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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

The Power of Teaching While Helping - 4/7/26


If you’re trying to develop a relationship with the customer rather than just simply handling their transaction and moving on, you are taking a long-term view.  You realize that that individual is someone you want to keep with your business for months or years to come, so it’s a Read more

Bear with Me - 3/31/26


As a customer, you’ve probably called a company and heard the phrase “bear with me.”  At that point, you know there’s going to be some sort of delay.  The CSR is giving you a heads up that there’s going to be additional wait time.  Essentially, they are trying to Read more

Slowing Down the Fast Talker - 3/24/26


Jeffrey had always been told by his manager to figure out the issue quickly and wrap up the conversation as fast as possible.  So, Jeffrey was hyper-focused at finding that one key word that could identify the issue and help him to transition quickly to what might be some possible Read more

Don’t Bury the Lede - 3/17/26


Mary was working at the office, and she received an e-mail alert from the water company.  There was a water outage in her neighborhood.  It looked like it was going to be a couple hours to fix the issue. Sure enough, a few hours later around mid-afternoon, Mary received another Read more

Confirm the Real Issue Before You Start Solving - 3/10/26


Have you ever gone “down the rabbit hole?”  It involves going deep into some topic, some discussion – with analysis that creates complexity as much as it resolves it.  And that dive into the rabbit hole often starts with a simple question. Going down that rabbit hole takes time and Read more

One Question to Prevent a Follow-up Call - 3/3/26


The way some performance metrics work, you would think companies would prefer for their staff to talk to the same customer 4 times on the same topic for 8 minutes each rather than talking to them once for 10 minutes.  Many management metrics are too focused on average length Read more

Stay Calm When the Customer Isn’t - 2/24/26


There are all sorts of others’ emotions that you have to deal with as a customer service professional.  The other person could be anxious or upset, they could be angry or agitated.  It can run the gamut of emotions, but for you to deal with them in the best Read more

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What’s Your Part? – 11/29/16

Posted on November 29, 2016 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Better cultures lead to better service. There have been many studies and corporate examples over the years that convey a clear message. If you want to deliver a high level of customer service, you need a culture of great customer service.

You need a culture of respect – one of courtesy and follow-through. You need a culture where responsiveness to others is valued. You need a culture where the tools of hiring and training and rewarding and accountability all have a component of service to them.

To deliver great service, the culture needs to be one of service.

So what’s your part?

Without being melodramatic, your part is your heart. If your heart is not engaged in what the company is all about, you’re going to have a difficult time delivering the kind of service they want delivered. If your values don’t align with the organization’s values, or if what you see as important in how people should treat others is not seen as important in the organization, it will be difficult for you to play your part.

To play your part, think about and clearly understand what you value in life. Make sure it aligns to your organization’s values. Think about how much respect and responsiveness, how much courtesy and follow-through, how much helping the other person – being selfless – are important to you.

If you truly understand what’s important to you, and the company is aligned with those values, then pour your heart into the organization’s culture. Get engaged with the corporate initiatives that enable you to live your personal values in your workplace. Be one of the reasons why your organization’s culture is great.

Do your part with your heart.

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Great Customer Service is the Opposite of Election Politics – 10/11/16

Posted on October 11, 2016 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Is anyone tired of the U.S. elections already, even though they haven’t taken place yet?

At the national level and also at the local level, politics seems to be driven by an endless series of slogans, trite sayings, and jargon. They include brief words, phrases, or labels trying to get us to love one candidate or detest the other.

Candidates paint with broad brushes when describing ideologies, ethnicities, and characteristics of their opponent or those whose vote they want to impact.

Great Customer Service is different. In many ways, it’s the opposite. Great Customer Service is about the 1-on-1, not the categorization of the masses.

Great Customer Service requires that I must view you as an individual, a unique person with your own gifts and talents, your own issues and priorities. I cannot take you for granted based on how you look or what you say. I cannot judge you or your situation based on the question at hand or the manner in which you present yourself.

I can’t rely on the superficial. To be empathetic, to truly help, I need to be willing to go deeper. I need to care enough about you and your needs to ask questions, to listen, to allow you to paint the picture of the uniqueness of your situation.

I can’t force you into a group; I must allow you to create an impression of the unique you.

When trying to help someone, don’t let the superficial or their first impression result in your prejudging them – whether that judgement be good, bad, or indifferent.

To be great at customer service in those 1-on-1 moments of truth, strive to view the other person as one who is unique.

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A Customer Service Week Top 10 List – 10/4/16

Posted on October 4, 2016 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Why is Customer Service Week important? It’s an opportunity to recognize wonderful staff, convey appreciation to customers, and reinforce the great that customer service can do for organizational success.

To that last point, here are the Top 10 ways that Customer Service Teams benefit the organization:

  1. Issue-resolution – They fix problems that are created elsewhere in the organization by addressing customer issues with company products, processes, and people.
  2. Collaboration – Customer Service Teams bridge the gaps between siloed departments to bring all the corporate tools and resources together to meet the client’s needs.
  3. Relationship-building – They grow relationships with customers, creating an affinity for the organization all while customers may be complaining about the product.
  4. Maximize Revenue – Customer Retention reduces lost revenue, so great Customer Service Teams make life easier for Marketing and Sales departments who don’t have to uncover as much new business tomorrow because of business lost today.
  5. Positivity – They create a more balanced environment of positivity, recognition, and relationship-building in organizations that would otherwise focus almost exclusively on accountability and cost-control.
  6. Long-term Thinking – Great Customer Service Teams help foster a long-term, retention-culture in organizations often overrun with short-term thinking.
  7. Continuous Improvement – They identify recurring issues, and share those with others in the organization to uncover permanent solutions.
  8. Drive Innovation – Customer Service Teams are continuously learning what issues, needs, goals, and trends customers have – and how they’re changing. These employees can serve as the “Voice of the Customer,” identifying changes in customer wants and needs that drive innovation.
  9. Competitive Advantage – Great customer service is a huge differentiator for companies, especially those where products or pricing varies little from business-to-business.
  10. Reputation – Great Customer Service Teams make your business look good. They’re often the “last impression” after a product purchase – when there’s a question, concern, issue, or need for follow-up.

Recognize the great Customer Service Teams that make your organization a greater success!

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