Do You Have Raving Fans?
In his book “Raving Fans”, management guru wrote about having customers who became fans and raved about you…. to everyone!
And in a recent article about an iPhone accident, David Bateson of PR company NewsBusiness writes about the same concept – having a product or service that people “just want”!
So what is it that makes raving fans out customers? And more to the point do you have any raving fans?
35 years ago when vegetarian restaurants were rare a young couple (john and Sue) opened one in Manly (Sydney, Australia). It wasn’t in the shopping strip, rather on the main road surrounded by office and industrial buildings. The name – Lentil As Anything!
Within 3 months of opening you couldn’t get a table without a booking except on Mondays. Of all the restaurants I have eaten in around the world I remember that one more than anything because they understood the “raving fan” concept.
When you arrived John would greet every guest at the door – no matter what he was doing when you arrived. On your second visit he even greeted you by name having remembered you from your first visit. And when you left, John would actually escort you to the door and thank you for coming. Everytime!
Mind you it didn’t hurt that Sue was in the kitchen creating the most mouth-watering meals and accompaniments.
What can you do to create “raving fans”?
Here are some suggestions:-
1. Ask the customer what they want! If it fits with what you are offering, give it to them. Just because it isn’t “on the list” doesn’t mean you can’t “change the list”!
2. Deliver what you promised – ALWAYS – and then give them one more thing that they don’t expect. I visited a restaurant in Rue de Huchette in Paris where the custom was a complimentary glass of chilled light wine as you sat down – totally free!
3. Create an experience that literally “blows them away” – that is so far “out of the box” that you can’t even see the box anymore. Apple have this concept down pat. Remember the store where I bought my last MacBook Pro from where all the staff (all 22 of them) stopped and applauded as I left the store? That blew me away!
Let me know how you go at attracting your “raving fans”?
