Examples could be; Nuisance fees, hidden charges, automated customer phone lines or even poor in store service.

I'm sure there are many more ways to promote customer loyalty, these are just a few of the ways that Steve and I try to instill in all of our employees(and customers) everyday. :) It is truly a constant learning experience to provide superior customer service but it is also a necessity in the business world of today.

Regards
Curt Wokal