Today’s guest blogger is Roy Osing, author of “BE DiFFERENT or be Dead: Your Business Survival Guide.” He is founder, president and chief executive officer of Brilliance for Business, an organization dedicated to providing practical and proven ways to improve both business and personal performance.

Ever heard this one before?

“If we let them (the frontline person) make the decision, they would give away the farm.”

Translation: “They have no brains, can’t think for themselves and would do anything to do what the customer is pressuring them to do even if it makes no economic sense (and if they were to do it often enough I wouldn’t get my bonus!)”

Really?

My experience is exactly the opposite. Every frontline person I have had the pleasure to work with was tenacious about protecting the company’s interest once they were empowered to manage the Customer Moment.

Cheers,
Roy

Check out Roy’s latest eBooks

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One of them is a young woman in her early 20s, who is getting her degree in education. I know about her recent internship, where she gets to work with troubled youth, helping them in the classroom and encouraging them to succeed. She finds it rewarding and talks about it in a very animated fashion.

The other is a woman that is closer to my age, who always asks me how I’m doing. We talk about our husbands and our kids. She always seems happy to see me and shares a big smile.

The connections make me feel a little happier when I go to the grocery store. In spite of the fact that I sometimes wonder if I could find a store that’s a bit less expensive, I keep going to this same store every Saturday. In spite of the fact that I don’t like how slow and disinterested their deli staff seem to be, I keep going back, week after week. It’s comfortable and I feel connected. These conversations make all the difference to me as a loyal customer.

Customer service is about conversation and connection and once you truly know that, you can create connection in any number of ways – in person through conversation, on social platforms and through correspondence. Though do we lose connection, and our conversation skills, when we rely on technology?

Sherry Turkle, Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, gave a fascinating TED talk on connecting in today’s technology-ridden world. Are we using technology to replace personal connection? Is it bringing us closer together or further apart?

Connected, But Alone?

Turkle’s lesson is important in customer service because, as business people, it’s better to be mindful about how others are using technology so that we can cut through the clutter and create a connection that lasts.

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Post tags: communicate with customers, customer care, customer relationships, customer retention, Customer Service, lori jo vest, service excellence, Who's Your Gladys

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Today’s guest blogger is JoAnna Brandi. She facilitates workshops on Positive Leadership and Creating Positive Customer Experiences. She is Publisher of the Customer Care Coach © a weekly leadership training program on mastering “The Art and Science of Exquisite Customer Care.” www.CustomerCareCoach.com and Monday Morning Motivation – Positive Self Talk for the Customer Service Pro www.MotivationMadeEasy.com

Walt Disney, when building Disneyland in Anaheim, CA insisted that the Sleeping Beauty Castle be built first. The architects disagreed with this idea. From their point of view it was not the wisest way to build, it was impractical. The accountants disagreed with this idea too, it was expensive and an unnecessary expense.

No matter. Walt wanted it built first.

Disney, a future thinking innovator and visionary, instinctively knew something very important about people. When people have a common compelling vision and an inspiring goal, they achieve more and achieve it faster.

The castle was built first because Walt wanted “Everyone to see what it is they are here to create.”

What does your castle look like?

Does everyone who touches your customers (or whose work in anyway impacts the customers) understand what it is they are there to create? Are they there to create an experience that inspires excitement or security or inspiration or ease or discovery or some other combination of emotion that will imprint the experience positively for the customer?

Are they there to delight, deliver, explore? Are they there to motivate, build trust and inspire action?

Well?

If you can’t put the experience you are trying to create into words that everyone understands, if you can’t make it simple to remember and easy to implement, it won’t happen consistently. Consistency is one of the 21 Essential Elements of Building Customer Loyalty.

As a leader it’s your job to co-create a vision of the experience that will make you unique and special in your marketplace. It’s your job to help connect the behaviors that need to occur with the outcome that will make you stand out and cause your customers to come back with friends and money (and “like” you on their social media outlets.)

Notice I said “co-create”.

Here’s a fun way to get the ball rolling if you haven’t done this already. Get a stack of index cards. During your next meeting ask everyone to write down an emotion they want the customer to be feeling before, during and/or after an interaction with you.

(Example: Perhaps you want a customer to feel excited at the thought of calling to purchase something from you, important and significant while they are dealing with you, appreciated and positive about you when they leave.)

Write those and any and all others – one per card. As a group, agree on the most important 5 – 7 for your particular customers and start with those. For each card, you want to list the factors (behaviors, tone, systems etc) that would cause a customer to feel that way.

Next, list the same factors that would cause them to feel the opposite (e.g. what would make them feel un-appreciated, dis-interested, bored etc.)

You can’t change the culture until you change the conversation.

It’s one more simple way to get everyone involved in co-creating the kinds of experiences that will keep them happily coming back.

Have fun. (That’s an important part!)

JoAnna is the author of two books on customer loyalty, one on positive thinking. She is an Authentic Happiness Coach and has written hundreds of tips and articles since starting her business in 1990. She shares her insights in her twice monthly Customer Care TIP and asks you, “Is your customer care EXQUISITE?” Not sure? Take the Quiz: www.returnonhappiness.com/customer-care-quiz

Want to know more about getting a bigger ROH from your business see www.ReturnOnHappiness.com

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Post tags: above and beyond service, Best practices, change the way you think about customers, Communicating with Customers, company culture, customer care, customer communication, customer loyalty, customer relationships, customer retention, Customer Service, service excellence

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If you keep these three tips in mind, those occasions when a “no” is necessary will move forward in more positive, productive ways.

1) Watch your timing and tone.  There are times when you have to say “no.” However, an immediate or dismissive “no” can anger even the kindest customers.  Even when you know in your bones that a “no” is the only answer, pause to reflect on the desires of your customers. It helps to put wishes into words, “I wish we could sell you our demo model. Since the display isn’t for sale, here’s what we can do for you…” Notice the “no” was clear without even using the word. Offer a brief explanation and shift the client’s focus away from rejection and toward the solution.

You can get the timing right, but if your tone conveys anything other than care, concern, and connection, even the most beautifully crafted “no” response will turn sour. You probably know a smart, competent professional who falls short because of a tone of voice that conveys:  disinterest, defensiveness, distain, shame/blame, annoyance, or an air of superiority.  Your thoughts shows up in your tone of voice. When you let go of judgments and let it be okay for a customer to ask for anything, your “no” will naturally have a tone that engages cooperation instead of conflict.

2.)  Focus on alternatives. There are four major stressors that bring out the worst in customers – experiencing a loss of control, being rejected, conflict, and being seen as wrong. A “no” can hit on all four of those stressors. An easy way to eliminate that stress is to offer your customer a choice from a select list of alternatives. Pressures rise when you say, “No you can’t have a Sunday appointment.” Instead, redirect their attention to workable alternatives, “Since we’re closed on Sundays, would you prefer a Saturday or a weekday appointment?”

Steve Ramsey is the Director of Customer Care at ISCO Industries. He received a request for 200 pipe-fittings, and didn’t have enough stock to fill the order. Before he said “no” to the whole order, he offered an alternative, ‘‘Right now, how many do you really need?’’ That ‘‘right now’’ focus helped him find a realistic, workable solution. He talked to his customer about how many pipe-fittings his company needed to install per day. With that more realistic number, Steve got to work to produce a four-day supply. He had two men work late into the night to make 80 fittings and drive them directly to the job site. Then Steve laid out a schedule to get the fittings to the customer ‘‘as needed.’’ This creative problem solving created a win-win result for ISCO and the client.

3.)  Use “no” to build trust. If saying “no” to customers makes you uncomfortable, you’re not alone. I worked with a medical facility run by a friendly doctor who found it very difficult to say “no” to his patients. Instead he asked his staff to be the “bad guy” and say “no” when patients phoned to talk with him at inconvenient times. The results weren’t pretty. The patients were enraged when they couldn’t get through. The staff begged the doctor to stop telling patients they could call anytime. He said “yes” to his staff, too, when they asked him to stop telling patients they could call anytime, and you guessed it. He continued telling his patients they could reach him 24/7. Ultimately trust was lost. His employees resented him, and frustrated patients started looking elsewhere for medical care. The fix? It helps to redefine what it means to say “no” and say it in a way that leaves your customers feeling like you’re treating them fairly.

Here are a few examples of saying “no” in a way that builds trust with customers:

Remember the movie “Miracle on 42^nd Street?” The Macy’s Santa sent parents to Gimbel’s when the price or product was a better option. The result – which may have also happened in real life – was that Macy’s business increased and customer loyalty skyrocketed. Customers will gain trust in you when you show that you have their best interests at heart.

For example: “We value your business, and we’re committed to executing any work we do for you with excellence. What you want is not in an area of our expertise. However, we can recommend someone who can do this for you.”

Another example: “I know that you want this job done by next week, and we currently only have the manpower to complete the job within 15 days. We can look at other options, or I can recommend one of our partners (always a trusted competitor of yours) for this particular job.”

And another:“I wish I could waive library fines for you, and all our patrons. The reason we don’t waive fines is (offer explanation)… And it may help to know your fines will be used to help grow our book collection.”

Your Bonus Tip:

Between May 20 to May 27, to celebrate the release of the paperback version of “Who’s Your Gladys?” we’re giving away a free livestream video titled, “How to Say “No” and Keep Customers Coming Back,” along with other gifts with a purchase of the paperback . We’re also giving away two other high-impact videos, and some helpful e-books.  For details, email info@whosyourgladys.com or visit this blog the week of May 20.

How about you? What’s one tip you have for saying “no” to customers?

Success coach Marilyn Suttle, is an international conference speaker, trainer, and bestselling author. Check out her book “Who’s Your Glady? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer into Your Biggest Fan.” and online training course The Customer Service Roadmap or contact her directly at Marilyn@MarilynSuttle.com. 

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This is part two to her previous guest post,  Do You Want EASY Tips to Deal With Angry Clients?

Okay, you’ve worked the 6 steps, and now have done all that you can … and your client’s still mad!  Well, you may have a tough one, but it’s far from impossible to resolve.  Here are your next steps:

1. Empathize to show that you realize the serious nature of the problem
2. Assure the caller that they are talking to the right person and that you will do whatever it takes to help resolve the issue
3. Follow through and find someone to help if you can’t solve the issue
4. Tell the caller what you can do … not what you can’t do
5. Thank the client for bringing this problem to your attention

If you like these tips, check out Joyce Weiss’s Blog at http://www.JoyceWeiss.com/wp. Feel free to share these tips with your team – Just be sure to give Joyce credit when you share or publish. For more info, articles and, podcasts visit: http://www..JoyceWeiss.com

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133.7 million people in the U.S. currently own mobile phones that allow them to access the internet to look at consumer review sites, send texts and emails, and access their social media profiles from anywhere. Consumers are often turning to sites like Yelp.com before picking a restaurant or retail store. It happens so frequently that “yelp” has taken on a new meaning, as in, “Let’s yelp the restaurants around here and pick one to have lunch.” They can also quickly send a Facebook message, a text or message to you, to which they expect a prompt response.

Even if your company is strictly business-to-business, the same easy access is expected. You may receive more frequent requests for information or complaints via text or social media post, rather than the more traditional telephone call.

If you’ve been in business for fifteen or twenty years, some of these methods may seem a bit unorthodox. “Why should I have to keep track of all that?” you might ask. The answer? Because you want to be available to any and all customers, even those that choose more modern methods of communication.

How can you be sure you’re prepared for these new ways of getting in touch?

Show up. You and your business need to have social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn, which you monitor daily. Even if you only post two or three times a week, check any posts or messages coming in via these profiles every day. You never know when a customer or new potential client may send you a message using one of these options.

Dress up. If you’re not a techy, then hire someone to set up your social profiles. Your presence on these platforms will represent you to those who may not know anything about you and your business. First impressions count!

Pay attention. Monitor your social media accounts, consumer review sites and the texts/emails that come in. Paying attention means you won’t miss any communication that might come in. Many people prefer a text over a phone call so don’t leave your phone sitting on your desk or in your handbag all day unmonitored, or you may miss something.

It may seem like keeping track of all of these communication options is time-consuming with little benefit, though smart phone penetration isn’t slowing down. More and more consumers will be expecting you to cover whichever communication channel they prefer and you’ll be more profitable if you do.

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Today’s guest blogger is Phillip Van Hooser, MBA, CSP, CPAE. His perspectives, experiences and examples change the way people think about leadership and service. He has a fantastic new book out this week: Leaders Ought to Know. 

Recently I blogged about the leadership pitfall of pride. Today, in this excerpt from my new book, I share another pitfall leaders face that’s often less obvious – favoritism.

Do you have a favorite employee?

Just thinking about admitting it causes us to cringe at the possibility of the negative backlash from those who are the not-so favorites, should they ever learn our true feelings.

But that’s the point. They already know.

I firmly believe the universal determinant of who becomes the leader’s workplace favorite is essentially a question of who consistently gets their job done with the least amount of direct supervision, organizational drama, and overall disruption. I’m betting you agree. It’s very likely that the person who’s able to get the work done while making your life easier in the process will be – or already is – your hands-down favorite, too.

So being your favorite is a good thing for that chosen golden child, right? As a reward for diligence and hard work, your favorite can expect to be rewarded with the cushiest jobs and most favorable assignments, right? The uninformed might expect so, but the reality is often radically different.

Too often, the rewards awaiting the favorite include heavier workloads, longer hours, more difficult assignments, and loftier expectations. I like to think of such a scenario as reverse favoritism – that situation in which the favored employees get the least favored treatment.

Conversely, leaders often release those employees who moan, groan, gripe, and complain the loudest–about even the most minimal or insignificant tasks, assignments, or requests–from their professional expectations and obligations far too often. Why? Honestly, more often than not, the leader just gets tired of listening to it all. Once the gripers realize that their griping allows them to do less, not more, they’re sure to continue and intensify this behavior. Remember, that which gets rewarded gets repeated.

How Leaders Handle Favoritism

Considering all the griping that leaders hear, many assume – and rightly so – that it’s simply easier to ask their favorites to do the job. Easier because, over time, we’ve come to expect our favorites to do what we ask without question, reservation, conflict, or confrontation. And that is usually what happens, until our favorites eventually get a bellyful of their favored treatment.

Leaders ought to know the practical difference between having favorites and showing favoritism. Common sense reminds us of how crucial it is to set performance standards high and then make sure that everyone, not just your favorites, performs at the expected level. Otherwise, you may begin to see those favorites either slipping away from you in search of greener pastures or, worse still, gradually joining the ranks of the gripers and complainers that surround us.

Phillip Van Hooser
Leadership Expert, Keynote Speaker
Author of Leaders Ought to Know: 11 Ground Rules for Common Sense Leadership

(This excerpt is reprinted by permission from the publisher, Wiley, from Leaders Ought to Know: 11 Ground Rules for Common Sense Leadership, by Phillip Van Hooser Copyright (c) 2013 by Phillip Van Hooser. To purchase a copy of the book, please visitwww.leadersoughttoknow.com/book)

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If you’re like me, your immediate reaction might be, “Oh, no! That’s terrible for them.” That’s what their customers were thinking too…at first. But what they did (and did not do) caused loyal customers to lose respect for the brand.

Your company may never experience a crisis that impacts your customers like this. However, being prepared for the “just in case” situations helps ensure a successful outcome. Here’s what the make-up  company could have done to handle the situation more gracefully.

Show Appreciation to Customers and Those Trying to Help

During the days it took for Facebook to reestablish control of the site, the cosmetic company posted comments that blamed  and complained about the hackers AND Facebook for taking so long to resolve the problem. They included a series of, “This is not our fault” posts. Why didn’t that help the situation?

Customers were dealing with their own emotional reaction to the problem. They didn’t want to deal with the brand’s emotional upset, too. In any crisis, it helps to remember that it’s better to impress your customers with resilience and concern for them, rather than distress them with defensiveness and victim-focused attitudes.

What would have worked better?

Posts that expressed appreciation, empathy, and apologies to their customers, like “We’re so sorry this happened. Thank you for your patience while we work with Facebook to recapture control of our page.”

Take Responsibility and Give Updates Regularly

To keep customers calm and connected, be transparent and offer updates along the way. Instead of energy-draining comments like “Facebook still hasn’t  contacted us and there’s nothing we can do,” take responsibility and display a positive expectation with comments like, “ We’ve contacted a Facebook rep and we’re eagerly awaiting a response. We’ll update you regularly.” Letting customers know that you’re there, you’re aware of their experience, and you’re committed to keeping them in the loop will garner their respect and keep them connected.  Updates can be offered through a variety of platforms, including twitter, message boards and blog posts, to name a few.

Offer an Unexpected Token of Gratitude

One of the gifts that come from adversity is it gives you a chance to show your customers what you’re made of – how you handle a crisis and how important your customers are to you. I asked my friend if the cosmetic company had offered a lagniappe – a little unexpected token or gift for the inconvenience. Her eyes lit up and she said, “If we had all gotten a 20% off coupon for an item, or a free sample, or free shipping that would have been great. They didn’t do that.”

Before giving any service recovery offering, it’s important to listen and understand your customer’s experience first. It’s your most important service recovery tool. Then, a little something extra can go a long way in keeping customers connected through a crisis.

What about you? Does your company have a plan to keep calm and connected during a customer service crisis?

Success coach Marilyn Suttle, is an international conference speaker, trainer, and bestselling author. Check out her book “Who’s Your Glady? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer into Your Biggest Fan.” and online training course The Customer Service Roadmap or contact her directly at Marilyn@MarilynSuttle.com. 

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Today’s guest blogger, Lynn Murphy, M.Ed., helps private, public and non-profit organizations turn their workforce into high-performing teams.  As an experienced trainer, facilitator, presenter and executive coach, Lynn designs and delivers customized training programs and facilitated sessions that are dynamic, engaging and highly interactive.  She provides concrete tools and effective solutions that can be immediately implemented to build more successful and productive leaders, teams, and organizations.  Lynn specializes in customer service, conflict resolution and communication, and customizes her workshops to ensure her tangible results and exceptional value.

Several years ago, I went to a chiropractor who did a great job of working the kinks out of my back and neck.  I liked the doctor, his office location was convenient, and I could usually get in to see him on short notice when I needed an adjustment.  I was getting treatments frequently, and got to know the doctor, his wife who managed the office, and their employees.  Being the people-person that I am, I showed an interest in the people who worked there, and they spent time chatting with me when I was in the office.  I almost felt like part of the family.  Unfortunately, it was a dysfunctional family who loved to gossip and complain about each other.

The employees felt underpaid and underappreciated.  The doctor and his wife gave the appearance of having a more-than-comfortable lifestyle.  They both drove expensive foreign cars and wore classy clothes.  The doctor’s wife wore lots of showy jewelry.  The employees assumed the doctor was making lots of money, and were dissatisfied that he didn’t pay his staff well.  The employees believed they were doing their part to build the practice, and they wanted to be rewarded.  They felt like they were treated with indifference and even disdain by both the doctor and his wife.  They thought both were disrespectful in the way they talked to the employees, even in front of patients.  Employees who took good care of the patients and who had been there for a long time did not get the raises they expected.  Consequently there was constant turnover among the employees.

I began to realize how this negative gossip affected me as a patient.  The more I listened to the employees, the more they gossiped.  The more they gossiped and tried to get me to take sides, the more it bothered me.  There was nothing I could do about their situation.  I started to dread going in to see the doctor because I didn’t want to subject myself to the employees’ pessimism or hear about their problems.  I went to the chiropractor to feel better and more energized.  Instead I felt emotionally battered and drained.  I was not the person who was going to solve the employees’ problems.  They needed to address their issues to the doctor and his wife, or find another job.  My solution was to leave this staff to sort out their own problems while I found another chiropractor.  The doctor never knew why I left his practice.

As an employee, understand that you may be tempted to gossip with a sympathetic customer.  You may think you’re gathering support by sharing your problems and frustrations about the owner, manager, supervisor or coworkers.  You may feel better for a few minutes after you vent, but you’re doing yourself and the business that pays you a huge disservice.  Your concerns may be valid, but your gossip is tainting your customers’ impressions of the business, and making them uncomfortable.  Your customers come to your business for your product or service, not to be your family therapist.

No matter how well you think you know your customer or how much that customer engages in your gossip, don’t do it.  Put on your best customer service smile, crank up the most outstanding service you can deliver, and tuck your personal problems far away from your customers.  Give them the impression you love your work there in Paradise.  Don’t give them reasons to run to your competition to protect themselves from the negativity and gossip.  Keep it professional and keep your customers coming back.

For more information about Lynn Murphy, visit her website www.keyinnovative.com and her Facebook page facebook.com/KeyInnovativeSolutions. 

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