The Honeymoon Should Never Be Over
Shep Hyken – customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer, and expert – explains how interacting with a customer forms a relationship in one of his Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter, and how to maintain that relationship as time goes on. (Hint: the end of the transaction is not the end of the relationship!)
We have been doing business with a printer on a somewhat regular basis for several years. I remember the first day their sales rep called on us. They brought us samples, followed up throughout the process and personally delivered our order. This type of service continued for the next several times we placed orders.
Then one day the sales rep couldn't come out and asked us to come to them. We thought nothing of it, went and visited their facility and placed our order. Then, the order was delivered and there was an extra charge for courier service. This was the first time we had been charged for delivery. Usually our sales rep personally delivered the finished product.
We were frustrated. I've told them not to expect us to come in and not to charge us for the delivery – at least as a line item on the final invoice. I've ask them to quote a price that includes everything related to the project. If we wanted a price breakdown, we would ask for it.
We had come to expect a certain level of service, and they set the expectation based on the first several times we worked together. Then something changed. So, what happened?
A simple answer might be in an old cliché. The honeymoon is over.
They did what they could to get our business. The expectation they created was not anything unusual. As a matter of fact, we thought this was the norm. Another printer we do business with for other types of projects has a sales rep that brings samples, delivers, just stops by to say hello – and more.
Our relationship is now in jeopardy. It is a shame. They are nice people. Their price, while not always the lowest has been competitive. They have been able to do some of the special projects that our other printer couldn't or didn't want to do. They originally provided us a level of service that we had been used to, and therefore expected – but asking for what they used to do for us now seems like an inconvenience for them.
Lesson: Business is kind of like dating. The first time you do business with someone is like a date. You hope they want to go out – or do business with you - again. You finally, as some say, close the deal. To me, that is like getting married and going on the honeymoon. This is really the start of the long-term relationship. Get that? This is important! The close is really the start. So, don't fall down after the honeymoon. In business the honeymoon should never be over!
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, October 27, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Moments of Truth, Misery, & Magic
Shep Hyken – customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer, and expert – knows just how important every moment with the customer is. In one of his Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter, Shep talks about each moment as a moment of truth, and how those moments can turn into moments of magic, or moments of misery.
It's all about creating Moments of Magic! What is a Moment of Magic and where did it come from?
Moments of Truth
In 1986 Jan Carlzon, the former president of Scandinavian Airlines wrote a book, Moments of Truth. In his book, Carlzon defines the moment of truth in business as this:
“Anytime a customer comes into contact with any aspect of a business, however remote, is an opportunity to form an impression.”
From this simple concept, Jan Carlzon took an airline that was failing and turned it around to be one of the most respected airlines in the industry.
Some examples of moments of truth in Jan Carlzon’s airline business are:
--when you call to make a reservation to take a flight,
--when you arrive at the airport and check your bags curbside,
--when you go inside and pick up your ticket at the ticket counter,
--when you are greeted at the gate,
--when you are taken care of by the flight attendants onboard the aircraft,
--and when you are greeted at your destination.
All of these are main moments of truth, and notice that they are all controlled by people. There are many moments of truth that are not controlled by people, such as advertisements (radio, television, billboards, newspapers, etc.). The emphasis of this article is on the moments of truth that we, as people, have control over. These are the points of contact that our customers and clients have directly with us and our organization.
Mentioned above are a number of the main moments of truth, not just at Jan Carlzon’s airline, but in virtually all commercial airlines. These are the main ones. And while these may be the most important, there are lots of small ones as well. For example, you might be walking toward your gate at the airport and walk by a couple Scandinavian employees. They look up and smile at you. Now that may be a small moment of truth, but it is an important one. It adds to the total experience of the customer.
Disney has taken the small moments of truth to an even higher level. They understand the importance that these small moments of truth have on their customers. They train their cast members (Disney’s term for employees) to acknowledge the guest (Disney’s term for a customer) with a smile or facial expression if within ten feet. If the cast member gets within five feet of the guest, they are to acknowledge them verbally. All of the little moments of truth, combined with the major ones, with the addition of the product or service your organization is selling, add up to the overall level of a customer’s satisfaction.
Moments of Magic!...and Misery
Jan Carlzon said there are good moments of truth and bad moments of truth. I believe there is a third type - average moments of truth. Average is middle-of-the-road - simply acceptable, but not great. I have a term for the good and bad ones. The bad ones are referred to as moments of misery, and the good ones are referred to as moments of magic.
Our goal should be to create all great moments of magic, even if they start out to be moments of misery. Sometimes a customer may have a legitimate complaint. We not only need to fix problems and complaints, we also need to give customers a reason to want to come back and continue to do business with us again and again. Even if we fix a problem, it doesn’t mean the customer is coming back. For example, if you own a restaurant and one of your guest’s meals is over cooked, don’t simply fix it or take it off of the bill. Consider giving the guest a business card with a note that gives him or her a round of drinks or a free appetizer the next time they come back.
At times these moments of misery may not even be our fault. The customer may just be having a terrible day. For example, a customer may be checking into a hotel. This person may have had three flights delayed and he or she is in a very bad mood. It is not the hotel’s fault the customer is unhappy due to the airline’s delayed flights. But, it is the person who is checking in this irate customer who has the opportunity to start to turn the customer’s mood around. It is an opportunity to take someone else’s moment of misery and turn it into the hotel’s moment of magic.
So, manage your moments of truth. Seize every one of them, even if they are moments of misery, as opportunities to show how good you and your organization are. This will go a long way in building long-term customer loyalty and total customer satisfaction.
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 – knows just how important every moment with the customer is. In one of his Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter, Shep talks about each moment as a moment of truth, and how those moments can turn into moments of magic, or moments of misery.
It's all about creating Moments of Magic! What is a Moment of Magic and where did it come from?
Moments of Truth
In 1986 Jan Carlzon, the former president of Scandinavian Airlines wrote a book, Moments of Truth. In his book, Carlzon defines the moment of truth in business as this:
“Anytime a customer comes into contact with any aspect of a business, however remote, is an opportunity to form an impression.”
From this simple concept, Jan Carlzon took an airline that was failing and turned it around to be one of the most respected airlines in the industry.
Some examples of moments of truth in Jan Carlzon’s airline business are:
--when you call to make a reservation to take a flight,
--when you arrive at the airport and check your bags curbside,
--when you go inside and pick up your ticket at the ticket counter,
--when you are greeted at the gate,
--when you are taken care of by the flight attendants onboard the aircraft,
--and when you are greeted at your destination.
All of these are main moments of truth, and notice that they are all controlled by people. There are many moments of truth that are not controlled by people, such as advertisements (radio, television, billboards, newspapers, etc.). The emphasis of this article is on the moments of truth that we, as people, have control over. These are the points of contact that our customers and clients have directly with us and our organization.
Mentioned above are a number of the main moments of truth, not just at Jan Carlzon’s airline, but in virtually all commercial airlines. These are the main ones. And while these may be the most important, there are lots of small ones as well. For example, you might be walking toward your gate at the airport and walk by a couple Scandinavian employees. They look up and smile at you. Now that may be a small moment of truth, but it is an important one. It adds to the total experience of the customer.
Disney has taken the small moments of truth to an even higher level. They understand the importance that these small moments of truth have on their customers. They train their cast members (Disney’s term for employees) to acknowledge the guest (Disney’s term for a customer) with a smile or facial expression if within ten feet. If the cast member gets within five feet of the guest, they are to acknowledge them verbally. All of the little moments of truth, combined with the major ones, with the addition of the product or service your organization is selling, add up to the overall level of a customer’s satisfaction.
Moments of Magic!...and Misery
Jan Carlzon said there are good moments of truth and bad moments of truth. I believe there is a third type - average moments of truth. Average is middle-of-the-road - simply acceptable, but not great. I have a term for the good and bad ones. The bad ones are referred to as moments of misery, and the good ones are referred to as moments of magic.
Our goal should be to create all great moments of magic, even if they start out to be moments of misery. Sometimes a customer may have a legitimate complaint. We not only need to fix problems and complaints, we also need to give customers a reason to want to come back and continue to do business with us again and again. Even if we fix a problem, it doesn’t mean the customer is coming back. For example, if you own a restaurant and one of your guest’s meals is over cooked, don’t simply fix it or take it off of the bill. Consider giving the guest a business card with a note that gives him or her a round of drinks or a free appetizer the next time they come back.
At times these moments of misery may not even be our fault. The customer may just be having a terrible day. For example, a customer may be checking into a hotel. This person may have had three flights delayed and he or she is in a very bad mood. It is not the hotel’s fault the customer is unhappy due to the airline’s delayed flights. But, it is the person who is checking in this irate customer who has the opportunity to start to turn the customer’s mood around. It is an opportunity to take someone else’s moment of misery and turn it into the hotel’s moment of magic.
So, manage your moments of truth. Seize every one of them, even if they are moments of misery, as opportunities to show how good you and your organization are. This will go a long way in building long-term customer loyalty and total customer satisfaction.
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, October 13, 2010
Top 10 Telephone Basics
Shep Hyken – customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer, and expert – has come up with ten guidelines to follow while talking on the phone, as featured in one of his Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter.
This article is not just for the front line people who deal directly with customers. All of this information is applicable to everyone, from a receptionist to a warehouse manager to a CEO. Having good telephone skills helps build stronger relationships with everyone! Whether the call is incoming or outbound, the following can be applied to virtually every call.
So, let’s get back to basics. Phone skills are an important part of the job. The way you handle your phone is as important as a face-to-face meeting. So take the time to go over some of these basics. Here is my “top ten” phone skills list.
1. Let’s start with enthusiasm.
Try to convey some type of enthusiasm. From beginning to end, show that you care about the person you are talking to. You don’t need to act overly excited about your phone conversation. Just have a positive attitude. It is contagious.
2. Be sure to smile.
Even though you are on the phone, the other person can sense a smile from you. Some telephone experts recommend putting a mirror on your desk to remind you when you are not smiling at the customer. For people who are on the phone all day, a mirror may not be a bad idea.
3. How do you sound on the phone?
Using the right tone of voice creates atmosphere on the phone. This ties into the first two on this list. Is your enthusiasm coming through? Do you have a positive attitude? Is your phone conversation strictly business? Is it lighter or personal? Your tone and voice inflections will create an impression and help the person on the other end understand what you are telling them.
4. Say “Hello!” (or good morning, good afternoon, etc.)
Have a warm greeting or opening. Welcome people into the conversation. Don’t make them feel as if they are an interruption. If you are too busy, then let someone else or your voice mail pick up the phone. That is lot better than a greeting that sounds like, “Yah, what do you want!”
5. Say “Goodbye.”
Have a strong closing. At the minimum, be sure to say goodbye before hanging up the phone. How many times have you expected someone to say goodbye, have a nice day, etc. only to hear a click? Don’t do that to your customer!
6. When talking to a customer, avoid company or technical terminology that they may not understand.
Everybody has had this happen at one time or another. Someone tries to tell you something and you have absolutely no idea what he is talking about. It sounds like it could be English, and it is. But, you still don’t understand it because it is technical jargon. Technical terms or industry buzz-words can put a customer in an uncomfortable position. They might feel dumb because they don’t understand you. Or, they may feel frustrated and become impatient.
7. Don’t get angry, even if the customer is.
It is not always easy to keep calm, especially if the customer is angry about something you have no control over. (Chances are they are mad at something that has already happened.) If a customer is complaining and angry, let them vent. Most likely they aren’t mad at you personally. Ask them questions to show that you care. Don’t add to their aggravation. You might ask them to repeat the problem just to make sure you understand. Be a good listener.
8. When transferring - ONLY ONCE!
If you are transferring to someone else, make sure that person is available. Don’t put the customer on the hold, transfer, hold, transfer, hold, transfer, routine. (I hate when that happens!)
9. Control the “hold” button on your phone.
A survey in USA Today conducted by Nancy Friedman (a.k.a. The Telephone Doctor) showed that customers hate, more than anything else relating to the phone, to be put on HOLD! There are really only two reasons to put someone on hold: to transfer to someone else or to get information.
10. More on controlling that “hold” button.
If you are going to make a customer wait on hold, for any reason, let them know how long they will have to wait. When you say a minute and it really is just a minute, it will probably seem a lot longer to them. So, if you are asking them to hold for an extended period of time, it is probably best to call them back. Promise to call at a specific time. Then, keep your promise!
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 – has come up with ten guidelines to follow while talking on the phone, as featured in one of his Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter.
This article is not just for the front line people who deal directly with customers. All of this information is applicable to everyone, from a receptionist to a warehouse manager to a CEO. Having good telephone skills helps build stronger relationships with everyone! Whether the call is incoming or outbound, the following can be applied to virtually every call.
So, let’s get back to basics. Phone skills are an important part of the job. The way you handle your phone is as important as a face-to-face meeting. So take the time to go over some of these basics. Here is my “top ten” phone skills list.
1. Let’s start with enthusiasm.
Try to convey some type of enthusiasm. From beginning to end, show that you care about the person you are talking to. You don’t need to act overly excited about your phone conversation. Just have a positive attitude. It is contagious.
2. Be sure to smile.
Even though you are on the phone, the other person can sense a smile from you. Some telephone experts recommend putting a mirror on your desk to remind you when you are not smiling at the customer. For people who are on the phone all day, a mirror may not be a bad idea.
3. How do you sound on the phone?
Using the right tone of voice creates atmosphere on the phone. This ties into the first two on this list. Is your enthusiasm coming through? Do you have a positive attitude? Is your phone conversation strictly business? Is it lighter or personal? Your tone and voice inflections will create an impression and help the person on the other end understand what you are telling them.
4. Say “Hello!” (or good morning, good afternoon, etc.)
Have a warm greeting or opening. Welcome people into the conversation. Don’t make them feel as if they are an interruption. If you are too busy, then let someone else or your voice mail pick up the phone. That is lot better than a greeting that sounds like, “Yah, what do you want!”
5. Say “Goodbye.”
Have a strong closing. At the minimum, be sure to say goodbye before hanging up the phone. How many times have you expected someone to say goodbye, have a nice day, etc. only to hear a click? Don’t do that to your customer!
6. When talking to a customer, avoid company or technical terminology that they may not understand.
Everybody has had this happen at one time or another. Someone tries to tell you something and you have absolutely no idea what he is talking about. It sounds like it could be English, and it is. But, you still don’t understand it because it is technical jargon. Technical terms or industry buzz-words can put a customer in an uncomfortable position. They might feel dumb because they don’t understand you. Or, they may feel frustrated and become impatient.
7. Don’t get angry, even if the customer is.
It is not always easy to keep calm, especially if the customer is angry about something you have no control over. (Chances are they are mad at something that has already happened.) If a customer is complaining and angry, let them vent. Most likely they aren’t mad at you personally. Ask them questions to show that you care. Don’t add to their aggravation. You might ask them to repeat the problem just to make sure you understand. Be a good listener.
8. When transferring - ONLY ONCE!
If you are transferring to someone else, make sure that person is available. Don’t put the customer on the hold, transfer, hold, transfer, hold, transfer, routine. (I hate when that happens!)
9. Control the “hold” button on your phone.
A survey in USA Today conducted by Nancy Friedman (a.k.a. The Telephone Doctor) showed that customers hate, more than anything else relating to the phone, to be put on HOLD! There are really only two reasons to put someone on hold: to transfer to someone else or to get information.
10. More on controlling that “hold” button.
If you are going to make a customer wait on hold, for any reason, let them know how long they will have to wait. When you say a minute and it really is just a minute, it will probably seem a lot longer to them. So, if you are asking them to hold for an extended period of time, it is probably best to call them back. Promise to call at a specific time. Then, keep your promise!
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, October 06, 2010
On Duty While You Are Off Duty
Shep Hyken – customer service motivational speaker, author, trainer, and expert – shares a few experiences in one of his Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter, about remembering that even when you are not on the clock, you are still representing your company.
I recently took my family to dinner at a nice restaurant. We had a 6:00 p.m. reservation. We were a few minutes early and were obviously one of the first guests to arrive. The hostess told us to take a seat and she would let us know when our table was ready. As the restaurant was virtually empty, I asked her how long she thought it would be. Her response was this:
“Sir, it is 5:52. Your reservation wasn’t until 6:00. I’ll let you know when the table is ready.”
I was a bit put off by her very direct and less than friendly response. It looked like all of the tables were ready so I asked her why. Then the real reason came out why she didn’t want to seat us. She told me that she was off duty and I would have to wait for the hostess that was supposed to be on duty to arrive. Ah, I see! She could assume the duty of aggravating a customer, but could not, make that would not, assume the duty of taking care of a customer.
Lesson: This story illustrates a very simple, yet important point. At any time that someone can be associated with your company, they are.
That means that even when someone is off duty, as our hostess in the above example described herself to be, they are still on. Think about the truck with the corporate logo on its side that drives recklessly down the highway. The driver of that truck may be off duty, but the truck is still representing the company. Does the driver realize it?
A long time ago I wrote about an incident where I became upset with a ticket agent at the airport. I didn’t realize that audience members from my speech that morning were watching me. I was very embarrassed. At that moment I realized that I was not only representing myself, but my client as well.
At any given time, even when we don’t suspect it, we might be creating an impression about our company, or even ourselves. And whenever it comes to dealing with the customer, we must always be on – even when we are supposed to be off.
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 – shares a few experiences in one of his Shepard Letters, his monthly newsletter, about remembering that even when you are not on the clock, you are still representing your company.
I recently took my family to dinner at a nice restaurant. We had a 6:00 p.m. reservation. We were a few minutes early and were obviously one of the first guests to arrive. The hostess told us to take a seat and she would let us know when our table was ready. As the restaurant was virtually empty, I asked her how long she thought it would be. Her response was this:
“Sir, it is 5:52. Your reservation wasn’t until 6:00. I’ll let you know when the table is ready.”
I was a bit put off by her very direct and less than friendly response. It looked like all of the tables were ready so I asked her why. Then the real reason came out why she didn’t want to seat us. She told me that she was off duty and I would have to wait for the hostess that was supposed to be on duty to arrive. Ah, I see! She could assume the duty of aggravating a customer, but could not, make that would not, assume the duty of taking care of a customer.
Lesson: This story illustrates a very simple, yet important point. At any time that someone can be associated with your company, they are.
That means that even when someone is off duty, as our hostess in the above example described herself to be, they are still on. Think about the truck with the corporate logo on its side that drives recklessly down the highway. The driver of that truck may be off duty, but the truck is still representing the company. Does the driver realize it?
A long time ago I wrote about an incident where I became upset with a ticket agent at the airport. I didn’t realize that audience members from my speech that morning were watching me. I was very embarrassed. At that moment I realized that I was not only representing myself, but my client as well.
At any given time, even when we don’t suspect it, we might be creating an impression about our company, or even ourselves. And whenever it comes to dealing with the customer, we must always be on – even when we are supposed to be off.
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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