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Let’s be Clear on Clarity - 6/9/26


When trying to manage expectations, it’s vital to be clear with the customer.  But what specifically does it mean to be “clear?” Clarity is in the eyes and ears of the beholder, so what may be clear to one customer may be unclear to another.  However, there are some basic Read more

Allow Yourself to Solve a Couple Puzzles Every Day - 6/2/26


Frank had never been a dog owner before, and when he first got Bosco at the shelter, Frank didn't really know what he was doing.  He would try to be a good parent - feed the dog, play with it, take it on walks - but he was doing Read more

Improve with a Purpose - 5/26/26


If you’re reading these customer service tips, you likely want to get better.  You want an idea, a technique, a reinforcement, or a question that helps you improve. But why improve? At some point you may waver on the commitment to improve, because it can take effort, introspection, time, and change.  Read more

Reciprocate the Thanks - 5/19/26


Jasmine had a great experience with the company, and the company sent her a link to provide an online evaluation following the visit.  So, she clicked the link, gave a rating, and made a comment about her experience. The company monitored their online reviews, saw the positive response, and replied Read more

Don’t Skip the Recap - 5/12/26


The playoff hockey game goes on for almost 3 hours.  There’s non-stop action, with plenty of penalties and takeaways and hits against the boards…and a few goals, as well. You didn’t get to watch the whole game because you had other plans, but you wanted to know what happened.  So, Read more

Finalize the Solution with the 6 Step Checklist - 5/5/26


In last week’s Tip, we showed why and how to Use the 6 Step Checklist before Resolving the Issue.  We noted the importance of taking 15 seconds to mentally walk through the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How to feel confident that you know what’s needed to fix Read more

Use the 6 Step Checklist before Resolving the Issue - 4/28/26


We talk about trying to resolve the issue right the first time, sharing the technique on how to manage the conversation to get clarity on the real issue, need, or goal, and confirming your understanding before moving forward. But what are you trying to clarify?  What are you trying to Read more

Use the Customer’s Words - 4/21/26


The customer is describing a problem on what they call their “computer.” They mentioned that the “screen” doesn’t “move from one page to the other.” They say that the “website’s name is typed at the top,” and it says sample.com with a “line, and then it says ‘home’ after Read more

Affirming the Customer with Empathy - 4/14/26


We’ve spoken and written about empathy for the 20+ years of these customer service tips, noting empathy as the most important quality any individual can have if they want to be great at customer service.  We’ve shared that - in order to serve our customers most effectively – it’s Read more

The Power of Teaching While Helping - 4/7/26


If you’re trying to develop a relationship with the customer rather than just simply handling their transaction and moving on, you are taking a long-term view.  You realize that that individual is someone you want to keep with your business for months or years to come, so it’s a Read more

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Let’s be Clear on Clarity – 6/9/26

Posted on June 9, 2026 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

When trying to manage expectations, it’s vital to be clear with the customer.  But what specifically does it mean to be “clear?”

Clarity is in the eyes and ears of the beholder, so what may be clear to one customer may be unclear to another.  However, there are some basic tenets to keep in mind when you’re trying to ensure the customer is clear.

When Customer Education is Needed

Let’s use the example of giving instructions.  These could be discharge instructions given to a patient when they’re getting ready to leave the facility.  It could be instructions to a homeowner trying to understand how to appeal the tax value of their home.  The new season ticket holder account for a sports team could require instructions for how to use the team’s app.

Instruct with Clarity

First, use a multi-mode approach – a mix of verbal and written.  Different people learn different ways, and there aren’t many of us that “get” instructions given in one way one time.  Make sure people have a takeaway to complement and reinforce what you’ve said to them.

Second, add specificity – dates, times, specific URLs, specific guidance on the sequence of tasks.

Third, avoid the confusing terminology.  Eliminate or define acronyms.  Use layman’s terms that a first-time customer would know and understand.

Fourth, limit the verbiage, being as brief as possible.  More information results in more mud that could cloud the waters, making the clear unclear.

Fifth, convey what WILL happen v. what MAY happen, so the expectation isn’t for everything to occur.  That way, they’re not confused if certain steps don’t take place.

Finally, allow time for the Q&A.  One-way communication is not the recipe for consistent clarity.  Allow the person to ask questions or restate their understanding of the instructions back to you.  This is the best way to understand how clear things are in the mind of the customer before you wrap up the conversation.

Be clear on what creates clarity with the customer.

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Allow Yourself to Solve a Couple Puzzles Every Day – 6/2/26

Posted on June 2, 2026 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Frank had never been a dog owner before, and when he first got Bosco at the shelter, Frank didn’t really know what he was doing.  He would try to be a good parent – feed the dog, play with it, take it on walks – but he was doing this without any experience or any puppy parent education.

When Frank would walk Bosco, the pup would stop frequently to sniff, and it was slowing down the walk, so Frank tried to keep the dog moving along so they could get in a good, brisk walk.

One day Frank was talking to a friend who had had dogs for many years, and Frank was asking for her advice on how to keep Bosco walking instead of slowing down and sniffing so much.  Instead of giving an answer to the question, the friend educated Frank on the situation.  When the dog is sniffing, it’s like it’s solving a puzzle.  The dog is investigating and evaluating and using its senses to understand things better.

When they sniff (or solve the puzzle), they are getting acclimated to their environment, they are slowing down, they are lowering their heart rate, and becoming less stressed.

Lessons for Customer Service

So, what does this have to do with customer service?  I often find myself trying to get everything done.  Plowing through the work, just grinding through it.  It’s reviewing e-mails, responding to client inquiries, dealing with complaints on behalf of my clients, or working on projects.

And some days you might find yourself running through your tasks just like I do.

But just like Frank’s pup, if I take time occasionally during the day to slow down, investigate a key situation with a customer or a client, dive in a little bit deeper, then I will typically find myself thinking a little bit more.  Understanding the issue a little bit better.  Coming to a solution that’s going to be more well-thought out, more clear in my communications, and which will require less rework.

If I allow myself to slow down a couple times during the day, I focus more clearly, my solutions are better, the heart rate slows down, and stress is lessened.

Allow yourself to solve a couple puzzles every day.

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Improve with a Purpose – 5/26/26

Posted on May 26, 2026 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

If you’re reading these customer service tips, you likely want to get better.  You want an idea, a technique, a reinforcement, or a question that helps you improve.

But why improve?

At some point you may waver on the commitment to improve, because it can take effort, introspection, time, and change.  So, it helps to know the reason why you’re trying to get better.

What’s the Goal?

Is there something you want to accomplish?  Is it an award or some form of recognition?  Maybe it’s the self-satisfaction of knowing you’re better than you were yesterday.  For some, they want to be more confident, and confidence comes from learning, practice, and success.

You may want to be more efficient, to spend less time on lower level or repetitive tasks to have more time for more high value activities…or just to have more time!  Or maybe you want to be a better teammate, a better support to your co-workers.

Keep It Top-of-Mind

If you want to improve, identify your goal, document it, and keep it in front of you – so it remains top-of-mind.  It’s on a post-it note, a screen saver, a whiteboard.

Figure out the steps of progress, ask for help/support, and celebrate when you make those small improvements, when you get near the goal, and when you achieve it.

Take a minute to consider why you’re wanting to learn, why you’re wanting to get better.

Then improve with a purpose.

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