It's Not My Fault, But It Is My Problem - To Solve
Shep Hyken - customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer and expert - shares a story in one of his Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter, about how taking control of a problematic situation for a customer, be it your fault or not, has the opportunity to turn a satisfied customer into a customer evangelist!
I love watching accountability in action. Just last week I was staying at a great hotel, the Embassy Suites, in Portland, OR. The next morning I had to leave quickly after my meeting to get to the airport. Because there wasn’t a taxi stand at the hotel, it could take ten or fifteen minutes to get a taxi, so the doorman suggested I arrange for the taxi to be waiting at a specific time.
When I walked out of the hotel at the arranged time, there wasn’t a taxi waiting. The doorman called the taxi-cab company to see how long it would be. He told me it could be ten minutes. This gentleman knew I was concerned about getting to the airport on time to make my flight. That’s when he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll take you. Wait right here.” Within moments, he drove up and off we went.
First, the hotel was not obligated to take me to the airport. They typically don’t make “airport runs.” It wasn’t the doorman’s fault that my cab didn’t show up, but he accepted the responsibility to take care of my problem.
That’s accountability! Taking ownership of the situation, whether it be good or bad.
I’ve written about this before. It is like the shipment we sent to a client that never arrived. We get the call from the client. Hey, we shipped it. It’s not our fault. But, I would never tell that to the client. I would simply say, we’ll take care of it, and then we find out what happened. It’s not our fault, but it is our problem – to solve!
Accountability can create customer confidence, and confidence can lead to loyalty.
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, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Create a Unique Experience
All businesses have similar issues. Many compete head to head, trying to outdo one another. But at the end of the day, people do business with people, and employees can create a success or, unfortunately, a failure.
So, let’s say we have the amenities for our customers, whatever they might be for whatever business you are in. And, let’s say you have great people doing great things for your customers and clients. What else can we do? Well, let’s go back to the hotel industry because once again, they are a perfect example of what needs to be done. It is simple. Create an experience, but one that is different.
The Hard Rock Hotel, an upscale hotel chain, is a great example. Beyond great service and a visual theme throughout their hotels, they pipe in rock and roll music. This is really an over simplification of their concept. They go beyond the unique atmosphere and ultimately create a rock and roll experience.
In New York City there is a unique hotel called The Library Hotel. The floors and rooms tie into the Dewy Decimal System, and depending on what floor or room you are in, you will have a different experience.
The Hotel Fox in Denmark creates a unique experience for their guests. Every one of their rooms has been designed by a different artist. When a guest checks in, they are given a virtual tour on a computer of the different rooms that are available. Then the guest chooses the room that is most appealing.
You don’t have to own a hotel to do this. A friend of mine is an industrial sales rep and performs magic tricks for his customers. Every time he sees his customers he has a new trick, and they love him. A pediatrician blows up balloon animals for his patients, which makes going to the doctor not such a scary thing. A dentist puts high-end music headphones on his patients to help them relax. A hardware store that is open early in the morning for their contractors offers a continental breakfast and coffee. A grocery store chain has miniature carts so kids can push a little cart around as they follow their parents up and down the aisles of the store.
Having high quality products or services is important. And when you combine that with delivering outstanding service, you have a winning combination. Then, take it to the next level by creating an experience. But you can even go a step further, and that is to make the experience unique. Be different!
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
Shep Hyken - customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer and expert – brings up examples of creating unique experiences for your customers in a Shepard Letter, his monthly newsletter, and also how to capitalize on your differences.
In the past I’ve written about hotels and specifically about amenity wars. This is where one hotel comes out with a better bed – such as Westin’s Heavenly Bed. It gives them a competitive edge for a while, but eventually other hotels catch on and compete head to head. Eventually these amenities don’t make the difference anymore. At a certain point, no matter how big the rooms are, or how plush the bed is or how nice the chocolates are on the pillows, it comes down to the people making the difference. The staff can make or break it for the hotel.All businesses have similar issues. Many compete head to head, trying to outdo one another. But at the end of the day, people do business with people, and employees can create a success or, unfortunately, a failure.
So, let’s say we have the amenities for our customers, whatever they might be for whatever business you are in. And, let’s say you have great people doing great things for your customers and clients. What else can we do? Well, let’s go back to the hotel industry because once again, they are a perfect example of what needs to be done. It is simple. Create an experience, but one that is different.
The Hard Rock Hotel, an upscale hotel chain, is a great example. Beyond great service and a visual theme throughout their hotels, they pipe in rock and roll music. This is really an over simplification of their concept. They go beyond the unique atmosphere and ultimately create a rock and roll experience.
In New York City there is a unique hotel called The Library Hotel. The floors and rooms tie into the Dewy Decimal System, and depending on what floor or room you are in, you will have a different experience.
The Hotel Fox in Denmark creates a unique experience for their guests. Every one of their rooms has been designed by a different artist. When a guest checks in, they are given a virtual tour on a computer of the different rooms that are available. Then the guest chooses the room that is most appealing.
You don’t have to own a hotel to do this. A friend of mine is an industrial sales rep and performs magic tricks for his customers. Every time he sees his customers he has a new trick, and they love him. A pediatrician blows up balloon animals for his patients, which makes going to the doctor not such a scary thing. A dentist puts high-end music headphones on his patients to help them relax. A hardware store that is open early in the morning for their contractors offers a continental breakfast and coffee. A grocery store chain has miniature carts so kids can push a little cart around as they follow their parents up and down the aisles of the store.
Having high quality products or services is important. And when you combine that with delivering outstanding service, you have a winning combination. Then, take it to the next level by creating an experience. But you can even go a step further, and that is to make the experience unique. Be different!
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
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Customer Service Spin on JetBlue Flight Attendant
Customer Service comes to the surface of major airline as news headlines focus on JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater. It appears he’d “had enough” with his job and decided to exit in grand style. After an argument with a passenger where curse words were exchanged, he grabbed a couple of beers, announced on the loud speaker system that he’d had it, opened a door and slid down the emergency chute.
Public response to Mr. Slater’s behavior has been interesting. He’s been applauded by some for his actions and has become somewhat of a hero to many who’ve wanted to exit their jobs in similar fashion.
Here’s my take: Shame on Mr. Slater. His behavior was everything but professional. I’m not saying the passenger was right. On the contrary, the passenger was 100% wrong. Still, no excuse for Mr. Slater to have reacted in the unprofessional manner he did. How should someone react in this type of situation? In a way that brings dignity and respect to both him/herself and the company he/she represents.
I preach that the customer is NOT always right. I usually follow up this line with, “So let the customer be wrong with dignity and respect.” However, when the customer is so wrong, the dignity and respect has to come back to the employee and the company.
So decide if the customer is worth keeping. If not, “fire” the customer. I would imagine that if Mr. Slater would have had the belligerent customer taken off the plane by the captain or a gate agent, he might have still received applause – from passengers who were impressed with how he handled the situation. That’s customer service!
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 call (314) 692-2200 (Email: shep@hyken.com – 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 comes to the surface of major airline as news headlines focus on JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater. It appears he’d “had enough” with his job and decided to exit in grand style. After an argument with a passenger where curse words were exchanged, he grabbed a couple of beers, announced on the loud speaker system that he’d had it, opened a door and slid down the emergency chute.
Public response to Mr. Slater’s behavior has been interesting. He’s been applauded by some for his actions and has become somewhat of a hero to many who’ve wanted to exit their jobs in similar fashion.
Here’s my take: Shame on Mr. Slater. His behavior was everything but professional. I’m not saying the passenger was right. On the contrary, the passenger was 100% wrong. Still, no excuse for Mr. Slater to have reacted in the unprofessional manner he did. How should someone react in this type of situation? In a way that brings dignity and respect to both him/herself and the company he/she represents.
I preach that the customer is NOT always right. I usually follow up this line with, “So let the customer be wrong with dignity and respect.” However, when the customer is so wrong, the dignity and respect has to come back to the employee and the company.
So decide if the customer is worth keeping. If not, “fire” the customer. I would imagine that if Mr. Slater would have had the belligerent customer taken off the plane by the captain or a gate agent, he might have still received applause – from passengers who were impressed with how he handled the situation. That’s customer service!
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 call (314) 692-2200 (Email: shep@hyken.com – 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, August 11, 2010
Bad Rules
Shep Hyken - customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer and expert – tells a funny story in the Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter, where the rules overpowered common sense and left a customer unsatisfied with their experience.
Recently I took my wife to one of St. Louis’s hottest new restaurants. This place is always busy and it is hard to get a reservation. On this particular Saturday night they were extremely busy. On our way out I told my wife to stay in the restaurant, where it was warm, while I went outside to give the parking attendant the ticket to get our car. I then wanted to go back inside to wait with my wife while the valet went to get the car. One problem. The doorman wouldn’t let me back in the restaurant. The manager had decided that it was too crowded in the restaurant, so no one would be allowed in until people had left.
I pleaded with the “guard” at the door that I had just came out to give my ticket to the valet parking attendant and that my wife was waiting inside for me to get her. I even tried to get him to look at my credit card receipt. His response, “I’m just doing what they (the management) told me to do.”
I told him that was ridiculous. Eventually my car arrived and my wife, being far more intelligent than the guy guarding the door, knew to come outside. As we drove away I told her the story. It was so ridiculous, that we actually had a bit of a laugh over it.
A couple of thoughts… First, I knew why the management of the restaurant had made the request not to let more people into the restaurant. So did the guy guarding the door. The place was crowded.
Second, did management ever think that my particular situation would happen? Probably not. I’m not referring to me walking out to get my car and wanting to go back in to get my wife. I’m referring to management ever thinking that the doorman might take the request so literally that they wouldn’t let customers back in.
Do you or your company have rules and policies that customers might think of as dumb, ridiculous or inconvenient? Do the people you work with understand the concept of the rules and policies, or can they be misunderstood to a point of ruining a customer’s experience? Put another way…
What have you done to get in the way of success?
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
Shep Hyken - customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer and expert – tells a funny story in the Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter, where the rules overpowered common sense and left a customer unsatisfied with their experience.
Recently I took my wife to one of St. Louis’s hottest new restaurants. This place is always busy and it is hard to get a reservation. On this particular Saturday night they were extremely busy. On our way out I told my wife to stay in the restaurant, where it was warm, while I went outside to give the parking attendant the ticket to get our car. I then wanted to go back inside to wait with my wife while the valet went to get the car. One problem. The doorman wouldn’t let me back in the restaurant. The manager had decided that it was too crowded in the restaurant, so no one would be allowed in until people had left.
I pleaded with the “guard” at the door that I had just came out to give my ticket to the valet parking attendant and that my wife was waiting inside for me to get her. I even tried to get him to look at my credit card receipt. His response, “I’m just doing what they (the management) told me to do.”
I told him that was ridiculous. Eventually my car arrived and my wife, being far more intelligent than the guy guarding the door, knew to come outside. As we drove away I told her the story. It was so ridiculous, that we actually had a bit of a laugh over it.
A couple of thoughts… First, I knew why the management of the restaurant had made the request not to let more people into the restaurant. So did the guy guarding the door. The place was crowded.
Second, did management ever think that my particular situation would happen? Probably not. I’m not referring to me walking out to get my car and wanting to go back in to get my wife. I’m referring to management ever thinking that the doorman might take the request so literally that they wouldn’t let customers back in.
Do you or your company have rules and policies that customers might think of as dumb, ridiculous or inconvenient? Do the people you work with understand the concept of the rules and policies, or can they be misunderstood to a point of ruining a customer’s experience? Put another way…
What have you done to get in the way of success?
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, August 04, 2010
Ask the Extra Question(s)
Shep Hyken - customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer and expert – recounts a funny story from the Shepard Letter, his monthly newsletter, which as amusing as it may be, has a serious message behind the humor about asking questions.
As you may have read in past Shepard Letter articles, I believe that communication is the cornerstone to good customer and employee relationships. One of my favorite strategies is to “Ask the extra question.” This ensures you have a better understanding of what your customer wants and expects. Here is something that happened to me and my colleagues at a recent meeting in Washington, DC.
We decided to have lunch at a pub. The menu had a number of great looking appetizers. Along with our lunch entrees, we ordered several of them. One of the appetizers was mini-hamburgers; three to an order. Well, there were seven of us. I nicely asked the server that since there were three to an order, and there were seven of us, could they make seven and just charge us for it. He said, “No problem.”
Out came the appetizers. There were chicken wings, nachos and… seven orders of mini-hamburgers. Not seven burgers, but seven orders of burgers. That’s 21 burgers total. At first we were shocked. The server, with an embarrassing look on his face said, “It did seem like you were ordering too much food.”
So, why didn’t he ask us about it? He admitted it didn’t seem right. No, he didn’t ask the extra question, and we ended up boxing up 15 hamburgers. The good news is that there were some homeless people in the park across the street that had a nice lunch, thanks to our server’s lapse in common sense.
The Lesson: Sometimes people say something and mean something else. Or, you may simply not understand someone. Avoid problems. Avoid confusion. Most important, avoid letting down a customer. Ask the extra question(s).
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
Shep Hyken - customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer and expert – recounts a funny story from the Shepard Letter, his monthly newsletter, which as amusing as it may be, has a serious message behind the humor about asking questions.
As you may have read in past Shepard Letter articles, I believe that communication is the cornerstone to good customer and employee relationships. One of my favorite strategies is to “Ask the extra question.” This ensures you have a better understanding of what your customer wants and expects. Here is something that happened to me and my colleagues at a recent meeting in Washington, DC.
We decided to have lunch at a pub. The menu had a number of great looking appetizers. Along with our lunch entrees, we ordered several of them. One of the appetizers was mini-hamburgers; three to an order. Well, there were seven of us. I nicely asked the server that since there were three to an order, and there were seven of us, could they make seven and just charge us for it. He said, “No problem.”
Out came the appetizers. There were chicken wings, nachos and… seven orders of mini-hamburgers. Not seven burgers, but seven orders of burgers. That’s 21 burgers total. At first we were shocked. The server, with an embarrassing look on his face said, “It did seem like you were ordering too much food.”
So, why didn’t he ask us about it? He admitted it didn’t seem right. No, he didn’t ask the extra question, and we ended up boxing up 15 hamburgers. The good news is that there were some homeless people in the park across the street that had a nice lunch, thanks to our server’s lapse in common sense.
The Lesson: Sometimes people say something and mean something else. Or, you may simply not understand someone. Avoid problems. Avoid confusion. Most important, avoid letting down a customer. Ask the extra question(s).
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
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