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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

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

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With Customer Issues and Complaints, It’s All About Speed

Posted on March 17, 2011 in Business Advice Please leave a comment

Fast…Do it fast…Make them feel like you’re moving at light speed…Make them feel like there’s continuous action…

When you’re dealing with a complaint or a customer issue, a key to retaining (and even increasing business with) that customer is speed.

Studies have shown that if you resolve an issue of a customer, they will tell 5 people about the great work you do. If you resolve issues quickly, you have an 82% chance of repurchase v. only 54% chance of repurchase if you resolve it slowly. So speed aids retention to the tune of 28%!! Speed.

It takes a lot for some customers to complain; so if they care enough to complain, convey you care, too, by acting to resolve that issue fast.

Tell them you want to help them. Tell them what you’re doing to address the need. Give them status updates along the way. Ensure your organization has communication and service delivery processes in place which are speed-oriented and geared toward service recovery situations.

Evaluate how you handle these situations. Look internally, and test externally with mystery shopping, but assess, and improve.

When it comes to Service Recovery, find a need for speed.

Read our New Book – “Ask Yourself…Am I GREAT at Customer Service?” http://www.amigreatat.com/

Interested in improving your company’s customer service? See more at our new website! http://www.cssamerica.com/


What’s the Page?

Posted on March 16, 2011 in Business Advice Please leave a comment

Who’s on the same page in your organization? Who’s not? Let’s start with this question.

What is “the page?”

Most organizations try to create a certain culture. “We’re an entrepreneurial organization!” or “We’re leading-edge innovators.” or “We’re all about quality.” or “We’re about empowering employees.”

All that’s well and good, but what’s the point? You’re entrepreneurial to do what? Your being innovative why? You’re about quality for what reason? You’re empowering employees to accomplish what?

You’re trying to create a certain culture or image or mindset or reputation, but don’t create those things for the sake of creating them. Start with defining the goal, the Vision, the purpose, the Mission – the “page.”

Maybe being entrepreneurial isn’t the best thing if you need operational excellence to compete. Maybe being leading-edge isn’t the best thing if your customers are risk-averse. Maybe quality being the top priority requires your cost per unit to rise above competitors. And maybe empowering employees isn’t the best thing if your company is poor at defining parameters for decision-making, holding others accountable, and rewarding risk.

I’m not saying these characteristics of culture aren’t important. I’m saying “don’t get the cart before the horse.”

Know who you want to become and where you want to go. Only then should you identify the culture you need to get there.

Read our New Book – “Ask Yourself…Am I GREAT at Customer Service?” http://www.amigreatat.com/

Interested in improving your company’s customer service? See more at our new website! http://www.cssamerica.com/


Create B-U-Y I-N with Staff

Posted on March 10, 2011 in Business Advice, Healthcare Please leave a comment

When we provide customer service training for hospitals, we often suggest techniques to use in difficult situations with patients and family members, physicians and co-workers. Sometimes, we suggest certain phrases to use which tend to work well, but some of the training attendees don’t feel comfortable at first with the wording because it feels scripted.

So we work during the session so they’ll feel like it’s not a script; we work to get buy-in. When attempting to get buy-in from front-line staff on any initiative, use this acronym that we coined:

· B – Believe. You have to get them to believe the concept will work.

· U – Understand. People trust and are more accepting of change when they can understand how it works.

· Y – Yes! You have to get them to commit to it – “ask for the business” from your staff.

· I – Invest. If they participate in the development of a plan, investing their time, they’re more likely to buy-in to the result.

· N – Needs. People must understand the need or goal or issues it will address.

Create “B-U-Y I-N” for your customer service principles, programs, and changes.

Read our New Book – “Ask Yourself…Am I GREAT at Customer Service?” http://www.amigreatat.com/

Interested in improving your company’s customer service? See more at our new website! http://www.cssamerica.com/


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