This Time A Leasing Company

We are one of the biggest foreign investors in Montenegro right now developing and building Mall of Montenegro and Green Bazaar projects.

We need a crane (cost is 90,000 Euro) and decided to buy it through leasing and decided to do it with XYZ company.

Most probably it is one of the biggest leasing projects in the market and, by the way until the end of the projects we will be leasing equipment worth up to 1.5 million Euro, so I consider our company as a very good potential customer for leasing companies.

Due to lack of experience, the leasing company did not know a lot of things including L/C (letter of credit) as a payment method for import. We trained them and I do not mind that.

What is bothering me is that ; when we have problems we want to talk to the contact person in the leasing company, and his reaction on the phone to our employees is “You are not our only customer, I am busy with other customers” and hang up the phone.

Do you think this leasing company will get the rest of my business ??? Certainly nooooo.

Please do not forget ; without a CUSTOMER you can not make business.

Another Bank Story

I have decided to apply for a credit card to my bank and I filled out the form and send it to the bank with my driver.

They refused to take the application form.

I have to submit the form personally – I do not know why I am not receiving the card I am just applying for it,

I have to submit a passport photo – I do not know why, again I am just applying, neither me nor they know if they will issue a card to me yet so what will they do with my picture.

I have to deposit 250 Euro for a 1 year call account (just transferred to the account 1,200 Dollars from abroad) – Again I am just applying, neither me nor they know if they will issue a card to me yet, why should i deposit the money in a call account.

WHY DO THEY MAKE THINGS COMPLICATED - FIRST SEE THE APPLICATION – DECIDE AND IF YOU AGREE TO GIVE ME A CARD ASK FOR THE REST.

DO NOT DISCOURAGE YOUR CUSTOMERS.

Make a loyal customer

There is this very famous Italian restaurant in Podgorica, always good food, good service. People are always smiling to you and I always get pleasure to eat in this restaurant. At the end you generally get a free desert, coffee or a drink.

I was there for lunch a few days ago with some people. Actually we were 3. We all head a full course but my main dish was late, the owners apologized saying that my food will be 5 minutes late.

So far so good but I did not get my food for quite awhile, others were almost finishing. I was hungry and very upset with the service. I was waiting for the others to finish and wanted to ask for the bill and leave without eating.

At this moment my food came, I have to honest it was delicious but I was still upset.

Finally I asked for the bill, I got it, it said ON THE HOUSE.

All my temper was down; I was even embarrassed about my feelings. They did not have to do that.

THIS WAS A GREAT WAY TO CHANGE AN ANGRY AND FURIOUS CUSTOMER TO A LOYAL ONE.

Change is encouraging - MONTENEGRO

Seeing change is very encouraging. This week I found out that Serbian Embasies started to issue Visa for Montenegro again which makes the post MONTENEGRO dated March 21, 2007 not valid as of this week.

Thank you....

Each complaint is an oppurtunity

If you know how to handle a complaint you can always win customers and make them loyal. I have borrowed the following from http://kudosfactoruk.blogspot.com/ with the kind pemission of Erling Mitton, thank you Earling.


Sorry seems to be the hardest word

More than a third of consumers would stay loyal to a firm if it apologised following a customer service failure, a survey suggests.

The British Standards Institute (BSI) said a simple apology would suffice, yet in three-quarters of all cases of poor customer service none was offered.

Firms were seeing their profits cut as a result, the BSI added.

Overall, 76% of consumers said they had taken their business to a competitor as a result of poor customer service.

"Poor customer service is the largest cause of customers moving from one provider to another," Mike Low BSI Director said.

"Reducing customer defections has been found to boost profits in 25-85% of cases, yet in 73% of cases the organisations made no attempt to persuade dissatisfied customers to stay," he added.

A Hotel at Adriatic Coast

The Adriatic coast, one of the most beautiful destinations in Montenegro where realizes the beauty this state possesses. However from the touristic point of view, Adriatic coast in Montenegro has to go through a vast development era regarding investments in infrastructure, construction of new resorts, better educated personnel with customer oriented approach to visitors. Most destinations in Montenegro are unaware of the importance of tourist satisfaction for repetitive visits.

I have stayed in several resorts in Montenegro however so far only one of them, which is supposedly one of the best in Montenegro, has left me with almost full satisfaction.

The moment I entered the hotel I realized I was facing a problem regarding my reservation; some guests decided to overstay one more day in my reserved room. So the lady in reception upgraded my room to a sea view room without any extra charges.

The next day I walked into the restaurant for breakfast. As I sat on my table and started to stare at the Adriatic, the waiter reached for the vase on the table and removed it. I was a bit disappointed as the flower was complementary to the view. After 1 minute, the same waiter came to the table with fresh flowers.

I was extremely surprised by the approach and service this hotel is offering to visitors. I will definitely visit this hotel again.

A Professional Service Company (!)

We started using the services of a well known software company here in Montenegro to set up our web site.

To make the long story short, we were not happy with the services for many reasons and we had to cancel our contract.

So far so good.

In order to continue we needed the password and we asked this company to supply us with these passwords. Ten days now and we do not have any reply although we reminded them several times.

Finally I asked to a good client of them who happens to be my friend to call them to see what is going on.

THEY WERE ANGRY WITH US because we canceled the contract.

This company is supposed to be one of the best.

Do you think they will survive long? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IT.

Fish STORE in Podgorica

There is a fish store in Podgorica where you can find all sorts of fresh seafood. Just a regular store.

What makes this store different from the others (not only in Podgorica but many places that I have seen) is; by telephone you can give an order for a certain hour, and they will cook your order AT NO ADDITIONAL COST. This is wow services (with Tom Peter’s words.)

This is one of the most convenient services that a fish store may offer. A lot of them clean your fish, but think; you are buying FRESH-GRILLED fish for your dinner.

If I may say so Tom Peters, this is re-imaging. All you need is a little insight, be a little alert to watch people, to develop a customer service that will put your business far ahead from others.

I will not be surprised if this store will be the first store that will start taking orders on the Internet.

Bravo

Mobile Phones

Although I do not like the idea of being dependent on mobile phones or have them with me all the time like the big brother, I use them. They are quite helpful tools, especially if you are living away from the family.

I have a mobile phone and I use the services of one of the service suppliers. In this case, “service” is a very funny word, because of 80% of the people calling me from abroad cannot reach me and 60% of the international calls I make are not successful. Remember, these service companies make money on the ‘service’ they deliver.

I certainly will try my luck with other operators and will not recommend this operator to anyone.

LOST CUSTOMER

MONTENEGRO- Signage

In retail world proper and good signage is one of the most important tools to direct your customers to your store (outside signage) and to direct them to different parts of your store (inside signage) to increase the turnover per customer.

Montenegro is very poor in respect of road signage, it is quite difficult to get destinations and in most cases you have to use your intuition.

I do not think that it is a high cost compared to the cost of advertisements placed on CNN.

Good signage will create happy customers with higher turnover.

Another Bank

I still have to arrange a bank account. I decided on a small foreign capital bank.

I just walked to the counter, (by the way everybody speaks English in the branch) and told them that I want to open an account through which I can transfer money to abroad and receive money from abroad. They did it in 10 minutes, also offered me a free ATM card (:). Two hours later I transferred money to my account and one day later I used the money.

This is happening in the same country in which I had a real experience with another foreign bank. So the problem is not in the laws and regulations of the country or central bank’s regulations. It is just in the system of management, one is customer oriented, the other is almost ANTI-CUSTOMER.

I will suggest this bank to everybody.

A restaurant in Ostrog

Nice atmosphere, authentic decoration, good food, big portions and most important GOOD SERVICE. Waiters are attentive, smiling, speaking English and very patient when you are trying to choose what to order.

And with the bill they give you small gift, a small replica of the Ostrog Monastery. That is good customer care.

Shall I go back? Of course, whenever I go to Ostrog it is my restaurant, and I will also tell my friends about it.

You take good care of your customer, your customer will take care of you.

Hotel in Budva

I am in a hotel in Budva. Nice and comfortable hotel. I just wanted to spend the Saturday night, due to the low season prices are good too, only 19E per night. Saturday night was nice, I slept well. Before going to bed I broke an ashtray by mistake. The very same ashtray that I bought for 1E per 2 the day before from a supermarket. I got up early, went out for a cup of coffee and returned back to meet my friends.

I asked for the bill, the receptionist gave me the bill, wow what is that, extra 10E for the damages. Damages is the broken 50c. ashtray.

That destroys the whole weekend.

Shall I ever go to that hotel again? Of course not, and I will tell this story to everyone who thinks going to that hotel.

LOST CUSTOMER

COFFEE SHOP on the panoramic road between Cetinje and Kotor

The mountain road between Kotor and Cetinje is one of the most scenic roads that I have seen. Unfortunately the road is very narrow and curvy, very tiresome drive. There aren’t many places to rest on the road except that lovely coffee shop almost in the midway which is operating since 1881.

Great service, the old man serving good coffee speaks English and most important, one of the cleanest bathrooms that I have seen, far beyond the bathrooms of many famous coffee shops in Podgorica.

Don’t forget; Bathrooms are important part of customer service. They should be clean, well-lit, soap, paper towels etc., should always be available, and must frequently be inspected.

I will go back to this coffee shop and will recommend it to everybody.

Montenegro

Beautiful country, great coast, great mountains, nice people. One of the major incomes of the country is based on tourism, to develop tourism, Montenegro invested a fortune to CNN ads, expected number of tourists this year is 1.1. million, almost double of its population. Montenegro is inviting people (customers) to the country “but” forgetting some basic rules.

I am approaching to this matter purely on management and marketing point of view, through my experience.

Before coming to Montenegro I was living in Romania and I have a lot of friends in Romania as well as in my country, Turkey. They all want to visit Montenegro after hearing the things I tell them and seeing the beautiful pictures I sent to them.

Yes, they want to come, but how? They need a visa, since Montenegro is the youngest republic in our world, there aren’t Embassies yet. As a matter of fact I do not think that it would be feasible to open embassies in 193 countries when I consider the costs.

So, how are those people whom we invited through advertising on which we spent a lot of money, will be able to come either as a tourist to spend money or as a businessman who will invest?

OK, the ones I know get their visas because the ministry is very cooperative, but what about the ones who does not know anybody in the country?

A friend of mine for whom I got a visa that should be given in the airport, arrived a few days ago. Since the custom’s officer in the airport did not have receipts for the payments we had to go to a Bank which is 2 km away the airport but unfortunately the bank was closing after 14:00h. So, we went back, explained the situation and a very helpful officer said that if we paid him the amount he would deposit it to the bank. THIS IS WHAT IS CALLED A GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE. (By the way I am sure that it was done because my friend collected the receipt from the office on the way out.)

Please, be careful, Montenegro is loosing customers and do not forget, one unhappy customer tells his experience to 10 potential customers. Also, to gain back a lost customer costs seven times more compared to gain a new customer.

My suggestion would be to issue visas at the entry point by the immigration officers who are properly equipped and informed.

Banks are service companies and biggest retailers

I have moved to Montenegro on January 15, 2007.

As an expat one of the first things you do is to have an account in a bank, and you generally go to an international bank assuming that you get good service and can do international transactions easily. So I have chosen the bank with this big name, and following is the story.

4th week of January I go to the bank and ask them to have an account through which I can have a debit card to use the ATMs and make international transfers. But the answer was, no, it is ILLEGAL here to have debit cards for foreigners??? Illegal????? Yes because some foreigners had misused the system, so NO. Well then it is not illegal, it is a bank policy, YES. OK then forget about my account, but my secretary told this guy that I was the manager of so and so company etc., and he said he would ask to his boss. I wonder what would have happened if I asked for a CREDIT CARD, I do not even want to think of it. But the boss was not available so he said he would call us later in the day.

I got a call a week later and was informed that I could get a card. Wowwww what an honor I could get a card but I had to go to the bank again to have another account. OK I go. I will get my card soon they say, today February 22nd and still no card. OK I wait.

I need to transfer some money to abroad, so I go to the bank again with my secretary (by the way no body speaks English in the branch) I deposit the amount (waiting in the line for about 15 minutes), I tell them I need to make a transfer, NO! Why? I need another account??? “Give my money back and call the manager”, is my response. The lady in the counter had almost throw the money to my face, a very bitter face and tone, I did not understand what she was saying but I was sure that she wasn’t pleased.

A young lady comes claiming that she is the boss, I try to explain the situation, she checks my account, YES I have the necessary second account that I can make the transfer, OK let’s do it. No you have to come at 12:45 (it was 11:50), why? “Because the person in charge is in vacation”. So now I will go there again because I have to make this transfer.

This is how I am treated in the world where everybody is looking for customers, and who is making the money? Me? No, the bank. This was a much unexpected situation under such a big international name.
13:15 – I was in the bank at 12:45 and mission of transferring money has been accomplished. Poor lady, probably she never saw a customer like me and apologizing all the time and I tried to explain her that I wasn’t against her and it wasn’t personal, it was just the SYSTEM.”

And you think that the story ended here, no way.

My salary was deposited to the bank and in order to get the money I had to open a 3rd account. The reason is not clear to me, but tired of all this, I did. I also had my debit card. How lucky I am.

When they asked 35 Euros for the debit card I was DONE.

I just left every document they gave me, account cards, debit card and the rest and asked my money back.

Banks are service companies, they must make the life of the customer easy, in many cases service is more important then the cost.

People working in the front line, cashiers, tellers are the most important people since they have the first hand contact with the customer, they must be trained very good and they must represent the vision of their company. These are the people that are representing and labeling the company.

I will not go to this bank again and I will not suggest it to anyone.