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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

Create Customers for Life - 6/17/25


Veronica has gone to the same automotive service shop for at least 20 years.  She bought a new car about a year ago, and this is the third car she’s brought to the shop instead of taking her car to the dealer where she bought it.  She’s had three Read more

Don’t Turn the Customer into the QA Department - 6/10/25


Roberta received a form with information filled in by the company after her conversation with the account rep.  Roberta just needed to review the information, fill in some of the blanks, sign it, and resend it in order to set up a new account. She noticed that the effective date Read more

Imitate to Improve - 6/3/25


Oscar Wilde said that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”  Now this doesn’t mean that plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery.  Nor does it mean that great impersonators such as Rich Little, Dana Carvey, or Frank Caliendo are always offering flattering portrayals of those that they imitate. Wilde’s Read more

How the Customer Perceives a Truth as a Lie - 5/27/25


You’re the customer, you’re asking about an unused item that you’re returning, and you hear the employee say: “The refund process takes 7-10 days.”  You’re thinking: “Great!  I can get the refund check as early as a week from today!”  The reality is that the company means that they’ll Read more

Tell Customers What’s Next - 5/20/25


In most businesses that have been around for a while, how a process was originally designed is not how it currently operates.  Sometimes this change is referred to as “practical drift,” where the actual process moves further and further away from the documented steps over time.  Maybe the changes Read more

Questions to Guide You to Empathy - 5/13/25


“If I was him, I would do ABC…” If you’ve ever heard somebody say this - whether it’s a friend or acquaintance, whether it’s some TV reporter or podcaster - you may get as frustrated or as annoyed as I do. I get annoyed because we are not that other person. Read more

Negate the Nervousness - 5/6/25


The customer needed a loan, so he walked into the bank, but he was a little nervous.  He knew that launching his business would be easier if he had some working capital, but that’s about all he knew.  He was anxious because he didn’t know what to expect in Read more

Don’t Rush to Resolve Quickly - 4/29/25


The customer is angry, so you use the CSS LEAD technique as designed.  You, listen, empathize, accept responsibility, and deliver on a remedy.  But it doesn’t work.  The customer is still upset, and maybe even a little more frustrated than when you started…why?! If the use of this technique fails, Read more

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

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Refine Your Decision-making Process – 11/26/24

Posted on November 26, 2024 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Every day, you make decisions of what to do and what not to do.  And in the world of customer service, often the affected parties are our customers, our co-workers, and our company.  Here are a few quotes to consider when you’re thinking about evaluating and refining your decision-making process…

To choose, it is necessary to know.  Herman Finer

Strive to find information that will guide you in your decision-making.  Investigate and inquire enough to choose the right course of action.

The understanding that underlies the right decision grows out of the clash and conflict of opinions and out of the serious consideration of competing alternatives.  Peter Drucker

To make the best decisions, seek out people who have different perspectives from you.  Gather their input on the issue or the solution in order to identify the best response and to build your confidence.

When it is not necessary to make a decision, it is necessary not to make a decision.  Lord Falkland’s Rule

Do you have to make a decision right now?  If not, don’t feel obligated to make a decision on the spot.  Buy yourself some time to seek the input of others and build your comfort level with what to do in a particular situation.

People whose lives are affected by a decision must be part of the process of arriving at that decision.  John Naisbitt

Think about who could be affected by your decision.  Maybe this includes the customers themselves. Understand the downstream effects of what you are about to decide, and wherever possible, allow stakeholders to weigh-in and help create their buy-in.

When making decisions, seek information, seek the wisdom of others, know whether the decisioning timeline is urgent, and tap into the voice of those potentially affected by the outcomes.

Refine Your Decision-making Process.

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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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