3 takeaways you can use right now.
by michael rozbruch, cpa
the irs audit notice checklist
this past spring, roslyn and i flew out to new york to visit our daughter. erica got engaged over the holidays, which means she and roslyn are in full wedding planning mode. while we were out there visiting, erica scheduled an appointment to look at wedding dresses with roslyn at kleinfeld bridal.
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if you haven’t heard of this bridal boutique before, you may have heard of the reality show set there called, “say yes to the dress.” you can google it if not.
i didn’t intend to go to kleinfeld myself. my plan was to walk around the city, find a good cigar bar and have a stogie. but i decided to tag along. how often do you get to visit a snooty dress store in nyc, where the staff keep their noses up and try to sell you dresses way outside of your budget? at least, that’s what we thought kleinfeld would be like. instead, roslyn and i were completely wowed by the exceptional customer service.
when we arrived for our appointment, we were greeted warmly by the two people at the reception area. they offered us water and made sure we were comfortable until our bridal consultant arrived. she and erica talked about what kind of dress erica wanted, what styles she liked and what our budget was. the bridal consultant was so nice and helpful. we never felt rushed or talked down to, and all the dresses she brought erica to try on were well within the budget.
it was one of the most amazing retail experiences i’ve ever had! we felt really taken care of, and though we only went there for fun, erica ended up leaving with her perfect wedding dress. that’s right. erica really did say yes to the dress.
after being there in person, i understand how kleinfeld bridal became a world-class bridal store. besides the tv show, a lot of their business comes from referrals, and the outstanding customer service they provide almost guarantees people leave singing their praises. their clever marketing strategy doubles as a lesson in customer service that everyone can learn from. here are three big takeaways from observing kleinfeld:
1. become a celebrity
one thing i teach is that you need to become the “go-to” irs problem solver in your local community. what better way to accomplish this than by getting your own radio show or becoming a regular on someone else’s show? this gives you instant credibility as an expert, much like how “say yes to the dress” shows brides around the world that kleinfeld is the wedding dress destination. when you have guru status, prospective clients are much more open to listening to you and that means they are pre-sold and less fee-resistant.
2. make a great first impression
from the moment we walked into kleinfeld, i could tell this place was different. their reception area was dressed to the nines, and yours should be too. provide comfortable couches and refreshments, have a flat-screen tv playing videos of past clients giving testimonials, and decorate the walls with framed offer in compromise acceptance letters showing how much money you have been able to save clients – with the client names and ssns redacted, of course. make people feel comfortable and let them know they made the right choice by coming in.
3. no pressure
one of the best parts about kleinfeld was the relaxing experience. there was no high-pressure sales at all. our bridal consultant approached the interaction like she was trying to help us, not trying to sell us something.
in tax resolution, we are offering our clients the help they need, so they shouldn’t feel like you are trying to pressure them into a sale. learn how to conduct a sales consultation that doesn’t feel like a sales consultation. your initial consultations should be, first and foremost, helpful and conversational.
wedding dresses and tax problem resolution don’t often overlap, but great customer service is an area everyone can and should excel at. i’m glad i chose to visit kleinfeld myself. i got a great story out of it for you and was there when my daughter found her wedding dress. the wedding is in 2019 – and i’m sure it’s going to be a great time!