Customer Service Tip of the Week | Customer Service Solutions, Inc. - Page 53

Home  /  Diss the Dissatisfiers – 8/3/21  /  Customer Service Tip of the Week

Acting on the Guiding Principles for Great Customer Service - 11/19/24


In last week’s tip, we shared 5 Guiding Principles for Great Customer Service.  This week, let’s address what “taking action” looks like on those key principles.  If last week was about what to do and WHY, this week is about the HOW. Engage with Interest: To engage with interest, proactively Read more

Guiding Principles for Great Customer Service - 11/12/24


It’s hard to know every procedure, every policy, every technique possible to handle every situation correctly.  After all, maybe our procedures are standard, but our customers are not.  Maybe our policies stay pretty consistent, but our customers’ needs and issues, their attitudes and actions can change from customer to Read more

From a Simple Question to an Exceptional Experience - 11/5/24


Phyllis loves her job.  It’s not just because she loves being a customer service representative, not just because she really likes her co-workers, and not just because she enjoys her company.  It’s because she really appreciates her customers, as well. A customer had ordered a register book off the company Read more

Fix One Problem without Creating Another - 10/29/24


If you’ve ever had an issue with your dishwasher, this will sound familiar.  I’ve dealt with so many dishwashers over the years, and they always seem to have some kind of an issue.  Maybe it’s because of the mix of water and technology, but for whatever reason, these never Read more

Delight Your Customers - 10/22/24


Buddy the Bug Man was different.  His company was new, and the only reason why Janet tried him out was that the service she had used for years just wasn’t working.  Whether it was mosquitoes in the yard, ants in the kitchen, or cockroaches flying through on their way Read more

A More Complete Definition of Responsiveness - 10/15/24


I was purchasing something recently that was being custom-developed.  At one point, the company’s employee and I had a good 20 e-mails going back and forth - 10 from each of us.  Unfortunately, I broke my own rule, and I did not pick up the phone after 2 or Read more

Have a Game Plan to Address Their Anxiety - 10/8/24


It seems like we all get deliveries - whether it is UPS, USPS, FedEx, Amazon, the local courier, or all the above.  We order.  They deliver.  Or do they? It’s times like these, when we’re expecting that package, that item that we’re looking forward to or need urgently or are Read more

How Persistence Saved the Day - 10/1/24


Sherrie saw the customer walk into her store holding his cell phone, and Sherrie immediately knew that was William.  She had spoken to William on the phone about an hour ago, he said he would be at Sherrie’s cell phone store in less than an hour, and there he Read more

Notice the Little Changes - 9/24/24


“My, how times have changed.” Yes, times have changed.  As a matter of fact, one of the biggest reasons why an organization’s customer service deteriorates is that times have changed…customers have changed…and the company has not… If we think about customer service delivery today v. decades ago, changes in technology alone Read more

Don’t Hurry…Be Quick - 9/17/24


No, this is not a take off on the Bobby McFerrin song:  Don’t Worry Be Happy. It’s actually a take off on the John Wooden quote:  Be quick, but don’t hurry. When I read Wooden’s book with this title, I liked the concept, and not just because John Wooden was a Read more

•••••

Diss the Dissatisfiers – 8/3/21

Posted on August 3, 2021 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Do people still talk about “being dissed?”  When I was growing up, we used to talk about how someone may get dissed by others – short for disrespected; you could also define “diss” as holding in contempt.  I understood the term “diss” and used the term, at times, to describe the situation – it seemed like a cool slang term to use, even though I may not have been the coolest person in my school (as my family members would attest).  But I digress…

In general, it’s not good to diss someone, but someTHINGS are sometimes worthy of being dissed.  Let’s talk about customer dissatisfiers.  Some businesses are so focused on creating the WOW experience or reciting their customary script that they forget that one or two negative experiences can easily overshadow that one WOW.

For many organizations, before they try to determine how to delight the customer, they first need to shore up the quality and consistency of their experiences.  They need to identify those key customer dissatisfiers.  They need to determine what situations or responses or reactions or processes or product experiences that could cause a customer never to come back.

The fast-food restaurant has a “B” sanitation grade.  It had incredibly fast service, but who would want to eat there?

The boutique had snobby employees.  They had interesting products in a nice ambiance, but who wants to pay money to somebody who’s treating them as “lesser than?”

The big box store took forever to check out.  Sure, they had a large selection, but who wants to wait in line over 20 minutes to buy a $10 phone cord?

The sporting event played music so loud that you couldn’t hear anything else.  Sure, the team won, but if the between-play music dominated the environment and didn’t allow you to talk with others, didn’t the music detract from the experience?

I appreciate when businesses try to create the WOW.  But organizations need to also identify those key aspects of the experience with their people, products, processes, places, or overall experience that can drive customers away.

Find those pain points for your customers – the reasons that could cause their exit. And then find ways to ensure you take the pain out of your experience.

Diss the Dissatisfiers.

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


Keep it Simple in Complex Situations – 7/27/21

Posted on July 27, 2021 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Life involves making a series of decisions, and whenever serving customers or dealing with difficult issues, those decisions can become more challenging.

Part of what makes decisions difficult is that there are so many factors to consider:  People. Policies. Procedures. Places. Products. Processes. Personalities.

Who are the people involved?  What policies apply?  What are the procedures in this situation?  Where is this taking place?  What products are involved?  What process is the customer using?  What are the personalities of others…and yourself?

If we sat down and wrote a list of all the different factors that could be considered in our most challenging situations, we could probably come up with literally 100 different combinations of the factors I just referenced.  The situation could be extremely complex.

But complex situations can still involve quick or effective decisions.  It’s possible because you can narrow the focus of the decision.  You’re not necessarily making the situation more simple; instead you’re simply focusing on your key decisioning factors:  What are your priorities? What are your goals? What are your values?

As an example, I typically focus on what’s best for the customer, what’s best for our long-term relationship, and how I can help them succeed.  I strive to make decisions that convey they’re important, that show I’ve listened, and that share a feeling of respect for them as a person.  No matter the situation, if I’m guided by these considerations, the decision becomes much more clear.

If you are clear on what is most important in your decisioning process, then it’s easier for you to more quickly come to a decision.

The person could be your boss, co-worker, or a new customer.  The situation could take place on the phone, on the website, in your office, or in a storefront.  The other person could be flighty or fun, an optimist or a pessimist. But if you know your priorities, your goals, and your values, the decision will be much more clear more quickly.

How do you handle the conversation may be different; maybe the factors will apply in how you present or seek information, but your priorities and goals and values will help you narrow the focus of your decision-making process.

We can be presented with the complex.  But when we are presented with the complex, revisit your priorities, goals, and values to bring some simplicity to the decision-making process.

Use simplicity to address the complex.

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


Customer Service Experts have a Presence – 7/20/21

Posted on July 20, 2021 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Standouts in the sports, entertainment, business, and political fields are sometimes said to have “an air about them.”  Unfortunately, that definition of air sometimes is perceived as an air of superiority or an air of condescension or something that doesn’t always have the most positive connotations.

Well, the greats in customer service have more of a presence than an air, and that presence is a presence of mind.  It’s a phrase we don’t hear as much about as we used to, but it’s all about being in-the-moment.  It is being able – based on the unique circumstances of this specific situation at this point in time – to know what to say or not to say.  It’s about knowing what to do or not to do. It’s about thinking of alternatives and options and resources, all while maintaining your emotions and helping to manage the customer’s emotions.

This is one of the most difficult things to do in customer service.  It’s being able to be agile in your approach at any given instance based on the situation.

Some people are really good at customer service, but if the circumstances go off script or require thinking out of the box, the conversation can go awry.  Maybe they have difficulty with the emotions or are hesitant to or unable to come up with the alternatives.

If you want to be GREAT at customer service, know your resources.  Know your co-workers.  Know your policies and procedures.  Know the alternatives and the options and the next steps you can share.  And above all, know your customers.  Ask enough questions so that you can head them in the direction that’s going to work for their unique instance.

To be great, cultivate your presence of mind by building your knowledge, adding to your service recovery toolkit, and practicing for the most difficult of situations so that those that are routinely tough are easier for you to navigate.

Cultivate your customer service presence of mind.

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


« Previous   1 2 ... 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 ... 196 197   Next »