The Importance of Communication with Your Customers
Custom fabrication is something people LOVE to have, especially when it's a great product like what they build for us at Overkill Engineering Motorsports.
There has been nothing but great reviews on their product design, build and quality. And better yet, the way their products make your car go down the road have been reported as nothing short of amazing.
However that is not all it takes to make a business successful. I personally would like to see the gentlemen at Overkill Engineering be around the SR/Nissan community for years to come. So I would like to offer an opinion from a customer and a guy who thinks he has some business sense, but just not the balls and/or resources to start his own business.
1) Customers like to feel special, like they're your favorite customer. Treat them as such.
2) Customers value instant communication over timely service.
Example, if I have ordered one of Overkill's BAD ASS tri-point Front Strut Tower Braces, and they tell me it'll be shipped in 4 weeks, I don't care as much if it comes in 8 weeks, as long as they communicate that to me, and communicate to me promptly. I'd rather it be 4 weeks late (and I think I am speaking for everyone) and know that you're still alive and in business than it be 2 weeks late and have me stressing about whether or not you guys even have record of me paying, or if you're still in business.
It's stressful for a customer to have no communications from someone (especially over the Internet) who owes them something where they've invested a lot of money. $225 is not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things, but for an average B13 owner, it's actually quite a bit...
If you guys are running behind, 3 weeks, 4 weeks behind. Take some time out of the week to email every one of your customers individually and give them an update of their account and item. If this means you'll be 4 or 5 weeks behind, so be it. I am certain every one of your customers (or 90% of them) would prefer to know that you are still alive and their money isn't lost. If you have to, stop taking orders for a little bit to catch up. We know these are custom built, that's why we ordered from you. That does not mean that customer service should take a back seat. To survive in this industry you'll need to communicate with your customer. Stress is not something people want to endure when they go to purchase something.
Personally I have not yet ordered the 3 point FSTB or CSK's that I want because I cannot get prompt communication from you guys. However I would love to see people posting not only about how good your products are, but also how well you communicate with them... if I see that happening on here, I am likely to A) buy from you and B) promote you - word of mouth is GREAT advertisement. As I'm sure you know.
You already get word of mouth advertising from your great products, now make your business complete and offer great communications to your customers too.
I really hope this gets through to you guys as I want you to be in business, making great mods for my car.
My only thoughts are that you guys have found a more profitable platform with more customers and you're focusing on them.. That would suck, we'd hate to lose you (unless you don't fix the communication issue)..
thanks
Matt
There has been nothing but great reviews on their product design, build and quality. And better yet, the way their products make your car go down the road have been reported as nothing short of amazing.
However that is not all it takes to make a business successful. I personally would like to see the gentlemen at Overkill Engineering be around the SR/Nissan community for years to come. So I would like to offer an opinion from a customer and a guy who thinks he has some business sense, but just not the balls and/or resources to start his own business.
1) Customers like to feel special, like they're your favorite customer. Treat them as such.
2) Customers value instant communication over timely service.
Example, if I have ordered one of Overkill's BAD ASS tri-point Front Strut Tower Braces, and they tell me it'll be shipped in 4 weeks, I don't care as much if it comes in 8 weeks, as long as they communicate that to me, and communicate to me promptly. I'd rather it be 4 weeks late (and I think I am speaking for everyone) and know that you're still alive and in business than it be 2 weeks late and have me stressing about whether or not you guys even have record of me paying, or if you're still in business.
It's stressful for a customer to have no communications from someone (especially over the Internet) who owes them something where they've invested a lot of money. $225 is not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things, but for an average B13 owner, it's actually quite a bit...
If you guys are running behind, 3 weeks, 4 weeks behind. Take some time out of the week to email every one of your customers individually and give them an update of their account and item. If this means you'll be 4 or 5 weeks behind, so be it. I am certain every one of your customers (or 90% of them) would prefer to know that you are still alive and their money isn't lost. If you have to, stop taking orders for a little bit to catch up. We know these are custom built, that's why we ordered from you. That does not mean that customer service should take a back seat. To survive in this industry you'll need to communicate with your customer. Stress is not something people want to endure when they go to purchase something.
Personally I have not yet ordered the 3 point FSTB or CSK's that I want because I cannot get prompt communication from you guys. However I would love to see people posting not only about how good your products are, but also how well you communicate with them... if I see that happening on here, I am likely to A) buy from you and B) promote you - word of mouth is GREAT advertisement. As I'm sure you know.
You already get word of mouth advertising from your great products, now make your business complete and offer great communications to your customers too.
I really hope this gets through to you guys as I want you to be in business, making great mods for my car.
My only thoughts are that you guys have found a more profitable platform with more customers and you're focusing on them.. That would suck, we'd hate to lose you (unless you don't fix the communication issue)..thanks
Matt
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