Business Services
Solving customer problems
Smart Business Cleveland | June 2005
When Area Wide Protective needed to eliminate paperwork that was overwhelming its administrative staff, the company wasn't doing it just for itself but also for its customers.
"In any service that is labor-driven, the key is always, how can you add value for the client," says Bill Fink, AWP's president and CEO. "Not only was the paperwork burden overcoming us, but we were getting a lot of complaints and 'pushbacks' from the clients in the complexity of the invoices, and there was a lot of mailing and faxing tickets back and forth. Our receivables time kept growing and growing, and no one was happy."
Fink says there are three keys to a successful client relationship.
* Understand the customer is always right.
* Be proactive as a supplier to provide a solution.
* Be sure the solution meets all the client's needs.
"If you want to be paid, it's up to you as a vendor to be proactive to meet client needs," says Fink. "It's all about adding value. The more value you can add, especially value at no cost to the customer, the more you will solidify your position with the customer."
