Shep Hyken's Blog, page 203

Guest Blog: Delivering Exceptional Customer Service Across the Generations

This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague Anna Liotta writes about how exceptional customer service means different things to each generation. This is an issue that must be understood in order to deliver an Amazing customer service experience. – Shep Hyken

Do you deliver Customer Service that makes every generation feel delighted or dismayed?

Most companies claim, “What makes us different is how we serve our clients and customers.” But all too often what is really happening is they are treating each generation of customers EXACTLY the same, and without knowing it they are ticking them off and pushing them away!

One size fits all is NOT a pattern for success when it comes to multi-generational customer service.

Delivering extraordinary customer service must be done with the customer’s GENERATIONAL CODES™ in mind. What may APPEAR to one generation as superior service may be a smack of smothering or pressure to another. 

For example, a Traditionalist customer walks into a department store to purchase a new pair of shoes. The Millennial service professional shouts out across the store, “Let me know if you need anything!” The Traditionalist mutters to herself, “How rude!” In her Generational Code™, a shout across the store is not professional or respectful customer service. She wants the service team member to at least walk across the store to greet her and then stay close by, so she doesn’t have to shout or hunt for him when she has a question. 

Here’s a seemingly similar scenario, but entirely different Generationally Savvy™ answer…A Gen Xer walks into a boutique clothing store. An older service professional walks right up and greets her by saying, “It’s such nice weather we are having! What brings you in today? Is this a special occasion? Are you celebrating something?” The Gen Xer gives the service team member a deliberately blank look and says, “No, I’m just looking,” hoping the service person will just go away. It takes EVERYTHING in the Xer’s power not to rush out of the store. Meanwhile, the Boomer team member hovers close by, ready to jump in at the slightest opening. The Gen Xer is thinking to herself, “Seriously! I know where to find you if I need you, please leave me alone!”

What we have here is a GENERATIONAL CODES™  collision. Neither approach to customer service was inherently right or wrong, but BOTH service professionals weren’t taking into account was the GENERATIONAL CODES™ of each customer.

 

Exceptional customer service means something DIFFERENT to each generation, and our mission is to see the world from EACH generation’s perspective and seek to serve in their GENERATIONAL CODES™.

 

Why Do We Serve? We serve to make our customers’ experience of using our products and services effortlessly and exceptional, to make our customers’ day.

 

So, how can YOU enhance your customer service experience to honor the GENERATIONAL CODES™ of each generation of customers today?


Anna Liotta, CSP is a best-selling author and award-winning speaker, and consultant who engages and energizes international audiences with her practical strategies for attracting, growing and retaining top talent and loyal clients from every generation.

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

How To Enhance Your Customer Experience With A Wine Bar

The post Guest Blog: Delivering Exceptional Customer Service Across the Generations appeared first on Shep Hyken.

How to Create a Better Customer (and Employee) Experience by Shep Hyken

Next week is National Customer Service Week and Tuesday, October 6 is CX Day. These “celebrations,” for lack of a better term, are meant to remind us about what is so important to every business; the customer service experience. With that, here are a few of my favorite concepts that we must always consider (and remember) when we think of customer service and customer experience.

Who is responsible for customer service? Unless you run a one-man operation, you probably have to entrust the job to your employees. How can you ensure that they care enough to deliver a good customer experience in every interaction? That they are in sync with your company’s culture, vision, mission and philosophy as a whole?

You need to have employees who “buy in” to your organization – that is, loyal employees who have internalized the company’s vision and mission. They believe in the company and want it to succeed, and will do their best to promote the business and help it grow.

This organizational buy-in doesn’t happen by accident, but it is worth the effort. Employees who take pride in the company not only deliver good customer service, but they are also a benefit to marketing efforts. If you want customer service delivered by employees who care – and the loyal customers who develop as a result – here are some things to remember:

Start at the top. To be successful, customer service cannot simply be delegated to the front-line employees. Leaders have to be role models for the employees to follow, and all employees must provide good service, whether they are interacting with internal or external customers. The customer-focused culture has to permeate the entire organization from top to bottom. Every decision that is made should incorporate the question, “How does this impact the customer?”


Define your service. Take some time to thoughtfully consider what you want your customer experience to look like. What kind of special promise will you make to your customers? Do you promise to respond quickly? To be easy to do business with? To keep your promises? Once you define your brand of customer service, distill it into a few words that are easy for employees to remember and strive for.


Communicate and train. Share your customer service philosophy (and its short-form motto or mission statement) with your employees and train them in how to deliver it. Part of this could involve mapping out the customer’s journey and identifying all the points of interaction he or she has with the company, and then ensuring that good customer service is built into each of these “touch points.”


Lead by example. The best way for management to lead by example is by following what I call the Employee Golden Rule: Treat your employees the way you want the customer to be treated – maybe even better. When employees feel like their managers care about them and appreciate them, they are more motivated to do well in their responsibilities – including customer service.

There are also tools available today to test the level of employee engagement in your company. Not long ago I wrote about TINYpulse. I love this company. They offer a simple software program to survey employees and monitor their levels of motivation and morale. Less in-depth but more up-to-date than an annual employee survey, it is a way of “checking the pulse” of your company each week.

Just as important as the employees’ responses to the questions is the fact that the frequent opportunity to share their opinions gives them a sense of feeling more fulfilled, appreciated and understood.

When I talked with the owner of the company, David Niu, he shared some of the simple yet powerful questions he suggests that companies might ask:

Do you have all the tools you need to be successful in your job?
If you were to leave our company, what would your primary reason be?
Do you have a suggestion about how we might improve?

Why is this important? As we mentioned earlier, the best way to deliver good customer service is to have employees who believe in the company and what it stands for, who will promote it and do whatever they can to help make it succeed. So, set inspiring customer service goals, communicate them, and show employees how to achieve them. Then use the weekly “pulse check” to make sure everyone is on the same page – that your employees are buying in and not opting out!

Beginning Monday, we will be posting videos daily for National Customer Service Day on my YouTube channel.

This post is part of the Customer Experience Professionals Association’s Blog Carnival “Celebrating Customer Experience.” It is part of a broader celebration of Customer Experience Day. Check out posts from other bloggers  here . – See more at: http://cxday.org

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 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)

The post How to Create a Better Customer (and Employee) Experience by Shep Hyken appeared first on Shep Hyken.

How to Create a Better Customer (and Employee) Experience

Next week is National Customer Service Week and Tuesday, October 6 is CX Day. These “celebrations,” for lack of a better term, are meant to remind us about what is so important to every business; the customer service experience. With that, here are a few of my favorite concepts that we must always consider (and remember) when we think of customer service and customer experience.

Who is responsible for customer service? Unless you run a one-man operation, you probably have to entrust the job to your employees. How can you ensure that they care enough to deliver a good customer experience in every interaction? That they are in sync with your company’s culture, vision, mission and philosophy as a whole?

You need to have employees who “buy in” to your organization – that is, loyal employees who have internalized the company’s vision and mission. They believe in the company and want it to succeed, and will do their best to promote the business and help it grow.

This organizational buy-in doesn’t happen by accident, but it is worth the effort. Employees who take pride in the company not only deliver good customer service, but they are also a benefit to marketing efforts. If you want customer service delivered by employees who care – and the loyal customers who develop as a result – here are some things to remember:

Start at the top. To be successful, customer service cannot simply be delegated to the front-line employees. Leaders have to be role models for the employees to follow, and all employees must provide good service, whether they are interacting with internal or external customers. The customer-focused culture has to permeate the entire organization from top to bottom. Every decision that is made should incorporate the question, “How does this impact the customer?”


Define your service. Take some time to thoughtfully consider what you want your customer experience to look like. What kind of special promise will you make to your customers? Do you promise to respond quickly? To be easy to do business with? To keep your promises? Once you define your brand of customer service, distill it into a few words that are easy for employees to remember and strive for.


Communicate and train. Share your customer service philosophy (and its short-form motto or mission statement) with your employees and train them in how to deliver it. Part of this could involve mapping out the customer’s journey and identifying all the points of interaction he or she has with the company, and then ensuring that good customer service is built into each of these “touch points.”


Lead by example. The best way for management to lead by example is by following what I call the Employee Golden Rule: Treat your employees the way you want the customer to be treated – maybe even better. When employees feel like their managers care about them and appreciate them, they are more motivated to do well in their responsibilities – including customer service.

There are also tools available today to test the level of employee engagement in your company. Not long ago I wrote about TINYpulse. I love this company. They offer a simple software program to survey employees and monitor their levels of motivation and morale. Less in-depth but more up-to-date than an annual employee survey, it is a way of “checking the pulse” of your company each week.

Just as important as the employees’ responses to the questions is the fact that the frequent opportunity to share their opinions gives them a sense of feeling more fulfilled, appreciated and understood.

When I talked with the owner of the company, David Niu, he shared some of the simple yet powerful questions he suggests that companies might ask:

Do you have all the tools you need to be successful in your job?
If you were to leave our company, what would your primary reason be?
Do you have a suggestion about how we might improve?

Why is this important? As we mentioned earlier, the best way to deliver good customer service is to have employees who believe in the company and what it stands for, who will promote it and do whatever they can to help make it succeed. So, set inspiring customer service goals, communicate them, and show employees how to achieve them. Then use the weekly “pulse check” to make sure everyone is on the same page – that your employees are buying in and not opting out!

Beginning Monday, we will be posting videos daily for National Customer Service Day on my YouTube channel.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 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)

The post How to Create a Better Customer (and Employee) Experience appeared first on Shep Hyken.

Amazing Business Radio Interview: Josh Linkner

September 29: Josh Linkner on How to Gain a Competitive Advantage Through Reinvention

Shep Hyken interviews Josh Linkner, jazz guitarist, entrepreneur, New York Times Bestselling author and proud, multi-generational Detroiter. In addition, Josh is one of the foremost experts on creativity and innovation, and talks about how individuals and companies should continuously seek ways to reinvent themselves. Tune in to hear Josh share ways to improve the customer experience, and his new, AMAZING business that is shaking up the leadership event category.

Click here to listen.

“Too often companies and individuals fail because of a lack of reinvention. In other words they are so busy clinging to what was they don’t get on with the hard work of creating something new.” — Josh Linkner

The post Amazing Business Radio Interview: Josh Linkner appeared first on Shep Hyken.

5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of September 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.

It’s Time to Get Personal with Your Customers Again by Chris Malone

(Fidelum Partners) Our smartphones and email in-boxes are stuffed these days with automated emails and phone calls that request customer feedback in the most sterile and impersonal ways. These automated surveys typically contain the warning “do not reply to this e-mail,” as if to tell us, “We want to know what you think, but only on our terms.”

My Comment: The personal touch; I like this concept. Are we good enough – and confident enough – to say, “If you have a comment or are unhappy with our product (service, etc.), here is my personal email and phone number. I want to hear from you.” However, if there is “fine print” as this article points out in the example, you blow it. The personal connection could be what gives the customer that added confidence to do business with you.

Customer words make brands by Torben Rick

(Meliorate) Top 14+ customer experience quotes to live by

My Comment: Word-of-mouth-marketing is perhaps the best way to promote your brand. Just be so good that others talk about you to their friends, colleagues and family members. Read and share  the 14 quotes in this article with your team. They come from some amazing customer service experts, authors and business geniuses and will give you a little motivational fuel that could help motivate you to deliver a level of customer service that gets your customers talking about you.

Why You Can’t Ignore Customer Service on Twitter by Lisa Woods

(Echogravity) With the viral negative publicity possible through Twitter’s one-to-one-to-many conversations, active customer service on Twitter is a no-brainer.

My Comment: I’m still amazed at how many companies ignore this (and other) social media channels. Twitter is a great way to engage with your customers. And, it’s more than just a forum to react to complaints. Twitter, and any other social media channel is a great place to interact and add value to your customer community.

5 Reasons Great Employee Experience Leads to Great Customer Experience by Niraj Ranjan Rout

(Business 2 Community) Employees are the backbone of any company. It’s them who help foster, and build relations with the customer. Treating your employees right will not just boost their well-being and happiness, it’ll gradually trickle down to your customers.

My Comment: A great customer service experience starts with giving employees a great employee experience. It’s this simple: What’s happening on the inside of your company is felt on the outside by the customer. All you have to do is get a list of the best companies to work for and the top rated customer-focused companies. You’ll be amazed at how many of the same companies show up on both lists.

Bruce Temkin, Customer Experience Researcher, On Best Practices For Client Loyalty by Daniel  J. Parnell

(Forbes) To get a better idea as to best practices that surround client experience and loyalty, I reached out to Bruce Temkin, founder of Temkin Group, a customer experience research, consulting, and training firm. Each year they gather and analyze consumer feedback to rate customer experience, forgiveness, trust, service, and web experience in industries that range from airlines and automakers, to health plans and hotel chains, to banks and insurance carriers.

My Comment: When Bruce Temkin talks, I listen. David Parnell interviews one of the gurus in the customer experience world. I always learn when Bruce shares his wisdom and insight with us. Great read!

Shep Hyken is a customer serv ice expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

The post 5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of September 28, 2015 appeared first on Shep Hyken.

Guest Blog: Want Loyal Customers? Take an Evolutionary Approach to Customer Experience

This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleagues Erik Alberts and Curtis Hill write about achieving loyal customers. To get loyalty from your customers, you must also be loyal to them. – Shep Hyken

In business, we have many goals, solutions, and drivers that define our version of “success”. There is one measurement more important and compelling than any other and that’s achieving a loyal customer.

Loyalty can mean different things to different people. Loyal customers are much like loyal friends. In my circle of friends and family, there are those who are always there. They support in tough times and share in good times. They are supportive when I make mistakes (and yes there are many) and celebrate when there is success.   Loyal friends become coach’s, counselors, therapist, and cheerleaders. They encourage us regardless of the situation and share both in the victories and the defeats.

Conversely I’ve had associations where neither of us had a vested interest. Although the interaction was good, I was simply “renting” them. The outcomes for both of us were beneficial; however, the long-term goals were vastly different.

Like a loyal friend, a loyal customer will remain with you when things aren’t perfect. They are willing to work with your business to build a relationship on the success and to help overcome weaknesses. It’s a partnership which benefits the success of both. Our customers become loyal because of experiences, along with a combined perceived value. They become attached and have a stake in our success.

Too often, organizations can get caught simply “renting” their customers instead of creating “loyal” ones. They aren’t looking to develop a long term loyal customer but striving to gain benefit only for a short time. They try to gain competitive advantage through a series of tweaks, rather than getting to bedrock and figuring out how to create an evolutionary organization and customer-service culture that will redefine the business—with their organization at the leading edge.

Evolutionary approaches redefine, redesign, and reposition organizations in ways that will help them lead the pack and define the territory. Evolutionary customer service requires more work, more time, and—often, but not always—more investment. It certainly requires more commitment and more patience, but produces greater rewards and produce loyal dedicated customers. Evolutionary customer service focuses on getting the entire customer-service experience right and begins the journey of creating loyal customers.

Before you embark on this journey to transform your organization to be focused on creating loyal customers its important to understand the difference between the customer experience and customer service. To often we think they are the same when in reality the are vastly different. In order to evolve your relationship with customers, the strategy you develop needs to incorporate focus on both the experience and the service.

Personally, I prefer the Wiki definitions:

Customer experience (CX) is the product of an interaction between an organization and a customer over the duration of their relationship. This interaction includes a customer’s attraction, awareness, discovery, cultivation, advocacy and purchase and use of a service It is measured by the individual’s experience during all points of contact against the individual’s expectations.

Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. Accordingly, it may vary by product, service, industry and individual customer. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees “who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest”

A recent Customer Management IQ survey noted that 75% of executives and leaders rated customer experience as the most impactful and important differentiator needed to gain market and industry share. Corresponding data suggests customers agree.

Bloomberg Business week, noted 63% of existing customers stop doing business with a company simply because they feel neglected by a company. Customer service is still important however it’s no longer the primary focus of the experience.

The ability of companies to evolve their staff, processes and culture can determine the difference between a good customer experience and a bad experience. Positive interactions will ultimately gain the kind of customer loyalty that all companies need to survive

Customer service is a journey between where the customer is now and where they wish to go. Companies designing the journey between those two points needs to encompass the needs of both customer and the organization creating benefit for both.   Creating long-term mutual benefit will create that loyal customer we all want and in turn drive growth in our businesses.

If you’d like to learn more about building customer loyalty for your business, check out the Customer Service DNA book by Erik Alberts and Curtis Hill.

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

Salesforce Suggests What Should Top Our Customer Service To-Do Lists

The post Guest Blog: Want Loyal Customers? Take an Evolutionary Approach to Customer Experience appeared first on Shep Hyken.

The Polite Society: Be a Nice Customer by Shep Hyken

Respect

Customer service is usually about the people who work at a company being polite to the customer. But how about the customer being polite to the employee? Be nice and maybe you’ll get nice back.

So, this article is from the perspective of the customer.

No doubt that a squeaky wheel gets the oil. For those that aren’t familiar with this old saying, it basically means if you are loud enough, you’ll get noticed. To put it in business terms, if you feel you’re not getting the customer service you think you deserve, stomp your feet up and down and you might get what you want. Sounds like a good plan, but there may be a better way.

There is another old saying: You’ll catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Being nice to the people serving you may beget nice customer service in return. If you don’t believe me, try it. It’s the right thing to do anyway.

The catching flies with honey concept comes to life in a couple of amazing examples I read about in an excellent article in Trendwatching.com Companies will reward you for being nice and polite to their people and the other customers around you.

Last year McDonald’s and Coca-Cola got together for a special promotion that rewarded diners for not using their cell phones. I don’t mind someone using their phone in a public area if they are discreet and respectful of others. The idea of rewarding a customer for their good behavior intrigues me. The promotion encouraged customers to take a “timeout” from talking, tweeting, Facebooking and texting. The longer you stayed in “timeout,” the more points you receive. Participants could win prizes, including a free trip.

I can’t vouch for the success of the app, but the premise is sound. Just the other day I was at the grocery store and standing in the checkout lane. The person in front of me was on her phone. She was loud and showed little respect for the people around her; specifically the cashier who had to wait to catch the customer’s attention to pay for her groceries.

In that same Trendwatching article, there was another excellent example. La Petite Syrah, a French café, had a pricing policy based on politeness. The customers who were kind to the barista and used the word “please” were charged less than those who weren’t so polite. The two prices were posted on their menu board. A cup of coffee for the polite customer cost EUR 1.40 versus EUR 7. That’s an 80% discount, just for being nice. Sign me up for that one!

Here’s the point of this article: Respect.

As a person, respect the people around you. As a customer, respect the people you do business with. They just may give it back to you, and sometimes even more so. Dealing with someone having a bad day? Smile. Be polite. Be the nice customer that’s easy to do business with, that potentially can make that bad day a little better. Then, watch how you’re treated.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 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)

 

The post The Polite Society: Be a Nice Customer by Shep Hyken appeared first on Shep Hyken.

Amazing Business Radio Interview: Fran Tarkenton

September 22: Fran Tarkenton, NFL Hall of Famer, on The Power of Failure

Shep Hyken interviews Fran Tarkenton, the Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Minnesota Vikings to three Super Bowls. But as Fran says, he’s “an entrepreneur, first and always.” That’s why he was building businesses during his playing days, and why he’s developed more than than 20 successful companies during his 50+ years in business. But along the way, Fran has encountered many failures, including his three trips to the Super Bowl. That led him to write his latest book, “The Power of Failure: Succeeding in the Age of Innovation.” Listen to Fran as he explains why he embraces failure and why you should too.

“If I’ve got 40 All-Pro players on my team, and I don’t have a culture of respect, love and making things better, then I’m not going to win.” – Fran Tarkenton

Click here to listen.

The post Amazing Business Radio Interview: Fran Tarkenton appeared first on Shep Hyken.

5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of September 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.

Magic Mirror Glue: Your Secret Sauce for Customer Stickiness by Daryn Mason

(LinkedIn) As Customer Experience (CX) professionals we all want customers to hold up a mirror so we can see what we look like from their perspective. But how ‘sticky’ is their feedback?

My Comment: We all want to know what our customers think. How we go about it may or may not get the information we want. If you want ideas on how to get better feedback from your customers, then read this article.

3 tips on providing better customer care service by Eli Schwartz

(e27) How important is customer care? SurveyMonkey’s Eli Schwartz gives the lowdown on how it can be better managed by your business.

My Comment: A great service experience shouldn’t be complicated, as this article points out. Three simple ideas: Make it easy, be authentic and resolve problems quickly.  A company that focusing on those three concepts will do well with their customers.

7 ways social media can improve customer satisfaction by Jennifer Lonoff Schiff

(CIO Online) Social media and customer relationship experts share tips on how to use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to enhance customers’ experience with your brand.

My Comment:This article reminds us that social media in customer service is not just about reacting to comments posted by customers. It is as much about engaging and adding value.

4 Steps to Avoid ‘Analysis Paralysis’ and Improve Customer Experience by Craig Borowski

(Software Advice) Today, many business leaders find themselves paralyzed by the topics of customer experience (CX) and CX improvement.

My Comment: This is a simple four step customer experience model. I like the concepts, and if a company is confused about how CX plays into their marketing and brand strategy, then this article will definitely help. And, if you’ve already bought into the idea of a strong CX strategy, you’ll also find a nugget or two to think about.

Reverse Customer Experience: Retain Calm Customers! by Kate Nasser

(Kate Nasser) When customer experience is going sour, do your calm customers have to raise their voice to get action? Do they think they must show anger to reverse customer experience from bad to good?

My Comment: Just because a customer doesn’t complain, doesn’t mean he or she is happy. If they are unhappy, and they are silent about it, they may just disappear. (And, we thought they were happy – they didn’t complain!) And, when a customer nicely and calmly states some form of dissatisfaction, don’t make the mistake of thinking that person, “doesn’t appear to be upset.” This is a great article that reminds us that even if the wheel isn’t squeaky, it still may need a little oil.

Shep Hyken is a customer serv ice expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

The post 5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of September 21, 2015 appeared first on Shep Hyken.

Guest Blog: You Speak in English but I Listen in…

This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague Tony Alessandra explains how important it is to understand your customers and speak to them in their language. I have always believed that communication is key to any relationship, especially with your customer! – Shep Hyken

“Edith do you know why we can’t communicate? Because I’m talking in English and you’re listening in dingbat!” Well, maybe Archie Bunker (from the old All in the Family sitcom) could benefit from learning how to communicate in “dingbat”! Then, he could mentally change places with Edith to understand her expectations instead of just his own.

Every day we face the potential for conflict or success in business with different types of people. Conflicts are inevitable, especially in customer service complaints, but the outcome from how you handle dissension is much more controllable. At the very least, you can manage your end of it. You can choose to treat a dissatisfied or irate customer from his perspective, the way he wants to be treated by modifying your own behavior; or you can choose to meet only your own needs – facing consequences such as dissatisfaction, frustration, confusion and, worst yet, a lost customer. It’s up to you.

Modify your spots

“Modify my behavior? Hey, I don’t want to change! And I hate phonies!”

I’m not talking about changing a leopard into an elephant. I mean acting in a sensible, successful way. When someone wants to move at a faster pace, move at that pace. If others want more facts and details, provide them.

But wait? Isn’t it phony to act in a way that isn’t natural for you? I think acting in a way that is responsive to Japanese behavior patterns in a Japanese environment is more likely to be appreciated and accepted there. The result is greater success! It helps dispel the stereotype that has been associated with some tourists who “act themselves” and expect others to do likewise. Of course, anything that’s new feels strange at first, until you get more comfortable with it through repeated practice.

People learn to become more adaptable through education, experience, and maturity. We simply have to allow the opportunity for appropriate behaviors to surface. As I’ve mentioned, if you’re able to put yourself in the other person’s position, you become more open-minded in dealing with him or her. When you understand the way the other person feels comfortable communicating, you can modify your approach to get on the same wavelength. You haven’t changed your own natural behavior. You’ve merely added to it additional consciously learned, behavioral insights and strengths for dealing with different types of people and situations. The best part is that people will teach you how to communicate with them if you’re willing to learn their signals by “reading” and then appropriately responding to them.

Four styles with a difference

Today’s Information Age features dozens of models of our behavioral differences. But they all have one common thread – the grouping of behavior into four categories.

Most explanations of behavioral styles have focused on internal characteristics leading to external behaviors. My model focuses on patterns of observable, external behaviors that each style shows to the rest of the world. Because we can see and hear these external behaviors, it makes it much easier for us to “read” people. Therefore, my model is simple, practical, easy to remember and use, and extremely accurate. My model divides people into four natural, core behavioral types:

Dominant Directors: Firm and forceful, confident and competitive, decisive and determined risk-takers. While their impatience sometimes causes eyes to roll, the Directors leave no doubt who sits at the head of the table.
Influencing Socializers: Outgoing, optimistic, enthusiastic people who like to be at the center of things. Socializers have many ideas and love to talk, especially about themselves.
Steady Relaters: Genial team players who like stability more than risk and who care greatly about relationships with others. They are likable but sometimes too timid and slow to change.
Conscientious Thinkers: Self-controlled and cautious, preferring analysis over emotion. They love clarity and order but may come across as a bit starchy.

So. . . which styles are your customers and how can you adapt to speak their language during customer service encounters?

Dr. Tony Alessandra is the author of 30 business books and Founder of Assessments 24×7 LLC, a company that offers a variety of online assessments

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

Fran Tarkenton Teaches Us to Learn from Failure

The post Guest Blog: You Speak in English but I Listen in… appeared first on Shep Hyken.