How often do you find that you and your family or friends discussing a horrible customer service experience – something that happened at a local store, on the telephone, with a service person, etc.? If you are like most, these conversations happen with alarming regularity. Weekly – sometimes daily. Do you have places to which you have vowed never to return because of a poor experience you received? Again, if you are like most, the answer is a resounding yes.

From Bob Janet’s book “Bad Business Assumptions That Cost You Sales and Profits”

I was doing a five-day sales training program for a company located in a very small town in South Carolina. One of those small quaint towns with a population of just over ten thousand, one road through the town with only a half dozen traffic lights. I was lodging at the In Town Hotel. The only hotel in the town. Each evening, as I had my dinner on a very lovely deck attached to the side of the hotel facing the main shopping area, I watched a dozen or so children ranging in age from six to twelve years old ride their bikes into town and go into a candy store across the street. (more…)

Guest Post
By Bob Burg and John David Mann, coauthors of The Go-Giver and Go-Givers Sell More*

“I’m no good at selling!” Have you ever heard someone say that? Or maybe said it yourself? (Now, tell the truth.)

We hear it all the time. Everyone who is not in sales thinks, “I could never sell” — and most people who are in sales secretly think the same thing.

There is a reason people feel this way: most of us look at sales backwards. Backwards how? In the most fundamental ways. (more…)

Instructions: Pass out handout for this exercise.  Allow 5 minutes for individuals to complete it.

• Say: “Studies have shown that most customers never complain about poor service…they just walk out and don’t come back!  Also, most of us will tell our stories, especially about bad service, to approximately 10 other people.”

• Break into small groups* so everyone has time to share at least one positive and one negative example (two examples of each if time permits).

• Ask participants to turn the negative example into a positive one—what could have been done differently to improve this service and the customer’s experience?

• Bring groups together and ask each group to share one example only of unique or outstanding service.  You may wish to list these on the board or flip chart.  Allow 5 minutes for sharing of examples.

• Conclude by stating in your own words: “While we’re done with these positive and negative examples, we know this is really only the beginning of how we can provide the best service to our customers.  Good service is a full-time job that we must stay alert to at all times with our verbal and non-verbal language, our facial expressions, our tone of voice and our overall attitude.”

*Note: Small group size will vary based on overall attendance, but 3-4 maximum will allow best participation.

Handout:

Recent Positive Examples of Customer Service:

We really don’t need experts to tell us about good customer service since each of us is also a customer and knows what we like and don’t like.

Instructions: List some “memorable” positive traits, behaviors, phrases and expressions of recent service encounters you’ve experienced.

1. __________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________

5. __________________________________________________

Review and prioritize your top two examples.

Recent Negative Examples of Customer Service:

Instructions: List some “memorable” negative traits, behaviors, phrases and expressions of recent service encounters you’ve experienced.

1. __________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________

5. __________________________________________________

Review and prioritize your top two examples.

Excerpted from the Leader’s Guide for Remember Me, 3^rd Edition.

Need help in this area? CRM Learning’s best-selling program, Remember Me?, reminds service providers that it is typically the simple things (like common courtesy and professionalism) that matter most to customers.

When conducting training, most of us ask our audiences to brainstorm and provide information on what they already know about the topic we’re teaching.  This sharing process allows participants to educate one another while creating an open environment where people are enthusiastic about expanding their current skill level.

During this process, participants sometimes reveal that they already KNOW how to do much of what we’re there to teach.  But if that’s the case, why doesn’t the organization see them applying that knowledge?

Consider this example:  Some managers and service providers seem to be able to provide good leadership and/or service when they are being observed by an executive who can affect their continued employment or advancement. Yet, that manager or service provider fails to give the same level of care and consideration on a consistent basis.

That’s when the role of a trainer is to come up with ways to remind or inspire people to use the knowledge they already have.  I call this having a “know focus.” It requires innovative techniques, not just new information, to improve the long-term effectiveness of an organization’s leadership and staff development.

As you may have guessed from this article’s title, I believe music is one of those innovative techniques. Research done by a number of organizations, including the American Medical Association and Harvard University, shows that music can provide both an anchor and an emotional connection to improve the retention of information.

Instead of relying solely on traditional methods of closing the gap between what participants learn and what they actually use (such as setting a goal that people look at every morning)…try using music as a fun and inspirational reminder of the things you want participants to improve upon.

Here are a few examples of how you can build a training message around a familiar song!
Good Vibrations from The Beach Boys can be used to remind service providers that their jobs are all about sending “good vibes” to customers.
Put a Little Love in Your Heart by Jackie DeShannon can be used to reinforce a lesson about servant leadership.
Little Bit O’ Soul by The Music Explosion can be used to inspire people to keep a positive attitude.

So go ahead.  Listen to your IPod for a few hours and see what useful, inspirational messages you might stumble upon.  Or, make the selection of a “memory anchor” song an assignment for participants—allowing them to think of a song that will always remind them of the day’s lesson.   You’ll be amazed at what a great retention device this is because your participants will remember your messages “Eight Days a Week!”

Over the past 20 years, Donna Long has helped hundreds of organizations improve their leadership, communication and customer service effectiveness. Visit www.LearningJourneyInc.com to learn more.

Need help in this area? CRM Learning’s Jukebox Journey Meeting Opener Series contains three short animated videos that feature the songs and messages described in the above article.  These videos can help you teach unforgettable lessons in leadership, customer service and a positive workplace.

by Robert L. Moment

Customers of every kind of business imaginable these days bemoan the state of customer service. While the global economy and the Internet have given businesses the opportunity to serve more clients than ever before, the trend has also given way to impersonal, lackluster customer service. It’s unfortunate that most businesses today don’t realize that they are regularly losing valuable customers if they don’t focus on providing an exceptional customer service experience.

In most businesses, once a customer begins dealing with the customer service department, he or she is already in a negative mindset. The best customer service representatives aren’t those that simply neutralize the problem. Outstanding customer service representatives take a negative and turn it into a positive that ensures the customer is not only happy, but is convinced he or she has had an outstanding experience – the Wow Factor – that he would not have gotten with any other company.

The key ingredients of the Wow experience are:

• Seamless Service
• Trustworthy Service
• Attentiveness
• Resourcefulness
• Courtesy
• Pro-active Service

Seamless Service means providing everything the customer needs, not just what is required to meet the minimum standards. It’s about making sure that they don’t have to wait and wonder. Customers will appreciate a smooth, seamless process for addressing their needs. If there are several steps needed to take care of their concerns, keep them in the loop – update them by email or with a quick phone call so that they know you are working on the situation and progress is being made. By keeping them abreast of what is going on, you are letting them know you haven’t forgotten about them and that you understand their concerns – reassurance and communication are powerful customer service tools.

Trustworthy Service is essential to retaining customers. Promising a customer anything and delivering nothing is the surest way to not only lose a customer, but get the kind of “word of mouth” bad press that can ruin you. Under-promise and over-deliver – If you promise a satisfactory solution and then go the extra mile to not only satisfy the customer, but gain their appreciation and “Wow” them, you will get word of mouth that will bring new customers to you.

Attentive Service means paying attention during and after the initial contact. How many times have you contacted customer service and been subjected to an obviously scripted response from the customer service representative? Does it give you the feeling they aren’t really listening, but just trying to get to the end of their canned presentation?

Attentiveness should run through every customer service experience, from listening carefully to the customer’s concerns to following up after the exchange is over to make sure their needs have been met. Listening isn’t just about hearing – it is about understanding what is really being said. The words are just the beginning –what about the customer’s tone of voice? Her mood? Is she disappointed, angry or frustrated? Keying in to the customer’s mood and responding appropriately is essential, and it means not following a script.

Resourcefulness means finding solutions when there appear to be none. Many companies have iron-clad policies that must be followed whenever a problem arises; however, sometimes a customer won’t be satisfied by the “company line” approach. Resourceful customer service representatives know that there is always a way to move beyond the standard procedures in order to make a customer happy. Resourcefulness involves finding a solution when a solution isn’t apparent. This may mean moving up the chain of command before the customer demands to talk to your superior. Companies with excellent customer service also give their representatives some leeway so that they can come up with creative solutions on their own. When a customer senses that you are going beyond the norm to help them, they will feel valued and respected.

Courtesy is a commodity that is becoming rarer every day. It takes so little to be polite but it is becoming a lost art. Say please when you ask a customer a question, thank them for their information and take your time talking to them. Nothing makes a customer feel more devalued than being treated like a number. Use the person’s name, make requests rather than demands and know when to apologize. When something goes wrong for a customer, they want to hear that you understand their frustration and that you are genuinely sorry that they are being inconvenienced. It takes nothing to say, “I’m so sorry you aren’t satisfied and I hope we can do something to correct this.”

Pro-active Service means not waiting for the customer to come up with a solution that you simply follow through on. A pro-active customer service representative anticipates the needs of the customer and follows through. Don’t wait for the customer to ask you what you are willing to do – anticipate the question and answer it before they can ask. If they call and say they aren’t satisfied, apologize and immediately suggest some solutions. Customers want you to take the lead – acknowledge their unhappiness, offer a solution or solutions and explain to them how you are going to follow through. Pro-active service means taking the lead, which will reassure your customers that you know what you are doing and that you will follow through.

If you keep these six keys in mind – seamless service, trustworthiness, attentiveness, resourcefulness, courtesy and pro-active service – you will be able to offer every customer the Wow Customer Service Experience that inspires loyalty and keeps customers coming back for more.

Robert Moment is an innovative customer service consultant, business coach and author of “Invisible Profits: The Power of Exceptional Customer Service”. Visit http://www.customerservicetrainingskills.com and sign-up for the FREE 5 Day e-course titled, “Creating Wow Customer Service Experiences”.

Need help in this area? One of the most popular customer service training videos ever, Remember Me reminds us that some customers don’t complain when they are treated badly, they just quietly take their business elsewhere.

In a world of pre-recorded phone service, automated banking, and downloaded technical support, it’s become common to expect a disembodied voice or just impersonal service from the companies we contact. It’s like…speaking to a mummy. So it’s more important than ever for customers to know there’s a friendly human they can speak to for answers and assistance. Customer service representatives give an organization heart, soul, and feelings. They are often the first point of contact for customers, a critical component in how customers judge and determine whether they’ll want to do business with an organization.

When a customer or potential customer calls or visits a company and speaks to a service representative, there is a “Moment of Truth” during which the customer evaluates the company. It may be a subconscious mental rating or, after a few encounters, a deliberate one.

People these days are demanding more personal attention from businesses. In response, companies expect their service representatives to provide the empathy, knowledge and problem-solving abilities that keep customers happy. That’s a lot to expect, but with the following basics, customer support can provide those satisfactory “Moments of Truth” that are beneficial to both the customer and the organization.

Think of the Worst Communicator You Know – Then Do the Opposite
Have you ever felt like you’re being talked at, rather than talked to? It makes you feel like you’re not part of the conversation; that you’re expected to listen, but not respond. When you start spouting technical jargon at a customer, that’s how they feel. You’re not connecting with them, and you’re probably making them even more frustrated. Sure, insurance company policies or seasonal utility rates seem simple to you, but it may be gibberish to the caller. Speak clearly to your customers in words they’ll understand, and question them to make sure they’re following you.

Think of how your voice sounds to the customer, and try not to drone as if you’re bored. If you act interested, you’ll sound interested! Also, asking questions raises your voice inflection and helps you learn what the customer needs.

Know Your Stuff!
In order to assure customers that you can help them, you have to prove that you know the answers to their questions. This not only aids the customer, but it also makes helping the customer easier and quicker for you. If you don’t have the information you need, knowing where to find it is the next best way to provide effective and efficient service. You might use a reference guide, or you might refer the customer to a supervisor or specially-trained staff.

Wow Them With Personalization
A customer interaction can be personal without being overly-familiar. Calling a person by name can make him or her feel more like an individual; although, make sure you pronounce the name correctly! If your customer service is taking place over the phone, see if you can identify information about the caller that you can use in your conversation, such as the topic of a previous call. Or, try to establish common ground by commenting on something you share with the customer, like bad weather, or maybe a current event. Sometimes it’s difficult to be empathetic, but always try to imagine yourself in your customer’s place. You might even discuss similar problems that you’ve had and how you felt.

Don’t Be a Smarty Pants (You May Not Know Everything)
Although it’s good to think ahead and anticipate customers’ questions and reactions, don’t assume you know what they’re thinking or how they’ll respond. Acting on your assumptions without verifying them can lead to misunderstanding. Listen closely, allowing the customer to explain the situation or problem completely, without interruption. If they’ve made a mistake, note it, but don’t interrupt. After the customer has finished, you can politely mention any errors, and ask questions to clarify any confusion.

Become a Professional Complaint-Solver
A service recovery plan should include steps to resolve any customer concerns or problems that can be handled immediately. It should also include steps to get at the underlying cause of the problem—especially if it has happened more than once or to more than one customer.

These are the basic steps to follow:

• ACKNOWLEDGE that an error or problem occurred. This doesn’t mean that you or your company must accept responsibility for every situation or incident. What matters, though, is that your customer has someone to agree that a problem exists and that it will be taken care of.
• APOLOGIZE. This doesn’t mean you’re taking the blame, unless the error is indeed yours or the organization’s. A sincere apology might be as simple as, “I’m sorry it happened.”
• CORRECT THE PROBLEM immediately, if possible. Remember, a major element of customer satisfaction is responsiveness. If your position doesn’t allow you to take immediate corrective action, you should discuss a solution with your supervisor.
• FOLLOW UP. Tell the customer what you intend to do, then follow up, if necessary, to report your action or results and to get feedback from the customer.

It’s Not About You (How to Handle Irritated Customers)
People often vent their wrath on the first person they speak to, no matter what the source of irritation. Telephone service representatives are especially easy targets because they’re a faceless, depersonalized voice. Although you may be offended by the language and tone, it’s important to remember that it’s not aimed at you personally. A calm, easy tone can defuse explosive emotions, especially when your professional attitude is combined with genuine concern.

When people rant and rave, it’s a good idea to let them get it all out. Listen quietly until they’re ready to talk rationally, and document everything they say and how you respond. Repeat what they’ve said, and ask questions to confirm that you understand the problem and to reassure them that you’ve been listening. Ask customers about their expectations in cases where the problem can’t be solved through standard procedures, and use that information when discussing possible solutions. If you have to say “no” to their requests (or demands), politely explain why and try to come up with an alternate solution.

Just Because You’re in Customer Service, Doesn’t Mean You Can’t SELL
A customer calls to complain and you’re expected to sell something to them? It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds, because you’re in a great position to do the customer a favor. When customers complain because they’re upset about a particular product or service, they’re letting you know a need. They might not be aware of available options that can prevent similar problems in the future.

For example, someone complaining about a high phone bill might not realize that the phone company has other plans that can significantly reduce the cost of long distance calls. Rather than merely explaining the different rates for different times, you can respond to the customer’s needs by offering a better alternative to his or her current phone service.

Summary
As service becomes more depersonalized and daily tasks become more complex and technical, customers demand solutions and empathy when they make personal contact with a company. Service representatives are the ones who put a human face on increasingly inhuman organizations. They are also the crucial element that keeps a customer loyal to a service or product when competition gets tough. We all risk becoming mummies without the human touch. Customer service representatives provide that vital link between the needs of the organization and customer satisfaction.

~Excerpted from the Leader’s Guide for the CRM Learning video program, The Call of the Mummy.

Need help in this area? In today’s competitive marketplace, even just one bad experience can cause a customer to take their business to another company. The Call of the Mummy video shows employees how to identify moments of truth that they can use to retain their customers.

1.  Share stories of great service within your company, agency or location. Use bulletin boards, email or meetings—whatever you’ve got at your disposal.

2. Ask customers what they want! You can use surveys or focus groups to get feedback from customers directly OR ask employees what they’ve been hearing from customers in the way of wants, needs and desires.

3.  Look! Listen! Learn! Have employees actively check out what other organizations are doing –both good and  bad. (It’s especially great when you can have them observe what the competition is doing.)  Recognize or reward them when they bring forth observations your team can use to improve its service level.

4.  Regularly reward employees for giving great service. Small and inexpensive rewards can work well.  For example: movie tickets, coupons to leave work a half-hour early, a pass to park in the boss’s space for a week, etc.

5.  Post key customer service concepts in prominent places.  Add visuals and snappy phrases.  Post in the break room, cafeteria or on entry/exit doors.

6.  Ask employees to keep a lightbulb list nearby so they can jot down new ideas to improve customer service as they occur.  Reward and recognize employees whose ideas are implemented.

7.  Train employees by: providing brown bag lunch learning sessions where you bring in a guest speaker or motivational video; sending them offsite for a community college training course  or paying for them to take a course online; maintaining a lending library of self-study audio CDs, DVDs, books and periodicals.

8.  Job Rotation Day.  Designate one day a month when a number of employees cross-train and learn a little bit about somebody else’s job.  Draw names randomly so everyone gets a chance to do this over time.  This gives employees a chance to see the big picture of the workplace and gives employees who don’t typically interact with customers an opportunity to do so.

9.  Revolving Brainstorm Bulletin Board.  Set up a webpage or suggestion box for employees to bring forth customer service problems (anonymous is usually best). Post the problems and provide methods for other employees to propose possible solutions.

10.  Have fun at work!  Studies show happy employees are healthier and they give better service. Here are just a few ideas:

·         Awards – Create a rotating award relevant to your organization.  The awards can be funny or serious.  Once a month, give the award to a team member.

·         Decorate – Decorate the workplace for holidays or seasons.

·         No Reason Parties – Throw a little party for no reason at all.

·         Ice Cream Social – Walk around and hand out a selection of ice cream treats.  If your employees work on a retail floor, put them in the freezer for everyone to have on their break.

This material excerpted from the Leader’s Guides to the video programs Remember Me and Fun is Good.

Need more help in this area? CRM’s new video program, WAYMISH (Why Are You Making It So Hard…for me to give you my money), comes with a special video just for supervisors.  Find out why WAYMISH was voted a “Best Product 2009” by Training Media Review.

Here’s an activity to help you identify the “lifetime value” of a customer. Below are some figures that give customer lifetime values in different types of businesses.

Expenditures per visit for various industries & estimates of the 1- and 10-year values of one customer:

Now let’s do the same for you. What’s your favorite store? Think about all the places you shop – clothing stores, grocery, electronics, home improvement stores, coffee shops, bookstores, pet stores, warehouse stores, online stores…How much do you spend each time you go in your favorite store? What’s your business worth to them over a year? 

Now, think about one of your regular customers. Each one of them has a “lifetime value” to your company. Do some more math, and you’ll see how that customer’s value can grow! 

 If you’re a big store and have hundreds of customers a day, the impact could be staggering if you began to lose those regular customers!