Tuesday, August 19, 2008

In the Spirit of Service

This is a little diversion from my typical customer service postings. While this is not customer service, it is service, just in a different way.

Earlier this week I had the honor of being inducted into the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame. It was quite a night and my acceptance speech was focused on what I term Intentional Significance.

After 25 years in the speaking business I found myself thinking about the contributions I’ve made to my clients, my family and the community/world. I hope that I have been significant.

Two people in my industry have impacted my thinking on this. My friend Naomi Rhode has been talking about being significant for years. Another friend, Nido Qubein, taught me about being intentional in business. And it just so happens, that Nido is one of the most philanthropic people I have ever met. When I combine the two of their lessons, I came up with Intentional Significance.

Intentional Significance is looking for opportunities to make a difference in our community, if not the world. It can be in the form of time, talent and dollars. Where can you be more significant to the people you work with, your family – and people you may not even know. Most people wait until others ask. They are responders, and there is nothing wrong with that. Think about being more pro-active – or intentional. Look for opportunities to give and/or volunteer.

A gift for you!

I have the honor of working with Wendy Gillett and seven other Customer Service Experts to deliver a series of weekly seminars. Every Wednesday, starting on September 3, you can participate in these 20-30 minute online seminars. There is no charge to participate, however once the series is completed, they will be put into a CD as a set that will be for sale. So, be sure to sign up now. Just click on: Customer Service Seminar – Online. See you online!

Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE is a professional speaker and 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 (www.TheCustomerFocus.com).

Friday, August 08, 2008

Jet Blue Executive Sets Leadership Example

Just back from the National Speakers Association meeting in New York. I had the privilege of hearing David Barger, the CEO of Jet Blue, speak about his company. He is a fascinating man, and in the wake of all of the turmoil in the airline industry, he is a model example of leadership.

If you want your people to deliver excellent customer service, you must focus on the inside first. Mr. Barger has done that in a big way. His comments reflected his commitment to his employees. Get this. While other airlines are doing mandatory layoffs, Jet Blue’s layoffs are on a voluntary basis. Mr. Barger has even taken a 50% salary cut for the rest of the year, showing his employees that he is walking his talk. He sets the example. The employees follow suit with innovative ideas to save money, be more efficient, deliver excellent customer service and more.

A gift for you!

I have the honor of working with Wendy Gillett and seven other Customer Service Experts to deliver a series of weekly seminars. Every Wednesday, starting on September 3, you can participate in these 20-30 minute online seminars. There is no charge to participate, however once the series is completed, they will be put into a CD as a set that will be for sale. So, be sure to sign up now. Just click here: Customer Service Seminar – Online. Once on the site, sign up for the weekly tips (upper right hand side of the website) and you will be sent the invitation to the weekly seminars. See you online!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Tough Economic Times Make the Best Look Bad

Recently the headlines of the business section of local paper read:

Starbucks Now Shuttering 600 Stores

Could Starbucks be going out of business? I thought Starbucks was impenetrable – a super company that could weather any storm and continue to grow at an incredible rate. At the end of March 2008, Starbucks had more than 16,000 stores. Can they all be profitable? It would be nice. Can’t Starbucks shed the money losers without news headlines making it sound like the company might be going under?

Starbucks is blaming some of the store closings on the economy. That’s okay. It’s a good excuse. Here is what I think will happen. Starbucks will continue to play at the top of their game – delivering an excellent cup of coffee with and exceptional customer experience. They know what’s important and realize they can’t slack off because of the economy. That doesn’t mean they have to keep stores that are not meeting revenue standards. All of this is simply smart business.

Watch Starbucks. Even in tough times, Starbucks will continue to teach us great lessons in business.

Shep Hyken, CSP is a professional speaker and 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 (www.TheCustomerFocus.com).

Monday, June 23, 2008

Customer Service Shows Up Green… For the Environment and the Bottom Line

According to a recent article by Peter Healy of the Advocate, Pitney Bowes, of postage meter fame, clams to have saved almost $3 million in fuel costs over the last couple of years due to delivering better service.

How did they do it? They consolidated customer service calls. In other words, they solved more calls in one service visit, avoiding a second or third trip to a customer’s location.

According to the article, John Thaler, Pitney Bowes’ director of process excellence, environmental health and safety plugged the numbers into a US Environmental Protection Agency software program. The company saved approximately 1,504 vehicle trips, which means a savings of 932,009 gallons of gas. At $3/gallon (now $4), that is just under $3 million in savings.

Furthermore, for those who are environmentally green minded, less trips reduced carbon dioxide emissions by about 8,211 metric tons nationwide.

Look for cost savings opportunities through customer service efforts. Be careful as sometimes an increase in efficiency can hurt a customer service effort. Pitney Bowes showed the opposite. They delivered better service and in the process helped the environment and their bottom line.

Sometimes good customer service makes sense – and cents. Or, should I say dollars.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

More on Paying For Customer Service

My last blog entry was about how Air Canada was charging extra if you wanted better service. Well, they are not the only ones charging more to get better customer service.

According to Vito Pilieci, writing in The Ottawa Citizen, Dell recently announced that they are dividing their support into two groups; India support versus North American support. If the customer is willing to pay a little more, they can be guaranteed to reach a North American tech support person instead of their Indian counterparts. It appears that Dell is promising you won’t get the “accent” if you pay more. Pilieci, writing in The Ottawa Citizen, Dell is calling this a “premium support” service plan.

Now, a quick disclaimer. I don’t want this to sound like I’m slamming Dell. I like Dell computers. All of our desktops and servers are Dell Computers. I’ve had good luck with them and find their support to be very good. However, I’m concerned for them. This could be a PR blunder. Similar to my take on Air Canada, I don’t think that Dell is admitting to giving bad service. They just want to give their customers an option to a better/different level of service. However, that is not the way it is coming across.

General comments from consumers buying across many different industries have complained about hard to understand accents from call center customer service reps. Opinion Research Corp. reported February 2008 that 20% of US customers polled cited “hard to understand representatives with thick accents” as their biggest frustration in dealing with customer service departments.

So, it appears that if I want a Dell computer, and I want “premium” service, I’ll have to pay more. It’s one thing to pay for an extended service warranty. It is another to pay to be able to understand the customer service representative giving me support. (Is that what they are communicating?)

Years ago I remember a salesman telling I can choose two out of three options: low price, a quality product and great service.

He thought that he was making a joke. Apparently not!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Want Good Service? Then Pay for It!

The airline industry, for the most part, has trashed their reputation for good service. I actually have written that you can treat me like dirt, just get me to where I’m supposed to be on time and I’ll probably fly on your airline again. The airlines, on their own, have defined good service as reliable versus the way the passenger is treated.

Okay, there are some exceptions. And, the experience I have on my airline of choice is that they will sometimes deliver exceptional service (and sometimes not so exceptional). What if the airlines said, “Pay us a little extra, and we’ll give you better service.”?

That is exactly what Air Canada did with a service they call “On My Way.” If passengers are willing to pay an extra $25 on shorter flights and $35 for longer ones, Air Canada will give them access to a number will specially trained customer service representatives. There also seems to be an insurance component to the fee. If your flight is cancelled or delayed, Air Canada promises the passenger a “worry free” experience. They will assist the passenger in rebooking flights that are cancelled, delayed, etc. to the next available flight and, if necessary, pay for overnight lodging, even when it is not the airlines fault (weather related).

Here’s my take. On the surface it looks like Air Canada is charging more for good service. The good service is something the airlines (or any company) should do anyway. I think it is a mistake to advertise that essentially, if you pay an additional service charge per flight, you get better service. The reality is that what Air Canada is really selling is insurance, and I get it. However, maybe the message shouldn’t be confused. Good service is one thing. Insurance is another.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Fun, Fun, Fun!

I had a great opportunity recently to work with a company for an employee meeting. U-Gas and Dirt Cheap (same company) is a convenience store and liquor store chain based in St. Louis. Part of their mission is that they create a fun place, not just for the employees but also the customers. They want their customers to have fun!

They have business cards that have “Fun! Fun! Fun!” written across the top. They give away heart shaped candy to customers on Valentine Day. They give away Mardi-Gras beads during Mardi-Gras. You get the idea. Customers have fun when they shop at U-Gas and Dirt Cheap – and so do the employees!

So how does the fun factor into their success? People like to come back. That’s what U-Gas and Dirt Cheap strive for. They want their customers to love to do business with them. They work hard at keeping the employees motivated and incorporate fun programs that make the customers want to come back.

There are lots of strategies you can and should incorporate into your customer experience strategy, and FUN could be a good one!

Monday, March 03, 2008

Customer Service and Product Knowledge Training for Starbucks Doesn’t Cost. It Pays!

Last week Starbucks closed down their stores – all of their stores in North America – that’s approximately 7,000 stores – for a three hour period. Why? Because Howard Schultz, the CEO, wanted to do a special training for all of the employees on how to make that perfect cup of coffee. That coupled with some customer service training made for a powerful three hour session. Mr. Schultz wanted his people to get back to basics and make sure they understood that the root of their basic product success is a great cup of coffee and outstanding customer service.

What did it cost for Starbucks to close their stores for three hours? What did it cost to rally all of the employees together during this time? Every employee was invited to participate in the training, and they were paid. A bigger question would be, what would it cost if they didn’t do the training?

Mr. Schultz has his eye on the ball. He knows what is important. He understands what the business has to do to be competitive and stay on top. He knows that if he doesn’t spend the money to train his people, it will cost him much more down the road.

Starbucks is a legend in the world of quality and customer service. The above is just one example of why. Sure it may cost to train employees, but it cost more not to!

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Lousy Rules – Lousy Decisions

I’ve always been against a corporate rule or policy that punishes or inconveniences innocent or honest customers. Every once in a while I’ll hear about a policy that was made as a result of one or two bad incidents that ruins it for the rest of us.

I just read a somewhat humorous article in the St. Louis Post dispatch, October 6, 2007 edition. It seems that Delta Air Lines told one of their passengers that she would have to buy two tickets for her conjoined one-year-old twins. The little infants could fit in one seat, but Delta’s position was that if there was an emergency that required oxygen masks, each child would need their own masks. I actually agree with this. But the humorous part of the article stated, “Presumably the principle goes, jeez, if we gave you a break think of all the masses of infant conjoined twins who’ll be trying to ride on one ticket.”

Focus on the good customers, not the bad ones. Make it easy on your good customers, and don’t “punish” them because a few bad people took advantage of you. No matter what rules you put in place, the “bad people” will always work to find a way around them.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Bring the Enthusiasm and We’ll Teach You the Rest of What You Need

I just read an advertisement for employment from HSBC in the UK. They placed help wanted advertisement for a customer service representative. Part of the ad read:

“What’s most important is your passion for delivering top-notch customer service. Bring us enthusiasm, and we’ll provide you with all the additional training and mentoring you might need.”

There it is - the old theory that we can hire the attitude and train the skill. HSBC gets it. They are hiring people to be on the front line, taking phone calls from customers. The employee has to have the attitude or no matter how knowledgeable he/she is, the customer is not going to have a high-end pleasant experience.

Most customers want what they ask for and need, and they also want the experience to be positive. The best companies know it takes both sides to create an excellent experience that can eventually lead to loyalty.

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Customer Inertia Is Not Customer Loyalty

Does your customer really want to do business with you?

An audience member came up to me after one of my speaking programs and made a very smart comment. She said, “Don’t confuse customer inertia with customer loyalty.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant by customer inertia. She explained that in her industry it is sometimes easier for customers to put up with a mediocre vendor rather than go to the difficulty of switching to another. Customers just tend to put up with poor service and results, as long as it doesn’t get too bad. They just keep “rolling” along. That’s the inertia she was talking about.

Yet in most businesses it is easy to switch to a new vendor/supplier. The customer just disappears. No complaints. Just one day someone notices (or not) that a customer isn’t doing business with them anymore. The customer may have left for a number of reasons from competitive issues, such as pricing, to customer service issues, such as indifference.

You don’t want customers to stay with you just because it is easier. You want them to stay because they want to. Because you are that good!

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Incompetence Erodes Confidence and More

(An Excellent Customer Service Lesson)

Today I was flying home from a speaking engagement. As I looked at the airport monitors to confirm my flight was on time, and the monitor indicated it was. Directly next to the departing flight schedule was the arriving flight schedule. On that monitor it indicated that the plane that we were going to be using for our flight was an hour late coming in. That would make us late.

I asked our gate agent which information I should believe. He knew I was joking and he laughed. We ended up being almost two hours delayed.

What intrigues me enough to write this short article is that everyone I asked about the flight said we were on time. No one knew – at least no one that I talked to from the airlines. I think it is incompetence. Not from the people I talked to, but from the people who inform, or are supposed to inform, the people I talked to.

These types of incidents on the airlines have been happening to me for years. And, it doesn’t matter which airline it is. They all seem to do it. So, I find myself always checking and double checking the information that some very nice people are willing to tell me. In other words, I lack confidence in them. It isn’t because these people are incompetent. However, the system which operates behind the scenes, and perhaps this is a bit harsh to say, is incompetent. Unfortunately, this reflects on the frontline personnel, are doing the best job they can.

At the end of the day, incompetence leads to lack of confidence. Lack of confidence erodes customer loyalty. And lack of loyalty works against the function of virtually any business, which is to get and keep your customers.

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

This week something strange happened. I received three personal thank you notes. I seldom received thank you notes at all, so this was special. One was from a guy that sold me shoes. (Can you guess what store? If you said Nordstrom’s you were right!) Another note came from a software company that we just started doing business with. And, another came from Dave Rubel, a guy I’ve written about in the past, who has a company called Send Out Cards, thanking me for a referral.

By the way, it is only Wednesday. Three cards in three business days. This is strange – also special. Too bad it is strange. It should be normal. The art of mailing a note or card is lost. Some of us email thank you “notes” to people. Some of us pick up the phone and call. I’m not saying either of those are bad ways to thank people. Anytime you acknowledge someone is nice, no matter how you do it. But the art of the mailed note, while not quite lost, is definitely rare.

Writing a note is sometimes inconvenient. First, you have to take the time. Oh, you also have to have the stationary or go to the store to buy a card. Then you write a note, address the envelope, put a stamp on it and drop it in a mailbox. That seems like a lot compared to just picking up the phone or shooting out a quick email. Yet, just a little extra effort to mail a note, card or letter makes such a great impression.

Here’s a tip. I’ve written about Dave Rubel’s company before. He has a wonderful “on-line” business that allows you to find a card you want on a website, type it up with as much of a personal message as you can fit inside a card, and then it is automatically mailed, with a real postage stamp to whoever you want to send it to. And, it is not limited to just thank you cards. Any kind of cards – and they have thousands to choose from. They have a look and feel of a personal card. You can even send your own handwriting samples, so the cards look written in your handwriting! Pretty cool! Go to www.SendOutCards.com/daverubel to find out more about this program.

So before I sign off today, even though it isn’t a thank you note, let me say, “Thank you!” for reading this blog!

Thursday, July 05, 2007

The Last Impression

I had just landed at the St. Louis airport after a long business trip. No flight delays meant a good travel experience. This was one of the few times I checked luggage, so the only thing left to do was to pick up my suitcase at the baggage claim area.

So, how long is too long to wait for luggage? Anything less than fifteen or twenty minutes is impressive. My opinion is a half-hour is okay, at least for me. This time I waited 50 minutes. Once we got past my acceptable half-hour, I started to get frustrated and eventually aggravated. What had been a good flight was now ruined by the last impression.

People say the first impression is important. I would say that equally important is the last impression. The last impression is a lasting impression!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Do You Hear What I’m Saying

Last night I was working in Phoenix with a client. I was fortunate to be invited to their dinner, which happened to be at a very nice restaurant that is known for its world-class service.

Prior to dinner, the servers were passing appetizers. One looked particularly good, and I asked if it had mushrooms. The server said, “Yes.” I replied, “I’m not a mushroom guy, so I’ll pass.”

My client, who was next to me during this brief encounter looked at me and said, “Let’s see if they get it.” What he was referring to was if the server would go back and ask the chef to prepare one or two appetizers without the mushrooms. I told my client that we shouldn’t expect it. He had hope, but I was right.

If this was such a world-class restaurant, known for service, they should pick up on their guests’ comments. It is their job to listen and not just respond, but also impress. This was a missed opportunity for the restaurant.

Several weeks ago I was flying home from a speech. I had my free upgrade to first class and was enjoying lunch. For dessert they were serving warm chocolate chip cookies. There were a lot of extras, as there were only a few people in the first class cabin. I asked the flight attendant if there were extra cookies. He said yes and walked away. I never got the cookies, and actually watched him throw the extras away.

In both cases, the server and the flight attendant didn’t hear what I was saying – or more specifically, requesting. While the mushroom example was a bit subtle, the cookie example was pretty obvious.

The lesson: Listen to what customers are saying. Read between the lines. Look for opportunities to respond to the obvious and sometimes the subtle comments your customers make. These may even be opportunities to impress and create world-class service.

As the guy on the Verizon commercial says, “Can you hear me now?”

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Customer Service Sometimes Isn’t Customer Service

They call it customer service, but sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes it is a department that calls themselves “Customer Service,” but sometimes they aren’t. Sometimes it is a system – that sometimes doesn’t work. You try calling them and are placed into an automated system that makes you believe that you will eventually talk to a customer service representative. What sometimes happens is that you get frustrated, hang up and start over, hoping again you will talk to a live person. Then, just about the time you think you are getting connected, a recording comes on telling you how long your wait will be. Sometimes it is 30 minutes, 40 minutes or even longer. Has this happened to you?

And, this is what some companies call “customer service!”

Earlier this year I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Verizon Wireless and their call centers. Their goal is to answer the phone within a surprisingly short period of time, and they usually do. That strategy, along with a focus on “one call resolution” helps create loyal customers. Why? Because, they create a pleasant experience, which creates confidence, and ultimately can lead to customer loyalty.

Unfortunately, I am finding the Verizon example to be the exception, rather than the norm, when it comes to the customer support some companies are delivering. Too many companies and people think they are delivering customer service, but sometimes they aren’t. How about you? I hope so!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Do You Know Your Numbers

Last year Stravity Group shared the results of a customer experience management study. Here are the questions? Do you know the answers for your business?

QUESTION: Do you know the average annual value of a customer to your business?

12.9% of the executives surveyed knew. 87.1% didn’t know!

QUESTION: Do you know the cost of a customer complaint to your business?

9.7% of the executives surveyed knew. 90.3% didn’t know!

QUESTION: Do you know the cost of acquiring a new customer?

8.6% of the executives surveyed knew. 91.4% didn’t know.

I knew the answers to two out of three for my business. How about you? If you don’t know, find out. You can learn a lot from the numbers!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

IRS Rates Better Than Airlines

I just read a fascinating article posted by Tom Barlow. The headline read: IRS rated better for customer service than airlines. This is confirmed by the first quarter 2007 study conducted by the University of Michigan.

I smiled. Even chuckled. This struck me as funny. I think of the IRS as the tax collector. I’ve always tried to believe myself that paying taxes is should be a happy event. The more I pay, the more I made. Still, I hate paying taxes. And, the few encounters I’ve had with the IRS and their auditors weren’t what I would call fun. Still, these people treated me with dignity and respect. They were, after all, just doing their job.

The airlines on the other hand… Don’t get me started. The Miami Herald posted an article on May 14, 2007 that the major airlines were elevating customer service. I’m from Missouri, the Show Me state. So show me! The airlines claim new planes, cleaner planes, in-flight entertainment, better systems and more are being implemented. It seems that the bigger airlines are seeing some positive cash flow and using it to increase customer service.

Still, the airlines have a long way to go to get back to where they were in their glory days. Due to the poor service, people have come to expect very little from the airlines. Their efforts will go unnoticed until they are consistent, and not sporadic.

So, until the airlines ascend to the new heights they hope to reach, they will have to live with the fact the American Customer Satisfaction Survey by the University of Michigan has them lagging behind the IRS.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Customer Service Book Recommendation

My last post on this blog was about creating loyalty with service and confidence. In the April issue of The Shepard Letter, I wrote a longer version of this article. I also mentioned a book, which I feel is worth telling you about here.

My buddy and fellow speaker, John DiJulius has written an excellent book titled, “Secret Service.” This book is about the behind the scenes “secret” systems that will help you create unforgettable service.

John owns salons and spas that are recognized for their dedication to wowing his clients. Beyond the interaction the client has with his wonderful staff, he has put into place various systems that help create great service, client confidence and ultimately, loyalty. The book is filled with strategies and his business is a case study to back them up. I highly recommend you visit his site, sign up for his free newsletter and buy his book. The link is: http://www.johndijulius.com/products.htm. Enjoy!

And, don’t forget to email me your answer to the question:

What do you do to create confidence for your customers and employees?

Monday, April 09, 2007

How Do You Create Customer Confidence?

I just wrote an article for my monthly newsletter (The Shepard Letter) about customer loyalty. This is not a copy of the article, rather further explanation of the concept. The article introduced a concept in the form of an equation:

Customer Loyalty = Great Service + Confidence

Sounds simple, and it is. Provide great service and create confidence and you can create loyalty. Hundreds if not thousands of books have been written about how to provide great customer service and loyalty. Not many have been written about confidence, especially as it applies to customer service.

Well, this may be the place the book on confidence starts, even though it is just a few sentences. My belief is that confidence comes first from consistency. Great customer service is an all of the time thing. You can’t be good one day and just okay the next. Inconsistency could be the fastest way to erode customer confidence. So make sure that what you are doing today is good enough to make that customer want to come back to do business with you again the next time they need what you sell.

Now, I have a favor. If I do in fact start to write this book, I want your help. Send me your ideas on how you create confidence with your customers and employees and I will start to compile the ideas. Once the book is written (if it ever is), you will get full credit and receive a copy. Email to shep@hyken.com.

Again, the question is…

What do you do to create confidence for your customers and employees?

Shep Hyken, CSP is a professional speaker and 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 (www.TheCustomerFocus.com).

Thursday, March 15, 2007

St. Louis Blues Hockey Organization Sets a Good Example

I’m impressed with Dave Checketts, the new owner of the St. Louis Blues. For those who aren’t into hockey, this is a National Hockey League team that was just sold to new ownership after a player strike that was followed by one of the worst losing records for a professional team.

So, Mr. Checketts stepped up to the plate and bought the team. First thing he did was raise ticket prices. If the fans were mad at the team for such a poor record in the prior season, they were really mad now. The Blues went from having some of the best attendance in the league to one of the worst.

What did Mr. Checketts do? He talked to the fans. He sent out thousands of surveys and believe it or not, many came back. What he found was there were three things that could get the fans back. One is a team that wins. Not necessarily the championship, but one that occasionaly wins. Two is a team that that has a good work ethic. When you lose it’s hard to get motivated. The Blues had to show they wanted to win, at a minimum. Three was ticket prices.

Mr. Checketts said that he wanted the Blues to win and try hard, but that was up to the coach. However the ticket prices were up to him. So, just a few weeks after the surveys went out he started lowering ticket prices. He sent letters to the fans saying that he wanted to earn back their loyalty.

Good for you Mr. Checketts! You stepped up and took ownership of the team – and their problems!

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

The other day I was at an airport and had time to grab a pizza prior to the flight. The pizza was supposed to be from a recognizable restaurant chain. While it looked like it should have, it didn’t taste like it should have. It turns out the pizzas are flown in frozen and baked on site. The quality was not what was expected and a bad reflection on the restaurant.

This made me think of a buddy of mine who had a wonderful public relations opportunity when his restaurant was asked to prepare the food for huge special event. Due to the large quantity, he had to prepare the food in advance. When I tasted it at the event, it wasn’t up to the usual quality. He was concerned, and for good reason.There were at least ten thousand people at this event. And, they were sampling food from his restaurant that wasn’t up to his typically high standards. While he should have been elated over the opportunity to showcase his restaurant, he immediately turned scared for the bad impression he might give his potential customers trying out his food for the first time.

The opportunity might have been great, but only if he was prepared for it. You have to know when to say, “No.” Anybody that had heard about this restaurant from the event would hear a mediocre review, at best. That’s bad PR. There is an old saying that sums this up: Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

This Product Helps You Keep In Touch With Your Customers

First, I want to wish all of the readers a Happy New Year. Now, on to business…

I admit that my Blog postings aren’t as frequent as they should be. That said, when I do post, I have something to say. This posting I want to tell you about an excellent program that helps you keep in touch with customers (and family and friends). It’s called On Line Cards. It is a way to use the Internet to send personal greeting cards, without having to go to the store to buy the card, lick a stamp and go to the post office or mailbox. Your customer receives a card in an envelope with a real stamp. The card has your personal message or note. There are hundreds of cards to choose from or you can create one of your own. It’s a time saver and a money saver!

First a disclaimer: I make nothing on this. This product is being sold as a multi-level product and as a retail product. I’ve chosen to buy on a retail level. So, I have nothing to financially gain if you decide to use this cost effective, time efficient and excellent customer relationship product.

The gentleman that sold me the product is Dave Rubel, who happens to be one of my faithful readers of my on-line newsletter, The Shepard Letter. (Subscribe today, if you haven’t already done so. It is complementary!) He is a very nice guy and his website where you can learn more about “Send Out Cards” is www.FollowUpMadeEasy.com/ReferralKing.

His friend Ann Zuccardy, the owner of VermontShortBreadCompany.com, had this to say about Send Out Cards:

Send Out Cards is an online product that allows you to keep in touch with people through custom or pre-designed greeting cards that arrive on your recipients' doorstep with a real stamp and your address as the return address. With Send Out Cards and the power of the internet, you can even create your own custom font to reproduce your own handwriting! You can create direct mail campaigns, import your contact lists, and even direct the system to help you remember important dates. I recently signed up for a Send Out Cards account with Dave. I'm looking forward to using it to create unique and memorable mailings, but mostly I'm looking forward to not having to drive to the mall or supermarket the day before an important birthday. I sent one to my mother for her birthday with a photo of yours truly on the front. It arrived on time and she loved the creative effort behind her one-of-a-kind birthday card.

So, that’s my tip for this Blog. Hope you enjoy it!

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

If You Do Something Special, Make Sure the Customer Knows About It

Sometimes we do things extraordinarily well. Sometimes we do it better than our competitors. When we do, do our customers realize it?

I recently wrote about the Mandarin Hotel, known for their outstanding guest service. It is more than just the people. It is hundreds of details, many behind the scenes. For example, they distributed an antenna system that runs throughout the building that allows for cell phone users to use the phone virtually anywhere in the hotel, even in the elevators where cell phones usually won’t work. This is the kind of extra detail that the customer needs to know about.

Sometimes I go to a butcher to get my meat. The butcher always explains why his meat is a better value than his competitors. He explains how he trims the fat and cuts the beef in such a way that there is more meat for the dollar. He takes the time to explain this to all of his new customers. They appreciate and he has a following as a result.

If you don’t educate the customer, how will they know? Don’t hide what you do well. It may be the one thing that gets you a new customer that will stay with you forever.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Legends Are Made From Stories Like This

Not long ago my wife and I stayed at a nice hotel in Boston. After we checked out and were at the airport waiting for our plane, she realized she had left her book on the nightstand of our room. We called the hotel and they found it. Then they asked for my credit card information to pay $16.00 for shipping the book to our home. I asked why so much. They said that is what it costs to overnight it. I asked them just to put it in the regular US mail for a few bucks. They said they couldn’t do it. (Couldn’t or wouldn’t?) At that point, it was easier and cheaper to buy a new book. I left a message for the manager to call, yet never heard back from him.

Contrast that story with the San Francisco Mandarin Hotel who misplaced a guest’s luggage. It would have been easy for them to overnight the luggage, at their own expense of course, but instead they flew a bellhop to Los Angeles to personally deliver the lost bag.

Wow! Their feeling is that when you charge a high rate for an excellent experience, the cost of a plane ticket is a small price to pay for guest loyalty.

The Boston hotel we stayed at hasn’t figured this out. We had a good experience at their hotel that was spoiled over a couple of bucks for postage. They are willing to give me a cookie upon arrival, amenities that I may have forgotten (like tooth paste, shaving cream, etc.) and free coffee in the morning, but they won’t spend a couple of bucks to return an item that was left behind by a guest. Short sited? I’ll say.

People love stories. They’ll buy, or won’t buy, because of the story. Do you have any stories you’ve created that are on the level of the Mandarin Hotel? Legendary service sells!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Training for Customer Service

In sports, repetitive training creates memory that is put into action during the game. For example, a tennis pro will practice a particular shot, from a particular place on the court, thousands of times. Once in the game, when the pro is given the opportunity to take that shot, from that exact place, muscle memory takes over and the shot is executed, hopefully to perfection.

This is also possible in delivering outstanding customer service. Take a look at many of the top customer service providers in the world and note that they all have a system. They mix skills training with technology to enhance the customer experience. For lack of a better term, it is scripted. Not the spoken words, but the system. Even a system can help create a warm experience, help humanize a situation and make the norm seem special or spontaneous.

Yet remember that no matter how good the system is, the people working and practicing the system must still have the right attitude when dealing directly with the customer. The best system in the world won’t make up for an employee with a bad attitude.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

The Customer is Not Always Right

I’ve written about this many times. In the September 2006 issue of Fast Company, Danny Meyer, the famous New York City restaurateur, was interviewed. Fast Company asked Danny a very direct question, and his answer was refreshingly direct. The asked, “So do you impress on your staff tha the customer is always right?”

Danny’s response was, “The customer isn’t always right. Sometimes the staff is.”

Danny went on to explain that one of the concepts he instills on his staff is making sure people feel heard. He said, “People don’t need to feel agreed with, so long as they know you took it in, looked them in the eye and were thoughtful in the process.”

What he is saying is what I’ve been preaching for years. The customer is not always right, but they are the customer. So if they are wrong, let them be wrong with dignity and respect.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Deception In Advertising Can Cause Low Trust and Lost Business

I just saw a television advertisement touting automaker Ford’s powertrain warranty as the best from a full-line automaker. It is now five years and 60,000 miles. Something bothered me. I remember seeing advertisements from Hyundai offering a ten year and 100,000 mile warranty.

Turns out I was right. Ford’s warranty isn’t better than Hyundai’s. Then I read an article in USA Today that had an explanation of Ford’s claim. Ford claims that their warranty is the best from a “full-line automaker.” Ford’s position is that Hyundai is not a full-line automaker because they don’t sell pickup trucks.

Is there some fine print that I need to read here? Ford’s claim is almost misleading.

This is simple. People like to do business with people and companies they know, they like and they trust. Mislead me with a false claim, or almost false claim, and you will start to lose my trust, which may cost you my business - forever.

Shep Hyken, CSP is a professional speaker and 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 (www.TheCustomerFocus.com).

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Calling Customer Service: A Few Tips to Help Make That Call Less Painful

One of the many frustrating moments in life is calling the customer service numbers to get help from businesses like credit card companies, banks, telephone companies, etc. I call for help and all I seem to get is a list of recorded menu options. You know the ones. “For this, press one. For that press two.” Sometimes it can take five or ten minutes just to get to the menu option you want and finally get a live person on the phone.

So, here are some simple tips to speed things up and make the call go better. By no means is this complete. It is just a few ideas that could help you on the next call for help.

How do you get around the voice menu that seems to last forever? Many times, if you do nothing, a live person will come to the rescue. Don’t press any numbers, the pound or star signs. Just wait. Within thirty seconds or so, you may get a live operator to connect you to the right person.

If doing nothing doesn’t work, hit the “O” button. Sometimes an operator will come on.

This doesn’t work all of the time, but more times than not, it speeds the process along.

How about hold times? Want to cut down the time you spend listening to recorded music that is meant to relax you, but usually drives you nuts? Call at the right times. Peak times for customer service calls are just after work. If you can call a Customer Service Representative (CSR) during the day, you may not have to wait as long. Even lunch time is better than just after work.

So, finally you have a live person on the phone. What should you do? Be nice! Sounds a bit obvious, but sometimes our anger and frustration can get the best of us. This person is here to help you. They are usually listening to people complaining all day long, which means they might not be in the best mood. So, being nice and having a sense of humor can go a long way to getting someone to help you. So can treating people with dignity and respect. You may have heard the joke about the irate airline passenger yelling at the airline employee about how the airline lost his luggage. The employee said, “Sir, there are only two people right now that care about your luggage and you are beginning to get one of them very upset.”

Shep Hyken, CSP is a professional speaker and 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 (www.TheCustomerFocus.com).

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Customer Service: Rules Are Meant To Be... Bent

Rules that involve customers are like walking on a circus high wire. You have to be very careful. You can lean to the left and to the right, and sometimes you have to. Just don’t go too far or you might fall off.

Management makes rules about how to handle customers, and then tells employees to abide by them. I don’t believe rules are meant to be broken, as the old saying goes, but I do believe you can lean, bend, tweak, modify, etc. As just mentioned, don’t lean too far, or you might fall off. This is especially important when trying to “save” a customer during a tough situation or confrontation.

In an empowered environment take a look at the customer situation you have before you. What do you have to do to make the customer happy? Will it hurt the company in any way, if you do? If you can create a win/win situation, there shouldn’t be a need to report to management – until after you’ve saved the customer.

It’s all about managing the Moments of Truth (contact we have with our customers) and creating Moments of Magic™.

Shep Hyken, CSP is a professional speaker and 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 (www.TheCustomerFocus.com).

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