http://www.getwoodworking.comModern woodworking FEATURE
October 2019 The Woodworker incorporating Good Woodworking 41I
n previous months, I’ve written about
such things as finding inspiration, and in
approaching woodworking with an open
mind to lifelong learning. But there’s one
aspect of woodworking that does often trouble
me, and that’s how I sometimes see woodworkers
thinking that the world owes them a living.
Nobody is owed a living. A living has to be earned,
and the best way to do that is to recognise the
importance of your customers. After all, it can take
blood, sweat and tears to win that all-important
customer, and keeping them delighted with your
service has to be an absolute priority. Because
it costs five times as much to attract a new
customer than it does to keep the one you already
have, but a disgruntled customer can actuallyand, above all, they want to know they are
important to you.Retaining business
Another statistic: a 5% increase in customer
retention can lead to a 25-100% increase in
profitability. At the school, we run a parallel
furniture restoration business, which allows
us to retain a specialist and full-time restoration
expert, Clare Charleston. Clare is therefore both a
professional restorer and a tutor to our students,
able to demonstrate her skills on a range of live
projects. What is striking is how many of her
(and our) customers come back. It’s a simple
but important lesson: keep your client happy
and he or she will likely keep returning.Our class of 2018/19 has just graduated
and departed to all corners of the world.
I wish them every success, but I hope they
have taken on board one of our key mantras.Listen & deliver
Listen to your customer; don’t impose your ideas
on them. Understand what they want by using
your ears rather than your mouth. All too often
in woodworking, I hear of makers who think they
know better than their customer or, worse, are
determined to impose their own design ideas. Of
course, it’s perfectly understandable to want to
flourish as a designer and to have lots of great
ideas that you want others to buy into, but,
ultimately, it’s their house they’re buying furniture
for. Their property. Their style. Their rules.
It’s why the first thing our students learn is
how to visualise their designs in 3D. Every year
we bring in a world-renowned expert from France.
It’s the first skill our students have to master
because, after graduation, they’ll have to visualise
a customer’s commission... and agree it with
them. Of course, that can now also be achieved
by computer aided design (CAD) or, the latest
gizmo, 3D printing, where you can make a
miniature replica of what’s being commissioned.
However you visualise your designs to
your customer, make sure you do! That way,
misunderstandings can be more easily avoided.Providing added value
Lastly, fine furniture is expensive, but find ways
to provide added value. That might mean, for
example, using slightly more expensive handles
than the ones agreed.
Or, if the piece of furniture had to be picked
up, take the trouble to deliver it yourself.
Always remember that you have competitors,
and customer satisfaction is no longer enough.
Exceed expectations and delight your customer.
By doing so, they’ll likely become a loyal advocate
for your business.FURTHER INFORMATION
To find out more about courses offered by
The Chippendale International School of
Furniture, see http://www.chippendaleschool.comAnselm Fraser, Principal of The Chippendale
International School of Furniture, talks
about keeping the customer happySUCCEED BY DELIGHT
Eion Gibbs, one of our newly graduated students,
with his first commission – a shepherd’s hut...Clare Charleston, the school’s restoration expert... which he had to design and make within a month
in order to win the commissiondo you damage. Nearly 50% of unhappy customers
tell 10 or more other people. Worse, according
to one study, which says it takes 12 positive
experiences to make up for one unresolved
negative experience.
Interestingly, according to the US consultancy
McKinsey, 70% of buying experiences are based
on how a customer feels they are being treated.
In other words, it’s not necessarily an objective
conclusion but, simply, the impression you’re
giving. So, being attentive is key to marketing
success. Remember, if they’re happy, they’ll tell
friends and family – and one of them could be
your next customer.
So, if a potential client contacts you with
a question, respond quickly and with all the
information they’re requesting. Half of customers
give brands only one week to respond and, if
you’re on Twitter, an answer is expected within
hours. It used to be that people didn’t expect
such immediacy, but in an age of social media
and instant communication, we now expect
better and faster.
The fact is that what would once have
been deemed good customer service is
sadly no longer good enough. Your customers
want to know that they’re valued, appreciated