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Address the Expectations that Were Set - 8/26/25


Before the caller ever got to Marco – the customer service representative, the customer had been working with the company for months.  They had read the marketing brochures, had a conversation with a sales rep, reviewed the new customer information on the website, and read all the information e-mailed Read more

When Technology Fails the Customer - 8/19/25


Technology is a wonderful thing…until it isn’t.  The website is down, the mobile app won’t work, the system keeps kicking them out of their account, or they received a spoofing phone call supposedly from your department. If you’ve ever been manning the phones or managing the department inbox, you know Read more

The Misunderstood Physician - 8/12/25


I was speaking with one of my personal physicians years ago, and when we were talking about my work – particularly customer satisfaction research - he started talking about online physician ratings.  He lamented that a few low ratings were dinging his overall score.  Then he shared that the Read more

Uncover Silent Concerns - 8/5/25


One of the customer service statistics we have quoted many times over the years is:  For every complaint you do hear, there could be 26 other customer issues that you don’t hear. And when we bring up that statistic, we bring it up because we want to make sure companies Read more

Talk Yourself Up to Take Down Their Anxiety - 7/29/25


I believe that most customer service people are pretty humble, so I’m not asking you to lose your humility.  But I do have one ask of you… When that customer is anxious or nervous, when they fear the future because the future is unknown or it could be laced with Read more

Use Little Acts to Make a Big Impact - 7/22/25


A WOW Experience is not always one instance, one act that blows away the customer.  It’s not always an over-the-top-the-employee-saved-the-day act of brilliance.  Sometimes a WOW is the sum total of a series of little things that others don’t do – those actions that differentiate you from others.  The Read more

Avoid Some Stress by Addressing Issues Quickly - 7/15/25


It’s good customer service to resolve issues quickly.  The customer sees the light at the end of the tunnel.  They more quickly bring their anxiety and stress, their negative emotions down.  And they more quickly get to a solution. But this tip is not about them.  This tip is about Read more

Better Customer Service through Better Teamwork - 7/8/25


We spend so much time talking about what great customer service looks like in those 1-on-1 Moments of Truth, that we often neglect to discuss what goes on inside the company that leads to those great moments.  We’ve talked about customer handoffs within an organization, but what does a Read more

Highlight the Hidden Value - 7/1/25


Marketing campaigns often highlight a particular product and ALL the features and extras that the customer will receive… “For 3 low, low payments of only $39.99, you not only get these world-renowned chef knives, but you can also get this free laser-etched spatula!  AND THAT’S NOT ALL!  We will also Read more

Don’t Harp on the Customer’s Mistake - 6/24/25


Seth’s daughter, Sarah, had missed some swim classes, and Seth remembered that the aquatics center had several make-up classes available late in the summer.  So Seth pulled up the class schedule on his phone, found one that worked on his and Sarah’s schedules, and planned to attend a session Read more

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Adrian Knew the Goal of His Role – 4/29/14 TOW

Posted on April 29, 2014 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Last week was about the “5 P’s” of Building Confidence, but this week’s Tip will focus on the most significant one of all: Knowing Your Purpose.

I was facilitating a training workshop of K-12 bus drivers on Service Excellence. During the session, I asked everyone to create a “Personal Mission Statement.” Essentially I asked them “What is the greater good in what you do? What is the bigger reason for your job – beyond the miles you drive, the maintenance you check, the conversations you have?” I was essentially asking them “What’s the goal of your role?”

I told them that I’d give them a couple minutes to write down their thoughts, and soon everyone started writing except Adrian. So I asked Adrian if he had any questions about the assignment, and he said “No. I know exactly what my purpose is.” After giving everyone another minute to write, I asked for volunteers, and Adrian was the first to raise his hand. He said “I’m here to be a role model to the kids. I’m here to make sure they stay straight and give them advice when they need it.”

Now Adrian was probably only 23-24 years old at the time, but he knew his greater purpose. He knew that his true job – the true good he provided – went far beyond the thousands of miles he drove annually. It went far beyond the paperwork he completed and his many maintenance checks. His impact went beyond cleaning the bus and arriving on time.

He knew the goal of his role.

Do you Know Your Purpose? When you clearly understand your role and the greater good you provide for your customer, your co-worker, your company, and your community, you can be more confident in acting. You can be more decisive, because you know what you’re doing is part of your Purpose.

Find your inner Adrian – Know the Goal of Your Role.


Build Your Confidence with the 5 P’s – 4/22/14 TOW

Posted on April 22, 2014 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Sometimes a person’s anxiety, worry, indecision, passivity, inefficiency, and lack of ownership can all have the same source – lack of confidence. It could be the student unwilling to raise his hand in class; we could be discussing the leader making decisions simply by not making decisions. Maybe it’s the adult talking with twelve friends and family members about something to gain the 100% certainty that will never exist. Maybe it’s the employee who won’t take on a responsibility because they’re afraid of doing the wrong thing.

Years ago, we shared a Tip of the Week (TOW) that talked about how to build confidence, and what we’re doing today is expanding that list to build your confidence further. To build your confidence, here are the 5 P’s of knowledge-building. You need to “Know Your:”

  • Processes – Learn your organization’s information flows and process flows so you can know HOW things occur and be able to explain the HOW of actions to customers.
  • Policies – Understand the company’s policies and the reasons for them to be able to explain the WHY behind the WHAT to customers.
  • Products – Become well aware of your organization’s products and services so you can easily match the customer’s issue/need/goal to your company’s solution.
  • People – Know who does what in your organization so you’re aware of whom to contact to address a need; also, get to know your customers – ask questions, look at their purchase/participation/service history so you can tailor your response to what makes them and their situation unique.
  • Purpose – Understand your purpose. We’ll address this more in next week’s TOW, but think of Purpose like this – why do you do what you do? Beyond the tasks, meetings, notes, communications, paperwork – what is the greater good in what you do? If you know the ultimate goal of your role, you can be more confident, particularly when what you are being asked to do might not be “within the job description.”

Use this knowledge-based approach to becoming more confident in interactions with customers.

Build confidence by building knowledge.


The Gorilla Settled for Birdie

Posted on May 11, 2011 in Business Advice Please leave a comment

A take-off on a story from The Prairie Home Companion…

Vic takes his pet gorilla out golfing. They come up to the first tee, and the gorilla asks, “what do I do?” Vic says, “you see that opening between the trees? Hit the ball as hard as you can in that direction.”

So the gorilla hits the ball and it goes screaming down the fairway and lands on the green. Vic stands shocked in amazement. When he finally gathers himself, Vic hits a drive that trickles about 100 yards down the fairway. On his next shot, he hits a beautiful 3-wood about 200 yards toward the green. Left with about 50 yards to go, Vic hits a high wedge about 20 feet from the hole. When the gorilla and Vic walk up to the green, the gorilla looks at his ball and says “what do I do now?”

Vic says, “you’re supposed to putt the ball into the hole.”

The gorilla replies, “why didn’t you tell me that on the tee?”

In so many companies, the management of the organization knows the plan, they know the goals, and they know how success is defined. But when you ask the employees the plan, the goals, the mission, and the definition of success, you’re often greeted with blank stares or attempts that miss the mark.

It’s typically not the fault of the employee, it’s the responsibility of the management. If management wants to transform a culture to have a focus on what’s best for the customer, if they want to get different departments working together, and if they want long-term success, then they have to simply and clearly paint that picture over and over and over again.

Employees can “drive the green” in business if they know that’s the goal. They can hit holes-in-one in business if they know that’s the goal.

Work as a customer service leader and with managers to make sure that employees have a vivid picture of what you’re trying to accomplish and what their role is in achieving success. Help others to hit their own holes-in-one.

Read our New Book – “Ask Yourself…Am I GREAT at Customer Service?” http://www.amigreatat.com/

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


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