The Pierce Marrs Show

In Part 1, I asked, “Is it ever appropriate to pay more?” I went on to describe the concerns of a restaurant owner and whether he should charge for water.

Later that day, I went shopping for my Father’s Day present. Since I spend a large amount of time in my car, I told Lesa I wanted a hand’s free speakerphone for my car. She consented and I went shopping.

My good friend and associate, Ted, has been using the BlueAnt S4 handsfree speaker phone for about six months and is very satisfied with the product. I appreciate a good referral and testimony so I decided to buy the same one. I checked out the website for retailers that sell that product. I found two popular electronic stores in my area that carry BlueAnt product and paid them a visit. This is what happened.

Electronic Store #1: This is the store that Ted bought his speakerphone and I shop there often. I was asked shortly after entering the store if I needed help. I told him what I was looking for and he gave me a perplexed look. He took me to the area where this product was sold and let me know that he had never heard of BlueAnt and this was all he had available and offered no more help.

I had more items on my list but the sales person dismissed me and I left the store.

Electronic Store #2: Again, I was offered help immediately as I entered the store. He also led me to the handsfree speakerphone section where there were no BlueAnt handsfree speakerphones to be found. I was a little disappointed.

He asked me if I could wait a moment and see if he had one in the back. I shopped for the other items on my list while I waited on his return. A few moments later, he returned with the exact unit I was looking for. Only one problem, it was about twenty-percent higher than my friend paid for his. I asked if he could match the price and he went to speak to the manager.

When he returned, he told me that he could not discount the product, however, he could give me a twenty-five percent discount off my second item. I had picked up the invisibleSHIELD by ZAGG. This product when attached to the face of your smartphone will protect it and make it scratch proof. Also, if your invisibleSHIELD gets damaged, ZAGG will replace it for life.

The initial price of the invisibleSHIELD was forty percent less than the other retailer. He gave me an extra twenty-five percent off plus he took the time to apply the shield to my phone. The other retailer charges eight dollars for this service.

He went on to help me download an app to lengthen the life of my phone battery by two to four hours per day preventing me from buying a new battery. He provided all of this help with a great attitude and I never felt like it was an imposition.

When you add it all up, did the speakerphone really cost me more? I believe it was worth the extra cost.

Are you giving your customers more than they bargained for?

Have a great week!

Pierce

Is it ever appropriate to pay more? Can paying more be a negative? We will explore these questions with two experiences I had a few days ago.

My good friend Jason Cruise and I enjoyed lunch at one of our favorite restaurants last Friday. We know the owner who has been successful in this down economy while other food establishments have closed their doors. He stopped by our table to ask our thoughts on a business decision he is contemplating.

He asked if he should begin charging fifteen cents for water to recoup the cost of the cup. He went on to explain that the restaurant business is a business of nickels, dimes and pennies. In other words, you have to measure all of your costs to succeed.

I gave my response immediately. Absolutely not. Every restaurant near him provides water for free and this would appear as a negative to his customers. Here our some of our thoughts:

• He could bury the cost of the cup in the food. I did not even know how much he charged me and raising the price of the meal by fifteen cents would never be noticed.
• He could use a cheaper cup with a different look. Many food establishments do this to differentiate who is drinking water.
• He could give away free water and charge for bottled water with a portion of the proceeds going to his favorite charity.

Why should he go to this trouble? Why not just charge fifteen cents and forget about it? I asked him, “How much is a customer worth and is it worth the risk?”

It also concerned me that his customers may perceive that the establishment may be in financial trouble. It is difficult to change perceptions.

I believe it is your responsibility to make your business profitable. Also, I do not think you should give everything away. Just be cognizant of how your customer may perceive it.

Let me know your thoughts on this subject, especially if you disagree with my opinion. Next week, in Part Two, we will explore when a customer will pay more.

Have a great week!

Pierce

Customers are more educated and have more options than they ever have. That is why it is important to set yourself apart from the crowd. Dan Miller says that this can be accomplished by doing business ten percent better.

I have heard Dan use the example of Domino’s Pizza to illustrate this. They were making pizza that was arguably about the same as everyone else. They decided to guarantee delivery in thirty minutes or less or it was free. It worked on me. I watched the clock hoping they would show up in thirty-one minutes.

In the Franklin Tennessee area where I live, we have many great options for eating out. I have noticed that Chick-fil-a has a traffic cop directing patrons during lunch time. How could they be so busy when other businesses are struggling or closing within blocks of this restaurant?

Chick-fil-A’s founder, chairman, and CEO, Dan Cathy, believes that attentive, sincere, memorable service is a key ingredient to building a successful company. They are considered at the top of their game when it comes to customer service. This culture is evident in the whole experience by providing great food and politely thanking you with a simple, “My pleasure.”

It frustrates me to hear people discuss the lack of opportunity in this current economy. I called two different businesses this week for their services and neither called me back.

You can put yourself in a whole new category by simply returning someone’s phone call, showing them sincere appreciation or writing a hand written thank you note.

What will you do to be ten percent better? I would love to hear about it.

Gave a great week!

Pierce

Is the customer always right? Absolutely not! The real question is; what will you gain by arguing and disagreeing? Your success with an unhappy customer will correlate with your ability to properly communicate and set them at ease.

A resolution or negotiation is near impossible to accomplish as long as the tension is high. Some people have certain expectations, wrong or right, anything you do or say that conflict with those expectations will be received as negative.

When I speak, I tell a story of a customer calling in to report that the product he purchased was malfunctioning. He was transferred to a technician that was responsible for the manufacturing of this product. When the customer described the problem, he was told, “That can’t happen!” The customer responded, “What do you mean it can’t happen? I am watching it malfunction as we speak!” The customer became upset and resolving the issue became much more difficult.

You may be surprised to find that in many cases you are to blame for your customers anxiety. The first step in resolving a conflict is to empathize and allow them to explain their issue. Let them know you want to do everything you can to resolve their problem. Allowing your customer to vent and feel heard can minimize the stress and lead to a resolution quicker and easier than becoming defensive and argumentative.

If you are in sales or your business requires you to deal with people, at some point you will have to deal with an unhappy customer. You can build a great reputation by treating customers well and learning to how to resolve conflict.

This can be accomplished when you become a great listener, tell them how important they are to your business, create a realistic resolution and most importantly, do what you say you are going to do in the specific time frame you promised it would be done.

Have a great week!

Pierce

I read these words in a post from a friend of mine on Facebook. It had an impact on me because at that moment I was thinking of how much I planned to enjoy this weekend with my family. However, I had not given one thought to what this holiday means.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5th, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on May 30th 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

I enjoy many freedoms because of the price these fallen soldiers paid for this country. I can go to the church of my choice, pray and read my bible. I can write this blog and speak my mind. I can create an income and take care of my family and many more.

When you have a chance to say the Pledge of Allegiance or sing the National Anthem, please say it and sing it loudly and proudly. When you pray before your meal today, don’t forget to thank God for the men and women that gave their life to keep this country free.

It’s not just a three day weekend, it’s much more.

Pierce

Welcome to Episode 10 of the Shark Tank Fan Podcast. In this episode Pierce and Steve discuss the show that aired on May 13th. They review “Citi Kitti”, Update on the “Voyager Air Guitar”, “Samson Martin”, “Aldo Orta Jewelry” and “One Sole”. Kevin Harrington is back for this episode.

Contact Pierce and Steve @ MarrsCoaching.com or by voice mail @ 615-592-6224.

Whoever said, “Nice guys finish last,” did not understand the true meaning of winning and losing. Dale Carnegie wrote in How to Win Friends and Influence People that if you want to win people to your way of thinking, you should start in a friendly way. In the last few days I have seen evidence of this rule on several occasions.

While making a purchase at a bookstore, Lesa and I took the time to be friendly and nice to the cashier. When she totaled the purchase it was significantly less than we expected. We asked if the books we bought were on sale and she replied, “No, when people are nice to me, I am nice to them. I had a 50% off coupon here that I applied to your purchase.”

Why would she do this? I believe this lady encounters a significant number of unfriendly people. You give yourself a considerable advantage when you are nice. Especially with gatekeepers, receptionists or anyone who stands between you and the decision maker.

When I experience someone who is being friendly and cheerful, I tell them, “Thank you for being so nice.” Nice seems to be in short supply. It is so easy to be friendly and can pay huge dividends for you in many ways.

Happiness and optimism are contagious. It will draw people to you. Pessimism and complaining can do the opposite and repel people.

I would like the creator of this phrase to explain who is the opposite of a nice guy? Is he the bad guy or the mean guy? Is he the guy that gets the girl? Is he the guy that will do anything to win, regardless of the stakes? I don’t see these guys winning long term. They usually leave a trail of destruction behind them.

Being nice is a great start for building a relationship, especially if you want to build rapport. To me, rapport is likeability. If I don’t like you, I don’t want to do business with you.

A drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall ~ Abraham Lincoln

Being the bad guy may help you win temporarily but being nice will help you win in the long run. By the way, being nice works for gals too!

Have a great week!

Pierce

Welcome to Episode 9 of the Shark Tank Fan Podcast. In this episode Pierce and Steve discuss the show that aired on May 6th. They review “Orig Audio”, “Man Candles”, “The Original Runner Company” and “Hyconn LLC”. Mark Cuban is the guest shark.

Contact Pierce and Steve @ MarrsCoaching.com or by voice mail @ 615-592-6224.

My good friend and business coach, *Chuck Bowen, coined this phrase to help clarify the third step in the relationship sales process.

• Step one is connecting, building trust and rapport.
• Step two is listening and identifying needs.
• Step three is making the presentation and focusing on outcomes.
• Step four is gaining commitment or “the close”.

As an accomplished financial and business coach, Chuck uses this phrase to help people shape possibilities and what it will look and feel like when they reach each milestone in their journey.

Can you incorporate this into your sales process? Yes, you can! Regardless of the product or service, you can incorporate this into your sales process and increase sales.

If you are a financial coach you can ask, how will life change for you when you are debt free? What will you do? How will it feel?

Clarify the benefits and give them a clear picture of what it will be like to have what you are offering. Also, give them a list of satisfied customers that can add credibility to your claims.

If you sell a physical product, take your prospect to a site where they can see it working firsthand.

Why do you think car salespeople want you to drive the car? They want you to smell the new interior and imagine what it will be like to own it for yourself.

Take your customers to Disneyland. It could make all the difference.

Have a great week!

Pierce

*Chuck Bowen is founder and president of Chuck Bowen Coaching, LLC. He lives in San Antonio, TX with his wife Lori and daughter Haley.He is Dean / Head Business Coach of the FreeAgentAcademy.com. He is also a Dave Ramsey Certified Financial Coach.

Last February, while speaking on the No More Mondays Cruise, Lesa and I had the pleasure of meeting David and Paula Foster. They were speaking on Making Marriage Fun Again. After four decades of counseling couples, they have determined that there are seven essential skills you must develop for a healthy marriage. One of those is negotiating.

David stated, “In marriage, when you deal with conflict, it is always a negotiation.” He goes on to say that you have only four choices:

• Lose/Win = I am a Martyr.
• Win/Lose = I am a bully.
• Lose/Lose = Mutual self destruction
• W.W.O.N.D.A. = Win Win or No Deal Always

I believe developing proper negotiation skills can benefit you in every facet of your life especially in developing strong, healthy relationships.

Stephen Covey considers Think Win/Win number four on his list of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey mentions that character is the foundation of Win/Win and requires developing three character traits.

• Integrity
• Maturity
• Abundance Mentality

Recently I spoke with a client about how to value a large project. We spent a long time discussing how the project would be beneficial to both parties.

Stephen Covey recommends the following elements for a successful Win/Win agreement:

• Identify desired results or what is to be done and when
• Specify the guidelines or parameters within which results are to be accomplished.
• Identify Resources to accomplish the results.
• Accountability
• Consequences

Winning and losing in a sporting event is expected and can be a measure of talent and preparedness. Winning in life and business while the other person loses could cause damaged relationships, cost you a good reputation and future business. Is it worth it?

Have a great week!

Pierce