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Highlight the Hidden Value - 7/1/25


Marketing campaigns often highlight a particular product and ALL the features and extras that the customer will receive… “For 3 low, low payments of only $39.99, you not only get these world-renowned chef knives, but you can also get this free laser-etched spatula!  AND THAT’S NOT ALL!  We will also Read more

Don’t Harp on the Customer’s Mistake - 6/24/25


Seth’s daughter, Sarah, had missed some swim classes, and Seth remembered that the aquatics center had several make-up classes available late in the summer.  So Seth pulled up the class schedule on his phone, found one that worked on his and Sarah’s schedules, and planned to attend a session Read more

Create Customers for Life - 6/17/25


Veronica has gone to the same automotive service shop for at least 20 years.  She bought a new car about a year ago, and this is the third car she’s brought to the shop instead of taking her car to the dealer where she bought it.  She’s had three Read more

Don’t Turn the Customer into the QA Department - 6/10/25


Roberta received a form with information filled in by the company after her conversation with the account rep.  Roberta just needed to review the information, fill in some of the blanks, sign it, and resend it in order to set up a new account. She noticed that the effective date Read more

Imitate to Improve - 6/3/25


Oscar Wilde said that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”  Now this doesn’t mean that plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery.  Nor does it mean that great impersonators such as Rich Little, Dana Carvey, or Frank Caliendo are always offering flattering portrayals of those that they imitate. Wilde’s Read more

How the Customer Perceives a Truth as a Lie - 5/27/25


You’re the customer, you’re asking about an unused item that you’re returning, and you hear the employee say: “The refund process takes 7-10 days.”  You’re thinking: “Great!  I can get the refund check as early as a week from today!”  The reality is that the company means that they’ll Read more

Tell Customers What’s Next - 5/20/25


In most businesses that have been around for a while, how a process was originally designed is not how it currently operates.  Sometimes this change is referred to as “practical drift,” where the actual process moves further and further away from the documented steps over time.  Maybe the changes Read more

Questions to Guide You to Empathy - 5/13/25


“If I was him, I would do ABC…” If you’ve ever heard somebody say this - whether it’s a friend or acquaintance, whether it’s some TV reporter or podcaster - you may get as frustrated or as annoyed as I do. I get annoyed because we are not that other person. Read more

Negate the Nervousness - 5/6/25


The customer needed a loan, so he walked into the bank, but he was a little nervous.  He knew that launching his business would be easier if he had some working capital, but that’s about all he knew.  He was anxious because he didn’t know what to expect in Read more

Don’t Rush to Resolve Quickly - 4/29/25


The customer is angry, so you use the CSS LEAD technique as designed.  You, listen, empathize, accept responsibility, and deliver on a remedy.  But it doesn’t work.  The customer is still upset, and maybe even a little more frustrated than when you started…why?! If the use of this technique fails, Read more

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Empathy Examples for Everyday Situations – 12/10/24

Posted on December 10, 2024 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

I’ve often said that empathy is the single most important characteristic of people who are great at customer service.  If empathy is essentially “to understand the other person,” it helps so much to have that ability in order to specifically help someone.  To talk to what’s unique about them.  To convey your knowledge of their situation or your ability to comprehend the emotions they must be feeling.

But how do you phrase your empathy to the customer in particular situations?  Here are three quick examples for you to consider and put into practice:

Acknowledging Inconvenience During a Refund Process:  A customer requests a refund and expresses annoyance about the delay in processing. The employee could say:  “I understand how inconvenient this delay must be for you. Your time is valuable, and I’ll prioritize making this process as smooth as possible moving forward.”

Understanding Frustration with a Delayed Order:  A customer calls upset about a late order.  In addition to providing the tracking information, the employee could respond:  “I can understand how frustrating it must be to wait for something you were expecting on time.  Let me look into this right away and see how we can resolve it for you.”

Calming a Customer Facing Technical Issues:  A customer is struggling to navigate an online portal and expresses irritation. The employee could say:  “I know how stressful it can be when technology doesn’t work the way we expect.  I’m here to guide you through this step-by-step so we can get it sorted out together.”

These examples show how empathy can involve acknowledging, understanding, and calming someone.  And every example has empathy, followed by a transition to the next step.

To be empathetic with the customer and also convey that understanding of them and their situation, add these everyday examples to your empathy toolkit.

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Tell Them Why You’re Giving Thanks – 12/3/24

Posted on December 3, 2024 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Thank you! Merci! Danke! Doumo! Gracias!

It seems like every language has a translation of Thank You.  Even though I only fluently speak English and speak Spanish, un poco, I – and probably most of you – have heard some or all of the translations of “Thank You” noted above.  It’s a universal phrase throughout the world.

The phrase shows that we acknowledge what the other person did or didn’t do; it conveys appreciation for an individual, their attitude, their action.  It is something that is simple, but it typically leaves a positive impression and feeling with the other person.

And in the world of customer service, there are also many ways to say Thank You.  Customers appreciate the thanks.  Co-workers appreciate a Thank You, as well.  And a Thank You is especially appreciated when it’s coupled with sharing the reason for the thanks.

A Quick Story of Thanks

So, a thank you can be a wonderful thing; it can be a pivot point in someone’s day.  It can be something that provides mutual benefit.  Here’s a quick story…

I was recently going to an event downtown, and traffic was moving at a snail’s pace.  It seemed like the more drivers waited, the more impatient they got.  When I pulled into the parking deck and saw the attendant, I rolled down my window, greeted him, and asked how he’s doing.  He replied dryly:  It’s been a day.

He started to pull two tickets to give me that I would need to get out of the deck later that day.  I have parked in this location multiple times, and when you pay upon entry, they give you 2 tickets.  To exit, you scan the pink one first and the yellow one second.

So, as he was pulling tickets, I said with a smile:  Pink, then yellow, right?!

He replied with a smile:  You got it!

I paid the fee, and he said: Thanks! I appreciate your smile, especially today.

I replied:  I appreciate yours, too!

His was a thanks of appreciation, but it wasn’t just for the parking fee.  He specified that he appreciated the person.  He appreciated the smile, especially after probably dealing with 100 cars before me laden with frowns and grumpy customers.

When you give the routine Thank You, make it a little more meaningful, a little more special.

Tell them what you thank them for, and maybe you’ll start feeling a little better yourself.

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Refine Your Decision-making Process – 11/26/24

Posted on November 26, 2024 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Every day, you make decisions of what to do and what not to do.  And in the world of customer service, often the affected parties are our customers, our co-workers, and our company.  Here are a few quotes to consider when you’re thinking about evaluating and refining your decision-making process…

To choose, it is necessary to know.  Herman Finer

Strive to find information that will guide you in your decision-making.  Investigate and inquire enough to choose the right course of action.

The understanding that underlies the right decision grows out of the clash and conflict of opinions and out of the serious consideration of competing alternatives.  Peter Drucker

To make the best decisions, seek out people who have different perspectives from you.  Gather their input on the issue or the solution in order to identify the best response and to build your confidence.

When it is not necessary to make a decision, it is necessary not to make a decision.  Lord Falkland’s Rule

Do you have to make a decision right now?  If not, don’t feel obligated to make a decision on the spot.  Buy yourself some time to seek the input of others and build your comfort level with what to do in a particular situation.

People whose lives are affected by a decision must be part of the process of arriving at that decision.  John Naisbitt

Think about who could be affected by your decision.  Maybe this includes the customers themselves. Understand the downstream effects of what you are about to decide, and wherever possible, allow stakeholders to weigh-in and help create their buy-in.

When making decisions, seek information, seek the wisdom of others, know whether the decisioning timeline is urgent, and tap into the voice of those potentially affected by the outcomes.

Refine Your Decision-making Process.

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