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Complement Empathy with Action - 8/4/26


A man falls into a hole, and he can’t get out.  He starts yelling for help, and a doctor walks by and looks down the hole.  The man in the hole yells to the doctor “Please help me.  I’ve fallen into this hole!”  And the doctor takes out a Read more

My 8-Minute Visit at the DMV- 7/28/26


I needed to get a Real ID, which in North Carolina facilitates airline travel and other identity verifications.  My wife suggested I go to one particular DMV that was a LONG way away from home, but where she had experienced great customer service.  I was lucky to find an Read more

When They Might Walk Out the Door…Permanently- 7/21/26


Have you ever had one of those conversations with the customer where they literally tell you they’re about to stop doing business with your company?  This is it.  They may bring up a competitor or found another way to get their need met, or they are just leaving. When we Read more

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

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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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Make the Long Wait Feel Shorter – 12/16/25

Posted on December 16, 2025 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

When Greg entered the Tax Office, he was thinking only about two things: (1) How he was going to get the tax value on his home reduced, and (2) Whether the wait would be 1 hour or 2.  He checked in with the navigator who asked a few questions, gave him a number, and asked him to take a seat.

After filling out some paperwork on his appeal, Greg had a seat in the waiting room.  He watched some TV, read a magazine with some information for men in their 50s (after all, 50 is the new 40…apparently), and then was greeted by an employee.  The employee updated Greg on his current place in line, what the appeal process would be once Greg met with an appeals coordinator, and asked if Greg had any questions about the paperwork or the process.

After chit-chatting for another minute, the employee said that he’d be back within 10 minutes if Greg had not been brought back, and would give him another update.

About 7-8 minutes later, the employee came by while Greg was looking at some paintings on the walls from local artists, and reading the plaques that noted the history of the areas.  They chatted some more, Greg was told that there was only 1 more person in front of him, and he continued the wait.

When the appeals coordinator came out to greet Greg, she apologized for the wait and appreciated Greg’s patience.  Greg replied: The wait wasn’t too bad – staff were nice, and the waiting area is really interesting.  [then looking at his watch] Oh!  I didn’t realize I’d been here about an hour; seemed like 20-30 minutes!

Wait time is not always perceived to be what it is; if you do a good job of keeping the customer occupied and informed, of showing empathy and respect, even the long waits can feel shorter.

If you can’t shorten the wait, help it to FEEL shorter to the customer.

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When Kindness Means More in Customer Service – 12/9/25

Posted on December 9, 2025 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Since a large part of the work we do at CSS includes customer research, we have seen tens of thousands of comments over the years about staff, and it is great to hear the positives that customers, fans, and account holders say about our clients’ team members.

One word that is used often by customers in recognizing a great staff experience is kindness: The staff were so kind… They showed kindness throughout the event… We had an issue, and I cannot thank them enough for their kindness and willingness to help!

People appreciate kindness, so it helps to note those situations where customers didn’t simply describe employees as friendly or nice, and they – instead – intentionally used the word kind.

Situations of Kindness

Many survey comments referencing kindness relate to when the customer was not your typical customer, or the situation was not typical.

People use the word kind to describe staff when the customer has some sort of disability or challenge, and the employee recognizes and takes into account the special need.  They use the word kind to describe how staff interact with their children – with pleasantness and respect.  Kindness is noted when an employee realizes the worry or anxiety or urgent nature of something, and it’s clear that the employee is being patient and entirely focused on helping that individual.

When there is a language barrier or a learning issue, and the employee takes the time to listen to the customer, that’s kindness.  When the employee also makes sure what he/she conveys is understood by the customer (being willing to restate things multiple times and in a variety of ways, if needed), they are often referred to as being kind.

When the employee realizes there is something unique about the customer or their situation, and they take a little extra time and convey some special respect during that encounter, the customer often perceives that as kindness.

Be kind in those special customer service circumstances.

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