Business Advice | Customer Service Solutions, Inc. - Page 87

Create Awareness of Alternatives - 2/4/25


Sandy was hungry, and she was on the move.  Driving between meetings, she saw the restaurant sign and pulled in.  The fast-food restaurant had two drive-thru lanes.  One was for any customer who wanted to place an order on the spot. The other was for mobile orders only.  The Read more

Listen with Your Eyes - 1/28/25


Out of the corner of his eye, Patrick saw the customer enter the lobby.  The customer was carrying a large shoulder bag with several papers in her hand.  The customer was shuffling the papers and looking down; then she stopped, looked up, and saw the staff navigator sitting at Read more

When You’re the Educator, What Should You Teach? - 1/21/25


The best customer service professionals are also excellent educators.  Not only within the organization, but I’m talking specifically about the role they play as educator with their customers.  With all the self-service options that technology provides, customers often have the opportunity to do things on their own, to investigate Read more

Wrap It Up Right: Why Follow-Up Communications WOW Customers - 1/14/25


Dena had some questions about her water bill, so she looked for answers on the utility’s website.  She didn’t find specific answers, and she really didn’t want to get on the phone with somebody at the time and risk staying on hold.  She had lots going on, but she Read more

From Conversation to Connection: Defining Customer Engagement - 1/7/25


Maggie was sitting in the Service Excellence Training class, and the instructor kept talking about staying engaged with the customer.  Proactively engaging the customer.  Being fully engaged in the conversation. After hearing this same phrase (“engage”) used in various ways, Maggie raised her hand and asked a question probably several Read more

Self-empower for the New Year - 12/31/24


Jeff joined the company, in part, because he loved their approach to culture.  Leadership tried to create an empowerment culture.  They tried to develop an environment where, within certain parameters, individual team members could make a decision and feel confident that they would be supported by leadership. The reality was Read more

2024 Holiday Poem - 12/24/24


I sometimes hear it said That things have never been like this before. That challenges are unique, That stresses seem like more.   I sometimes hear it said That we're asked to do much more with less. That workloads are increasing, And we're resource-constrained at best.   And others often say That things are really very good. That they enjoy those Read more

Is Their Poor Planning Your Emergency? - 12/17/24


Have you ever heard the saying:  Your poor planning is not my emergency. I’ve heard it said often – not necessarily directly from one person to another.  More typical is that I hear it from the person having to drop everything and do something immediately because someone else didn’t think Read more

Empathy Examples for Everyday Situations - 12/10/24


I’ve often said that empathy is the single most important characteristic of people who are great at customer service.  If empathy is essentially “to understand the other person,” it helps so much to have that ability in order to specifically help someone.  To talk to what’s unique about them.  Read more

Tell Them Why You’re Giving Thanks - 12/3/24


Thank you! Merci! Danke! Doumo! Gracias! It seems like every language has a translation of Thank You.  Even though I only fluently speak English and speak Spanish, un poco, I – and probably most of you – have heard some or all of the translations of "Thank You” noted above.  Read more

Don’t Let the Customer’s Bad Attitude Dictate Yours

Posted on in Business Advice, World of Customer Service 1 Comment

The customer called the service center, and the telephone answering system picked up.

“Thank you for calling ACME Wireless Systems Inc. If you’re in a really good mood, please press 1. If you’re upset but rational, please press 2. If you’re really irate, please press 3.”

Do you ever get the impression that companies want to deal with happy customers but don’t want to deal with unhappy customers? It’s as if the employees smile if the customer smiles, but if the customer’s unhappy, the employee gets a bad attitude himself.

Let’s look at this from the customer’s perspective. I’m angry, so would I rather talk with somebody who’s angry or somebody who’s in a good mood? I have a better chance of getting my emotional level down if I’m dealing with someone empathetic with my situation, someone on more of an even-keel emotionally, someone who listens and lets me talk about my frustration.

What I don’t like is someone who cuts me off mid-sentence. What I don’t appreciate is someone who doesn’t take responsibility. What drives me crazy is someone who is defensive. What is non-productive is someone who lets their emotions drive their attitude in a service recovery situation like this.

We always say that delivering high-quality customer service can be tough, especially when presented with a complaining customer. But these are the times that separate the best from the rest. These are the situations where employees truly committed to the customer shine, because in the face of a complaint or an irate customer, they still know how to take the customer’s perspective, to try to keep the customer, to try balance the needs and wants of the customer with the needs and wants of the business.

Check your attitude when faced with the complaining customer. Use these situations as times to shine!

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

Check out our new customer service book at http://www.amigreatat.com/


Campaign for Customers

Posted on in Business Advice, Government Please leave a comment

A Toronto mayoral candidate is campaigning in such a manner as to try to appeal to small businesses and economic growth. One area of focus in his campaign is customer service.

It’s interesting to note how politicians are talking customer service. Why would they do that? Well, there are two key reasons. First is that government in general has (deservedly or not) a reputation for delivering poor customer service, not being responsive, not having the same attitudes that one should find in organizations competing for the customer.

Second, great customer service is something that their customers – the voters – find important. We can debate whether or not it’s the number one issue, but it IS important.

Think about this in terms of how it relates to your business. What is important to your customers? What is their hot button issue? In what aspects of your organization do customers perceive you negatively?

To ANSWER these questions, you have to ASK these questions of your customers.

Ask, listen, learn, prioritize, improve, and then campaign for your customers.

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

Check out our new customer service book at http://www.amigreatat.com/


Give Away the House – Now THAT’S Fan Relations!

Posted on in Business Advice, Sports Please leave a comment

In the article titled “Penguins offer freebie game with job-hunting twist,” the Associated Press describes a pre-season program where attendees to an exhibition game of the National Hockey League’s Pittsburgh Penguins will attend free (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j6iKWLJLaijtjwodlAwtulAtXjzgD9IAENCG1). That’s right, 18,000 fans and $0 in ticket revenue.

About 8,000 of the tickets will be given out so fans can attend an “in-game” job fair. The other 10,000 tickets will be donated to local children’s charities and youth hockey leagues.

While I’m not suggesting great Fan Relations requires you to give away the house for free, there are positive lessons to be learned even if you can’t forego the lost ticket revenue.

First, not everything has to be an immediate benefit to your organization; understand that nurturing the customers of tomorrow is important to any organization’s long-term strategy. It’s about the long-term relationship, not the one-time transaction.

Second, if you invite the child, the parent will come (or at least show an interest and appreciation as well).

Third, know your customers and their situations. With the economy like it is today, what will attract more people who are not normally hockey fans – a Sidney Crosby bobblehead or a job interview?

Fourth, find ways to make the community as a whole a fan of yours. Find a niche where you can give back; give back for the good of the community today; it will bear fruit for you down the road.

Learn from the 2010 ESPN #1 rated Fan Relations organization (the Penguins)…even if you don’t have 18,000 free products or services to give away.

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

Check out our new customer service book at http://www.amigreatat.com/