This includes everyone — from the CEO to the newest hire. Your employees who will never see a customer must be just as committed to building loyalty as those who work with customers all day long. If you don’t believe me, think of this – if you work on providing a professional image for your company and the janitorial staff doesn’t clean up very well, what impression will it leave with your customers?

Don’t just look at the obvious. Identify situations where your customers routinely experience a problem or become upset. If you have a department that deals with “problem” customers, look there, too. Are you treating people who are dealing with these key areas of your business as problems or customers? Are you assuming that they have done something wrong, just because they are using a particular department or area of your business? One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to pre-judge a book by its cover. Never assume anything when dealing with your customers.

Once you’ve identified your “weakest links,” you need to dispatch with them quickly. Set up a system that will allow you to identify what the real issue is and deal with it. I was observing a call center one time when the “collection” line started ringing…and, ringing…and, ringing. This organization prided itself on offering exceptional customer service. However, because it was the designated “collection phone,” there wasn’t any real urgency to answer it. The representatives assumed that it was just a “deadbeat” trying to pawn off another excuse of why they wouldn’t be paying. You know what? They were wrong. As it turned out, a CUSTOMER had erroneously dialed the number and wanted to place an order. A large order to be exact. I noted a marked level of enthusiasm on the part of the phone representatives for the remainder of the day to pick up that line as quickly as the others. I hope they learned a valuable lesson.

How can you find out where your “weakest links” are? Ask. Ask your employees, customers, former customers and anyone who will talk to you. Don’t be shy. Ask the hard questions, “What would you do differently if you ran this operation?” Finally, take notes and take action.

You may think your chain is strong and that you don’t have a weakest link. Only by asking your customers and employees will you find out. Otherwise, they will tell you “goodbye.”

Jeff Kasper is the president & chief innovation officer of ServiceQuality.US, a customer loyalty, measurement, training and consulting firm, based in Concord, CA. Questions and comments can be sent to jk@servicequality.us or visit ©2008 Customer Loyalty Builders, Inc.

The Monument Crisis Center is a non-profit community based organization that provides assistance to at- risk families, children , seniors and individuals in Central Contra Costa County. The mission of the center is to provide food, offer help and referrals in crisis situations and promote community awareness of needs and available resources.

Food and monetary donations are welcome. Please park offisite to leave room for guests with special needs. RSVP at: mcc1280@sbcglobal.net or phone 925-825-7751 x 106

You’ve certainly heard companies talk about this concept called, “added value.” So what does it mean? And, if the big companies are doing it, why can’t you?

Added value is what gives a company the right (decided on by the customer) to charge more for a product or service than what it costs them to buy or deliver it. The automobile industry is a classic example of adding value and charging you for it.

What is the functional value of an automobile? Transportation, right? So what is the added value? The added value is the body style, the color, the sound system, the sun roof, the interior comfort, and so on. Then, the industry recognized that people were also willing to pay for added safety with dual air bags, early warning signs, alarm systems, etc. These are the tangible things that add value.

There are also a host of non-tangibles (or perceived tangibles) items that people are willing to pay for such as a lifetime service guarantee, 24 hour road-side service, and many other things you can’t actually see. These are things that you may or may not end up using, but they sure add value to the vehicle, and many of us are willing to pay for them.

So ask yourself, and your staff, what is your business’ functional value, and what is your added value? What is it that gives you the right to charge what you charge? What does your competition offer? What do your customer’s find to be important? During the holidays, some grocery stores offer a 24 hour hotline on how to BBQ a turkey or other holiday recipes because that is important to their customers. What do you offer? What can you offer?

Jeff Kasper is the president & chief innovation officer of ServiceQuality.US, a customer loyalty, measurement, training and consulting firm, based in Concord, CA. Questions and comments can be sent to jk@servicequality.us or visit ©2008 Customer Loyalty Builders, Inc.

Over the weekend teams of volunteers will help local elementary schools with landscape, painting, repaving, light construction, electrical, and supply projects. For more information on how you or your congregation can pitch in, contact The Compassion Task Force: Kurt Holm; Layne Kilbreath; Ron Musch; or Tom Patitucci

- February 10 will see Diablo Valley churches swap pastors during Sunday services
- A 5-Fold Ministry Conference is planned for February 22-23, at St Matthew’s on Wiget Lane
- March 17, 40-hrs of prayer thru Maundy Thursday at Hills Vineyard Community Center
- March 20, Community Wide Communion at Walnut Creek Presbyterian in Walnut Creek

Additional community service and teaching events are planned for April and May. Stay tuned.

January 19, 6:00 p.m. to midnite (sic)
Concord High Athletic Boosters
Shadelands Art Museum, 111 Wiget Lane, WC
$50 per ticket; Call 925-413-8621

January 26, 6:00 p.m to 10:00 p.m.
First Lutheran Church
4000 Concord Blvd, Concord
$45/$50 at door; Call 925-671-9942 or e-mail Ellen Kuykendall

January 26, 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Glenbrook Middle School
2351 Olivera Rd., Concord
$35 rsvp by 1/25; Call 925-685-6835 x 5459, or e-mail Erik Wood

February 2, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Carondolet High School
Garaventa Center, 1133 Winton Drive, Concord
$45; Call 925-706-7636