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Familying with Customers - 10/28/25


In our transactional society, it’s hard to think about customers in the long-term.  But if we want to be as successful as we can as an individual or as a business, we need to view customers through a relationship lens. What do we need to know about them to Read more

Avoid These Techniques - 10/21/25


We had a Customer Service Tip of the Week recently that addressed gaining control of the conversation.  One of the key points was that the focus should be on gaining control of conversations in various circumstances, but trying to avoid making it your goal to gain control of the Read more

View Quality through the Customer’s Eyes - 10/14/25


Geri had been dealing with backups in the downstairs plumbing system of her house on and off for the past year.  The most recent company that she called in to unclog the pipes stated that they could send a camera down the pipes and tell her exactly where the Read more

Be Supportive, Not Defensive - 10/7/25


[An employee on the phone with a customer…] Who told you that you didn’t have to submit that form? … Bob?  Oh brother!  You see Bob is our “special” co-worker.  He seems to always tell customers the wrong thing to do, and we’re having to clean up after him.  Read more

Some Customers LOVE Predictability - 9/30/25


I was facilitating focus groups of businesses that utilize local government services.  The phrase that popped up multiple times was “Time Is Money!”  What these municipal customers were conveying was that their time was valuable, and delays were wasting their time.  But the conversations were not just about how Read more

Find Your Special Sauce - 9/23/25


When I watch a football game and I see a great quarterback (somebody who may be considered a “Star”), he might be an excellent runner, have a big arm, be able to diagnose the defense and get his team into the right play.  But he’s likely not great at Read more

Gain Control of the Conversation - 9/16/25


The customer’s angry or upset or they have a complaint.  They’re very chatty or very wordy or they just want to talk to somebody.  You’re on a time crunch, and the customer obviously is not. There are times when you need to gain control of the conversation.  It’s important for Read more

Complement with a Compliment - 9/9/25


We perform many tasks for our customers every day, and when we’re done with a step in the process, oftentimes we will tell the customer what’s been done.  But if we want to create more of a WOW experience, if we want to make the customer feel a little Read more

When Patience Begets Patience - 9/2/25


Jennifer, the server, walked toward the couple in the restaurant.  The customers had been seated for a minute or two, and they noticed the server was walking briskly toward their table.  Jennifer recognized the couple she was about to serve, because they had been in the previous week. Since the Read more

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

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

Posted on July 22, 2025 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

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 customer may not visibly react, but – inside – they sense something different in a good way, something positive, something special.

When the customer walked in, you immediately looked up and informally greeted them.  You smiled and even stood up!

They sent you an e-mail at lunchtime, and you responded mid-afternoon.  The customer left a voice mail, and you responded in the next hour.

The patient had a question, so you turned away from the computer and patiently (no pun intended!) answered; you then asked what other questions they had in mind.

While they waited, you walked up to them and provided some educational information about the vehicle service you were performing for them as well as other useful features on their car – some they weren’t aware of previously.

The customer was talking to you – a customer service representative in some far away location – but you asked them for their name upfront and used it throughout the conversation.

A few days after the appointment, they received the handwritten thank you note that you penned on the day that you met.

Creating the WOW Experience doesn’t always require that over-the-top-the-employee-saved-the-day act of brilliance.  You don’t have to be the best ever.  But if you’re consistently better than what the customer experiences elsewhere, you become a WOW.  You become the standard.  You become that something positive, that something special in their day.

Use little acts to make a big impact.

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The Goal – A Great Experience – 5/21/24

Posted on May 21, 2024 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

The following is a narrative of a great experience (people, process, service, facility) at a minor league sporting event – key points that could apply to any business are in bold…

Mark and I pulled into the parking lot, excited about the game.  The Slapshots had been on a roll lately, and this was my first chance to see them play this year.  The line moved smoothly and signs alerted us to the $10 parking charge, so we had the money ready when we reached the parking attendant.  “Good evening, and welcome to the Slapshots!” the man exclaimed as he took the money.  “Please follow the other attendants’ directions to your parking spot, and have a terrific night!”

The ticket window attendant offered a friendly “hello!” and offered to help us locate the best seats.  I asked about the $22 seat locations, and – showing me a color-coded map of the arena – she pointed out the best remaining seats for that price.  She asked if we were familiar with the ice box seating.  We weren’t, so she explained the expanded food and beverage service in those seats.  We agreed to the extra $5 to avoid missing any game action in the search for food. “Great,” she said, as she rang up the sale.  “Enjoy the game, and here’s some information on season ticket packages in case you’re interested.”

We entered the main concourse and immediately spotted the merchandise table and requested a couple team magazines.  “Is this your first Slapshots game?” the booth worker asked.  Since it was Mark’s first game, the employee pointed to the “Hockey 101” fact sheets on the table.  “You might find this useful if you’re new to the sport.  A lot of folks around here are, and they find this useful.” 

Mark followed the signs to our section, and an usher greeted us and showed us to our seats. The menus were on our seats, and we placed our dinner order with the server who appeared almost as soon as we sat down.  “What great seats!” Mark said, as the puck slammed into the window right in front of us!

It was an awesome game, and the food was great, better than expected for minor league hockey. At the second intermission, we walked the concourse to stretch our legs and grab a drink.  The Slapshots had taken the lead by the end of the second period, and the staff we talked with were excited about the game and thanked us for coming.

After an exciting ending to the final period to secure a 5-4 victory for the Slapshots, Mark and I headed to the exits.  “That was a ton of fun!” Mark exclaimed.  “I’m going to stop off at the information desk and find out about their season ticket packages.”

Whether it’s the people, the process, the service, or the facility – learn from these examples to move all aspects of the customer experience from good to great.

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Caring Goes Beyond Competence – 11/30/21

Posted on November 30, 2021 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

April went to get some routine car maintenance done at the local service center.  When they finished the oil change, she paid for the service, got her keys, went to her car, and opened the door.  As she was about to enter the car, she stopped.  Somebody had obviously vacuumed the floor mats.

Bonnie went to the hospital to visit her uncle.  She went to the 4th floor and stopped by the nurse’s station to ask which room was her uncle’s.  The unit secretary said “his room is the second door on the right.  We really enjoy caring for your uncle.  He’s a sweet man.”

Chuck brought his smart phone into the store because he was having difficulty understanding how to get some of the photo features to work.  After hearing Chuck’s description of his needs, the employee asked to take a look at the smart phone and said “Wow!  I love the case you have on the phone!” 

April, Bonnie, and Chuck all were provided a service or information.  In other words, an employee competently performed a task for the customer.  But each encounter was a little special.

April had that “Unexpected Positive Event” – what we refer to as the definition of a “WOW Experience.”  Bonnie wasn’t just given directions; she was provided with a feeling that her uncle was not only being cared for clinically as a patient, but her uncle was also cared about as a person.  Chuck wasn’t just a customer with a question to be answered; something about him – unrelated to the task at hand – made the employee go “Wow!”  And that compliment made Chuck feel special.

In delivering truly great customer service, go beyond the task.  Answering a question or addressing a need – showing that accuracy and competence – is a basic expectation; it’s important, but it’s the minimum the customer expects.  If you want the customer to feel valued or appreciated, say or do that little something extra.

Caring goes beyond competence.

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