Shep Hyken's Blog, page 197

5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of January 4, 2016

Top Customer Service and Business Articles

Each week I read a number of customer service articles from various online resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

14 Amazing Social Media Customer Service Examples (And What You Can Learn Form Them) by Brian Haines

(Buffer) For this post I was excited to research a set of 14 amazing examples of customer service using social media.

My Comment: Love this article! Fourteen excellent examples of how companies are using social media channels to engage with their customers. It’s not just about reacting to complaints. It’s really about any opportunity to engage with your customers through these “public” channels.

How can an ultimate focus on CEx help clock $1 BILLION in revenue? CEx lessons from Scott Scherr – CEO of Ultimate Software by Sonal Jaiswal

(Customer Guru) In 2015, for the fourth consecutive year, Ultimate was ranked in the top 25 on FORTUNE’s list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. It also consistently features on the lists of most innovative and most engaged companies. What’s more, the company’s CEO Scott Scherr was ranked highly on Glassdoor’s “Highest-Rated CEOs” list for 2015.

My Comment: I love a good case study that teaches us important customer service and experience lessons. This article focuses on a software company CEO’s belief of the importance of CX. It is obvious it starts with his “people first” approach, with the people being employees first (and customers second).

Ensuring Optimal Customer Experience with Dynamic Associate Training By Doug Stephen

(RIS) Four training best practices to keep in mind to ensure retail associates delight customers, increasing the opportunity to maximize revenue and increase brand loyalty.

My Comment: Customer service training isn’t something you did. It’s something you do. It may start as part of onboarding a new employee, but there needs to be continuous learning and reinforcement to support the initial training. This short article has four simple steps that all companies (large and small – and in any industry) need to consider as part of their customer service training efforts.

16 Pieces of Expert Advice for Superior Customer Service in 2016 by Stephanie Jones

(PATLive) Ready to glean some of that sweet, sweet customer service knowledge from the experts? Here are 16 pieces of advice that will help you provide superior customer service in 2016.

My Comment: This is the perfect way to start the year off – at least as far as business is concerned. Here are 16 great quotes from recognized practicioneers and experts in the world of amazing customer service.

The Beginner’s Guide To Customer Loyalty Programs by Darren DeMatas

(Selfstartr) Selling on your own website gives you one huge advantage vs. selling on marketplace sites like Amazon or Etsy: Repeat sales from loyal customers.

My Comment: Even though the title includes the words “The Beginner’s Guide,” anyone interested in starting a loyalty program or refining an existing loyalty program would do well to read this article. There are outstanding examples and suggestions throughout.

Shep Hyken is a customer serv ice expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact or www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

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Guest Blog: Customer Control During the Customer Experience

This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post my colleague, Patrick Groome, writes about how powerful the customer support community can be as a self-service customer service tool. Remember that a self-service solution doesn’t mean you don’t offer customer service. On the contrary, self-service is a way to enhance customer service. – Shep Hyken

How was your weekend? Good, I hope. I had a pretty good one too, until a snag in my operating system left me unable to play any of my purchased videos. Since a weekend without Star Wars is unacceptable, I turned to the internet for help. The ultimate nightmare scenario unfolded: a question with no answer online aside from “contact our customer support line.” It took 3 representatives a total of four hours to tell me that my problem was unsolvable and to give me a second number to call for a refund. As yet, I’ve not had the mental fortitude to try it.

The real problem here isn’t the error, or that it couldn’t be fixed. It’s that I was out of control for the entire experience. I couldn’t choose when to engage, and had to sit on the line while the poor rep tried desperately to figure out what the problem could be. This reached the point of parody when they were forced to remotely operate my computer to try and discover the problem. There’s nothing like seeing your mouse move of its own accord to reinforce the lack of control you have as a customer.

Modern customers expect to be in control of their own problems, and to have the resources to fix them. One-to-one support can be great for some customers, but companies with an over reliance on it are eliminating that control. If the problem had been fixed it would have been better, but even then the solution blows away in the wind. It can’t help anyone else, and customer support reps who encounter the problem in the future won’t know how to solve it. At best, it’ll be added to a little read internal wiki for someone to stumble upon.

Online knowledge bases are a good start to solving these problems, but they don’t solve them entirely. Every product has a FAQ or knowledge base somewhere, but in my experience the problem is never quite the same as what’s written down. Where does the customer go then? The answer is inevitably “Try our support line.” In my case, the staff were clearly reading the same FAQ that I was.

Customer support communities, thankfully, are becoming more and more common. Unfortunately, many companies don’t see the full potential of the medium and don’t truly understand how they work. A customer support forum shouldn’t be just another thrown-out part of your omni-channel support. It should be a focal point for your efforts, where customers receive great answers either from your support staff or other users. They should be a living knowledge base that save countless customers experiencing the same issues and allow them to fix their own problems. If your customer experience is lagging behind, don’t try and fix it by adding more reps to the phones. Invest in a better knowledge base for your customers by improving your support community.

Patrick Groome is a community manager and writer for Vanilla forums. He’s been working in the community space for over a decade, working for clients of all types from non-profits to webcomics to Fortune 500 businesses. You can reach him on Twitter @patrick_groome

For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com . Read Shep’s latest Forbes Article:

5 Ways To Make The Holiday Return Policy Easy On The Customer

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Amazing Business Radio: Scott Page

December 31: Scott Page on How to Use Media and Technology to Your Advantage

Shep Hyken interviews Scott Page; rock star musician (Pink Floyd), technologist, and entrepreneur, about media and technology and their impact on the entrepreneur/artist. Scott has worked with the great minds and talent of: Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Garth Brooks, Will Smith, Elon Musk, and Quincy Jones, just to name a few. He shares his insights on technology, creating your “superfan” (loyal customer), and how to stay fully connected with your customers. Everyone can use technology to their advantage.

 

Click here to listen.

“You can’t just follow a passion, you need to be able to make sure you’re able to execute, based on your skill set.” – Scott Page

 

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Five Customer Service and Experience Trends You Can’t Ignore

Business Trends

Happy New Year! As we close out the year and begin a new one, I thought about what has been trending over the last year or so and what will be important for us to consider as we move forward. Here are just five, but I think a very important five, trends to consider.

Your customers are smarter than ever before. When it comes to customer service, they know the difference between good and bad service. They not only compare you to others in your industry, but also others outside of your industry. They see companies advertising how great their customer service is, the awards they are winning for the customer experience, and more. Business is creating an expectation that forces us to raise the bar on our customer service and customer experience. By the way, that’s a good thing.
If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to have self-service customer service as an option. This isn’t limited to the companies that have call or support centers. It doesn’t matter what type of business you’re in, your customers will always have questions. Make it easy for them to find the Post an FAQ (Frequently Asked Question) section on your website. Post YouTube videos that answer questions that your customers might have.


Social media and customer service belong together. I can’t believe how many companies don’t monitor the social media channels their customers hang out on. It is imperative that you watch and listen for comments, both good and bad, and respond to Engaging with your customers on social channels is part of the customer experience. Don’t fight it. Take advantage of it.


Smart phones are getting smarter and smarter. For some, the least important part of the smart phone is the phone. It is the device customers are using to connect with you and your company. They are looking at your website, your products, descriptions, reviews, and more. This is an important step in their buying process. Make sure you are mobile-ready and taking advantage of the smart phone revolution.


The handwritten thank you note will never lose relevance. As a matter of fact, it may be more relevant than ever. A good old-fashioned thank you note will make you stand out. Can’t write a note? Consider a thoughtful and personal email or text message. The key is the two words thoughtful and personal. Thanking your customer from that mindset warms up the message and makes your customers truly feel appreciated. Don’t miss this opportunity to add a positive “moment” to your customers’ experience.

These are just five of the many trends that are happening in the world of customer service and customer experience. I wanted to share ideas that you could do as an individual, such as number five, as well as ideas that your company might consider implementing, if they aren’t already doing so.

So, Happy New Year! May this coming year be your best year yet!

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

(Copyright © MMXV, Shep Hyken)

 

 

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5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of December 28, 2015

Top Customer Service and Business Articles

Each week I read a number of customer service articles from various online resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

How to Avoid Alienating Your Customer During the Busiest Shopping Time of the Year by Jordy Leiser

(LinkedIn) The rise of e-commerce has made it very easy for consumers to switch from Company A to Company B. Today, shoppers have more choice than they’ve ever had, and with this multitude of options, one bad experience can lose a customer for a lifetime.

My Comment: This is an outstanding article about how to avoid mistreating and alienating your customers during busy times. While the article focuses on the holiday season, it is really applicable to any busy time – and any type of company.

The keys to offering great customer service with social media by Susan Solovic

(Susan Solovic) There is no “one-size-fits-all” pattern for a small business that wants to offer great customer service with social media. Depending on the size and nature of your business, the appropriate strategy, tools and platforms change. We will look at the topic starting at the “entry level” and build from there.

My Comment: It’s hard to believe that there are still businesses (big and small) that haven’t bought into social media customer service.  If you or your company are one of those, Here are some basics to consider.

2016 – The Year of Connected Customer by Vala Afshar

(Huffington Post) Here are eight transformational digital business initiatives and technology investment opportunities that all businesses should consider in 2016.

My Comment: I’ve said (and written) this before: Vala Afshar is brilliant! In this short article he shares some of the most relevant trends impacting our business – especially in the world of customer service.

Giving Great Customer Service to Millennials by John Krautzel

(Beyond) The millennial generation — people born from around 1982 to 2004 — expect a certain level of customer service when interacting with a business or workplace.

My Comment: Millennials make up almost 25% of the population, and therefore are a powerful force in business. As customers, they expect to be treated differently than other demographics (such as aging baby-boomers). Great stats and facts in this article to support the case of paying closer attention what those differences are.

5 Steps to Providing an Exceptional Customer Service Experience During the Holidays by Infinit Contact 

(Infinit Contact) How can you avoid any worst case customer service scenarios amidst holiday rush? Here’s a guideline for you to follow.

My Comment: Christmas was just a few days ago. The crowds at the malls seem to be bigger than ever. Calling a support center means longer than usual hold times. This short article has some great tips/ideas for delivering better customer service during the holidays – and any other busy time throughout the year.

Shep Hyken is a customer serv ice expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact or www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

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Guest Blog: Top 10 Benefits of a Strong Customer-Centric Mindset

This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague Elaine Fogel talks about building a customer-centric mindset for your business. I believe that to create a customer-centric culture you must start on the inside, with employees. – Shep Hyken

At the heart of a customer-centric business is customer service — how your company manages its customer relationships. If you’ve ever doubted the significance of customer service excellence to your business brand, just check out these statistics:

65% of respondents stopped using a brand’s products or services because of a poor customer experience. (Parature 2014 State of Multichannel Customer Service Survey)
Customers who had the best past experiences spend 140% more compared to those who had the poorest past experience. (Peter Kriss, Harvard Business Review, 2014)
81% of prospective buyers were frustrated because the company doesn’t make it easy to do business with them. (“The $6 Trillion Opportunity: How Digital Can Improve Customer Experience to Drive Revenue Growth,” Accenture Strategy, 2015)
When it comes to poor customer service experiences, nearly all (95%) consumers talk about them, with 60% reporting that they talk about these experiences all of the time. (American Express® 2014 Global Customer Service Barometer)
83% of B2B buyers either agreed or strongly agreed that an excellent customer service experience would lead to them purchasing again from the same supplier. (Accenture ∕ hybris “Building The B2B OmniChannel Commerce Platform Of The Future” November 2014)

So, what can your business gain by adopting a strong customer-centric mindset?

A LOT!

BUILDS TRUST, CREDIBILITY, AND SOLID REPUTATION

When you serve and engage customers with excellence, delivering on the company’s promises consistently, they will gradually develop a reason to believe in your business brand. Your company will gain customers’ trust and confidence and increase its level of credibility and reputation.

INCREASES WORD-OF-MOUTH REFERRALS

Building on #1, the more that customers trust your business, the more they will refer it to friends, family, colleagues, and their online networks.

GIVES YOUR BUSINESS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

When your company is customer-centric, and customers talk about it positively, its brand can rise to a top-of-mind position, giving it a distinct edge over its competition.

REDUCES EMPLOYEE STRESS AND FRICTION

When there are clear-cut, customer-centric standards that all employees believe in and follow consistently, they’ll know what to do and when. These guidelines can lessen confusion and customer mess-ups and in turn, greatly reduce employee friction and stress.

REDUCES CUSTOMER ATTRITION

When your business puts customers first, it increases its ability to retain them. As long as customers continue to see the value of patronizing or working for your business, they can become brand loyal and stick around longer. In other words, you’ll experience less attrition.

SAVES MONEY

When customers rave about your business and continuously refer new customers your way, the company can often adjust its marketing budget to reflect these inbound leads. It takes more marketing and advertising dollars to acquire new customers than to wow the current ones.

INCREASES CUSTOMER RETENTION AND LOYALTY

When your business is consistently customer-centric, wowing and engaging customers, there’s a greater chance that they’ll stay and become brand loyal. Periodically ask customers why they patronize your business. What you discover can help identify the effects of being customer oriented.

REDUCES RISK AND IMPROVES SUSTAINABILITY

When your business treats all its customers exceptionally well and with respect, it can reduce its risk for attrition. Brand-loyal customers who value your company and people may be less inclined to jump ship when your competitors entice them with attractive “carrots.” Since customer retention is a vital contributor to sustainability, your business is in a better position to weather economic downturns, crises, and other business threats.

LEADS TO GROWTH

When your business develops a solid brand reputation for being customer-centric, it can entice more inbound leads, referrals, and buzz, enabling it to grow. Because people are attracted to success, the company can experience even more growth opportunities.

INCREASES REVENUE AND PROFITS!

When your company adopts a customer-centric mindset and other business factors are relatively stable, it can improve its success, generating more money and profits.

Now that you’ve become aware of the true benefits of operating a customer-centric business, it’s time to begin the paradigm shift or “mindset adjustment” that can help you achieve it.

Are you ready?

Elaine Fogel is a marketing and branding thought leader, professional speaker, and writer. This post is excerpted from her new book, Beyond Your Logo: 7 Brand Ideas That Matter Most For Small Business Success, available worldwide in paperback or e-book formats. For a list of booksellers, visit this site.

For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com . Read Shep’s latest Forbes Article:

Star Wars And Business: 30 Years Later

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Amazing Business Radio: Linda Kaplan Thaler

December 24: Linda Kaplan Thaler on How Grit is the Key to Success

Shep Hyken talks to advertising genius and best-selling author, Linda Kaplan Thaler, on her book, “Grit to Great,” in which she shares how grit has led to her success. She is responsible for such advertising campaigns as the Aflac duck, “I don’t wanna grow up I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid” Slogan, Kodak Moments, and the provocative Clairol’s “Yes, Yes, Yes,” just to name a few. She attributes her and her companies’ successes to their grit. This show, and Linda’s book, will empower you to believe you can achieve more than you thought you could.

Click here to listen.

“You’re supposed to feel scared when you’re doing something new, that’s living.” – Linda Kaplan Thaler

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A Customer Service Christmas Story

Amazing Customer Service

It’s holiday time. Happy Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and any other holiday you might celebrate this time of year. A few years back I shared a story about an Ace Hardware manager who really went above and beyond for his customer. The story was about a Christmas tree and, during the holiday season, I can’t think of a better story to tell to illustrate an example of amazing customer service.

An elderly lady was visiting the Ace Hardware store in Dunedin, Florida, looking at Christmas trees around holiday time. The trees were lined up in front of the store, and the store manager, Jeffrey Gawel, was helping her choose one. She spotted a tree and said, “Boy, I’d sure love that tree, and I know it would look great in my living room, but it’s just too darned tall for me to decorate at my age. It’s too big to carry into my apartment, and I’m not going to make my way up a ladder to decorate the tree. I’m just too old for that.”

The woman was just vocalizing her thoughts. She wasn’t really asking for his help. So you can imagine her surprise when the manager said, “Oh, that’s no problem at all. I’ll be happy to deliver it to your home, and even help you decorate it.”

Surely he was kidding! But, actually, he wasn’t!

Sure enough, Jeffrey delivered that tree to his customer’s home. The woman had boxes of cherished mementos and ornaments to decorate the tree with. And here is the amazing part of the story. The next year he did it again. It became a tradition. For nine years this woman would come by the store, pick out the tree, and it would be delivered that evening. Nine years!

As they decorated the tree, the woman would tell stories. Jeffrey jokes that he had to listen to same ones over and over each year. She served him a piece of banana bread and a Diet Coke every time. He said it was like spending time with a new grandma.

This tradition finally ended when his friend passed away in her eighties. At the funeral there were only ten people, and he was one of them.

She had told all of her neighbors about Jeffrey and the special time they had together. This manager had become much, much more than a hardware store manager. He became more than just a friend. It was like he was family. All because he was willing to do a little something extra to take care of his customers.

A few thoughts come to mind:

What would it be like if you treated your customer like he or she was your grandparent?

What’s your version of the Christmas tree story?

Don’t wait until Christmas to be amazing. Do it all year long!

Happy Holidays!

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

(Copyright © MMXV, Shep Hyken)

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5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of December 21, 2015

Top Customer Service and Business Articles

Each week I read a number of customer service articles from various online resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

The brilliant strategy Michelin uses to keep its best employees from quitting by James Kosur

(Business Insider) Recognizing that workers often quit or become unproductive when they feel stuck or bored in their roles, Michelin encourages employees to move around frequently within the company. The result is an incredibly high 97% retention rate.

My Comment: We spend so much time focused on creating loyal customers, but how about loyal employees? Loyal and engaged employees are more productive and more customer-focused (and more). Great lessons from Michelin on how they keep employee turn-over to just… 3%!

10 Customer Service Trends to Watch in 2016 by Tricia Morris

(Microsoft Dynamics) The insights collected from the individuals above for 2016 are an interesting mix with a fantastic focus on people. Each trend is unique, but alone or together can serve as a powerful tool to unite customer-focused organizations and customer service teams for future success.

My Comment: My friend Tricia Morris at Microsoft has assembled a list of ten customer service trends from leading experts in the industry. You’ll have to download the report, but it is well worth it.

Customer Service for Millennials, from a Millennial by Hayley McNorton

(Group Elite Communications) Recommendations for millennial customer service are just scratching the surface, and have missed some crucial points.

My Comment: More great information about how to provide customer service to millennials. From a customized experience to using social media to connect with this huge customer base, there are a few ideas and thoughts here worth paying attention to.

Do You Take Your Job Personally? by Olga Kolodynska

(LiveChat) Many people claim that work isn’t personal but I think that work is as personal as it gets. After all, you spend the greater part of the day working than on any other activity. The money you make, the effort you put in your tasks, the time you spend away from your family. What’s more personal than that?

My Comment: This is an interesting article on making work personal. Taking work personally doesn’t mean you let things (or customers) get to you. It means you work to giving your personal best. You’re passionate. You make what you can control… personal.

The Self-Service Software Products That Keep Customers and Employees Happy by Craig Borowski

(Software Advice) When people have questions about products or services, they want answers. So what’s the best way to keep these folks happy? Give them what they want. Companies that are best at providing these answers have the best chance at turning people into customers.

My Comment: If you don’t have a self-service solution for your customers, you are missing a big opportunity that gives your customers instant information and saves your company money in the process. And, much more. Even something as simple as a Frequently Asked Questions page on your website is a good (and easy-to-implement) start.

Shep Hyken is a customer serv ice expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact or www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

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Guest Blog: Red Carpet Customer Service – How Business are Making Amazing First and Last Impressions.

This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague Donna Cutting writes about the crucial first and last impressions businesses make on their customers. People say the first impression is important. I would say that equally important is the last impression. The last impression is a lasting impression! – Shep Hyken

As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Traditional wisdom holds that that people form their first impression of you within seven seconds. A newer study done by the University of Glasgow in March, 2014, states that it takes half a second for people to make up their minds about you. In other words, you literally can have them – or not – at “Hello.”

Business owners and customer service professional know that the first impression is oh-so-critical. At the same time, the last impression you make may be the one that sticks with your customer most. The recency effect, a psychological term, describes the fact that when asked to recall specific items on a list, people are more likely to remember those that came at the end of the list. In other words, you can make a smashing first impression and blow it all up with a poor last impression.

Or you can roll out the red carpet, and keep it out, and your customers will run out and tell everyone they know!

Here are six ways professionals in small and medium sized organizations make red-carpet first and last impressions that keep their customers (in the words of Shep Hyken) AMAZED!

Red Carpet First Impressions

Begin the Welcome BEFORE they Arrive: When you book your seats at Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North Carolina, you’ll note that the exceptional service begins before you even head out for the show. They’ll send you email updates with everything you need to know including where to park, where to eat, and even what time to leave the house based on expected traffic that day. You can even pre-order your drink so it’s available to you at intermission. When you finally do arrive, you’ll be welcomed by a smiling man or woman (or both) in red jackets and top hats! The DPAC Showstoppers are on hand to greet you and even dance for you as you enter the lobby. As you make your way to your seats, uniformed ushers are all along the way greeting you with smiles and helpful guidance. Each person there truly seems glad to see you. Says Michael Colvin, director of event services, “The key to providing this level of customer service is to hire the right people and train them. I have interviewed 100 people sometimes and only hired 30. It’s a long process, but it’s worth it!”

Roll Out the Red Carpet…Literally: Talent Plus, Inc is a consulting firm that focuses on talent-based assessments for employee selection and development. If you’re a client visiting their Lincoln, Nebraska offices, or a new associate starting your first day, don’t be surprised if they literally roll out the red carpet for you! Guests and new hires are often surprised to find the entire team lined up on either side of a long red carpet applauding as they enter the building.

High Point University, in High Point, North Carolina provides a similar WOW moment by providing a special parking space for expected guests complete with a personalized welcome sign. It’s not unusual for astonished visitors to stand near their sign as their friends snap a photo!

Stand on Your Tiptoes: When it comes to telephone first impressions, the team at Spa Theology in Asheville, North Carolina knows that having an upbeat tone of voice is critical. They’ve been taught to stand on their toes (yes, really) because their voice naturally heightens. They also make a point to never rush someone off the phone. They focus all of their energy on letting every single customer know that this time is their time.

Once you have them at hello, you want to keep them at goodbye. Be sure to keep the red carpet out and make a first class last impression as well.

Red Carpet Last Impressions

Capture the Memory: When Mark Savoree owned a Lincoln Ford Mercury dealership in Paris, Illinois they took Polaroid pictures of people standing next to their new car. Says Mark, “We’d take two, and write their name and the date on the bottom tag. One would go home with them, and one would go on our cork board because we were welcoming them to the family. Today, Mark and his wife are the owners of Savoree Properties, and they take photos of people with their new homes (this time with a digital camera.) They present them, in frames, as a gift and, says Mark, “people love it!”

Don’t Forget the Dogs: Bryan Clayton, CEO of GreenPal, knows that one of the ways to tap into a customer’s soul is through their pets. The new company, deemed UBER for lawn care, allows you to hire someone to mow your grass via an app on your smartphone. They currently serve Nashville, Atlanta, Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida. If you’re a customer and you have pets, your dog or cat will receive a follow-up thank you note, addressed to them, with a bone or a bit of catnip as a gift. With shipping it costs the company about $2.00 per customer and has earned them repeat business and lots of social media love.

Check In After the Sale: Darlene Clay Elia, the owner of ContractorSelling.com, teaches her clients to do a “Happy Check” after a service call. Says Darlene, “The Happy Check or Happy Call ensures they have given the highest level of service possible. They call with a series of questions to determine the customer’s level of satisfaction. Even the call itself is an example of exceeding the customer’s expectations.”

Ask yourself, what opportunities do we have at our organization to make a better first impression? How could we make a fantastic last impression? Every company is different, but take a tip from the people and places above and create first and last impressions that turn prospects into customers and customers into raving fans!

Donna Cutting is the author of 2 books on red-carpet customer service, and the founder & CEO of Red Carpet Learning Systems, an Asheville, NC-based firm focused on helping leaders engage their team to improve the customer experience. Parts of this article are excerpted from her new book, “501 Ways to Roll Out the Red-Carpet for Your Customers: Easy-to-Implement Ideas to Inspire Loyalty, Get New Customers, and Leave a Lasting Impression.” (Career Press, 2015) Follow Donna on Twitter at @donnacutting or contact her at www.RedCarpetLearning.com

For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com . Read Shep’s latest Forbes Article:

Nordstrom Makes You A Shoe Designer: A Customized Experience Can Be A Better Customer Experience

The post Guest Blog: Red Carpet Customer Service – How Business are Making Amazing First and Last Impressions. appeared first on Shep Hyken.