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Have a Game Plan to Address Their Anxiety - 10/8/24


It seems like we all get deliveries - whether it is UPS, USPS, FedEx, Amazon, the local courier, or all the above.  We order.  They deliver.  Or do they? It’s times like these, when we’re expecting that package, that item that we’re looking forward to or need urgently or are Read more

How Persistence Saved the Day - 10/1/24


Sherrie saw the customer walk into her store holding his cell phone, and Sherrie immediately knew that was William.  She had spoken to William on the phone about an hour ago, he said he would be at Sherrie’s cell phone store in less than an hour, and there he Read more

Notice the Little Changes - 9/24/24


“My, how times have changed.” Yes, times have changed.  As a matter of fact, one of the biggest reasons why an organization’s customer service deteriorates is that times have changed…customers have changed…and the company has not… If we think about customer service delivery today v. decades ago, changes in technology alone Read more

Don’t Hurry…Be Quick - 9/17/24


No, this is not a take off on the Bobby McFerrin song:  Don’t Worry Be Happy. It’s actually a take off on the John Wooden quote:  Be quick, but don’t hurry. When I read Wooden’s book with this title, I liked the concept, and not just because John Wooden was a Read more

4 Actions for the Customer - 9/10/24


One way to look at the difference between proactive and reactive is that proactive is something that’s often done before it absolutely has to be done.  Maybe it’s something done that really doesn’t have to occur, but your professionalism takes over, and some action or communication that you know Read more

Don’t Kick the Problem Down the Road - 9/3/24


The error was obvious.  Shania is a clerk at a local government office, and she could tell that something was wrong with the permit request.  She was about to reject the request because the address was invalid. If this would have been handled like the normal process, Shania would have Read more

Reflect the Best of Your Customers - 8/27/24


When Alice walks into a business, whether it’s a restaurant or government building, whether it’s a Goodwill or a grocery store, she has a certain way about her.  She’s the customer, and it’s not unusual to hear her say to the employee:  Thanks for being here today! It’s not unusual Read more

Create Your Personal Motto - 8/20/24


Take a look at these mottos: It’s the real thing. Just Do It. Have it your way. Betcha can’t eat just one. Breakfast of champions. Do you know the companies?  The answers are at the bottom of this tip. So why am I asking you about mottos?  And why do almost all of them make me Read more

Create MAGIC with Your Customers - 8/13/24


Years ago, we worked with the Orlando Magic in the NBA, and they needed more consistency in their customer service – they needed a standard of engagement with the fans and their account holders.  They were trying to identify the “Orlando Magic Way” – their desired customer experience with Read more

Build Strong Customer Connections - 8/6/24


We’ve worked in health care, education, local government, finance, pro sports, and many other industries.  And while our clients’ customers are often different, their specific scenarios for engaging those customers are different, and policies and procedures are different - there’s one thing that is pretty similar.  And that is Read more

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Have a Game Plan to Address Their Anxiety – 10/8/24

Posted on October 8, 2024 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

It seems like we all get deliveries – whether it is UPS, USPS, FedEx, Amazon, the local courier, or all the above.  We order.  They deliver.  Or do they?

It’s times like these, when we’re expecting that package, that item that we’re looking forward to or need urgently or are just expecting, and it does not show on the doorstep.  We don’t get the confirmation e-mail.  We were told it’s coming and should have been delivered, but now we’re not so sure.

This is something that happens literally thousands of times a day.  And often, the customer’s response to the lack of delivery is to call.  They’re nervous about a delayed package.

So, how do you deal with those nerves, that customer anxiety?

Customers often mirror what they see or hear from the employee, so if you’re calm, there’s a better chance that they will be, too.  If your voice is quieter, if you speak more slowly, if you’re clear, there’s a chance they may respond in kind.

If you explain the tracking process and the reason for the delay (if known and appropriate), they understand why the delay is occurring and what is happening – facts/information help to combat anxiety.

When you provide a new expected delivery day or time and how this process will be handled, if you offer to check back with them to confirm receipt of the item being delivered, they will be able to envision a more positive outcome.  And the customer may feel reassured and appreciative of the expected follow-up.

When you get a call from a customer whose expectation wasn’t met, meet them with calmness, explain the situation with facts, let them know the upcoming process, and offer proactive follow-up.

Have a game plan to address their anxiety.

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Notice the Little Changes – 9/24/24

Posted on September 24, 2024 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

“My, how times have changed.”

Yes, times have changed.  As a matter of fact, one of the biggest reasons why an organization’s customer service deteriorates is that times have changed…customers have changed…and the company has not…

If we think about customer service delivery today v. decades ago, changes in technology alone have affected consumer expectations, methods of communications, level of engagement or interest, and the effort customers have to put in to gather information.

What’s Changed in the Past Year?

But let’s look in a shorter window than “decades.”  Let’s think about the last 12 months.  If part of delivering great customer service is to continuously try to improve, here’s a quick question to ask yourself to identify improvement opportunities: What about your customers has changed in the last 12 months?

Really dive into this question.  Has your mix of customers changed, by age, by some other demographic, by preferred communication method, by first-time customers v. long-term customers, by the attributes they expect to get out of the actual product or service you’re providing?

Has their satisfaction level with your organization gone up or down in the last 12 months?  Have competitors become stronger or weaker in your customer’s eyes in the last 12 months?  Are customers more likely to seek an answer via AI before giving you a call?

Improve Based on Changes You’ve Identified

Based on your answers to these questions, see what unique opportunities you can uncover…

If your customer base becomes older – with a higher percentage aged 60+ – have you adjusted your approach to callers or walk-ins?

If your customers are more focused on the experience they receive, not just the product or service itself, have you modified how you greet them on the phone or in-person, how quickly you respond to them, how intuitive your mobile app is, how self-evident it is to navigate your facility, and how you gauge your own performance?

If your customers are using AI before they contact you, how proficient are you with AI?  If they are getting their basic questions answered before calling using AI, have you prepared to deal with more educated customers, more complex questions and scenarios than you were a year ago?

Sit back for a few minutes, and think about what is different from a year ago, particularly with your customers. Use this information to improve.

My, how times have changed.

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Don’t Hurry…Be Quick – 9/17/24

Posted on September 17, 2024 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

No, this is not a take off on the Bobby McFerrin song:  Don’t Worry Be Happy.

It’s actually a take off on the John Wooden quote:  Be quick, but don’t hurry.

When I read Wooden’s book with this title, I liked the concept, and not just because John Wooden was a great basketball coach and – apparently – a great person. With his UCLA Bruins college basketball teams, he had success that has never been rivaled – having won 10 NCAA tournament championships.  And that is not a typo – 10!

Wooden said that if you’re in a hurry, you make mistakes.  He doesn’t want mistakes.  He wants achievement.

In order to be quick, it helps tremendously to know what to do.  You can achieve more if you’re quick, efficient, with little wasted motion or effort.

I guess that a less creative way to say “Be quick, but don’t hurry” is to say: You can achieve more the more you know, and the fewer mistakes you make.

Never lose sight of the fact that hurrying through things can hurt the quality of your customer service.  Rushing conversations, speeding through forms and documents without reviewing, avoiding a QA check because “I’ve done this 1000 times,” or skipping a few process steps – these all can result in mistakes, in issues, in rework, in complaints.

And never forget that the more you invest in your knowledge of people, processes, systems, policies, and places, the better equipped you are to handle things right the first time, and usually with less help.

Look at your job through the eyes of a master teacher – Be quick, but don’t hurry.

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