Customer Service Tip: Would You Recommend Your Competition?
I am always looking for great examples of customer service in my daily life. Something happened the other night that I think is “kind of cool.” My wife and I went to a great restaurant - Corky's. It just opened. Prices were extremely reasonable and the food was better than good. The owner talked to us quite a bit. Yes, we had a good experience at Corky's and we plan to go back soon, but there's more.
A good part of our conversation with the owner was about his recommending other restaurants for us to go to. That's right; he was telling us where we should go next weekend. Was he trying to tell us he would rather us go to his competition and not come back? I don't think so.
This man was so confident about his own business, that he could talk well of his competitors knowing that we will still be back. When did you last talk to a salesperson that told you how great their competition was? Do you have enough confidence in your company’s products and services to praise your competitors? Like I said, this was “kind of cool.”
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, dvd's 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).
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Customer Service Lesson: Manage Initial Impressions
Recently I went to the movie theatre with my kids. We were there for the early afternoon show – so were a few other customers. While waiting to buy our tickets we watched the two employees behind the counter completely ignore us. One of them even picked up her cell phone to make a personal call. We were just standing there looking at them. They were completely ignoring us. When I asked to buy a ticket, one of them said they weren’t open for another four minutes, and they went back to ignoring us. I asked her if they weren’t open, how come the doors were unlocked. She said she didn’t know and continued to ignore us. The other customers became annoyed with her and left.
The employees were in uniform and in front of their paying customers. They may not have been officially “on the clock,” but were still representing the theatre. The least they could have done was tell us they would be with us in just a few minutes. What kind of an impression do you think they were making for the theatre?
This is like being cut off by a truck and recognizing the company name that they painted on its side. You are not only mad at the driver, but now you are mad at the company!
The lesson here goes to the fundamentals of service. The employees of the movie theatre mentioned above blew a basic concept. (By the way, I don’t just blame them. I also blame the management. This is a function of basic training and common sense.)
Any contact that a customer has in any way, or with any member, of a company is an opportunity to create an impression. Everyone working with any company organization must recognize this!
Here is another way of putting it: Whenever you are in front of your customer for any reason, you are “on stage.” Make it a great performance!
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).
Recently I went to the movie theatre with my kids. We were there for the early afternoon show – so were a few other customers. While waiting to buy our tickets we watched the two employees behind the counter completely ignore us. One of them even picked up her cell phone to make a personal call. We were just standing there looking at them. They were completely ignoring us. When I asked to buy a ticket, one of them said they weren’t open for another four minutes, and they went back to ignoring us. I asked her if they weren’t open, how come the doors were unlocked. She said she didn’t know and continued to ignore us. The other customers became annoyed with her and left.
The employees were in uniform and in front of their paying customers. They may not have been officially “on the clock,” but were still representing the theatre. The least they could have done was tell us they would be with us in just a few minutes. What kind of an impression do you think they were making for the theatre?
This is like being cut off by a truck and recognizing the company name that they painted on its side. You are not only mad at the driver, but now you are mad at the company!
The lesson here goes to the fundamentals of service. The employees of the movie theatre mentioned above blew a basic concept. (By the way, I don’t just blame them. I also blame the management. This is a function of basic training and common sense.)
Any contact that a customer has in any way, or with any member, of a company is an opportunity to create an impression. Everyone working with any company organization must recognize this!
Here is another way of putting it: Whenever you are in front of your customer for any reason, you are “on stage.” Make it a great performance!
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).
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Good Customer Service - Why Don’t They Do It?
Recently I was talking with a client about one of his employees and customer service. The day before I had presented the Moments of Magic™ customer service program and mentioned that I thought a gentleman in the audience was a skeptic. The client said he wasn’t skeptical, but felt he knew everything I was talking about.
I responded, “Everyone already knows what I’m talking about.” He agreed and I asked him, “So does this guy deliver great service?”
He said, “That’s the problem. He knows, but he doesn’t deliver.”
Most people would agree that they know what good customer service is. People know when they get it. They even know how to give it. Then why is it so hard to get people to do it. There are technical aspects to service, and sometimes there is training for a specific job on how to handle complaints, resolve problems, refer to the right people, etc. All of these are skills that are taught. But, from the beginning, good customer service has nothing to do with skill. It is all about common sense and, most important, attitude.
A seventeen year old kid was recently fired from a job at an ice cream parlor. I asked him why. His response was, “I didn’t say thank you.”
I asked if he didn’t say thank you once, or did he not thank his customers all of the time. He said, “Pretty much all of the time.” He said his boss wanted him to thank the customers when he handed them their ice cream. He said he didn’t have time. What! He didn’t have time to say, “Thank you!”
He went on to tell me, “After thinking about it, the manger was right. I should say thanks to the customer. It is the nice thing to do.” There it is. Common sense! You see, he knew. Everybody knows!
So, why doesn’t everybody do it? The answer is simple. They just don’t have the right attitude, and that’s okay. Not everyone is cut out for a job in front of the public. The old adage of “hire the attitude and train the skill” couldn’t be truer in this situation.
When it comes to customer service you can teach and preach, but it all comes down to the attitude of the employee. So, hire right. Put the right person in the right job. If he or she has direct contact with the customer, realize that at any given time that person will be representing your company, your brand – your entire business!
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).
Recently I was talking with a client about one of his employees and customer service. The day before I had presented the Moments of Magic™ customer service program and mentioned that I thought a gentleman in the audience was a skeptic. The client said he wasn’t skeptical, but felt he knew everything I was talking about.
I responded, “Everyone already knows what I’m talking about.” He agreed and I asked him, “So does this guy deliver great service?”
He said, “That’s the problem. He knows, but he doesn’t deliver.”
Most people would agree that they know what good customer service is. People know when they get it. They even know how to give it. Then why is it so hard to get people to do it. There are technical aspects to service, and sometimes there is training for a specific job on how to handle complaints, resolve problems, refer to the right people, etc. All of these are skills that are taught. But, from the beginning, good customer service has nothing to do with skill. It is all about common sense and, most important, attitude.
A seventeen year old kid was recently fired from a job at an ice cream parlor. I asked him why. His response was, “I didn’t say thank you.”
I asked if he didn’t say thank you once, or did he not thank his customers all of the time. He said, “Pretty much all of the time.” He said his boss wanted him to thank the customers when he handed them their ice cream. He said he didn’t have time. What! He didn’t have time to say, “Thank you!”
He went on to tell me, “After thinking about it, the manger was right. I should say thanks to the customer. It is the nice thing to do.” There it is. Common sense! You see, he knew. Everybody knows!
So, why doesn’t everybody do it? The answer is simple. They just don’t have the right attitude, and that’s okay. Not everyone is cut out for a job in front of the public. The old adage of “hire the attitude and train the skill” couldn’t be truer in this situation.
When it comes to customer service you can teach and preach, but it all comes down to the attitude of the employee. So, hire right. Put the right person in the right job. If he or she has direct contact with the customer, realize that at any given time that person will be representing your company, your brand – your entire business!
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).
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Customer Service and Customer Care - What's the difference?
Recently one of our readers wrote in with a question about the difference between customer service and customer care. I sent back an answer and felt that it was worth sharing with everyone.
This type of question has been asked before. The reason there is confusion is because different people and companies give different names to their process. Comments like, "We give great customer service." Or, "We go beyond customer service and believe in customer care." Or, "We don't just service our customers, we delight our customers."
These statements are great. So what's the best? Is it customer service, customer care, customer relations, customer delight, etc.? What should we call it, or is there a difference?
The answer is: There is no difference.
I don't care what you call it. The terms are interchangeable. Brand it whatever you want. The bottom line is that you want to do one thing:
Make them come back the next time.
How you go about it is what is really important. That's the process, not what you call it.
That's it. It's that simple. Call it customer service, customer care, customer loyalty, customer relations, etc. These are all labels that are meant to really do one thing. That is to get the customer/client to want to come back to you, and only you, the next time they need what it is that you do or sell.
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).
Recently one of our readers wrote in with a question about the difference between customer service and customer care. I sent back an answer and felt that it was worth sharing with everyone.
This type of question has been asked before. The reason there is confusion is because different people and companies give different names to their process. Comments like, "We give great customer service." Or, "We go beyond customer service and believe in customer care." Or, "We don't just service our customers, we delight our customers."
These statements are great. So what's the best? Is it customer service, customer care, customer relations, customer delight, etc.? What should we call it, or is there a difference?
The answer is: There is no difference.
I don't care what you call it. The terms are interchangeable. Brand it whatever you want. The bottom line is that you want to do one thing:
Make them come back the next time.
How you go about it is what is really important. That's the process, not what you call it.
That's it. It's that simple. Call it customer service, customer care, customer loyalty, customer relations, etc. These are all labels that are meant to really do one thing. That is to get the customer/client to want to come back to you, and only you, the next time they need what it is that you do or sell.
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).
Thursday, February 03, 2011
This blog post is a bit different in that you will have to download a PDF to read it. This is my biggest blog yet. It is more than just a blog or article, it is actually a book within a book – the first three chapters of my new book “The Amazement Revolution: Seven Customer Service Strategies to Create an Amazing Customer (and Employee) Experience.”
First, you will learn about how a 12-year-old’s birthday party magic show business is the root of many customer service strategies in the first chapter titled “The Right Thing to Do.”
Second, you will learn some customer service phrases and terminology that you may
want to start incorporating into your vocabulary.
Third, you will get a master class in customer service as Jim Bush, the executive VP of World Service at American Express takes us through all seven strategies that are taught in the book. I promise this will be a valuable investment of your time.
I have a favor to ask of you. I want to start a customer service Amazement Revolution, so share this with everyone you know; friends, colleagues, customers, etc. Like a chain letter, send it to at least 20 people you know. Unlike a chain letter, nothing will happen to you if you don’t, but if you do, people will appreciate you and say, “Thank you!” If you don’t have 20 or more friends to send it to, then send it to ten! If you don’t have any friends, call me. I’ll be your friend!
Let’s start the Amazement Revolution together! Read it, download it and share it with as many people as possible! Here’s the link:
http://www.AmazementRevolution.com/preview
Thank you in advance for being part of the Revolution!
First, you will learn about how a 12-year-old’s birthday party magic show business is the root of many customer service strategies in the first chapter titled “The Right Thing to Do.”
Second, you will learn some customer service phrases and terminology that you may
want to start incorporating into your vocabulary.
Third, you will get a master class in customer service as Jim Bush, the executive VP of World Service at American Express takes us through all seven strategies that are taught in the book. I promise this will be a valuable investment of your time.
I have a favor to ask of you. I want to start a customer service Amazement Revolution, so share this with everyone you know; friends, colleagues, customers, etc. Like a chain letter, send it to at least 20 people you know. Unlike a chain letter, nothing will happen to you if you don’t, but if you do, people will appreciate you and say, “Thank you!” If you don’t have 20 or more friends to send it to, then send it to ten! If you don’t have any friends, call me. I’ll be your friend!
Let’s start the Amazement Revolution together! Read it, download it and share it with as many people as possible! Here’s the link:
http://www.AmazementRevolution.com/preview
Thank you in advance for being part of the Revolution!
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Managing the Customer Experience
If you’ve read some of my past articles or seen me speak, you may remember some comments regarding the operations-focused company versus the customer-focused company. The following story is an excellent example of a customer-focused company.
The other day I was in Atlanta and had the craving for a big juicy hamburger and fries. I found this restaurant not too far from my hotel. When it came time to pay, the bill came to $6.07. The teenager taking my money, who’s name was Matt, asked me if I had the seven cents. I told him, “No.” Matt said not to worry and he reached into his pocket, counted out seven cents, and said he would take care of it. I said, “Thanks.”
Matt said, “Now you won’t have to jingle all day.” He chuckled, smiled and thanked me for my business.
I couldn’t help but be impressed with this young worker. He somehow knew that his job wasn’t about taking money, but it was about taking care of the customer.
The manager was standing at the door when I walked out, so I stopped to compliment him about Matt. I told the manager what happened and he smiled. The manager told me that he taught his employees to do that. At the start of every shift, he gave each employee a bunch of pennies and nickels and told them to use them anytime a customer was just a few cents over an even dollar amount. He thought it would be a nice thing to do for the customers. He was right.
He told me how he taught the employees to ask questions. For example, when someone has a To-Go order, they ask if they need extra napkins. There were several other examples he shared as well.
It boils down to this. The manager wasn’t just managing the operation. He was managing the customer experience. He was training his employees on more than operations training. He was teaching people skills. All of the employees knew how to do their jobs; cook food, run the cash register, take orders, etc. But they also learned what makes customers happy. Part of this was achieved by teaching the employees to ask the right questions in various situations. Essentially he was teaching good communication skills.
It is all about focusing on the customer, not just the operation. Too many times we get hung up on teaching people the specific things necessary to do their jobs. However, we miss teaching the people skills. For some reason we think people just know what to do. Some do, some don’t. And even the ones that do need to learn how to use them in their present job.
Think about ways you can make your business more customer friendly. Look for
opportunities to show how easy you are to do business with. I call this customer
management. Yes, we need to manage the operations of our business. But without being customer focused, we may not have a business at all.
While I haven’t used this quote in an article before, it is in my book, “Moments of Magic.” But I couldn’t think of a more appropriate quote to go with this article.
“There is only one boss – the customer. Customers can fire everybody in the company, from the chairman on down, simply by spending their money somewhere else.”
-- Sam Walton
If you’ve read some of my past articles or seen me speak, you may remember some comments regarding the operations-focused company versus the customer-focused company. The following story is an excellent example of a customer-focused company.
The other day I was in Atlanta and had the craving for a big juicy hamburger and fries. I found this restaurant not too far from my hotel. When it came time to pay, the bill came to $6.07. The teenager taking my money, who’s name was Matt, asked me if I had the seven cents. I told him, “No.” Matt said not to worry and he reached into his pocket, counted out seven cents, and said he would take care of it. I said, “Thanks.”
Matt said, “Now you won’t have to jingle all day.” He chuckled, smiled and thanked me for my business.
I couldn’t help but be impressed with this young worker. He somehow knew that his job wasn’t about taking money, but it was about taking care of the customer.
The manager was standing at the door when I walked out, so I stopped to compliment him about Matt. I told the manager what happened and he smiled. The manager told me that he taught his employees to do that. At the start of every shift, he gave each employee a bunch of pennies and nickels and told them to use them anytime a customer was just a few cents over an even dollar amount. He thought it would be a nice thing to do for the customers. He was right.
He told me how he taught the employees to ask questions. For example, when someone has a To-Go order, they ask if they need extra napkins. There were several other examples he shared as well.
It boils down to this. The manager wasn’t just managing the operation. He was managing the customer experience. He was training his employees on more than operations training. He was teaching people skills. All of the employees knew how to do their jobs; cook food, run the cash register, take orders, etc. But they also learned what makes customers happy. Part of this was achieved by teaching the employees to ask the right questions in various situations. Essentially he was teaching good communication skills.
It is all about focusing on the customer, not just the operation. Too many times we get hung up on teaching people the specific things necessary to do their jobs. However, we miss teaching the people skills. For some reason we think people just know what to do. Some do, some don’t. And even the ones that do need to learn how to use them in their present job.
Think about ways you can make your business more customer friendly. Look for
opportunities to show how easy you are to do business with. I call this customer
management. Yes, we need to manage the operations of our business. But without being customer focused, we may not have a business at all.
While I haven’t used this quote in an article before, it is in my book, “Moments of Magic.” But I couldn’t think of a more appropriate quote to go with this article.
“There is only one boss – the customer. Customers can fire everybody in the company, from the chairman on down, simply by spending their money somewhere else.”
-- Sam Walton
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