Life can be full of stress, and when we don’t get enough rest or have enough energy to deal with it, we can get a little overwhelmed with handling all the things we need to do every day, and even small things can start to feel monumental. Of course. we don’t generally feel like that every day, but what can we do when that IS how we feel?

First off, I don’t want to add to the stress by giving you a zillion things to do all at one time, so for the sake of simplicity, let’s start with 7 simple steps that will help with all of it: the stress, the lack of energy and the overwhelming to-do list.

1. Breathe. Yup, you heard me – REALLY breathe…. Long, slow, deep breaths all the way down into the bottom of the belly, blowing up the belly like a balloon. Inhale through the nose until you feel the ribcage expand, then top off the lungs. Exhale slowly through the nose, then press the navel toward the spine, releasing all the old air. This can be done anytime to relieve stress, relax and is great to do at bedtime.

Use this deep breathing technique frequently, and eventually you’ll stop the shallow chest breathing most of us tend to do, and you’ll naturally breathe deeper and more completely. Oxygenating the body calms our nerves, reduces our stress, quiets the mind, increases focus and concentration. I bet all those effects from a simple breathing technique are worth a few minutes of focusing on our most basic need in life – the need to breathe. If we’re going to do it anyway, why not make it a tool to transform our quality of life?

2. Improve your quality of sleep. This can be really simple, but often it’s things we don’t much think about. Here are a few quick tips that can help:

• Go to bed and get up close to the same time every day, even weekends
• Drink lots of water during the day, stopping about 3 hours before bedtime – just sip if needed
• Breathe deeply as you relax in bed, using our breathing technique
• Always sleep in a completely dark room or use an eyeshade
• Have your room on the cool side – I like a bedside fan, too
• Take two 5mg melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime to stimulate your natural “shut down for sleep” process. Melatonin is a natural chemical your body creates on its own, but for a lot of us, we don’t make enough.

3. Take breaks. When you feel your concentration starting to go, or that “monkey mind” voice in your head getting ramped up bombarding you with self-criticism, take a breather. It doesn’t have to be long, but do some deep breathing, close your eyes, look for the quiet space between your thoughts, and relax. Have a cup of tea or some water, and take a look at your goals for the day. Think about if what you’re doing is helping you toward those goals or not. If not, you might want to save it for later.

For those of us who are on the computer a good portion of the day, taking a short break every hour is very important for reducing stress and eye strain. Combine that break with some deep breathing, and we can come back to our work with renewed focus and concentration, getting more done in less time.

4. Focus on one thing at a time. Yeah, you really heard me say that. I know – it goes counter to everything we’ve learned in our media-driven ADD world, but I really am serious. ONE THING at a time. Multi-tasking does NOT help you get more done. It splits your focus so that none of the things you’re working on get done to the best of your ability. Focus on one thing at a time and work on it until you’ve achieved a chunk of a larger project or finished a small one.

By keeping your focus on that one thing, you can have much clearer concentration, and get much more done in a lot less time. You may also have to work on setting boundaries so you’re not constantly interrupted. I turn off my phone ringers when I’m working on articles or other projects. If you work in an office, it’s perfectly appropriate to tell a co-worker that you’re in the middle of something and you’ll call them as soon as you’re free, or please come back at a certain time. By honoring your own time, eventually the people around you will honor it more too as well. But to be fair, when you give them that time, give them your full attentin.

5. Tame the energy monster! Ok, maybe a little dramatic there, but you know what I mean… That endless cycle of energy peaks and valleys throughout your day. Now, some of us don’t get this as much as others, but if you know you’re one to get the mid-afternoon crash and you go for more than one coffee, caffeine drink or sugary treat during the day, you’re battling the energy monster.

What to do? Simple:

• Have a little less caffeine or sugary drinks or treats each day – back it down slowly, reducing about a half-cup of caffeine a day, and a little less sugar
• Instead, have some herbal tea or water, grab an apple and a handful of almonds
• Eat a lighter lunch: less carbs, more protein, and live raw veggies are great
• When that fatigue hits you, get away from your desk and move your body – walk around the building, run up/down the stairs, run an errand or stretch a bit
• Drink more water!!!
• Exercising for even 10 minutes in the morning can boost energy all day
• Snack on sliced cucumbers or other veggies – they’ll give you the crunch we often crave in an afternoon snack without bogging you down
• Take a power nap. Ten minutes of relaxing can boost your energy for the rest of the day. Set an alarm, cover your eyes, and just shoo away thoughts and rest.

6. Do you suffer from clutter overload?? If so, I have a simple plan that takes very little time and will give you big results over time. You can mix and match these techniques, but only choose to do one a day, so uncluttering ISN’T overwhelming!

• Throw away (or donate) one thing a day
• Spend 5 minutes cleaning and clearing off one small area a day
• Set up boxes marked ‘store’ and ‘sort’ for your paperwork and memories
• Decide what area is causing you the most stress and focus on that area until you feel relaxed there (This can be tackled a bit at a time)
• Don’t feel like you have to discard things that have memories attached to them – just decide on a few at a time to be in your space, and trade them out frequently. When something is not in your space, store it carefully in a closet or garage.
• If something is a “maybe I’ll use it someday” item, decide what it would cost to replace it if you did need it. If inexpensive, toss it.
• Find a charity that helps people find work and donate your gently used professional clothes there. We can all let go more easily when we know someone could change their life with what we’ve given them.

You don’t have to be ruthless about decluttering, just persistent. I think when we pressure ourselves to get rid of ALL the old stuff, we create more stress. Be gentle, but keep at it. You’ll find that as you start feeling better in your space, you’ll be ready to give up more things. Let them go, knowing you need space to be in the new and bigger life you’re making room for.

7. When you have a problem, program your mind at bedtime to work on solutions. Write your question or issue in a dream journal before bedtime, and hold the intention of receiving a clear response overnight. In the morning, write down any thoughts, dreams, images – anything you can remember – and continue to think about it throughout the day. Continue this process until you get the information you need.

This is intended as a quick outline to get you started. If you have questions or would like more information on anything we’ve talked about here, please feel free to email me. I’m happy to help in any way I can.

So take a deep breath, and relax!

Visit www.balancedlifetoday.com for more information or www.balancedlifetoday.com/migraines.htm for information on her migraine programs. Free 30-minute “Find Your Vibrant Life” consults are available on a limited basis.  Call (360) 263-5800 or email jana@balancedlifetoday.com. Facebook: Balanced Life Today Twitter: BalancedLifeTdy    LinkedIn: Jana Beeman  Read more of her articles her experts page on SelfGrowth.com at http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/jana_beeman. All rights reserved. 2012

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to replace a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. Health care decisions should be made in partnership with a qualified health care professional. The contents of this article are based upon the opinions of Jana Beeman unless otherwise noted. The information provided is for entertainment purposes only and Jana Beeman will not diagnose, treat or cure in any manner whatsoever any disease, condition or other physical or mental ailment of the human body.

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At an event that week, I met a woman who sold insurance. We immediately clicked and I mentioned that I needed to review my current policies and would love to get together for coffee.

Unfortunately, on the morning that we were scheduled to meet, I had an conflict and couldn’t make the date. I sent a quick email to her and left her a voice mail on her cell phone.

A week went by and I hadn’t heard back. Hmmm…I wondered what happened. “Oh, well, there are a lot of people who sell insurance,” I thought. I was disappointed that I hadn’t heard from her.

A few days later, I checked in with my web guy again and told him that I hadn’t been receiving emails from the hacked account, in spite of his turning it back on. He did a bit of behind-the-scenes magic and I received a ton of messages that afternoon, including two from the woman I’d met the week before.

She had checked in, though she’d relied entirely on email to get in touch. When she didn’t heard back from me, she didn’t call. And I, as her potential customer, believed that she didn’t care enough to respond to my email and voice mail.

What should she have done? Called me! She had my phone number, as it was on my business card and I’d left it on her voice mail when I had called. While technology is a great tool, email doesn’t always arrive. Plus, using the telephone is a bit more personal and can help you build a more connected relationship with your customer.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid being caught in a similar technology misstep.

When you send an email, follow up via telephone. If you send an important document to a customer, make sure you call them and let them know that you sent it. This little bit of follow up will impress your client. Plus, you’ll be sure that the document arrived at its destination.

When you don’t hear back from a customer, call them. If you send an email requesting a response and you don’t hear back, a quick phone call will ensure that you get the response you need. So many of us are bombarded with high volumes of email every day, so it’s easy to skim through the inbox and perhaps miss something.

For difficult situations, use the telephone. Addressing challenging situations, such as missed deadlines or unmet expectations, is ALWAYS best to manage with a phone call. A conversation allows you to discern any upset and reassure the customer that you will adeptly handle whatever may have gone wrong. Email is a bit too cold and you risk damaging the relationship with misconceptions.

What do you think? How do you ensure you’re not over-relying on emails or texts?

written by Lori Jo Vest for www.whosyourgladys.com

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The only thing harder than delivering excellent customer service consistently is motivating someone else to deliver excellent customer service consistently.  Customers are more demanding than ever.  Professionals are more difficult to hire and retain than ever.  Splitting an atom might be easier than rallying an entire organization to Wow customers.  Yet, some organizations succeed.  Four motivation strategies can help your organization succeed too…one professional at a time.

Get Excited

Ironically, as managers the first professional to motivate is ourselves.  If we lack motivation, employees will lack motivation.  Motivation occurs from the inside out.   If we want to motivate someone, we have to communicate to their inside.  Emotions communicate on a deep level from inside to inside.  This is why one bad apple spoils the bunch.  It’s also why one excited manager can mobilize a team to move mountains.

Dig deep.  Feigning excitement is impossible because people’s insides come equipped with an infallible phony-detection system that is always on and has an amazing range of reception.  Are you genuinely excited about the work your team produces?  Whether we manage rocket scientists or the custodial staff, we need to fall in love with our team’s contribution.  A rah-rah attitude at the staff meeting, ho-hum attitude everywhere else will quickly be discovered.

Hire Motivated Professionals

It’s easier to hire motivated professionals than it is to motivate professionals.  Experts assert, “Hire smart or manage tough.”  A COO of a healthcare organization I worked with declared, “We only hire people with “It”.  Where “It” is a pathological disease to want to serve people.”

Do you believe that professionals exist who would revel in the kind of work your team produces?  The answer is…they do exist.  However, if we are not excited about the work our team produces, we will never attract and hire people who are excited to do it because like attracts like and birds of a feather flock together.  Consider that Disney esteems cleanliness.  They hire only street sweepers and house cleaners who delight in cleaning.  Result: Disney parks and resorts are immaculate.

Measure

Are you keeping score?  How long does it take, when two people are hitting tennis balls back and forth, for one of them to suggest playing a real game?  What happens to the level of play as soon as the game begins?  Is your department perpetually warming up, hitting balls around?  Or are you playing for real?

Measure something, but make it relevant to your employees, your customers, and your bottom line.  Measuring performance biases employees’ energy like a highlighter biases the eye on a written page.  Highlight too much and we overwhelm.  Highlight the essential nuggets and we assure attention to the highest priorities.

Measurements motivate employees for different reasons.  Some employees are very competitive and thrive on distinguishing their performance from others’.  Some are very competitive and thrive on distinguishing their own future performance from their past.  In other words, they compete with themselves.  And some employees are not competitive at all.  They are very dutiful and focus their energy on whatever is highlighted for them.

Institute Profit Sharing

Tie the measurement to a reward.  An adage predicts, “What gets rewarded gets repeated.”  Robert Bosch- German Inventor, Industrialist (1861-1942) stated, “I don’t pay good wages because I make a lot of money.  I make a lot of money because I pay good wages.”   If you want to motivate employees even more, reward the results you reap from measuring.

Sales professionals receive commissions based on their measured results: sales and sometimes repeat business or renewals.  What about everyone else?  A manager of a printing company told me that he measures wasted paper.  He sets a goal for “waste”.  If the production employees meet or exceed the goal by producing less waste, the company splits the profits with them.  My auto service center informed me that their sales, service, and auto body departments administer customer satisfaction surveys to every customer.  If, together, they hit or exceed a certain predetermined satisfaction rating, they all receive enhanced benefits and bonuses from corporate.

Rewards add precision to measurement inspired motivation.  If we want salespeople to simply make sales, we emphasize the first sales commission.  If we want salespeople to create relationships and long-term accounts, we emphasize the backend commission.  By rewarding team measurements, we can influence internal customer service in addition to individual service efforts.

Summary

To motivate employees, be an exemplar.  Being an exemplar will enable you to attract and hire highly motivated employees.  Focus employees’ energy through measurement and reward strategies.  Then…listen for the “Wows” to start coming in.

For more information about Mary Sandro, visit http://www.ProEdgeSkills.com or call 800-731-0601.

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The box came directly from a local company, and was labeled, “Fragile.” Even so, the spout on the ceramic cup (wrapped in bubble wrap) was broken.

I phoned the company, and heard an informal, “Hello?” I wondered, “Did I call someone’s house, or a business?” The woman who answered the phone confirmed my name and mailing address, and told me she’d mail out a new cup.  She was efficient on the phone, which was good. Though it would have been nice to hear a little more empathy for my inconvenience.

My next thought was about the business owner. For a small business, these types of service recovery expenses can put a dent in profits. Times have been tough here in Michigan over the last several years. The cup was probably broken due to poor shipping, rather than something they did wrong. Doing the right thing means fixing mistakes, and I was happy to see that they were taking responsibility.

A short while later, I opened the jar of cherry preserves from the gift basket. I twisted the top and heard the familiar “POP” that lets you know it was properly sealed. What did I find inside? Mold.  It seemed so unlikely. How does a properly sealed jar end up with mold inside? I snapped a picture on my cell phone and emailed it to the company. I figured it would be important to them to know about this. I guessed that they probably didn’t make the preserves themselves and may have received a bad batch from their source. I convinced myself that they’d want  to know if other jars on their shelves were in the same condition, so they could avoid disappointing (and disgusting) another customer.

Did I get an email back? No. Did I get a replacement package in the mail? Surprisingly, yes. A few days later, a package arrived with a new ceramic spouted cup AND a jar of blueberry preserves. Yum! I rummaged around the box and found no letter or note. Disappointing – this business missed an opportunity to explain, build up my confidence in their company and create a connection.  I had hoped they would offer the type of service recovery that would make me sing their praises and consider ordering from them when I send gifts to friends and colleagues. I won’t do either, but not because of a missing note.

When I opened the jar of blueberry preserves, I didn’t hear the expected “POP.” I wondered, “Can a jar be properly sealed if you don’t hear a ‘POP’?” I didn’t see any mold. I took a tiny taste, but I wasn’t willing to risk eating it. I threw it in the trash.

Did I call the company and complain? Not this time. My past experience told me that they probably wouldn’t consider it a big deal. And, honestly? As a customer, I don’t want to have to work that hard. After two mishaps with the preserves, I lost confidence that this company pays enough attention to detail for me to trust them.

From helping companies create cultures of service excellence, I have discovered this: What appears on the surface doesn’t tell the whole story.   It could very well be that this company does care. Most likely, food safety and the well being of their customers are of great importance to them. It’s possible that this was a fluke – an unfortunate set of circumstances. What happens when all the tender loving care you put into your company gets overshadowed by a series of blunders? Do you have processes in place – like service recovery tools and mandated follow up calls or emails – to set things right quickly and respond to customer concerns?

When mistakes happen, the customer’s perceptions are all they have to go on.  in this case, nothing was done to change my opinion that this company didn’t really care.  A quick phone call or email to ask me about the second delivery would have uncovered something that the company can’t fix now, because they don’t know about it. PLUS, it would have made me feel better about their products.

When a company makes a mistake, an upset customer can be turned into a raving fan, or they can stop doing business with you and tell others about their bad experience. In tough times, the art of customer service can be brushed aside as an extra, for which there’s not enough time or energy to establish, train, or maintain.  When you consider the cost, the losses, the fact that online review sites make it easy for customers to complain – in reality, it’s vital to the longevity of any business to put extra care into the details of customer service.

What do you think?

What do you do to turn around an unfortunate customer experience?

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Better than Average companies are those that stand apart from their crowd. Could customer service be a differentiator? Most certainly. When we have become systematically drilled to be disappointed, prepared for poor service, and blind to bad interactions, it is easy to exceed expectations and stand out from the crowd.

You’ve heard of Zappos, Disney, and Apple as names often associated with outstanding customer service. But have you heard of Chicco USA?

As my wife and I were preparing to welcome our first son, we shopped at the local big box baby store for a stroller. We looked at this model and that one. We checked out the features and functionalities. We prodded and priced. After a few hours, we settled on a sleek kid carrying machine in the form of a Chicco Cortina travel system.

It performed as expected for our first son and both my wife and I thought we made a wise investment. When our second son arrived 19 months later, our gear was still in good shape and we continued to use it.

One day, when I returned to my mother-in-law’s house to retrieve my youngest one, I found the stroller standing on her porch with the push bar hanging at its side. Mind you, this push bar goes up and folds down. It’s not designed to go side to side.

Still not understanding how exactly this situation happened, my wife called Chicco to see if there was a replacement push bar available.

At that point, we had the stroller for about three years and it was clearly out of warranty.

After my wife explained the situation, the customer service woman said, “Well, the push bar is not available as a separate part.”

“Rats,” I thought. Here goes another few hundred dollars out the window for a new stroller.

“But, it’s no problem,” the customer service woman continued. “I can send you out a new frame with the push bar attached.”

“Wow, that’s cool,” I thought. I just saved a few hundred dollars and no longer need to replace the window which I was about to throw it out. Note to self: Open window before throwing out money.

When the frame arrived, Chicco not only supplied the frame, but new wheels and a new snack tray. The only parts that we needed to reuse from our broken stroller were the seat cover, canopy, and storage basket. Essentially, it was a brand new stroller. Sweet!

Chicco is committed to the safety of children. Their goal is to produce quality products. At Chicco, spokeswoman Lisen Syp explained, customer service is “the right thing to do.” It is “not a particular pillar of emphasis.”  But consumers do notice and routinely comment about their practices.

Three lessons that can be learned from this Better than Average company are:

1. Autonomous Authority – The customer service woman was empowered to analyze the situation, determine how best to help the customer, and act on an outcome. Notice that she did not once ask to place my wife on hold to consult with her supervisor. She made a decision to right the wrong without needing to ask for permission. If they have to ask for permission, they are powerless.
2. Exceed Expectations – I expected a stroller frame. If Chicco had sent just a stroller frame, I would have been more than satisfied. It seemed like a small miracle that we could even get a frame.  But when the frame and wheels and snack tray arrived, I was truly blown away. Wow your customers by giving them more than they can chew.
3. Create the Culture – When I later asked the spokeswoman about Chicco’s customer service practices, she commented that it isn’t an area of emphasis but it is the right thing to do. There are no false pretenses. They try to be an honest company standing up for their products and quality. If there is a wrong, they will fix it. It’s as simple as that. Do you view customer service as something to be worked on or another chance for a positive company interaction?

For more information please visit http://toddbrockdorf.com and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. His book is available at Amazon.com.

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Unfortunately, many chat features on retail sites aren’t “open” 24 hours a day or staffed by service providers who are well-versed in managing unusual requests. Here’s an example that a friend shared with me recently. Patrick is a video producer at an ad agency, charged with creating commercials and programming that engage his client’s customers. As he searched for a particular piece of equipment, he was surprised by the low level of service he received online.

Welcome to ******s Chat, you’re chatting with Robert. How may I help you?

Robert: Hello!
Robert: Patrick, how may I help you today?
Patrick: Hi… I’m looking for this product/model online and can’t find it for sale. ******s HD Media Player HMP5000. Is this for sale in the United States? Is it compatible with our NTSC formatted TVs?
Patrick: I found this manual online however: <link>
Robert: I’d be more than happy to help you with this.
Robert: Patrick, this model is for UK.
Robert: Please check the below link: <link>
Patrick: Is this compatible with American TVs? I know there can be issues between NTSC and PAL formatting.
Patrick: And can you actually buy this anywhere?
Patrick: *online*
Robert: You may check with amazon.com.
Robert: Is there anything else that I can help you with today?
Patrick: Does ******s manufacture this particular model still? A little help in specifically purchasing your product would go along way right now
Robert: Since this model is not for USA,  we do not have these details…
Patrick: and there is no United States equivalent?
Robert: Please visit the below link for the details: <link>
Patrick: Contacting the UK team is fruitless… as a ******s product expert, is there any other network media players ******s offers to those in the continental United States? The reason I’m very interested is ******s supports many video codecs other manufacturers do not.
Robert: Sorry, for USA do not have equivalent model.
Patrick: Thanks.
Robert: You’re welcome.
Robert: Thank you for contacting ******s.
Chat is closed by agent.

Yikes! This agent appears to have no real interest in getting his online customer the information he needs, beyond sending him a link and referring him to a third party site (amazon.com) to purchase the item. Unfortunately, I’ve encountered the same issue with my cellular provider when asking questions that seem beyond the chat agent’s knowledge.

How can you ensure that you’re doing service via chat in a way that will help, rather than hurt, the customer relationship? Here are three ways to consider:

Base your success metrics on customer satisfaction, not number of calls handled.  In researching the topic, I’ve discovered that many sellers of chat software emphasize the ability to serve more customers with per rep, as a way to increase efficiency and save on salaries. (One even touted reps who could handle eight customers at once!) While you may achieve volume, you definitely won’t amp up your service if the reps are only giving cursory attention to each customer.

Send unusual requests to the phone. If a customer request is beyond the typical circumstances, why not ask for a telephone number and call them? I had a few unusual questions for my cellular provider and the chat rep simply sent me a phone number, which was less than delightful, as I had to wait in the queue for ten minutes before I could reach someone. I would have been delighted by a quick phone call.

Train, then train some more. Chat service eliminates valuable cues like tone of voice and light conversation while information is located. Well-trained reps can warm up even a chat conversation. During training sessions, brainstorm with your team to figure out what situations occur regularly so that you can find creative and engaging ways to respond.

What do you think? How can you use chat to serve online customers at the highest levels?

Written by Lori Jo Vest, coauthor of the bestselling book, “Who’s Your Gladys? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer into Your Biggest Fan. 

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Today’s guest blogger is Micah Solomon,

Learning to treat individual customers as individuals is a key to business success. But being aware of underlying trends in the marketplace is also essential for the success of any business that relies on significant numbers of transactions and forward-looking planning. These are the six major customer trends:

Customer Trend #1: Customers Expect Anticipatory Technological Behavior and Aggregated Information — Instantly. Today’s customers aren’t willing to search for information, or to wait too long in line to get answers from a human. Today’s customers expect technology to bring an experience that is easy, instantaneous, and intuitive. Customers want to type or thumb a few keystrokes on their smartphones or tablets and have the information they need served up for them concierge-style based on their IP address or satellite location and other useful clues.

Customer Trend #2: Shame Shift and Values-Based Buying. Today’s consumers tend to be shy about consuming too conspicuously, unless the object of their splurge has “attached meaning” to a cause or charity. And, as shown by a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 87 percent of consumers in the United States believe that companies should value the interests of society at least as much as strict business interests: only 13% want to do business with a company that only values the bottom line.

Customer Trend #3: Timelessness Over Trendiness. In these times of uncertainty, customers are searching for authenticity and a back story in the products and services they buy. Examples are everywhere, from the suburban rage for raising hens to the surge in popularity of classic Hunter boots. Thanks to the recession, customers are looking for old standbys that can become hip again

Customer Trend #4: Customer Empowerment. With an array of choices at their fingertips, customers expect companies to respect them, to make it easy to contact them, and to respond to their comments, promptly and thoughtfully, “which I suggest you do,” Solomon advises, since technology has empowered customers to share their annoyances.

Customer Trend #5: The Greening of the Customer. The younger the customer, the more “hooked on green,” so this trend isn’t likely to abate for awhile. It’s wise to operate from the assumption that customers will have concerns relating to the environmental impact of your operation and their purchase.

Customer Trend #6: The Desire for Self-Service. Fueled by our round-the-clock, tech-savvy lifestyle, the desire for self-service options, from online shopping to concierge-like touchscreen menus in public spaces, is only growing. Rather than ignore it, tap the potential of self-service to provide anticipatory service.

Adapted from “HIGH-TECH, HIGH-TOUCH CUSTOMER SERVICE: Inspire Timeless Loyalty in the Demanding New World of Social Commerce” by Micah Solomon (AMACOM; May 2012; $23.00 Hardcover; ISBN: 978-0-8144-1790-4).

Micah Solomon, author of High-Tech, High-Touch Customer Service, is the customer service strategist and speaker termed by the Financial Post ”a new guru of customer service excellence.” Solomon is a top keynote speaker, strategist, and consultant on customer service issues, the customer experience, and company culture — and how they fit into today’s marketing and technology landscape. An entrepreneur and business leader, he previously coauthored the bestselling Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit. His expertise has been featured in Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, Bloomberg Business Week, CNBC, Forbes.com, and elsewhere, and he created and helms the “College of the Customer” website. For more information please visit http://www.customerserviceguru.com, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter

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I suggest that as you read it, you suspend any “excuses” as to why this won’t work for you. Do this long enough to come up with at least one way that you can adapt these ideas for yourself. Here’s the note that Kathy sent me:

“Marilyn, I have to tell you about a great experience I’m having with a fitness company.  I started going to a 5:00 a.m. fitness boot camp about eight weeks ago.   I know that doesn’t exactly sound like fun, but this company makes you feel so appreciated and cared for that it really is fun!

“The same day I attended my first class (and thought about quitting because I was so out of shape), one of the trainers called to thank me for coming and asked what I thought.  We chatted a bit and it was more than just a run-of-the-mill chat, she seemed genuinely interested in helping me reach my fitness goals.  The next day I received a welcome and thank you card in the mail along with a little journal ‘to keep track of my success’.

“Two weeks later I received another package.  It was a Starbucks gift card and a congratulations note for ‘working so hard’ and that I should go treat myself.  (And the note gave suggestions for healthy drinks to choose!) “And I forgot to mention that every person gets individual fitness counseling to help you reach your goals. “Since I really enjoyed the workouts, I decided to commit for a year.  That week in the mail I received a package with another thank you note, a snack cooler, and two $100 gift cards to share with friends should they decide to join. “Last week, I received a nice t-shirt in the mail.

“And today I received a personal call from the owner of the company, Egan Inoue.  (Egan is a world-champion athlete, just google his name to learn more about him.)   I’d missed an event where he was speaking last week. He heard I was sick and he gave me a personal call to check on me. “The customer care and service I receive from Egan’s Fit Body Bootcamp definitely sets an example that other companies could learn from. “The fact that they take the time to make their clients feel appreciated and continually supported is beyond awesome.  They truly are committed to helping people achieve their goals and I’m happy to tell others what a great job they do.”

Though there are many, here are three takeaways to consider:

1. Even if your product or service is “not fun” (like getting up at 5 a.m. in the morning to work out), what can you do to create such appreciation for your customers that it’s experienced as fun anyway?

2. Make personal phone calls to follow up. If you’re thinking, “I don’t have time for that!” – re-read this article, and notice what a HUGE impression personal outreach has on the customer experience. Though – be warned – without a genuine feelings of care for your customers, it will land like a sales call. Authentic interest is required.

3. Offer support and success tools. Do you have a way for your customers to measure their success using your products or services? Consider how you can amplify the value of working together in an unexpected way that delights your customers.

What about you?

What’s one idea that you’ll implement this week to create an “I belong here” experience for your customers?    Written by Marilyn Suttle, coauthor of the bestselling book “Who’s Your Glady? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer into Your Biggest Fan.” Contact her at Marilyn@MarilynSuttle.com. 

© Marilyn for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: customer loyalty, I belong here, marilyn suttle

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Customer service is essential for the success of your business. Yet many small businesses or solo-shops crash and burn because they confuse customer service with customer tyranny. They imagine that serving customers means giving into endless demands.

If you’re troubled by customer service issues, try this exercise, an adaptation of Byron Katie’s “Work” to business issues.

Write down the statement, “I have to satisfy all my customers all the time, and that means…”

EXAMPLE: “I have to satisfy all my customers, and that means that I need to accede to all of their requests. Since I can’t possibly do that, I’ll either go bankrupt or burn out or get a reputation for bad service.”

Next, ask yourself what happens to you when you believe this. How do you feel? How do you behave toward yourself, your customers, your employees? What additional beliefs do you hold?

EXAMPLE: “When I believe that, I feel like a phony because I know I cannot possibly meet all my customer’s demands even though I pretend to give good service. I feel defensive and resentful because it is not possible to live up to this. I feel cornered and I sometimes strike out or shut down.”

Breathe, you’re halfway there!

Without trying to change your thoughts or beliefs, ask yourself, “Who or how would I be if I did not have this thought?”

EXAMPLE: “I’d feel free. I’d be curious about what customers had to say because it might help me do better work. I’d look forward to making my best offer in response.”

Now, look at your original belief, the part that you wrote after, “I have to satisfy all my customers all the time and that means…” Turn it around, rewriting it as the opposite.

EXAMPLE: The belief “I have to accede to all their demands” becomes “I do not have to accede to all their demands.” It could even be stated, “I do not have to accede to any of their demands” or “I have to NOT accede to all their demands.”

Notice how it feels to play with these reversals. Are any of these statements as true (or maybe more true) than your original belief?

For me, all three statements are at least as true as the original. After all, we’re each responsible for our own businesses, and that includes the ability to choose how to respond to a customer demand or request.

Sometimes we might find that saying yes to a customer demand is bad for business because it is out of line with what the business really offers or with the resources at hand. In addition, we can notice that saying yes to a customer all the time without pausing to reflect turns the customer into a tyrant or a dictator. Is this really a good way to treat your customers?

Let’s not turn customers and clients into demanding children. Instead, let’s treat them with dignity, respect, and balance. Let’s make clear, clean, and complete commitments to them that outline what we can do, by when, and under what circumstances. Let’s respond to their complaints with integrity, dignity, curiosity, and a commitment to resolution that serves both parties.

That might mean referring a customer to someone who can better meet their needs. It might mean clarifying your policies and promises so that, in the future, customer expectations match the reality of what you deliver. It might mean saying no to the request while saying yes to the requester: “Yes, I value your patronage. It does not work for my business to provide that service at that price, however we are ideally suited to doing this other thing for you at a price I think you will like.”

The bottom line is that when you examine your hidden beliefs and challenge them you can open up a bigger playing field, a space in which you can make your best offer, do your best work, and serve your customers without burnout.

Read Molly’s articles to find out what makes good customer service, and, while on the site, don’t forget to join 12,000 readers of her Authentic Promotion® ezine to get valuable tips on how to grow your strong business while you lead balanced life.

© Gladys for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: burn out, Customer Service, Molly Gordon

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