No Brown M&M’s
Details are important. Shep Hyken – customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer, and expert – shares a funny story from one of his Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter, about paying attention to details to enhance your customer’s experience.
Perhaps you have heard the story of the rock stars who wanted a bowl of M & M’s in their dressing room – and requested that all the brown ones be removed. One might call this request… extreme, difficult or maybe even eccentric. And, is the story even true?
Yes, it turns out the story is true. The band was Van Halen, and the request was anything but extreme, difficult or eccentric.
Many performers’ contracts include a rider, which indicates all of the specific requests to ensure the show will go well. A rider can include dozens, if not hundreds of requests. Van Halen put the “no brown M & M’s” request in to see if the people working the show were paying attention to the details. The thought was that if they didn’t take out the brown M & M’s, what else did they miss? They weren’t being difficult. They had created a system that checked (and hopefully confirmed) that the crews they worked with in each city were paying close attention to details. They wanted their fans to experience a perfect show.
LESSON: Create a system that checks and confirms that employees and vendors are managing the details. Paying attention to the details can help ensure a flawless customer experience.
Shep Hyken, CSP CPAE is a professional speaker and Wall Street Journal best-selling author who works with companies who want to develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep's speaking programs, books, tapes and learning programs please contact (314) 692-2200. Email: shep@hyken.com – Web: www.hyken.com – Click here for information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs (http://www.TheCustomerFocus.com).
Copyright © 2010, Shep Hyken -- http://www.hyken.com-- (314) 692-2200
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Customer Service Training Tip - FAQ #10
Customer Service Program Engagement
This is the final blog in a series of ten frequently asked questions and answers about customer service. Please feel free to share your answer or comments to these questions.
As you may already know, I asked subscribers to my newsletter (The Shepard Letter) to send in their most important customer service questions. Thus, I have created this list of 10 frequently asked questions. A large percentage of the questions that came in focused on employee engagement, and I have already posted this list once. That is how important employee engagement is! So, how do you get employees engaged in your process, beliefs, mission, vision, etc.? Or better put:
How do we get our employees to engage in a customer service program?
Here is an answer, in the form of a list to this frequently asked question:
1. Hire right. You need the right people in the right jobs.
2. Properly train your employees – both technical and soft skills.
3. Recognize people when they are successful.
4. Celebrate success with the entire organization. Share great stories.
5. Create a learning environment. When employees do well applaud them. When there is a mistake, make it a positive learning experience.
6. Recognize that everyone is involved in customer service, not just the customer service department, and it starts at the very top of the organization. Customer service is not a department, it is a philosophy.
7. Be polite and show respect. Say please, thank you and let your people know you appreciate their hard work.
8. Finally, practice what I call the Employee Golden Rule, which is to treat your employees the way you want your customers treated – maybe even better.
Please share with us your answer or comments to the above question.
That’s the end of the Frequently Asked Questions blog series. Next week, we start the Should Ask Questions series! Thank you!
Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE is a professional speaker and Wall Street Journal best-selling author who works with companies who want to develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep's speaking programs, books, tapes and learning programs please contact (314) 692-2200. Email: shep@hyken.com – Web: http://www.hyken.com – Click here for information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs (http://www.TheCustomerFocus.com).
Copyright © 2010, Shep Hyken -- http://www.hyken.com-- (314)692-2200
Customer Service Program Engagement
This is the final blog in a series of ten frequently asked questions and answers about customer service. Please feel free to share your answer or comments to these questions.
As you may already know, I asked subscribers to my newsletter (The Shepard Letter) to send in their most important customer service questions. Thus, I have created this list of 10 frequently asked questions. A large percentage of the questions that came in focused on employee engagement, and I have already posted this list once. That is how important employee engagement is! So, how do you get employees engaged in your process, beliefs, mission, vision, etc.? Or better put:
How do we get our employees to engage in a customer service program?
Here is an answer, in the form of a list to this frequently asked question:
1. Hire right. You need the right people in the right jobs.
2. Properly train your employees – both technical and soft skills.
3. Recognize people when they are successful.
4. Celebrate success with the entire organization. Share great stories.
5. Create a learning environment. When employees do well applaud them. When there is a mistake, make it a positive learning experience.
6. Recognize that everyone is involved in customer service, not just the customer service department, and it starts at the very top of the organization. Customer service is not a department, it is a philosophy.
7. Be polite and show respect. Say please, thank you and let your people know you appreciate their hard work.
8. Finally, practice what I call the Employee Golden Rule, which is to treat your employees the way you want your customers treated – maybe even better.
Please share with us your answer or comments to the above question.
That’s the end of the Frequently Asked Questions blog series. Next week, we start the Should Ask Questions series! Thank you!
Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE is a professional speaker and Wall Street Journal best-selling author who works with companies who want to develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep's speaking programs, books, tapes and learning programs please contact (314) 692-2200. Email: shep@hyken.com – Web: http://www.hyken.com – Click here for information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs (http://www.TheCustomerFocus.com).
Copyright © 2010, Shep Hyken -- http://www.hyken.com-- (314)692-2200
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Customer Service Training Tip - FAQ #9
How Do You Start A Customer Service Program?
This is the ninth in a series of ten frequently asked questions and answers about customer service. Please feel free to share your answer or comments to these questions.
What suggestions do you have to start a customer service program?
Again, I could write a book on this one question. Actually I have – a few of them! Seriously, I want to give you a simple answer. Go to the website www.CultOfTheCustomer.com. Download the forms and exercises. You will see the links on the left side of the page. These downloads are free. Take a look at the Touch Points Chain exercise. This exercise will help you identify the interactions you have with your customers.
A “Touch Point” is any point of interaction you have with a customer. There are several follow-up exercises that will help you develop strategies to enhance these “touch points.” This is a simple, effective and inexpensive way to get you thinking about how the customer perceives you and your company. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity. You could spend a day or more strategizing over the answers to these exercises.
Please share with us your answer or comments to the above question. Thank you!
Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE is a professional speaker and Wall Street Journal best-selling author who works with companies who want to develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep's speaking programs, books, tapes and learning programs please contact (314) 692-2200. Email: shep@hyken.com – Web: http://www.hyken.com – Click here for information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs (http://www.TheCustomerFocus.com).
Copyright © 2010, Shep Hyken -- http://www.hyken.com-- (314)692-2200
How Do You Start A Customer Service Program?
This is the ninth in a series of ten frequently asked questions and answers about customer service. Please feel free to share your answer or comments to these questions.
What suggestions do you have to start a customer service program?
Again, I could write a book on this one question. Actually I have – a few of them! Seriously, I want to give you a simple answer. Go to the website www.CultOfTheCustomer.com. Download the forms and exercises. You will see the links on the left side of the page. These downloads are free. Take a look at the Touch Points Chain exercise. This exercise will help you identify the interactions you have with your customers.
A “Touch Point” is any point of interaction you have with a customer. There are several follow-up exercises that will help you develop strategies to enhance these “touch points.” This is a simple, effective and inexpensive way to get you thinking about how the customer perceives you and your company. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity. You could spend a day or more strategizing over the answers to these exercises.
Please share with us your answer or comments to the above question. Thank you!
Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE is a professional speaker and Wall Street Journal best-selling author who works with companies who want to develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep's speaking programs, books, tapes and learning programs please contact (314) 692-2200. Email: shep@hyken.com – Web: http://www.hyken.com – Click here for information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs (http://www.TheCustomerFocus.com).
Copyright © 2010, Shep Hyken -- http://www.hyken.com-- (314)692-2200
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Customer Service Training Tip - FAQ #8
Social Media & Customer Service
This is the eighth in a series of ten frequently asked questions and answers about customer service. Please feel free to share your answer or comments to these questions.
I keep hearing about social media being big for customer service. How can I use social media to enhance my service?
Social media is a rage these days. For example, you hear about companies using Twitter to learn about their happy and dissatisfied customers. Here are several thoughts:
Yes, you should have a Twitter account. For those who don’t know, Twitter lets you post a short message that can potentially be broadcast to the entire world. Once you sign up you can do a search for any postings that include your company’s name. If there are any out there you can read them and respond appropriately.
What about Facebook? Companies are creating value for their customers by setting up Facebook groups where customers can have on-line conversations about all kinds of topics you feel are important.
Hosting a Blog allows you to share information about your products and services to the world. Don’t create blatant promotion. Give away great ideas and advice.
In the three ideas above – or any social media strategy – you must offer value to your customers. If you give away valuable tips and advice about how to use your products and services, you will start to attract followers, who if they aren’t already your customers, will hopefully be soon.
Part of great customer service is creating exceptional value beyond just the product or service you sell. Social media is a great way to accomplish this.
Please share with us your answer or comments to the above question. Thank you!
Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE is a professional speaker and Wall Street Journal best-selling author who works with companies who want to develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep's speaking programs, books, tapes and learning programs please contact (314) 692-2200. Email: shep@hyken.com – Web: http://www.hyken.com – Click here for information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs (http://www.TheCustomerFocus.com).
Copyright © 2010, Shep Hyken -- http://www.hyken.com-- (314)692-2200
Social Media & Customer Service
This is the eighth in a series of ten frequently asked questions and answers about customer service. Please feel free to share your answer or comments to these questions.
I keep hearing about social media being big for customer service. How can I use social media to enhance my service?
Social media is a rage these days. For example, you hear about companies using Twitter to learn about their happy and dissatisfied customers. Here are several thoughts:
Yes, you should have a Twitter account. For those who don’t know, Twitter lets you post a short message that can potentially be broadcast to the entire world. Once you sign up you can do a search for any postings that include your company’s name. If there are any out there you can read them and respond appropriately.
What about Facebook? Companies are creating value for their customers by setting up Facebook groups where customers can have on-line conversations about all kinds of topics you feel are important.
Hosting a Blog allows you to share information about your products and services to the world. Don’t create blatant promotion. Give away great ideas and advice.
In the three ideas above – or any social media strategy – you must offer value to your customers. If you give away valuable tips and advice about how to use your products and services, you will start to attract followers, who if they aren’t already your customers, will hopefully be soon.
Part of great customer service is creating exceptional value beyond just the product or service you sell. Social media is a great way to accomplish this.
Please share with us your answer or comments to the above question. Thank you!
Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE is a professional speaker and Wall Street Journal best-selling author who works with companies who want to develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep's speaking programs, books, tapes and learning programs please contact (314) 692-2200. Email: shep@hyken.com – Web: http://www.hyken.com – Click here for information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs (http://www.TheCustomerFocus.com).
Copyright © 2010, Shep Hyken -- http://www.hyken.com-- (314)692-2200
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