encouragement | Customer Service Solutions, Inc.

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Energy v. Apathy - 4/22/25


I asked a couple friends who are much more scientifically-oriented the question: What is energy?  I didn’t mean E=MC2.  I meant physiologically, what is energy? They described a lot of things that sounded really good, yet far too advanced for my non-medical mind. Part of the reason why energy is of Read more

Prep Enough to Personalize - 4/15/25


Everybody loves Howie.  He is an account rep for the local air conditioning and heating company.  When I say Everybody loves Howie, I’m definitely talking about the customers.  His co-workers love him too, but customers are especially fond of him.  They seem to really enjoy their conversations with him, Read more

Get Your Customers to Brag, Not Bolt - 4/8/25


Here are two customer retention concepts that we discuss with some sports clients: BIRG and CORF.  BIRG is Basking In Reflected Glory.  CORF is Cutting Off Reflected Failure. You want BIRG.  You want the customers feeling so good about your organization that they want to be a part of your Read more

Narrow Your Focus to Seek Excellence - 4/1/25


You’ve probably heard companies use phrases such as: “We want to go from being good to great.”  Maybe they’ve said: “We strive for perfection, and although we’ll never reach perfection, maybe we can achieve excellence along the way.” These organizations find some kind of a catch phrase or slogan, but Read more

Avoid the Unfriendly Ghost - 3/25/25


Last week we talked about the qualities of “PERKI Customer Service,” essentially what attitudes and actions are characteristics of those who provide great customer service.  This week, let’s take the opposite approach.  What are some of the mistakes that people make?  Maybe these are mistakes of omission or commission; Read more

PERKI Customer Service - 3/18/25


After having worked on hundreds of projects over the years with thousands of thousands of individuals, some things become pretty clear. There are certain traits held by people who are great in customer service.  Look at this list, and do a self-assessment.  Which apply to you? Positive and Patient Do you Read more

It Helps to Downshift - 3/11/25


One of the first tips I heard when I was learning how to drive related to what to do when the brakes fail - downshift.  Shifting into a lower gear can slow down a moving vehicle.  I would explain this in technical terms to you, but considering I’m not Read more

Patience is… - 3/4/25


Patience is a…pain in the neck.  Why is it so hard to be patient?  Those of us who work in customer service know that we constantly have to show patience with our customers.  We’re ready to move to the next step or the solution because we’ve heard this issue Read more

Everybody Doesn’t - 2/25/25


Joey received the compliment, but he was confused.  Paula, his boss, and Joey had their monthly one-on-one meeting, and Paula noted that, although he was new, Joey was already doing a great job!  While there were learning curves on some of the organizational policies and the technology that he Read more

A Simple Phrase to Transform Your Customer Feedback Approach - 2/18/25


I went to a restaurant called Big Ed’s (no relation) in Raleigh, NC recently.  It’s basically country cooking with fantastic breakfast options!  On the menu there was a quote that said: If you enjoyed your meal, tell a friend.  If not, please tell us. That was an excellent statement that embodies Read more

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2019 Holiday Poem – 12/24/19

Posted on December 24, 2019 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

There is joy absolutely everywhere,

Sometimes you just need to look for it.

There are birds and babies.

There are flowers and sweet older ladies.

You just have to look for them.

People hold doors open for others, with smiles.

There are days when you can see for miles.

You just have to look for them.

There are friends and family to hug with abundant laughter.

There are gifts to give, and thanks to offer.

You just have to look for them.

There is fresh air to breathe,

Pets to pet,

Books to read.

There are bright eyes to see…

You just have to look for them.

There is joy out there. Look for it if you want to find it. Provide it, and you will receive it.

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Encourage the Customer – 12/17/19

Posted on December 17, 2019 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Everybody sing with me:  Feelings, whoa whoa whoa, feelings…

Excellent old song, and be thankful that I’m just writing the words and not singing to you.  While not all of us are comfortable with discussing feelings, feelings are an important part of the customer experience.

No, you can’t make someone feel a certain way, but there are things you can do or say that help to engender certain kinds of feelings.  That’s why we talk about conveying appreciation for the customer, so they will hopefully feel valued and important.

You also want customers to feel comfortable with your business and confident in their experience with you.  You want them feeling positively about the relationship.  Much of their perceptions about you and your organization, much of their decision-making about whether to stick with your company is about their feelings.

To build their comfort and confidence, consider encouraging your customers (as well as your co-workers).  Encourage them for what they’ve done:  You’ve made great progress. OR I’m impressed with what you’ve done.

Encourage them for what they will do:  Thanks for moving this forward. OR Thanks for taking leadership on this item.

Encourage them for who they are:  I appreciate your great attitude and energy. OR I appreciate you bringing so many productive ideas to us!

To engender positive feelings, encourage the customer.

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Words of Encouragement – From You and For You – 8/8/17

Posted on August 8, 2017 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Comfort and Confidence. These are qualities you want to build in your customers. Their comfort level in working with your organization. Their confidence in you and your business.

And these are qualities staff generally want as well – to be comfortable and confident. When I note that employees want to be comfortable, I’m not saying comfort to the point of being unchallenged or apathetic. I’m saying comfortable enough in the environment where they can be open in sharing their views and ideas, and be open to hearing the perspectives of others as well.

It’s best to have comfortable and confident customers and co-workers because trust is more easily created, relationships are more fully developed, and loyalty is more easily engendered.

So let’s address how to build comfort and confidence by simply being encouraging of others. You could tell customers:

  • You completed the first step in the registration process – good job!
  • You did everything right so far! We just have one more step.
  • You asked excellent questions or That’s a great question!
  • You’re making great progress.
  • You’re definitely doing your part.
  • You called the right number.

For co-workers, you could say:

  • You’re always so organized.
  • You made this process so easy for me.
  • Thanks for being so responsive.
  • Your preparation made the process flow very smoothly.
  • I love how you handled that situation.
  • Great job on the report!

Why are we talking about words of encouragement? Because they convey appreciation, and they also reinforce positive words and actions of the person you’re speaking with – words and actions you’d like to see repeated. So those words of encouragement actually help you as well. Your encouragement creates an environment where the other person is more comfortable and confident that what they did (those words and actions that made YOUR life a little better) is something they should do again.

Offer Words of Encouragement to help others build comfort and confidence.

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