Bad Customer Service Can Become a Habit

One day my assistant came in late. Not a big deal. That was until she
came in late two more times that week. The following week the same
thing happened again. This was becoming a habit – and not a good one.

So, we had a short talk about it. I asked her what our mantra was at
Shepard Presentations. She said, “To be amazing.” She was right.

So, I asked her, “Is showing up late three or four times a week amazing behavior?”

She gave me the obvious answer, “No.”

I replied, “I agree. This is a habit that must stop. So, you have a choice. Be amazing or go home.”

She smiled and said, “That’s a great title for a book! You better write that down.”

I did, and guess what? It became a book, officially titled, Be Amazing or Go Home: Seven Customer Service Habits that Create Confidence with Everyone.

You see, if showing up late is a bad habit, then showing up early is a good habit.
Delivering good customer service is a habit. You know what’s right. You
practice it day after day on real customers. You get better at it. You
may even get special customer service training. And, when it becomes
natural, it’s like many other good things you do over and over. It
becomes a habit.

When I was just twelve years old I started my own business; doing
magic shows for children’s birthday parties. There were several
important habits I picked up from my parents. I wrote thank you notes to
the parents that hired me to perform for their child’s party. I always
showed up on time. I always did the best job I could, never giving less
than 100%. I always stayed a little longer than expected, and the
parents really appreciated that. I had to consciously think about doing
all of that and more until I did it enough times that it became natural.
It became my version of common sense. That’s what makes it a habit.

Those habits as a twelve-year-old magician stayed with me. Today,
these habits drive my business. I’ve shared with you a story about my
assistant. That’s the first lesson in the book. It’s simply this:

Amazing people show up ready to amaze!

What that means is if the office opens at 8:00. Showing up at 8:00
isn’t really showing up on time. It’s getting there on time. Showing up
on time, ready to amaze, is arriving early enough to be ready to go at
8:00. There’s a difference.















By the way, my assistant broke the bad habit and started showing up to work on time. She chose not to go home. She chose to be amazing!

Your Brand Is Only As Strong As Your Weakest Link

Go to http://www.TheCustomerFocus.com or call 314-692-2200 to learn more about Shep Hyken or to learn about customer service training.


So, the other day I’m flying to a speaking engagement. While waiting for my flight to board I bought a yogurt parfait. After paying for it, I looked for a spoon. There were knives and forks, but no spoons. The little compartment next to the knives and forks was empty. I asked the cashier if they had any spoons. He pointed to where they weren’t. I told him they were out, and in an effort to get rid of me, he suggested that I could go to the restaurant next door and ask them for a spoon.

I walked by the first restaurant a few minutes later and there were plenty of spoons. Obviously, there were spoons somewhere. The guy just didn’t want to get them, when a customer needed them.

I didn’t want to make a scene over this, but I thought I’d mention something to the manager. He wasn’t there when I bought my yogurt. He apologized, but then said something interesting. He mentioned that the restaurant was managed by a group at the airport, so I really shouldn’t expect the same service or quality I am accustomed to at this company’s regular restaurants.

This was a major brand with locations throughout the US. The airport restaurant had the same signage, the same logo and looked just like any of the restaurants you would visit outside of the airport. I’m sure that any executive of this brand would cringe at the response the manager gave me… “You really shouldn’t expect the same service or quality you’re accustomed to…” Really?!

And, that is where our lesson begins. You see, it doesn’t matter if it is an airport restaurant, a small kiosk or a full-service restaurant. There must be a similar experience across all locations, regardless of size or where it is. The logo is the logo, and the brand is the brand!

Let’s switch industries and talk about an icon in the world of customer service. When Nordstrom decided to move into the online world, many of their customers were concerned that they would erode their reputation for amazing service. Management thought long and hard about how to create an online experience that matched the expectation of a Nordstrom customer, and they delivered. Regardless of location – instore or online – Nordstrom will always focus on making sure the customer has the best experience.

Now we move to an employee within a company. If there are 100 employees, and 99 of them are amazing, but one is not, what happens when a customer encounters the one who is not? You know the answer. That one bad employee just created the reputation for your brand – at least with that customer.

The old saying is that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Well, the brand is only as strong as its weakest location – or weakest employee.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ShepHykenSpeaker
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ShepHyken
Google+: http://www.gplus.to/ShepHyken
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Hyken
314-692-2200

ShepTV is another Shepard Presentation (www.ShepTV.com)

Attribution for chain link image:
Created by Hernán Piñera
Original can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hernanp...
License - ShareAlike 2.0 Generic

Phrasing Can Make a Big Impact on Customer Service - CX Tip

Simple Words and Phrases Can Enhance the Customer’s Experience

The words you say, the way you act, and your attitude toward your job
and your customer are sometimes the difference between satisfactory and
amazing. This became evident as I was having lunch with Tracy
Nieporent, one of the partners at Myriad Restaurant Group. They are the successful owners of the famous Nobu restaurants, Tribeca Grill, and several others.

Tracy is very proud, and rightly so, about the food and service at
all of his restaurants. After we were finished with our main course, the
server stopped by and, with enthusiasm, asked, “What else can I get for
you?”

Tracy became excited and asked me, “Did you notice that?” I wasn’t
sure what he was referring to. He went on to say that she asked the
right question. No, I didn’t notice. He emphasized that she asked, “What
else can I get you?”

I thought, “Okay, that’s a nice question. But, what’s the big deal?”
Tracy went on to explain that the way the servers are trained to ask
certain questions, such as, “What else can I get for you?” are subtle
but powerful ways of differentiating them from an average restaurant.
Most servers would ask, “How is everything?” That’s fine and very nice.
However, “What else can I get for you?” implies you want to do more for
your customer. He knows words are important to the experience and wants
his staff to properly ask the right questions, communicating with guests
in ways that will most enhance their experience.

As I thought more about Tracy’s comment I realized that while it may
appear to be a subtle enhancement, that doesn’t mean it’s NOT important.
It’s actually very important. It’s the difference between taking an
order and serving a customer. The difference between answering a
question and helping a customer. Or, the difference between resolving a
complaint and restoring confidence. Not so subtle, is it? The right words can shift a mood and enhance the moment.

Think about when you may have made a request or asked for a small
favor. A popular response from most people might be, “No problem.”
However, a better response is, “It’s my pleasure.”

Can you see the difference? Some of these questions or sentences are
more subtle than others. So, here is your homework assignment. Take time
to think of the phrases you say day after day. Then, consider
alternative ways of saying the same thing. Can you improve on your
response? What’s the best way to phrase it? Properly structuring the
words you use can be a powerful way to not only communicate better but to deliver a better customer experience.



Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker and New
York Times bestselling business author. For information contact or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken











(Copyright © MMXVII, Shep Hyken)