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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

Don’t Begin with the Dead End in Mind - 2/17/26


Habit #2 of Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Successful People” is “Begin with the End in Mind.”  It speaks to the need to have a clear vision or goal for what you’re trying to ultimately achieve, so you understand the purpose of what you’re doing.  It helps you Read more

Explain without Over Explaining - 2/10/26


The customer has a question, and we have an answer.  They need to learn something, and we’re in the position to be the educator.  There’s a process they have to go through, and we need them to understand. We know so much, and we could impart so much, but sometimes Read more

Look for a Stop Sign - 2/3/26


As a customer service professional, what you say matters.  The information you’re providing is useful.  The direction you’re giving the other person is helpful.  But... As you’re speaking, you also need to be reading.  Reading the other person.  Watching the customer, determining whether and how they’re receiving what you’re sharing.  Read more

When They Want the Supervisor - 1/27/26


Maybe you did your best with the customer, or maybe the customer didn’t even give you a chance.  They want to talk to your supervisor.  They see you, notice your title does not have “supervisor” or “manager” or “director” or “President and CEO” in it, so they want to Read more

Identify Your Point of Empathy - 1/20/26


I was watching a webinar recently on empathy.  The speaker mentioned that empathy - to a large extent - is something that you are born with.  It’s something that’s very difficult to learn.  And while I agree that some people are predisposed to being empathetic and understanding of others Read more

Pressure is a Privilege, but... - 1/13/26


When athletes are asked about the pressure of a playoff match or a late-game situation, many times they will say that “pressure is a privilege.”  In other words, usually pressure exists because you’re in a match that matters most.  It exists because you are a player put in a Read more

While I’ve Got You on the Phone… - 1/6/26


I’m a big planner.  Whether it’s strategic planning or planning out the year or planning my week first thing on a Monday morning, I like to plan.  I do this because it gets all of my action items documented and ensures that I have some understanding of what I Read more

Pass the Quick Impression Test - 12/30/25


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, Read more

2025 Holiday Poem - 12/23/25


We hear the word change And that change can be good, But we like things to stay same, And sometimes they should.   The weather can be wet And then dry as a bone. We know things will change, Even if all left alone.   Our customers change. Our co-workers do, too. It seems like our resources Are often too few.   The technology Read more

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Build Relationships with First-timers – 11/11/25

Posted on November 11, 2025 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

We’ve worked with one of our sports clients for over 10 years, and although the main focus of our work is research with their fan base, we also provide informal consulting advice and guidance whenever possible.  One approach we’ve talked about on and off for years is the need for them to have a first-time fan or first-time customer strategy for relationship development that is different from their approach with other accounts.

They have an extremely high churn rate with first-time customers, like most businesses do, so there needs to be a clear intent to strategically develop relationships with those customers, learn more about them, and personalize communications and engagement whenever possible.

We had a debrief call recently after one of our major research projects, and one of our client’s staff talked about the fact that they were starting to assign a personal service rep to the new accounts.  This is something we have encouraged for years, and we were happy that they’re doing it, but we wondered why this hadn’t been done after our many prior conversations.

The Reason for the Personal Representative

Why do customers – especially first-time customers – often prefer to have a personal representative?  It’s about ease and simplicity – having one person you know by name and who knows you by name – one point of contact, one to call, to text, to e-mail to address all their needs.  They don’t have to learn your business; they just have to know how to get in touch with Jack, their personal rep.  It could be a question about online account access, optional services, policies, fees, program functions/features, etc.  Regardless of the topic, all they have to do is call Jack.

This approach provides them a feeling of being taken care of – they know someone they can trust to help them.  It’s about their feeling valued – being able to talk to an employee they know, someone who cares about them.

If you want to build true value with your first-time customers, make it easy on them.  Build trust with the customer, convey you care about them.  Give yourself the ability to be responsive by giving them the ability to get to you easily.

Eliminate barriers to the communications that help you build relationships with new customers.

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