BNI Minnesota & N. Wisconsin Blog

LuAnn Buechler, CMP

Let’s call him Slick Willie. Willie sells oil to individuals or mechanics for machinery and cars. Willie appeared during a BNI Chapter Visitors Day one spring, and then began to visit every chapter in the area. During a brief conversation Willie told me he would never join just one BNI Chapter, that his plan was to visit all the chapters he could to find business. Then he would move on to the next organization. As a director for BNI I was at many of our local chapter meetings. So, I saw Willie on several occasions and Willie saw me.

Finally at one meeting, Willie came up to me and said “you are the person who can help me”. “I am” I replied. “Yes, you seem to know everyone, so if you will do business with me, you can spread the message about how great my product is.” I inquired again if he planned to join a chapter and got the same response. “No, why would I do that. I am going to visit them all to get business and then move on.”

Willie continued intently to tell me all about is oil, how he could come to my home to put it in my car and teach me how to do it. It would be better for my car. More cost effective, etc. I told Willie, I only do business with people I know, like and trust. “If you plan to join BNI, we can build that relationship and talk more about your products and services.” Willie again expressed his views on networking organizations and how he did not have time to build those relationships. “Trust me; it’s a great product, just try it and you’ll see.” Willie said.

I explained to Willie, “…one of the values of BNI to me is doing business with people I know that I can trust. I know nothing about cars and honestly have no desire to learn. So, I work with a mechanic who I have built a relationship with to the point that I trust him implicitly with my cars. I would never do anything to my car without Jerry’s input.”  I proceeded to ask Willie if he knew my mechanic Jerry, which he acknowledged that he did. I told him, if he wanted to speak to Jerry about his oil products I would connect him. He assured me that was unnecessary. “Well, I only do business with Jerry and so unless Jerry tells me this is the oil I need, and encourages me to put it in my car. I will not be buying oil from you directly.” Willie was quite persistent; he wanted to go into the parking lot to put oil in my car. To end the conversation, I had to tell Willie I had another meeting and he needed to go.

I did in fact have a meeting with the leadership team of the BNI Chapter, which I proceeded to conduct after Willie had left. Upon completion of that meeting, I felt the need to call Jerry to warn him about my conversation earlier that morning. Jerry was pleased to hear from me. I started the conversation with “Jerry, I called to warn you about a guy I spoke to this morning…” Jerry interrupted me with “he’s already been here.”

I apologized to Jerry for ever having mentioned his name to Willie. Jerry reassured me that he was familiar with Willie and his tactics so there was no need to worry. Willie had gone to Jerry’s shop and told him that I sent him there. That I wanted the oil in my car and that Jerry needed to buy his oil in order to take care of his customers - me. Can you believe that!

Fortunately, Jerry and I have a strong business relationship which we developed through our BNI Chapter. Jerry knew better than to listen to Willie. He told him “let me speak to LuAnn, if she wants your oil I will get it for her. However, what I have been using in her vehicles is what I would still recommend to her.” Willie continued to the extent he wanted to leave some oil with Jerry assuring him I would want it for my car. Again, Jerry knew better and sent Willie on his way.

I felt so badly that Jerry had to “deal” with Willie because of me. However, Jerry reassured me that it was because of our relationship and how well he knew me, that he was not fooled by Willie’s tactics.

Thank goodness for solid relationships with people where we can trust each other so implicitly others are unable to come between us, use us or deceive us. Networking is about cultivating those relationships. It is about farming rather than hunting. Willie was a hunter. He set his sights on a target and was coming in for the kill. That strategy failed on both Jerry and I. Because Jerry and I live by the relationships we have built to do business based on trust.

Trust takes time, is another fact that Willie failed to understand. Jerry has been working on my cars for nearly 5 years. He has earned my trust over time. Willie expected me to trust him based on one conversation and his word. Your word is only the beginning; it is like the seed that is planted. Then you prove yourself by nurturing the relationship. Spending time to get to know one another and delivering on the products and services you have committed to in your “word” - thus creating mutually beneficial results.

I take my cars to Jerry because I know I can trust him to treat me fairly and ensure my cars are always in good repair. I trust him to do that because of our relationship built over time. Jerry in turn assists to connect me with the people he knows that I would like to meet for my business.

And that’s how it works Slick Willie…

P.S. Some names have been changed to protect the guilty. On the other hand, Jerry Fossum of Jerry’s Broadway Care Car, Rochester, MN, is the most trustworthy mechanic you will ever know. If you are ever in the area - see Jerry for all your car care needs!!

LuAnn Buechler, CMP, PMC Events & Travel

Have you ever thought about the parallel between Customer Service and networking? This might help some of you who hesitate to speak to current customers regarding referrals for your chapter members and referral partners. It also speaks to something called “touch point marketing”.

Exceptional customer service is about good communication with our valued customers. We need to have regular contact with our current customers to keep them as customers. We need to show them how much we C.A.R.E. about them…because Customers Are Really Everything to our business. So, how many times do you “touch” your customer in the service experience?

Do you just wait for them to come to you? Do you follow-up with them after they have made a purchase or even an inquiry? If they are on a regular service program, do you contact them in between service calls or invoices to see if they are happy with the service you are providing? Do you call them up on occasion randomly just to ask them how can I help you?

They all have businesses too (in most cases these days). Pick up the phone and call them to ask how their business is doing; what are their challenges or opportunities. How can you help them be more successful, solve any problems they are facing, etc. You may find in your conversation a referral for one of your members.

More importantly you have touched your customer with sincere caring and concern. You have called them to see what it is they need, rather than to sell them your product. Think about it. It’s simply Givers Gain yet very powerful customer service. If you can connect them with the person, products, or services to help them succeed outside of what you provide. They will think of you – the next time they need help solving a problem. They will think of you first - the next time they need your specific product or service. A few calls like this over the course of the year, accompanied by your usual touch points and your customers will think of you first the next time they hear of someone else who needs your service. You will be top of mind because you CARE! and because now - they care about you, too.

Remember, people could care less about how much you know, until they know how much you CARE!