Service Untitled

According to Winston Churchill, “attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” Projecting the right attitude when delivering exceptional customer service makes a big difference. When I do business with someone, I am going to remember that company by how well I was treated, how the people who served the company treated me, and how well the company fulfilled my needs or my wishes.

My initial impression most likely will be affected by the friendliness and kindness of the customer service agent; whether it is my first experience on the phone, by email, or in person. When I call another realtor to set up an appointment to see one of their listings, I always begin with ” How are you today?” Immediately I can sense a relaxed attitude. It just makes people nicer when we are nice.  Follow up the friendly greeting with an enthusiastic attitude about your position, your job, or the service you are offering. For instance, I’m excited when I shop to buy new shoes. I like it when the salesperson shows that same attitude of enthusiasm as she helps me to choose the perfect pair.

Then there is the attitude of respect that shows customers how we appreciate their business and how we are willing to do everything we can to make their experience the best we can offer. That attitude of respect is what wins us a customer’s loyalty. For those customers who need to be thrifty and for those clients who have the economics to be frivolous, our attitude of respect for all customers can make a difference. When we use the attitude that we genuinely care about others, even if they can not afford the most expensive product our company offers, we build up trust and appreciation. Today when I scheduled new Internet, phone, and television service, the customer service agent started with the most expensive package Comcast offered. I wanted something more economical, so we amicably worked our way to my more specific needs.

And finally we need to include the attitude of being thankful, and to never underestimate the power of saying thank you to our customers. Let’s face it – you would never visit someone at their home and eat dinner there without saying thank you to the hostess. Then why wouldn’t you want to thank a customer for spending their time and their money at your company? Never forget to show how grateful you are because there’s always some other business out there who would love to step in and say it for you.

photo credit: Identity Photogr@phy

As customers we want to choose the companies we do business with based on personal recommendations, reviews, and past performances. Unfortunately, when it comes to telecommunications, most of us are still somewhat limited as to our choices, but still that is absolutely no excuse for poor customer service.

Two days ago I called AT&T to order two new land line phones for my new home. The customer service agent was polite and helped me to plan what I would need and arranged the install date for a few weeks from now when I moved. Unfortunately, he mistakenly canceled my main land line at my current home, which in my line of business has a very negative impact on my business day. With the obvious fault being that of  AT&T, my perception of reality was to be for the company to immediately turn my service back on; eight-hours later, three-and-a-half hours on my cell phone speaking with customer service and an endless parade of rudeness, ineptness, and excuses – finally service was restored.

So let’s make this a serious attempt to explain why customers complain and how any company can and should improve their customer service with a better proactive approach. Perhaps the most frustrating part of a company mess up is the slow response time. Again, a customer’s reality is judged how well a company resolves the problem. The apology is of course necessary, but if the problem isn’t rectified, what has been resolved? A company like AT&T  can not have a customer service agent get on the line and  simply say the service a customer expected is temporarily unavailable.

The unprofessional behavior by employees can quickly become viral when a customer relates their experience to others on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. No matter how angry the customer is, the agent’s job is to listen. Of course, no agent is expected to put up with any kind of verbal abuse, but a customer’s anger for an organization’s error that is costing a customer loss of business or loss of money is justified. (barring abuse of course) It’s when there is a lack of available management, and everyone assures a customer of a realistic resolution and it doesn’t happen, then the failure of the company’s customer service becomes a tragedy.

So what is the great debate how to handle customer complaints? Start with making promised services available, and when a company makes an error, reward customer loyalty with an expedited resolution to the problem. In my case, a supervisor should have been called immediately to resolve the problem before it became an eight-hour ordeal. After all, customer loyalty should never be ignored. There is nothing more disappointing than to feel that lack of appreciation. Rectify the slow response time, and realize a company is judged by properly trained and informed employees. Eliminate unprofessional behavior of employees; more training, more role-playing, and more supervisors available at peak hours of business. And finally – every company worth their weight needs to show their long-time customers the profound advantages of having been with a company for an extended amount of time and give them priority treatment.

And to think I don’t move for another few weeks!

photo credit: gcoldironjr2003

A customer-centric strategy is the best way to deliver world-class service, and it all starts with the initial point of delivery. In order to make customers happy, we need to be sure our employees are happy, and there is no better way to uphold and maintain a sustainable strategy than by being an excellent role model.

Maybe I am a bit more critical of world-class customer service than most people because I write about it almost daily, but I am sure the expectations I have about good systems and processes are consistent with what all people want when dealing with any business. Let’s face it – without customers there is no business.

So here I am in the process of moving from one home to another; an experience that stresses even the most stoic. It’s also  an opportunity that one gets to encounter the customer service departments of the most complained about, the most efficient, and even a few companies who I am still shaking my head in utter disbelief. The experiences however, remind me of what world-class service can offer.

World-class service is made up of the best systems and processes. They keep their promises, they do what they say, and when someone has a question or a problem, someone is there to help. Here are my observations:

• The best companies know their product and services. In the process of learning about hardwood floors and all of the options available, the best company I had the pleasure to deal with didn’t try to sell me the most expensive products, but educated me on options, quality, costs, and extras I might need.
• World-class customer service listened to what I had to say. In a most undesirable situation, the owner of a local auction facility called to complain to me about how hard his business is and to complain to me that customers bother him when they call. Needless to say, his company will never be recommended again.
• Respect is always given to each and every customer. Admittedly some customers are more difficult to deal with, however the customer is always right and he has the right to feel the way he does. It’s when a business doesn’t listen and adopts a negative attitude that a customer will tell the world. Disgruntled customers can cause significant business loss.
• Communicate when things go wrong. We all want to believe our organizations can deliver flawless service, but when things go wrong, our chances to make it better can get a business noticed. Consumers do forgive when organizations take extra efforts to correct problems. Internet service and cable companies notoriously are on the top of worst customer service, yet  some really try to make amends to rectify problems.
• Ownership belongs to the customer service person in an organization who takes the call. Employees need to be empowered to act on the company’s behalf and not have to make a customer wait until someone else gets back to them. When I called a local moving company and requested the movers be at my home earlier in the morning than is the usual procedure, a customer service representative was able to make an exception without having to “check with her boss.”

And to add the best advice to delivering world-class service, is to remember to treat any customer as you would like to be treated yourself. Along with quality, value, and having solutions for the unexpected, take the extra step and be known as the company that listens and lives up to their promises.

photo credit: Meathead Movers

Positive customer experience doesn’t just happen after one transaction, sale, or service, but an initial bad customer experience will send a customer straight to your competition; never to look back at the wake. Therefore I contend that the total positive customer experience I want to appreciate is an organization’s total structure of all departments working together like a finely tuned machine.

When we think of a positive customer experience, we see it as a reflection of the very core values a company has and how that very same organization communicates those values – either through its quality of products or services. The experience begins with the senior executive and works its way through every department.

As an example of a positive customer experience versus a customer who left after only one business dealing, is the difference in core values of two similar organizations, yet one commitment to their business solidly soared over the other. When Cynthia sold her farm in Ohio, she called in an auction company to sell the excess furniture from her house, horse tack, and various equipment and tools she and her husband would no longer need when they moved to South Florida. Cynthia was very nervous about using an auction house, but took her friend’s advice that it was the least complicated way to get rid of everything she no longer needed. Cynthia did relate to the auctioneer how nervous she was as to the prices she would get, and even though he could not assure her of any minimum bid, he promised he would call her after the auction to tell her how she made out. And call he did; not everything sold, but the auctioneer knew that Cynthia needed the extra time and the extra service.

In contrast was the experience of another person from the South Florida area using a local auction house. The marketing, sales, accounting, and support departments were incongruous, and incapable of making a positive customer experience. Where any business needs to coordinate the “first call resolution,” which will clearly reflect the commitment to the shared accountability of individuals to satisfy the customer’s overall experience, the positive customer experience is based on the needs of their customers rather than the needs of the owner or of the convenience of other internal departments.

The South Florida auction house failed to listen to the customer; instead behaved badly – unable and not willing to listen to the customer, nor did he even bother to think about what he would have gained had he listened to his customer’s needs. Albeit one customer may cause your customer service department more time than one might think it’s worth for the moment, the end result is if customer experience suffers, you are most likely losing more than just one customer. The only one thanking you at the end of the day will be your competition, and there’s plenty of it out there.

photo credit: sweetshotphoto

Great products and great service add up to a successful business, and keeping your customers coming back and spending their money in your organization continues to be more competitive. Innovative ways to keep your business in the forefront and fresh ideas to remind customers how much they are appreciated can turn ordinary into extraordinary or the mundane into marvelous.

Most of us know how important it is to write thank-you notes to our customers for doing business with us, but why not give our clients and customers a bit more? Stay in touch with clients and thank them for paying their bill on time, or text them to thank them for referring a client to you. Occasionally send your customers a small trinket honoring your appreciation of your clients; it doesn’t have to be expensive. How thrilled was I the first time a maid left me a chocolate on my pillow at a classy hotel? That piece of candy didn’t cost much, but I’ll never forget how I smiled and to this day have never forgotten that particular hotel.

Almost everyone will tell you the month they were born, although some people might be reluctant to give you the year; identity threat is just too prevalent. Still a birthday card, a letter or a small gift honoring the occasion, gives you another opportunity to connect personally with someone. Even if you decide to send a holiday greeting, why not tie a small candy cane, a bell with a ribbon, or even a sealed piece of festive candy?

Customers and clients always like to be recognized. Some stores and businesses have a “brag” wall where photographs and testimonials are displayed in a prominent area. When my son, as a teenager, had his braces removed at the local orthodontist, the doctor paid for a professional photographic portrait of the students and displayed everyone’s perfect smiles for the world to see. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

I like to educate customers using newsletters and reports. The real estate market is constantly changing; there is always so much to know. When a few years ago, if you were essentially a breathing adult with a job, you could qualify for a mortgage. Today, there are few if any “no doc” loans, and in order to qualify for a mortgage, the rules are forever changing. Why not keep your customers and clients informed of all changes – depending on your type of business, and rarely do things ever stay the same.

Never forget to ask your customers about your customer service. What do they think about your business? While you may think that everything is perfect and going along smoothly, if your customers disagree, then it is time you improved. Customers don’t have to be very forgiving; another opportunity from your competition promising your old customer the moon is right around the corner.

photo credit: lindsay.dee.bunny

Did you ever come home with something you purchased that made you really happy? Of course, depending on your budget, the experience could have ranged from modest to extravagant, but I’m betting that nearly everyone can remember that particular feeling of euphoria. It was beyond just satisfied; you as a customer were particularly delighted.

With that feeling in mind, how can an organization delight a customer? Naturally not every product is going to elicit the release of endorphins, but the customer service supplied can make a profound difference by exceeding customer needs; therefore affecting one’s perception in the most positive way. Take for instance my latest trip to the hardware store. I’m not much of “do-it-yourself-er,” but I am in the process of selling my home and needed to replace a piece of wood molding my dog had chewed on before getting over his puppy days. When I went to the store, there had to be 30 different kinds of floor molding, and I had no idea about the differences between fractional sizes not to mention what seemed like dozens of different styles.

Fortunately a very patient and knowledgeable sales representative was able to help me find the exact strip of molding I needed. He used the photograph I had taken on my iPhone and the measurements I attached to the photo and was actually able to make a perfect match. It took him awhile, and ten trips back and forth to the stock room and his manager, but a half-hour later, I was on my way home with the exact match. I have to admit I was ecstatic. If I had to call in a carpenter to repair the damage, it would have cost far more than $48 for a two foot white oak baseboard #1259.

That was a case in point of customer service far exceeding what I expected. It is, however what a customer really searches for when shopping. If I show an interest in your product or your service, and read your website, I want you to show me your ability and your skill. I want you to constantly and consistently meet my needs. I want you to treat me as an individual. And isn’t that what the special customer representative did for me when I needed help shopping – even though it was just a piece of floor molding? Now that’s what I call delivering happiness.

photo credit: mtneer_man

Emotionally intelligent people are able to know and control their emotions to produce higher sales, better productivity, and assume better leadership roles. Not to be confused with an individual having a great personality which could be  fun or outgoing with a  great sense of humor, emotional intelligence has more to do with how people think in particular situations and decide using clear and sound judgment.

How a customer feels when they interact with an employee can make the difference in sales and customer loyalty. The ability to provide an exceptional buying experience rather than just another sale affects profit, so a customer representative who can respond appropriately to emotions can have a positive influence on customer satisfaction.

Emotional intelligence, according to Daniel Goleman, author of the 1995 book “Emotional Intelligence” has five basic principles necessary to become a leader. They are self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy, and the nurture relationships; all necessary ingredients so to speak to engage customers and maintain their loyalty. As an example, an American Express customer care person will commonly engage a client in conversation pursuant to a client’s mood. When I needed to rebook my flight because my traveling companion became ill, I needed the help immediately. The agent could tell I was stressed, and she accommodated me in what I considered to be ‘double time’ in order to reschedule and reconfirm my flight. She was able to procure new car services for us once we landed, medical assistance at the arrival point, and the agent’s empathy towards a serious situation played an integral part in how I was able to better cope with the emergency.

Therefore when hiring customer service representatives, the ability to respond appropriately makes the difference between acceptable and exceptional. Emotional intelligent representatives know how to make suggestions according to a customer’s desires. While a customer representative can’t tell any customer what they should buy or even how they should feel, they can help customers by being clear and concise communicators.

Maybe John Doe has the greatest personality in the entire organization, but will his errors in judgment lose an organization business? Emotional intelligence imparts a clarity in thinking and the ability to keep one’s composure in the most stressful situations. It helps us to manage our behaviors, moods, and impulses.

“Check that bad mood at the door before you meet a customer.” states Joe W. who runs a local fishing store in West Palm Beach. “I want all of my employees to recognize their own moods and employ mood management. I want them to respond with courtesy, consideration, and respect to everyone that walks through these doors. Even if they’re in the worst of moods, I count on their emotional intelligence to help all customers and resolve any complaints or problems.”

photo credit: nesnet

In real estate sales, there is a lot more to successful customer service than dealing with just customers and clients. Any agent who wants to stay in business needs to build a professional relationship with other realtors too. In real estate listing is the game.  Homes are listed in multiple listing services, and thousands upon thousands of other selling realtors are there to sell a listed home.

The goal of every customer relationship is to be able to communicate with each other. Whether it is by email, telephone, cell phone, interoffice communication, or social media, relationship marketing counts for other business people and organizations. For instance, a South Carolina furniture manufacturer sells to a Palm Beach interior designer. Fabrics are ordered, designs are met, and delivery dates are agreed. The designer pays the manufacturer on time, and the furniture manufacturer is confident the order was done correctly and is able to deliver a quality product in a timely manner.

We know that business to business relationships always don’t proceed as smoothly as the above example, so here are a few tips which can facilitate better relationships with clients and other business partners:

• Communicate clearly with each other. Make sure your orders are clear. Everything has to be in writing. Never say, “I told you to do that about a month ago when we spoke on the phone.”
• In a business to business relationship, pay vendors on time. In turn vendors will likely deliver on time.
• Don’t assume you are smarter than anyone else. Being humble in business to business relationships make you approachable and people want to work with you. It can get very tenuous when an individual becomes arrogant and uncooperative.
• Never promise or commit to more than you can handle.
• Welcome new ideas from your partners or business relationships.
• If you make a mistake, admit it and fix it. Follow up in your business relationships. Other organizations will have more respect for you.
• Thank all of your business relationships for working with and for you. Even if you’re the owner of an elite Palm Beach boutique, that lady who does your alterations will always appreciate a thank you and an “atta girl.”
• Never be selfish or greedy. We all want businesses to respect all of us.

With so much traditional marketing fading away, there is still one main factor that will never go the route of the extinct dinosaur, and that is the most reliant word of mouth referrals. It is surprising what a small world it actually is, and how the business of life so often meets up with the life of our businesses.

photo credit: thomasy7