Small business owners are known for going above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to customer service. And even this tough economic climate hasn’t stopped savvy small business owners. Entrepreneurs everywhere have come up with outside-of-the-box ways to wow their customers, and possibly woo some new ones.
The eyes have it
Dr. Jeremy Ciano is the owner of RevolutionEyes in Carmel, Ind. With eight employees and an extensive list of longtime clients, Dr. Ciano started noticing a trend when the economy took a downturn: Moms were forgoing their own eye exams to ensure they could pay for their children’s care. So Dr. Ciano started Mom-Care, offering free exams to moms who bring in their kids for regular appointments.
“We started the Mom-Care program in March,” Dr. Ciano says. “We noticed a trend in moms taking excellent care of their families—as they normally do—but putting their own medical needs on a back burner. We thought it was a great way to thank our clients for their loyalty throughout the years and to recognize them for their noble stance.” How long does he plan to continue the program? “We haven’t thought that far ahead,” he says. “Let’s just hope the recession ends sooner rather than later and no one has to choose any longer.”
Sweet nothings Dan and Liz Holtz have been married for almost 13 years and in business together for six. Their Waitsfield, Vt.-based Liz Lovely Inc. cookie company employs six team members, all with a passion for baking, healthy living and the environment. Together, the couple owns 65 percent of the vegan, fair-trade baking company; a team of family and friends who helped get them going owns the remainder.
It seems the more things change in this yummy Vermont business, the more they stay the same.
“We quadrupled our line last year,” Dan says. But despite adding new flavors and gluten-free options to the menu, the Holtzes have never raised their prices.
They’ve added equipment that allows them to package cookies automatically. This reduces packaging costs so they can bake more cookies with the same number of employees.
They’ve also found other ways to stay competitive: The couple started offering their goodies directly from their Web site instead of solely in retail locations. They include handwritten and hand-doodled notes with every new Web order they receive. And they try to involve their customers in their business through their blogs and e-newsletter, which often include fun contests. Free cookies, anyone?
These little things are working to wow customers in a big way. “We get e-mail feedback from happy customers every day, literally,” Dan says. “So we know our plan is working.”
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