Customer Service Tip of the Week | Customer Service Solutions, Inc. - Page 10

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Transparency in Customer Service- 7/14/26


We’ve worked with a lot of clients in the local government sector, and many of these clients have Customer Service Standards and/or corporate values that include Transparency. Think about an old-fashioned transparency sheet, that malleable see-through page you put on an overhead projector.  You can see everything on one side Read more

See the Customer’s Journey from Their Perspective- 7/7/26


That customer is face-to-face with you right now, and you are fielding their questions or delivering your service to them.  And oftentimes and understandably, we are so immersed in the moment that we don’t think about what came before or think enough about what comes next. But in the life Read more

Gaining the Benefits of the Greeter- 6/30/26


Most likely, we’ve all entered some establishment – a retail store, restaurant, or service center - when there is a greeter at the door.  The most famous greeter position is probably the Walmart greeter.  I often thought that my father-in-law would have been a fantastic Walmart greeter, because he Read more

Seamlessness - Why the Customer Thanked You - 6/23/26


This doesn’t happen enough nowadays, but the employee received a long thank you e-mail from the customer.  A financial services account manager had taken care of the client during a period of time that was stressful for the customer. Life was unexpectedly changing quickly, and personal emotions, additional financial responsibilities, Read more

When to Avoid the Escalation - 6/16/26


The customer calls with a complaint, and the easy thing to do is to escalate it to your supervisor. That may also be the right thing to do, but how do you know when to avoid the escalation? Why You Would Escalate The first thing to consider is why you would Read more

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

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While I’ve Got You on the Phone… – 1/6/26

Posted on January 6, 2026 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

I’m a big planner.  Whether it’s strategic planning or planning out the year or planning my week first thing on a Monday morning, I like to plan.  I do this because it gets all of my action items documented and ensures that I have some understanding of what I can accomplish every day/week/month.  I like to know what the “Big Rocks” are – to use a Stephen Covey phrase – as I make sure to address these top priorities.

A pitfall I run into is that sometimes I’m so big on planning that I don’t take an action that presents itself in the moment.  I, instead, put it on the To Do List to address later.  This has been an issue of mine that I’ve been working on for years, and I’m always amazed when I see people who don’t have this same issue.

How do I know that they don’t have this issue?  I know because I witness it when I am the customer, and they are the employee.  Here are 3 examples…

Instead of telling me that they will follow up to schedule our next meeting, during the conversation they ask if I have my calendar available so we can go ahead and schedule that meeting.

There are a couple things that the employee and I will have to deal with over the next couple months, so instead of just putting that on their To Do List, they will say: While I’ve got you on the phone, do you have 5 more minutes to address two other quick points?

We’re about to wrap up our phone call, and they just described that the next step is for me to fill out a form.  Before they end the call, they say: I’ll be happy to guide you through the completion of that form right now, if you would like.

There are so many benefits to taking this approach in terms of time savings for your organization and your customer, engendering goodwill, and increasing the likelihood that timelines are met.

When laying out a next step with the customer, offer to address it RIGHT THEN.

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Pass the Quick Impression Test – 12/30/25

Posted on December 30, 2025 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Some studies have shown that people create an impression of you in less than a second when they first meet you face-to-face.  Other studies have shown that that initial impression can take up to 7 seconds.  Regardless, first impressions are quick.  First impressions are not always the lasting impression, but they can color the customer’s perception of the employee or the organization that affects their demeanor during the encounter.  First impressions can create an immediate conclusion that, if negative, must now be overcome.

Let’s say you’re the customer.  You pull up to the teller window at the bank with no other customers around.  The two employees in the teller window are talking and laughing with each other and not acknowledging you.

You walk into the home improvement store, and three employees walk by you without making eye contact.  You start to feel they are purposely avoiding you.

You are waiting to check out at the retail store, and the employee is looking at their computer screen while reaching out with their left hand for you to give them the clothes you’re purchasing.  No eye contact, no smile, no words…just an outstretched hand.

The customer can tell a lot about a company very quickly.  And maybe their conclusion is not accurate because they’re basing it on something they experience in less than 7 seconds.  However, that quick impression either gets the encounter started positively, or it can put the employee behind the “8 ball” right off the bat.

Don’t risk allowing a negative immediate impression to become a long-term perception.  Make sure that when customers experience your details and how you engage them, they are drawing positive conclusions about how much you care about them.

Pass the Quick Impression Test.

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2025 Holiday Poem – 12/23/25

Posted on December 23, 2025 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

We hear the word change

And that change can be good,

But we like things to stay same,

And sometimes they should.

 

The weather can be wet

And then dry as a bone.

We know things will change,

Even if all left alone.

 

Our customers change.

Our co-workers do, too.

It seems like our resources

Are often too few.

 

The technology evolves

And then takes quantum leaps.

Sometimes it’s unclear

What benefits it reaps.

 

We could be in the office.

Things change every year.

We could be remote.

Policies are often unclear.

 

So with all of this change

We’ve experienced in the past,

We know the new norm

Will also not last.

 

As we go into the new year,

Let’s be flexible in our mind.

Let us realize that change

Can sometimes be kind.

 

Let us hope for the best

With an optimist’s heart,

For transitions can be smoother

If we all do our part.

 

I hope for you well

As we start a new year,

That it’s filled with positives

And is void of most fear.

 

I hope you can flex

With the change we’ll go through,

And I hope you find joy

In the things that you do.

 

Happy Holidays!

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