purpose | Customer Service Solutions, Inc. - Page 3

Home  /  Be Clear on What You Value – 11/11/14 TOW  /  purpose

Be Amazing - 4/23/24


Watching Michael Jordan steal a pass and then dunk a basketball is amazing.  Taking a rocket to the moon is amazing.  The taste of my mom’s homemade beef soup is amazing. We all have our personal examples of what is amazing.  Usually, it’s something that we cannot comprehend, that we Read more

Talk About Yourself to Build Customer Confidence - 4/16/24


When you’re dealing with somebody who is anxious or nervous about a situation, a customer who feels like they don’t have much control, an individual who is unsure and uncertain, it’s important to put the customer at ease.  It’s important to build their comfort level.  It’s important to help Read more

The Proven Value in What You Do - 4/9/24


Forbes wrote an article last year based on a compilation of the results of research on customer service and the customer experience; it was titled:  100 Customer Experience Stats For 2023. In reading the article, you’ll note that many of these key research findings are about you – the value Read more

A Tale of Two Texts - 4/2/24


Having to get allergy shots once a week is never fun, and for Janet, it became an even bigger frustration. She had the shots typically scheduled on Tuesday around 10:30 in the morning, figuring she would avoid the morning rush as well as the lunch rush by going mid-morning.  However, Read more

The Secret Sauce for Great Customer Service - 3/26/24


I was working with the League Office for a major American sport several years back, and one of the executives asked me to describe our Secret Sauce that helped our clients improve the fan experience and customer retention.  I gave him a sense of what makes us unique and Read more

The Miracle of an Apology - 3/19/24


Unfortunate but true story… The manager basically lost his mind.  He terminated his employee on the spot.  She had told the customer that there was going to be a delay in the shipment.  The employee called up the customer ahead of time to let the customer know what was about Read more

It’s Not About the 5-Minute Wait - 3/12/24


Robert went into his supervisor’s office to update her on a situation at the payment desk.  Robert said that a customer was about fourth or fifth in line, waiting to be served, and the customer was complaining loudly about the wait.  He was there to make a property tax Read more

Lessons from the Greats - 3/5/24


I was recently facilitating a workshop on the customer experience, and I made the point that it’s usually beneficial to look at your personal life for great experiences; identify what really resonates with you in a positive way in order to uncover ideas to improve your own customer service. So, Read more

The Empathy Roadmap - 2/27/24


For some people, empathy comes naturally.  There’s an innate desire to learn about the other person and to sincerely convey that sense of interest and caring.  But for many of us, sometimes it helps to have a communication plan.  It helps to know what to do in order to Read more

“You’re the Boss” - 2/20/24


Terrence is excellent at what he does.  From a technical standpoint, he knows how to keep the facility clean.  He’s the lead custodian, and he knows that keeping things straight does not necessarily mean keeping things sanitary.  He knows what chemicals to use and not to use, how to Read more

•••••

Be Clear on What You Value – 11/11/14 TOW

Posted on November 11, 2014 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Today is Veteran’s Day in the United States of America. Many veterans, those currently serving in the military, and those who have friends/relatives who have served seem to have a strong attachment to their particular branch of the service. The values espoused by the branches often relate to courage, honor, loyalty, respect, and integrity. Those associated with the military latch onto those words and try to embody them in all they do.

To a business, those words are akin to the Core Values of an organization. They represent what the organization wants its culture, its people, its image to be about; Core Values are the desired characteristics of the employee and the company. Those qualities – when defined – help in so many ways.

Unfortunately, we have some clients that have not yet created Core Values. They have an organizational Mission – so they know what they’re there to do. They often have a Vision – so they know the long-term direction they want to go. But they haven’t defined the fabric of the people they desire to live that Mission daily and move toward that Vision. They can’t look for specific personal qualities of a prospective new hire because those qualities haven’t been defined. They have difficulty rewarding specific attitudes and actions, because the attitudes and actions aren’t fully determined.

Now you may say that – if the company has a Mission and a Vision – they can reward behaviors that align to those; they can hire people to do the job needed to live the Mission.

True, but we’re talking something deeper than a job description. Surely you’ve experienced two people with similar job experience but could tell one would be a better fit organizationally than the other. I’m certain you’ve seen employees with technical skills but without the attitudes or actions that are a symbol of what your company truly values.

On this Veteran’s Day, it’s important to appreciate those that give us the freedoms we have and often take for granted. Let’s learn a lesson from them at the same time. Take time to identify what the organization truly values in its people. Then seek, hire, reward, and retain those that are an example of what makes your company great.

Be Clear on What You Value.

Signup for FREE Tips!    Contact Us    More Resources for You    Visit Our Home Page


Of Panthers, Bratwurst, and a Greater Purpose – 10/14/14 TOW

Posted on October 14, 2014 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


I’m fortunate to be a season ticket holder of the Carolina Panthers NFL football team. At most games, I grab something to eat in the concourse before I go up to my seat, and the dynamics of the interactions with the staff at the food booths are usually VERY positive. Let me paint a picture…

First, I let my stomach guide me to the right booth (Will it be nachos, a burger, or bratwurst? Decisions, decisions…). Once I select the location – which typically has about 4-5 windows and lines of fans waiting to order, I choose the line, and begin slowly moving toward the front, taking baby steps after each customer is served – nothing special about the experience at this point.

But then it happens – a true customer service 21st century miracle! Are you ready? I get great customer service from (Are you REALLY ready?) people who are paid…NOTHING!

At almost every booth at every game, the booths are manned by volunteers. You can tell by their hats that they’re supporting a local high school marching band or a dance academy or some other organization. The “employees” are volunteers, but the organization gets a piece of the sales revenue.

When you encounter these volunteers, they ask you what you’d like, and they lean in to make sure they heard it correctly. These cashiers relay it to the co-workers to ensure they get the order passed on; the cashiers are always smiling, confirming your order. They’re joking with co-workers. There’s positivity EVERYWHERE!

They like their co-workers and care deeply about getting things right. “Now you wanted chili, is that right, sir?” or “Would you like extra jalapenos – no charge?” or “Was that a diet or regular?” or “Thanks much for coming! The condiments are in that silver station behind you. Enjoy the game!”

You might read this and ask “What’s impressive about this experience?”

These are people working for hours and hours in a tough industry – food services. They are not well-trained, they are on their feet for 4-5 hours at a time, and they’re dealing with sports fans – many of which are getting increasingly intoxicated as the game progresses.

Yet, the volunteers are positive. They convey appreciation. They work as a team with their co-workers. They listen, they confirm, then they get the order right…all without personally earning a dime.

So why are they so good? Because they know the greater purpose in what they do – supporting their kids and the activities their kids love. They know the benefits of their work and who benefits. They and their co-workers have the same goal. They WANT to do a good job for you…and for their kids.

To create a great customer experience, learn from these food service volunteers. Find the greater purpose in what you do.

Signup for FREE Tips!    Contact Us    More Resources for You    Visit Our Home Page


Adrian Knew the Goal of His Role – 4/29/14 TOW

Posted on April 29, 2014 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Last week was about the “5 P’s” of Building Confidence, but this week’s Tip will focus on the most significant one of all: Knowing Your Purpose.

I was facilitating a training workshop of K-12 bus drivers on Service Excellence. During the session, I asked everyone to create a “Personal Mission Statement.” Essentially I asked them “What is the greater good in what you do? What is the bigger reason for your job – beyond the miles you drive, the maintenance you check, the conversations you have?” I was essentially asking them “What’s the goal of your role?”

I told them that I’d give them a couple minutes to write down their thoughts, and soon everyone started writing except Adrian. So I asked Adrian if he had any questions about the assignment, and he said “No. I know exactly what my purpose is.” After giving everyone another minute to write, I asked for volunteers, and Adrian was the first to raise his hand. He said “I’m here to be a role model to the kids. I’m here to make sure they stay straight and give them advice when they need it.”

Now Adrian was probably only 23-24 years old at the time, but he knew his greater purpose. He knew that his true job – the true good he provided – went far beyond the thousands of miles he drove annually. It went far beyond the paperwork he completed and his many maintenance checks. His impact went beyond cleaning the bus and arriving on time.

He knew the goal of his role.

Do you Know Your Purpose? When you clearly understand your role and the greater good you provide for your customer, your co-worker, your company, and your community, you can be more confident in acting. You can be more decisive, because you know what you’re doing is part of your Purpose.

Find your inner Adrian – Know the Goal of Your Role.


« Previous   1 2 3 4   Next »