values | Customer Service Solutions, Inc. - Page 6

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

What You Do Shows What You Value – 6/30/15 TOW

Posted on in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


In the middle of the call with the customer service representative, the rep said “I need to let you know that I’m scheduled for my lunch break in 1 minute, so someone else will be handling your call.” One minute later, the caller heard “Hold, Click” and background music. What did that interaction say about what was important to that rep?

After the discharge nurse finished giving discharge instructions to the patient, the discharge nurse left the room. It was shift change, and the first shift nurse who had cared for the patient for the past 3 days was officially off-shift. But that nurse waited until the discharge nurse was done, walked into the room, wished the patient well, and gave the patient a hand-written thank you card. What did that say about what the first shift nurse values?

The customer went to return some shoes in the guest services department of a major retailer. There were three staff behind the counter – ten feet behind the counter to be exact. They were sitting down with their backs to the customer, looking at computers. The customer had to loudly say “Hello!” to get their attention. What did that interaction say about what was most important to the company and the staff?

These three true stories illustrate a very important point. What you do in customer service situations is a reflection of who you are with others, what’s important to you, and what you value.

Make your actions reflect the best of you.

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Let the Customer Define Your Values – 4/7/15 TOW

Posted on in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Why would I let someone else define my Values? I wouldn’t, and neither should you. So don’t let the title throw you for a loop. Instead, view the statement from a different perspective.

Most organizations which try to be intentional about their Mission and Vision also try to be intentional about their Core Values – those qualities that note what’s important to the organization, how their people work together, and how personnel relate to each other and those they serve.

A company could have Core Values such as entrepreneurship, teamwork, respect, responsiveness, openness, and customer-focus. To really live those Values, they need to ensure that the customer experience incorporates many of their Values.

What I’m suggesting is that the organization doesn’t ONLY get employees together to design the experience around those Values. In addition to that part of the process, let your customers define your Values – what do those Values mean to them?

This is best done in Focus Groups, but feel free to tap into any of your Voice of the Customer vehicles to solicit input. Ask them “What does a ‘respectful’ interaction look like to you when you’re talking with our staff?” Inquire about how they define ‘responsiveness,” asking what your organization could do to be responsive to their needs and issues. Ask them what ‘customer-focus’ looks like when they’re the client.

Words can mean different things to different people, and if you want your Values (the words you use) to lead you to a great customer experience, design that experience around your customers’ definition of the words.

Let the Customer Define Your Values.

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Define Your Personal Service Standards – 3/31/15 TOW

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Many clients are interested in our helping them develop Customer Service Standards and instilling them in their staff. Customer Service Standards are essentially documented expectations of how employees at all levels should treat both internal and external customers. The Standards note desired behaviors and attitudes of staff, and they align to the organization’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values.

But instead of waiting for your company to tell you what they expect, let’s take a step and define our own Personal Service Standards.

Essentially what I want you to ask yourself are 3 key questions:

  • What should my attitude be like, regardless of who I’m interacting with at the time?
  • What should be characteristics of my behaviors when interacting with others?
  • What should be the qualities of how I do my job and serve others, even when nobody’s looking?

To what standard do you hold yourself? What high level of attitude and actions should be just part of who you are, how you do business, and how you serve others?

Maybe the words that pop to mind are “proactive, courteous, engaged, and creative.” Maybe you’re “thoughtful, other-focused, respectful, and patient.” You could be the person who’s “organized, efficient, responsive, and solution-oriented.”

Think about what you expect of yourself. Then live to those expectations. Make the expectations you have of yourself drive you toward great experiences for those you serve.

Define Your Personal Service Standards.

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