Gaining and Keeping Customers through Exceptional Service

In times where choices are endless, consumers have a powerful and loud voice. Businesses can’t afford to be average and expect to stay afloat. Exceeding your customers’ expectations on every interaction is how brands develop a strong, loyal and long-term customer base. At Clix Portrait Studios, we make it our first priority to treat our customers like our guests and keep them feeling comfortable and satisfied each time we interact with them. At Clix, our focus is 100 percent total customer satisfaction.

Most businesses will tell you that about 80 percent of your business comes from 20 percent of your customer base. A very important component of this is repeat business. Clients and customers who continue to visit your business are your most valuable consumers on so many levels. First, they are usually the people buying multiple product lines and entering your store on a continuous basis. Second, they are your brand ambassadors. Loyal customers are your best form of advertising. People trust their friends’ and families’ opinions more than any other form of advertising or media. If you are pleasing your customer base through exceptional quality of product and service, then you should be attracting the people closest to them, or at least ask for the opportunity to do so.

It is extremely important that your team understands the importance of putting the extra effort on every single customer interaction. This effort is key to growing and keeping a strong business and converting your customers into loyal, raving fans. This same thing goes for interactions through social media sites. When building an online presence as a way to connect with your customers, you must keep in mind that this is representing your brand. Each contact and interaction counts. After building your virtual web presence on Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc., you cannot just forget about it and revisit it once every month—this is definitely worse than not having a site at all. Comments, interactions, and questions must be immediately responded too, especially dissatisfied customers. While it is great to get feedback, it is important to make sure you utilize customer comments and respond to them where appropriate.

At Clix Portrait Studios, we feel our customer service is one of our strongest competitive advantages. It is what we can offer compared to our competition that keeps our customers happy and continuously coming back for more.

Business Ownership - Expectations and Reality

Three weeks ago, I had the chance to be a guest speaker on Gravity Free Radio, where the topic was ‘everything franchising’. Stan Friedman, President of RetroTax, and I discussed the many ways that franchisors should be connecting with potential franchisees that are qualified and match their brand. After the show, intrigued by our topic of discussion we continued talking for quite some time in the radio studio. After getting deep into conversation about securing the right franchisee member to your brand, a new topic came up. How, as a franchisor, do you understand your franchisees expectations and as a franchisor, how do you communicate with your franchisees to make sure their expectations match up with reality?

Managing expectations begins with communication. As a franchisor, we spend time with the newest members of the Clix Portrait Studios family to understand what they are expecting out of their business. People who enter business ownership have expectations on many fronts. In a franchise company, this can be financial, support, training, marketing, advertising, freedom, opportunity, just to name a few. Even before someone becomes a Clix Franchisee, we have them fill out our request for consideration form so that we can start understanding their expectations including profitability for years 1 to 5 even before we meet face to face.

In order to understand what their realistic first year revenues may be, it is important for potential franchisees to do some research. If you are looking into a franchise, you can start with looking at Item 19 in the Franchise Disclosure Document. This section, provided by approximately 20% of franchise companies is where a franchisor can put important financial information regarding their business that may assist a potential franchisee in constructing a business plan. Most seasoned entrepreneurs will tell you that independent start-up businesses do not typically break even during their first 18 to 24 months of operation. While franchise companies generally do much better than their traditional independent counterparts, as franchisees do have the advantage of a proven system complimented by brand awareness and ongoing training and support (Franchise Systems), it still takes a lot of work. It is important to remember that the success in the first year of any business is very much tied to the efforts and acumen of the business owner.

If a new owner puts in the hours to promote their business and gets deeply entrenched in the community, they have a much higher probability of success and reaching break-even faster than those who are inactive and leave the business to run its course on its own. These are considerations that should be taken into consideration when forming financial expectations for your business. Being a successful business owner takes a lot of hard work, drive, devotion, passion and frankly pigheaded persistence. I understand the obstacles and work hours it takes to develop a successful business as I council people on a daily basis regarding this topic. You have to know yourself and what you are willing to put into a business as a first step and secondly and equally as important set realistic expectations for your businesses including; time, effort and financial.

As a franchisee, (or as a potential franchisee) I encourage your to share your expectations with your franchisor. This open communication from the beginning will ensure that your franchisor understands where you are coming from and can give you better information regarding how meeting your expectations and goals. On the flip side, franchisors should also make sure you are having an open conversation with the newest members to your brand, it is a great way to start your relationship and helps you understand their dreams and goals and how you can best contribute towards their achievement.

Passion, Determination, Drive and Persistence

Last week, I had the privilege of being a guest speaker on Gravity Free Radio, where the topic was ‘Franchising’. I was accompanied by a friend and fellow franchisor, Stan Friedman who is the President of RetroTax. During the show we discussed the importance of choosing the best fit franchise as a franchisee, as well as selecting the most qualified and driven franchisee, as a franchisor. To hear the recorded show please visit: http://gravityfreeradio.com/archives/100

There are many factors that go into selecting the “right” franchise. This is a long term investment, which is going to be a large part of your life. I personally feel that the most important thing to look for in a franchised business is something that you are passionate about. You will be living the brand you select and need to promote it and its values continuously every day. Having passion towards whatever you ultimately choose is an important factor leading to satisfaction and overall happiness.

As franchisor, it is equally as important to be passionate about your brand because as your brand ambassador, you need to speak to others with conviction about your franchise family. How can you do this if you yourself are not passionate and do not believe in the system? When speaking with potential franchisees, your conversations need to have full transparency. Without this, you may sell a few franchises, but ultimately, people will see right through the facade. I get excited whenever I speak about Clix. It is my hope that this passion is something my franchisees share.

On top of being passionate for the brand; persistence and drive are equally important. As I tell potential Clix Portrait Studios’ franchisees, you do not need to be a professional photographer to join our franchise, but what you do need is the motivation, persistence and determination to succeed. Getting out in your community and promoting yourself and your company is an extremely important part of being a successful business owner. With hard work, following the system, persistence and a good team by your side, success will follow.

While Clix Portrait Studios and RetroTax are completely different franchises, Stan and I agreed that these factors weigh into the success of any franchisee and franchisor, in any system. Although the show focused on franchising, Passion, determination, hard work, and persistence are universal for success in any brand, company and system. These characteristics lead to the successful growth of a brand and the happiness of the people who are part of it.

Franchise Finance and Development Conference: Strategies to Adapt to Your Environment and Ultimately Succeed

Next week I am looking forward to being one of the keynote speakers at the Franchise Finance and Development Conference, which will take place May 4th to 6th at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. The conference will focus on some key differentiators and winning strategies that successful franchisees use in order to promote their businesses especially in this economy. This will be a great place for franchisors and franchisees to share strategies and tactics that are working for them as well as a great place to network with some great brains in the franchising industry.

I was invited to share the strategies that have been successful for us at Clix that other companies can use in order to keep sales up for franchisees on the local level. After working with different businesses over the course of 17 years, I have a great understanding about the importance of adapting business strategies to fit with the current environment and climate of the time. This will be the main focus of my discussion at the conference in order to share as much helpful advice and strategies as possible.

I admit that 2009 has been one of the toughest years for franchisees with stock market investments slashed in half and the ability to get financing seemingly impossible, but I realize that the success of Clix relies on strategies that are progressive, out-of-the-box and forward-thinking. The only way to succeed is to adapt and change with the times, especially in a stormy economy. Companies unwilling to become progressive and find new and unique ways to reach potential franchisees and customers, will inevitably be left in the dust.

One adaptation we made to our system is we designed a program to open up new opportunities for Clix franchisees so that they can be successful during this rough time. We created Clix On-Location Events Photography Franchise as a lower cost avenue for people to enter our model of business. This has opened up an entire new channel for entrepreneurs who can feel confident that even in with this economic instability, starting your own business can be affordable and afford someone the opportunity to spring board to our studio model should they choose to. With the Clix Events Franchise, potential franchisees can have entrepreneurship for lesser cost and unlimited opportunity.

Many of the recent Clix franchisees have opened first with a Clix On-Location Events Franchise, which allows Clix franchisees to work from their own home, while taking photos outside of a portrait studio. This model has proven extremely successful and sets our franchisees up for success all while helping them become familiar with Clix so that one day they could move easily into opening their own studio. This is exactly what the Clix Event Franchise concept has done for some of our franchisees.

Another issue I will be speaking about is how here at Clix, we are using social media as one of our main strategies to make a connection which leads to a strong ROI. While it does take time to develop your social networking sites and make sure you are actively participating in the conversation with consumers and potential franchisees, this method does pay off. At Clix, we have made sure to become a part of the conversation and while franchise expo’s and other traditional franchisee finding methods are a starting to be a way of the past, this is the way of the future.

These adaptations will help Clix be one of the innovators of our industry and be relevant and exciting for consumers. I hope that attendees at the conference that hear my story take away that evolving and progressing forward is key for any company’s survival. Will you be progressive or be left in the dust?

Building Relationships Through Grassroots Marketing

Emotionally engaging consumers with your brand should be every business owner’s number one priority. I have come to find that one of the most effective ways to communicate with your local community is through grassroots marketing. Being face-to-face with current and potential customers or being referred by an existing customer can have real value and long-term positive effects; a powerful and meaningful impression that a commercial on TV, an ad in a magazine or direct mail piece cannot produce. While businesses may be cutting costs, using grassroots marketing on top of social media efforts is a great cost-efficient way to communicate with consumers in their personal space. At Clix Portrait Studios, being a part of the community and building strong relationships with its members is an essential part of our business. With Clix Marietta, we have decided to launch our newest marketing initiative: Clix’s High School Senior Ambassador Program through both a social media and grassroots marketing approach.

We will be working with high school seniors throughout the community in a quest to spread the word about our unique senior portrait experience. During a time when many businesses are trying to raise prices to survive the economic climate, we will be GIVING AWAY high school senior portrait sessions to our new ambassadors. Our ambassadors will also receive monetary incentives to maximize their referrals, as well as a chance to win prizes.

We understand that this is a tough time for many families, and we do not want students or parents to feel this is an expenditure they should do without. This is also a great way for students to work for their own senior portraits and to gain experience with a great company. We want to emotionally involve community members with our program and entice high school seniors to embark on a mission with our staff.

The great thing about Clix is that our NEW Digital Advantage program allows High School Seniors to walk away owning not only great portraits, but their high resolution digital image files…. a practice unheard of in high-end portrait studios. They will own these image files forever! The images may be used immediately on facebook and other social media sites that the younger generation is tied so closely to, which is something that this age group can appreciate and identify with.

I understand the importance of a company’s ability to adapt and always try new ways to connect with the community and get new demographics through the door. With the immediate need to stand out against competition more than ever, we are trying to further personalize the experience at Clix and add even more unique aspects to our services. Using social media and grassroots marketing to connect with consumers where they will be influenced and the most attentive possible, can help increase brand awareness as well as help specific franchisees succeed throughout the country.

The Ever Changing Hats, Roles and Communication of Customer Service

On any given day the hat that I wear changes at least a dozen times. It really depends on the different people I am interacting with… from the many franchisees in our system to the different types of customers who may walk into our Marietta, GA, headquarters and Studio doors, to the many vendors I deal with. Just as our roles frequently and unpredictably change, communication hats will most definitely remain inconsistent. It is important to note that the role you take and the response you deliver can, and should change depending upon the personality that walks through the door or is on the other side of the phone… no matter if you are talking with a customer or a current or potential franchisee. Those companies who hire and recruit those who have the ability to adjust the way they communicate on a situation by situation basis will be the best at delivering top-notch customer service and sales growth.

At Clix Portrait Studios, we want our customers and potential franchisees to have the same experience no matter which location they visit or on-location events business they interact with; the day they decide to arrive; or the moment they call. We know that everyone is different and requires a different level and style of communication. Part of delivering 100 percent total customer satisfaction for Clix is ensuring that we award a franchise to only the candidates who will charge forward with service on their sleeve towards both their community and their customers, combined with having the communication skills to deliver.

No matter the economic climate, customer service grows brands. Franchisees who go to the end of the world to satisfy their customers will be the ones at the top of food chain. Those customers have the potential to turn from first-timers to life-timers, not to mention the number of friends they can bring along with them. If you cannot retain customers, especially now, keeping your doors open will be even more of a challenge. This is why we pay special attention, during our training on educating our franchisees on the power of customer service. At the end of the day, not only does outstanding customer service create great buzz for the brand, but it is a great way to increase your bottom line.

There is nothing I hate more than being treated poorly by a business that I have chosen to support financially through being a customer. If you have ever experienced a bad salesperson, wait staff, receptionist, or client service representative then wearing the hat of a customer being treated poorly is easy. The saying, “Do unto others as you want others to do unto you,” is perfect to follow. It simply means that we should always listen and treat everyone with the respect and compassion that they deserve, if we would like the same in return. Customer focused service along with a positive way of communicating is paramount in today’s world for building and growing your business and brand. If you and your franchisees embrace this, chances are your customers will embrace you, your product and your services. When times get tough (as they now are), customer service and communication cannot be sacrificed. It needs to be your focus.

Franchise Expos May Be a Way of the Past

Speaking with my franchising friends who attended the International Franchise Expo in Washington, DC, a few weekends ago, I learned, but was not surprised, about the enormously low turnout. While expos and franchise portals may be successful for some brands, I have decided to move in another direction for Clix. In my view, trying to entice entrepreneurs with your opportunity as they walk through a crowded and oversaturated expo is not the most influential way to reach a potential new franchise team member.

Instead of exhausting funds on expos and franchise portals, I have turned our franchise development attention to immersing the Clix brand in social media where we can interact with both franchise and consumer leads. Reaching the public in their personal space and building a brand connection can be time consuming, however fruitful and a huge budget saver.

Being able to reach consumers, franchisees, and gain franchise leads through blogging, Facebook, Twitter, etc… is effective. When searching for your brand, these pages ensure that your message is heard in every sector possible – not to mention the SEO value it provides. Through my blog, I hope to give potential franchisees along with potential customers a personal look into the Clix Portrait Studios identity and corporate culture. By gaining first hand advice and experience from my perspective, our prospects are given a personal brand experience.

Through our use of social media, we are successfully building relationships with the nation’s consumers. These relationships, when nurtured, can turn into direct ROI, which in my opinion is much more valuable than creating a one-time 30-second connection at an expo. Social media is an affordable way to market your brand, especially in an economic climate that is not friendly to smaller franchise systems.