Shep Hyken's Blog, page 223
August 1, 2014
Guest Blog: Awesome Product + Awesome Service = Awesome Customer Experience
This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague Jeremy Watkin shares a customer service experience he had with a company that turned a Moment of Misery into Moment of Magic. Now that’s my kind of story! - Shep Hyken
There are a couple things you should know about me. First of all, I love blending things. Second of all, I’m a very loyal Costco shopper and I’m a big fan of their return policy.
My love affair with blending began when my wife and I got our first blender some thirteen years ago as a wedding gift. While that blender lasted us seven or eight years, it was always a fairly weak machine.
When it came time to replace it, I turned to Costco. Blender number one was the least expensive model that Costco carried. Upon blending my very first smoothie containing a frozen banana, the machine broke. You could actually shake it and hear nuts and bolts rattling around inside. I returned it to Costco for another blender that cost about ten dollars more. That one lasted a little bit longer, but within a few months, my kitchen smelled like burnt rubber and I was left with another broken blender.
Fed up with cheap blenders, I headed back to Costco with my sights set on a real machine. I was on a mission to get a Vitamix! Costing more than my three previous blenders combined, I was eager to see how it would perform and if it was worth the money. After a couple years, I have yet to find a job too difficult for the Vitamix and use it almost every day. It is truly a well-built, superior machine, and I am a fan!
Fast forward to a couple weeks ago when I noticed a small crack in the Vitamix pitcher. It was at this point that I found myself at a crossroads. I could easily return the machine to Costco for a brand new one. Yes I know it seems like an abuse of the system, but I guarantee they would take it back.
Being a connoisseur of awesome customer service stories, I opted instead to contact Vitamix directly and see if they would stand by their seven-year warranty. After filling out their email form, I was delighted to receive a response from Tori in Customer Service, letting me know they were sending me a new pitcher! I didn’t even have to mail the cracked pitcher back and I received the new one in a few days. The decision to go directly to Vitamix with my problem really paid off.
Here are a few things Vitamix did right:
Vitamix makes a quality product. The old adage “You get what you pay for” applies here. The Vitamix is a high-quality, durable blender. After breaking three inexpensive blenders, I am a believer!
Vitamix Customer Service exceeded my expectations. I expected to have to spend time and money to replace the pitcher. Even a trip to Costco would have been a minor inconvenience. Instead, the customer service team was empowered to simply send me a new pitcher after the exchange of just a couple emails. There was absolutely no inconvenience to me as the customer.
They gave me every reason to remain loyal. I’m sure most people have heard of other brands like Ninja and BlendTec, who are touting high-end blenders that are competitive with the Vitamix. In a moment of truth where Vitamix could have mishandled my request, they were flawless. In the words of Shep Hyken, they created a Moment of Magic!
I apologize if this reads a bit too much like an ad for Vitamix, but really it’s just another example of a company that demonstrates how to pair awesome customer service with an awesome product in order to deliver an awesome customer experience. I think you’ll agree with me that these are the best companies to do business with!
Jeremy Watkin is the Director of Customer Service for Phone.com and is cofounder and regular contributor on Communicate Better Blog . The blog is focused on observing and learning from both good and bad customer experiences. Jeremy ranked #85 in the Top 100 Most Social Customer Service Pros of Twitter in 2013 by The Huffington Post. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn for more awesome customer service insights.
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July 30, 2014
Good Customer Service Handoff Leads to Appreciation
It’s not my departmentI hate the handoff. This is where the customer service representative I’m talking to transfers me to someone else to resolve my issue. It can happen on the phone or in person. Sometimes I hear, “It’s not my department.” (I hate that one!) Or, “You should have asked to speak to someone in…” Well, you can name the department. I think you get the idea.
On the phone, this is the way it usually plays out. First I call the company. Then I listen to the voice prompts that will connect me with the correct department. If I’m lucky I won’t have to wait. However there is usually a short wait. Some companies have gotten better at managing the customer’s wait times. During the wait, I’ll typically hear a message like, “Your call is very important to us. Please hold for the next available customer care representative.” Well if it was so important, why do they make me wait? But, I digress.
Once I get the agent on the phone, the agent will typically ask me necessary questions to prove I am who I say I am. Those questions could include an account number, address, last four digits of my social security number, and more. Then the phone call really begins. That’s when I hope that the person I’m talking to can help me, fix what needs to be fixed, and give me a great customer service experience. But, sometimes that is not the case. I have to be transferred to someone else in another department. Guess what happens? The process starts all over again. Sometimes there is a wait, and almost always I have to go through the same question and answer session.
For the typical person, this process is frustrating, mostly because of the time wasted.
A good handoff is almost artistic. Done well, the customer appreciates the first person they talked to, even if he or she didn’t resolve the issue, because of the positive way the call is handled.
I was working at a call support center. A customer was transferred to the agent I was working with. I expected to be talking to the customer. Instead, I heard another agent say, “Hello. I have Mrs. Smith (not her real name) on the phone. She is having trouble with her login and password. Would you be able to help?”
Of course, my agent said, “Yes.” And the support call began. It was a warm handoff. Instead of being frustrated, the customer was very appreciative of the first agent, and even more so for the agent who helped resolve the issue.
It doesn’t matter if it is a customer support center or in person – and it can be any type of business – the customer hates a bad handoff. So, here are a few things to consider:
Make the handoff warm. Sometimes it takes an introduction.
Do your best to prevent the customer from having to tell their story (or give their identifying information) more than once – make that part of your introduction to the next agent.
Make sure the customer only has to experience the handoff one time. For example, if it is on the phone, transfer only once. In person, get the customer to the right person the first time.
Consider giving the customer your contact information in case they are disconnected, their issue hasn’t been resolved, or have other problems in the future.
Shep Hyken is a customer service 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 http://www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
(Copyright ©MMXIV, Shep Hyken)
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July 28, 2014
5 Top Customer Service Articles for the Week of July 28, 2014
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.
CX: It’s Not Rocket Science But it’s Still Hard By Noreen Seebacher
(CMSWire) Think customer service is a synonym for customer experience? Think again, suggests Alpharetta, Ga.-based customer experience (CX) consultant Jim Bass. “Customer service happens after the sale. Customer experience starts before the sale,” he explained.
My Comment: Some people are still confused about the difference between customer service and customer experience. This article includes a great definition. Also, like the comment that customer service and experience isn’t rocket science. But, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Simple in theory, yet sometimes difficult to execute – but well worth it!
Do You Guarantee Your Customer Experience? by Annette Franz
(CX Journey) Should companies offer guarantees for their products and services? Or is the better question, why don’t they?
My Comment: Love this article. Guarantees create confidence and trust. Most companies may not formally guarantee their products or services, however it is implied. Perhaps more companies should be bolder with their commitment to their customer and state their guarantee up front.
How Loyal Are Your Clients? by John L Evans Jr.
(Weatlth Management.com) If they are less dedicated to your practice than you’d like, you need to be systemizing WOW practice-wide.
My Comment: Great article on creating customer loyalty. I especially like the idea of “Paying attention when the client (or customer) doesn’t think you are.” And, even though this article is focused on financial advisors, these ideas, tactics and strategies can work for just about any business.
5 Ways to Boost Customer Loyalty, by Chad Brooks
(Business News Daily) With so much competition in today’s marketplace, it can often be a challenge to turn first time customers into repeat customers.
My Comment: Sometimes we need to be reminded of the basics. They really are common sense. This short article includes five reminders of how we can provide a customer service experience that potentially leads to loyalty.
Customer Experience Is The New Battleground, by Josh Linkner
(Forbes) By delivering a superior customer experience, you’ll set yourself apart. With most of the competitive advantages of the past already commoditized, customer experience is an area that remains largely uncharted and ready for innovation.
My Comment: It used to be that customer experience was based on customer service. Not anymore. The experience is much more than the service after – and even before – the sale. Now it has to do with every aspect of the customer’s touch points. Steve Jobs even focused on the packaging, realizing that was an important touch point that helped add to the customer’s experience. Well said in this article: A good starting point is to experience your offering from your customer’s perspective – not just the product or service itself but every touch point surrounding it.
Shep Hyken is a customer service 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 http://www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
(Copyright ©MMXIV, Shep Hyken)
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July 25, 2014
Guest Blog: Putting the Customer Last
This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague Ken Homza talks about how rules and procedures can lead to bad customer service. I have always believed that we should empower employees to make decisions to support the customer. - Shep Hyken
What do my doctor’s office and the local Chevrolet dealer have in common? Recently, they both decided to put the customer last. While my doctor’s office probably considers me a patient as opposed to a customer, people have choices when it comes to medical care just like they do with any other service. And poor service usually means customers choosing to spend their dollars elsewhere.
On a recent afternoon, the Chevy dealer explained to me why my wife’s car (which was in their shop to correct a problem with a prior repair that they had made) would not be ready at the end of the day despite a 7:00 AM appointment. You see, they have a “policy” which states that they assign the same technician who did the original repair to correct any customer satisfaction issues. While that sounds good in theory, in practice it just aggravated the situation as that technician was overbooked that day. Rather than have someone else resolve the issue, they decided that their policy should superseded good customer service and the customer would just have to wait another day to get their car back. The fact that they didn’t call me to give me an update and that I had to call them near the very end of the day to check on the status of the car just made matters worse.
On the same day, I drove to my doctor’s office as they couldn’t manage to return a phone call to schedule a routine test. They seem to have a plethora of procedures about who returns which calls, at what times, and also seem to have a policy that every call goes straight to voice mail. I have never had them answer a call. As I walked into the waiting room, I could hear the person at the front desk ask a very sweet looking elderly woman to fill out a survey on the office phone system. She (in a not so sweet voice) replied, “Your phone system is terrible – I can never get through.” I followed up with, “I drove here because you don’t return calls.” With that, I was ushered straight through to meet with the person responsible for scheduling.
In both instances, those in charge don’t seem to appreciate the customers’ perspective and are abiding by rules, practices and procedures that ultimately put the customer last. The result of this lack of customer perspective is that over time, the customer will decide to choose another provider.
Too often companies let policies and procedures get in the way of good customer service. When I start to work with a new client, I frequently deal with issues that don’t originate in the finance and accounting departments but have tremendous financial impact over time. The above are just two examples of customer service issues which have financial impact by reducing top line revenue and bottom line profitability.
As you think about your business, ask yourself, do you have policies and procedures which end up putting the customer last? And if so, have you thought about the financial impact they might have? Wouldn’t it be better to fix these issues and improve customer service and your bottom line at the same time?
If your business could benefit from fractional CFO services, Ken would welcome the chance to speak with you. Please give Ken a call at (314) 863-6637 or send an email to ken@homza.com. Click here for the archive of Ken’s monthly newsletters or go to homza.com to learn more.
For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com
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July 23, 2014
Reasons for Customer Service Debacle
Last week a major cable and Internet provider made “headline” news when a customer recorded a call to the company’s customer service center. All the customer wanted to do was terminate his service.
The customer service agent proceeded to ask questions as to why the customer would want to disconnect. The agent made statements about this company being the best at what they do and providing the best price.
Essentially, the agent wouldn’t accept that the customer simply, for whatever reason, wanted to terminate the service. After a few minutes, the customer put the call on speakerphone and recorded the conversation with his iPhone. In total, the call went on for over 15 minutes. The agent wouldn’t let up. The call was a disaster. The customer posted the recording of the call on social media and the incident went viral.
This isn’t about that specific company or incident; it is just an example of a problem. It could have happened to any company. It doesn’t have to be in a call center. It can be on the front line of any type of business. So, let’s not focus on the company, but rather the incident and what we can learn from it.
There are a number of reasons this type of call or customer service debacle happens. Here are three:
Lack of clear objectives. If you have followed my books, articles and videos I write about getting into alignment. The question is, “Does the employee understand our goal when it comes to customer service?” It’s more than being nice. It’s very definable, easily articulated and simple to understand. It could be tied to a brand promise. For example, my friends at Ace Hardware want to be the most helpful retail stores on the planet. All an employee has to do is ask him or herself, “Is what I’m doing now helpful for the customer?
Lack of training. I’m amazed at how certain companies put their employees in customer-facing positions without the proper training – and not just technical training; relationship training. While some companies complain about the high cost of training, what is the cost of losing a customer because you didn’t spend the time or money to properly train? Some of my clients put their employees through weeks of training before they let them work on the front line. It is hard to imagine that a properly trained person would have handled the customer support call like the cable company’s agent did.
The lack of balance between making money and providing a positive experience. Revenue is the lifeblood of a company, until it costs you the customer. Putting revenue over a customer’s needs can cost more long term when the customer realizes they were overcharged or sold something they didn’t need and chooses to find another company that is more customer friendly. In the cable company example, perhaps there was an incentive tied to retaining defecting customers. You can’t keep every customer. Not that you shouldn’t try, but there is a time that you have to let go. Obviously, the cable company agent didn’t know when to let go. Treat the customer with dignity and respect, even if he or she chooses not to do business with you. Finish strong! Click to Tweet
There are certainly many more reasons that customer service can fail, but these three reasons are a good springboard to a more in-depth conversation with your team. See what other reasons you can think of and feel free to leave a comment sharing what you came up with.
Shep Hyken is a customer service 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 http://www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
(Copyright ©MMXIV, Shep Hyken)
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July 21, 2014
5 TOP CUSTOMER SERVICE ARTICLES FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 21, 2014
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.
Customer Experience, The ‘Now’ Marketing Tool? by Ron Wince
(Media Post) From retail to wholesale, from healthcare to housing, how we do business has changed. Today’s consumers are not only looking for the most attractive product or service, but also the best experience. Companies that don’t create a memorable, positive and meaningful personal experience will surely risk extinction.
My Comment: Here are some of the secrets to delivering an amazing customer experience; listen to the customer, study other industries, train everyone and connect versus transact. These concepts are some of the best marketing strategies that lead to not just loyal customers, but customer evangelists.
Your Customers – Or Your Best Friends? by David Roe
(CMSWire) How many best friends do you have among your customers? Do your customers consider your company to be among their best friends? If the answer to these questions is no, then it might be time to make some changes.
My Comment: This is an interesting concept; how a business can earn “best friend status” with a customer. People will answer the phone, email, text, etc. their best friends. They trust friends’ suggestions. I guess the question we ask ourselves is, “How close are we to best friend status with our customers?”
4 STAGES OF THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE JOURNEY: REAL-LIFE LESSONS IN RETAIL by Flavio Martins
(WinTheCustomer) Your customer experience journey can be judged on the effectiveness of discovery, engagement, usage and persuasion.
My Comment: This article is a fascinating look at four steps of customer experience. It also links to sales. The steps leading to the final step, “usage,” is exactly what a customer experiences through the sales process. The experience will continue with usage, and that can include support, follow up, etc. And if all goes well, the experience is repeated, as the customer comes back and does business again (and again).
How to talk to your customers in 6 easy steps by Alice Default
(Front) So how to make sure that you’re always spot-on with your customer support? I read this really great article by Patrick Hull recently about why you should talk to your customers and he makes this awesome analogy: talking to your customers is just like going on your 1st date. You need to be on top of your game at all time because it’s all about that first impression you make on them.
My Comment: The very first speech I delivered – over 30 years ago – was part
of a theme; Back to Basics. This is a type of basic, but important, information that every employee must know and use.
5 Creative Ways to Improve the Client Experience by Al Pangan
(Infinit Contact) And while most businesses think that creating positive customer experience takes a tremendous amount of work, the truth is it only takes a few minutes or a simple gesture to make a customer experience an outstanding one.
My Comment: There is a big difference between a satisfied customer and a loyal customer. The goal is to create a customer experience that moves the dial toward loyalty and repeat business. The five points made in this article can help any business achieve a better customer experience.
Shep Hyken is a customer service 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 http://www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
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July 18, 2014
Guest Blog: 4 Customer Experience Lessons from Amazon’s Prime Membership
This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague Adam Toporek describes 4 customer service experience lessons he learned from Amazon Prime. Anytime anyone talks about Amazon, I listen. - Shep Hyken
4 Customer Experience Lessons from Amazon’s Prime Membership
In 2005, Amazon launched a groundbreaking membership program called Prime. Prime was centered around the idea of customers paying a single annual membership fee of $79.00 and receiving free two-day shipping on eligible items.
Historically, one of the advantages brick and mortar retailers maintained over online retailers was immediacy. Brick and mortar stores could simply get the product into the customer’s hand faster. While expedited shipping options were always available, in most cases, the extra cost negated the price advantage of shopping online.
Prime was designed to destroy this dynamic and to incentivize repeat purchases within the Amazon ecosystem.
For me, I was taken by the idea of Prime when it was released but found that so few of the items I was interested in were eligible for the two-day free shipping that I could not justify the fee. Eventually, Amazon improved its Prime offerings by continuing to increase the number of items eligible for Prime shipping, and I joined the program in 2011.
My fondness for Amazon’s Prime program is not just personal, however; it is steeped in an appreciation of how Amazon has improved the program to something that is more profitable for the company while still being more valuable to the customer. Amazon’s handling and development of the Prime program offers a number of customer experience lessons for all customer-experience professionals.
#1: Know the Difference Between a Bad Idea and Bad Execution
Prime was a brilliant idea, but it got off to a rocky start. While year-over-year data about Amazon’s Prime subscriber base is not readily available, it seems that many of the early challenges that concerned me concerned others as well. By 2009, Amazon only had around 2 million subscribers, compared to the estimated 20 million it has now.
The leadership at Amazon was able to tell the difference between a bad idea and bad execution. It understood the potential of Prime and stuck with the program to make it better.
#2: Consumers Want It Easy and Now
Prime caters to many current trends in consumer purchasing but more than anything it fills the incredible desire consumers have for ease of use and immediacy of results. Consumers want quick gratification, but they also do not want to put forth much effort. Prime satisfies both desires.
The future of customer experience is quick and easy. Those who continue to make their customers jump through hoops and make them wait will be at a competitive disadvantage to those who do not. While some consumers will always put price above everything, the most economically valuable consumers tend to place a high value on their time and the absence of hassle.
#3 Continue to Add Value and Price Won’t Matter
With Prime, I have gone from a sideline observer to a skeptical participant to a raving fan. Why? Because Amazon continues to add massive additional amounts of value to the Prime membership. From a huge number of products eligible for two-day shipping to Kindle rentals, from streaming movies and television to over a million streaming songs, Amazon keeps giving more.
Amazon raised its Prime membership price from $79.00 to $99.00 earlier this year. It was the first price increase since Amazon started the program in 2005 and, of course, some naysayers predicted a wave of cancellations. It seems that the cancellations did not materialize. Amazon has added so much value to the program that the price hike did not seem to register.
As Warren Buffet once said, “price is what you pay, value is what you get.” If your customer experience can provide enough value, you will have a lot more flexibility with pricing.
#4 Understand the True Value of a Customer
Amazon understands an important dynamic about its Prime members – they are worth much more than the $99 membership fee. In fact, one analysis indicates that Amazon was actually losing money on the membership fee itself when the price was $79.00. However, even when Amazon was net negative on the fee, the actual value of Prime customers was far greater, and it is even more so today.
Prime customers now spend $1,224 on Amazon compared to $504 for non-Prime customers. With roughly a 92% retention rate, these numbers add up. In addition, members tend both to shop at Amazon first and to check Amazon when considering a purchase from another online retailer.
Amazon understands that the true value of a customer lies in his or her customer lifetime value. Amazon knows that customers are worth more than a single transaction but are worth the entire value of all transactions completed over the customer’s lifetime with the organization.
Amazon Prime is not for everyone. If you do not buy much online or stream television or music, the benefits of Prime may not live up to the current $99.00 annual price tag. However, the lessons of Amazon’s Prime program can be useful to any customer-facing professional. Observing how Amazon has used value enhancement to create pricing flexibility and increase loyalty among its most valuable customers is worthy of study.
Adam Toporek is a Customer Experience Strategist, franchise developer, and small business owner who runs the popular blog Customers That Stick. His consultancy, CTS Service Solutions, offers customer experience and customer service workshops. He is the author of a forthcoming book on frontline customer service (AMACOM, Spring 2015). Connect with Adam on Google+ or Twitter.
For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com
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July 16, 2014
Recommending Your Competition Equals Good Customer Service
Confidence is KeyThe other day a potential client inquired about having me speak about customer service at his company’s annual meeting. Typically, one of the first questions a client will ask when they call about me speaking at their meeting is, “Are you available on this date?”
That’s an easy one to answer. I was. However, once we started discussing his goals for the meeting, I realized that I was not the right fit for that particular meeting. I was happy to recommend one of my colleagues. The client was quite surprised that I would be so willing to turn business over to a competitor. While I will admit that I refer to my competition as “friendly competition,” even “colleagues,” it is still turning business away and referring someone else.
Why would I do this? Three reasons:
The first is that it is the right thing to do. I wasn’t a good fit and it would be a mistake for me to accept the offer to speak. The success of the client’s event was at stake, and I wasn’t about to be the reason he didn’t meet his goals, especially when I was not the guy for the job.
The second reason is that I have confidence. I’m confident that if I care more about the client’s success than that one booking, the client will eventually care enough to bring me in when it is a good fit. I’m confident he will remember who helped him with this meeting when he starts to plan for the next one.
The third reason is simple. It’s just good customer service. I put the customer’s needs ahead of mine. That’s what the best customer-focused companies are most interested in; taking care of their customer’s needs is more important than making the sale. They realize that, long-term, the customer will come back.
One of the best examples of this was shared by Jay Baer, the author of Youtility. In a recent presentation he mentioned that Hilton, the hotel chain, monitors the social media channels for opportunities to engage with their customers and guests. This particular interaction came over Twitter when a person tweeted out that he was looking for a good restaurant in his area.
@LTHughston: Good places to eat near the Magnolia Hotel in Dallas for Saturday?
@Hilton Suggests: Wild Salsa on Main or Campisi’s on Elm are awesome. Both within walking distance from your hotel in #Dallas. Enjoy!
What makes this a great example is that the customer isn’t a guest of a Hilton, yet Hilton is still willing to take the time to respond and engage. The restaurants they suggested aren’t their own hotel restaurants, and who knows if that person will ever be a guest of a Hilton hotel? It doesn’t matter. It’s about creating good will and having the confidence to recommend the competition.
Are you confident enough to recommend your competition? In the right situation, it is simply good customer service.
Shep Hyken is a customer service 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 http://www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
(Copyright ©MMXIV, Shep Hyken)
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July 14, 2014
5 Top Customer Service Articles for the Week of July 14, 2014
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.
Why discounting can put your customers’ loyalty at risk by Jan-Pieter Lips
(Marketing Magazine) As supermarkets and retailers fight to offer the lowest prices, Jan-Pieter Lips, EMEA president at Aimia – the company behind Nectar – discusses the history of loyalty schemes and what loyalty might mean in the future.
My Comment: Discounting prices will create loyalty for those looking for just low price. Which means these customers won’t stay with the company if they can buy something at a lower price. In other words, the customer is loyal to the price, not the company. The key to loyalty is more than a low price or a fantastic product. It takes an attention to customer service. The companies that are customer focused have loyal customers that are less focused on the price and more focused on their experiences.
5 Ways to Retain Customers and Grow Your Customer Base by Alex Hisaka
(LinkedIn) Here are five things I learned about how businesses can retain customers and grow its customer base.
My Comment: Great list about how to create customer loyalty and grow your business. Everybody should pay attention to these as they aren’t quite the usual suggestions. Great information!
Facebook is the top tool for customer service, consumers say by Eileen Brown
(ZDNet) If brands want to succeed with their social media strategy they need to have a comprehensive cross channel customer engagement plan according to a new report from Accent.
My Comment: After reading this article, I can’t see how any company, of any size, wouldn’t want to deliver customer service via social channels. Even if the numbers don’t quite correlate to every industry, the concept does. Social Service should be an important part of just about every company – at least the ones that are serious about their customer service.
10 Heartwarming Stories of Remarkable Customer Service You Have to Read Today (Slideshare) by Adel Zsurzsan
(Merlin) If we are to define the real principle of customer service, it all boils down to one single and simple word – CARE. In order to provide customer satisfaction, deep understanding of what customers want and need is important.
My Comment: The next time I’m having a rough day I’m going to pull this article out and read some of these amazing customer service stories. Great to use the following as a conversation starter, ask “How can we do something like that in our business?”
Customer Loyalty Is Declining: How Companies Can Respond by Steven Van Belleghem
(Social Media Today) Various studies point in the same direction: customer loyalty is disappearing in a hurry. Consumers put less trust in brands and tend to switch brands a lot faster.
My Comment: Some people say that customer service is getting worse. That’s an excuse for eroding loyalty. However I recently heard Barak Eliam, the CEO of NICE, a company that is focused on customer support centers, and he believes that customer service is just getting harder. The stats and facts in this article make that point. The bar is raised. Customers are smarter and expect more than ever.
Shep Hyken is a customer service 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 http://www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
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July 11, 2014
Guest Blog: 10 Steps to Great Customer Service
This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague Jerry LePre gives us 10 great ways to provide amazing customer service. These are terrific reminders that anyone can use. - Shep Hyken
Make a big splash with the Wow Factor.
You only have one first impression so make it a lasting one. Give it your best and make it count with a big splash. This is the Wow Factor that separates you, your organization, and your service from the rest of the pack. Your Wow is the quality that makes you different and special. The Wow Factor starts with the first contact and continues with each future connection. Everyone from the receptionist to the CEO keeps the Wow Factor going.
Get personal.
By this statement I don’t mean to get too chummy with customers. The service relationship must always be professional. However, great service is personalized. So get personal and tailor service to the fit the customers’ unique needs. Never use a cookie cutter approach. Customers know a canned speech when they hear one.
Getting personal also involves face-to-face contact with customers. Although digital responses like emails and texting along with phone conversations are great for instant contact, looking someone in the eye has the most value for building long-term service relationships.
Do unto others…
Treat customers like you would like to be treated. Put yourself in their places. Use empathy to understand the customers’ perspectives. This helps you understand what needs to be done and how quickly it needs to be done.
Resolve issues.
The most important aspect of great service is resolving issues by getting to the heart of the problem. This awareness determines acceptable solutions with an effective and timely action plan.
Make it happen.
It is one thing to make promises to customers that sound good; it is another to make promises that work. Service is all about tangible results. Make your promises happen by making sure they get done.
Keep it positive.
Great service sets the tone. Even in a hostile situation, a positive and caring tone of voice can often defuse anger. Sometimes customers have to vent, but keep in mind, their primary objective remains finding prompt resolutions to their problems. No matter how intense a customer becomes, keep cool. Never respond with anger or a harsh tone of voice. Cool heads will prevail.
Be proactive.
Great service means anticipating the future needs and concerns of customers. This includes keeping customers informed of any changes that could affect them while offering proactive solutions. Proactive planning serves to keep customers prepared for the future. It solidifies and increases retention.
Go the extra step.
Don’t do things just to get them done. Invest the time to do your best work and keep it on schedule. Customers appreciate and value the extra effort. Going the extra step makes customers feel special. It will not go unnoticed.
Create value.
Offer customers an unexpected bonus. To perpetuate relationships and enhance retention, give customers added value. This can be an additional service or product that has a small cost to you but will mean a lot to them.
Keep in touch.
Your communication with customers should be ongoing. This keeps you abreast of changes and shows you care. It also strengthens relationships by keeping you informed and connected.
C. Gerard “Jerry” LePre is an author, speaker, V.A.L.U.E. Coach and Consultant. His latest book is Smell the Popcorn – 12 Life Changing Secrets to Pop to the Top.
For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com
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