Shep Hyken's Blog, page 242
June 10, 2013
5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of June 10, 2013
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 Management: Art vs. Science by Deb Miller
(CMS Wire) There is a long-standing debate as to how much of customer experience management is science and how much is art. As you decide where you weigh in on the question, here are two customer experiences for your consideration. While one experience is a customer satisfaction triumph and a pleasure to share, the other tells a cautionary tale. They both illustrate the critically important role technology can play, blending science and art to create positive impressions and continuing customer loyalty.
My Comment: It used to be that customer experience was just the customer service that the customer received. Today it has transcended to marketing, providing us with data that helps ups bring the customers into the business. However it is the “art” of the experience, not the data, that will keep them coming back.
12 Effective Ways to Increase Employee Engagement by Stan Phelps
(9″ Marketing) After studying 1,001 examples of companies that give little unexpected extras to employees, here are a dozen ways to drive engagement and reinforce culture from the book, What’s Your Green Goldfish.
My Comment: Employee engagement is key to creating a better experience for both customers and employees. The best companies recognize how important it is to create an environment that fulfills employees and gets them engaged. The result is a loyal workforce that wants to create loyal customers.
Reader Question: Keeping the Personal Touch Online by Very Bad Business Bureau
(Very Bad Business Bureau) I believe my business is successful because we offer extremely personal service. I can never hope to technologically compete with a national company, so why should I invest in expanding my business online? Anyone who shops online is going to go with the big name.
My Comment: This is a great question for an entrepreneur wanting to compete with the big global company and their online customer service strategy, but here’s my take. While the answer for the small business/entrepreneur is an excellent answer, bigger businesses should take note. Customers like doing business with people and companies they have a connection with. That is why so many national and international brands are trying to create a more local or community presence. But sometimes it’s not just about being local. It’s just to connect. Every company, big, small and in between, should try to make a personal connection.
7 Lessons You Can Learn from Jeff Bezos About Serving the Customer by Kevin Baldacci
(Desk.com) The latest results from the American Customer Satisfaction Index reveals Amazon.com as the reining and undisputed champ in both Internet retailing and across the entire department in overall customer satisfaction. Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos perhaps more than any business leader has taken the philosophy of truly caring for the customer and ushered it into the digital era. Bezos has built a company from the ground up purely based off of the unbending, unyielding philosophy of serving the customer across all departments. With a 164 million Amazon customers, few would argue Bezos as the key architect of building an authentic, customer-centric company.
My Comment: Jeff Bezos once again shares his ideas on what makes Amazon.com an amazing customer service and customer focused company. The seven lessons he shares in this article are spot on to the customer service practices of any company, of any size, in any industry.
Gallup’s Workplace Jedi On How To Fix Our Employee Engagement Problem by Mark C. Crowley
(Fast Company) More than half of America’s workforce is disengaged. In an exclusive conversation with Dr. Jim Harter–who initiated the first “State of the American Workplace” study in 1997–we dig into the latest report, due out this month.
My Comment: I firmly believe that what is happening inside a company is felt by the customer on the outside. Employee engagement is crucial to this. It seems the most engaged employees are fulfilled employees who are “exploited” and then appreciated for the talent they bring to their job. This article is a fascinating look at why so many companies may not be successful in creating an engaged workforce.
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 ©MMXIII, Shep Hyken)
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June 5, 2013
Five Customer Service Tactics to Increase Sales
It’s All About Customer EngagementAs you read this, you may think this article could fall under the heading of sales tactics. I respectfully disagree. This is all about customer service, as it focuses on the way you engage your customers to make them feel comfortable about wanting to do more business with you. And, while the examples I’m using may be retail based, realize that these tactics work with any business in any industry. It can be B2C or B2B, these tactics work.
Engage with a strong welcome. Be it on the phone or in person, this greeting makes your customer feel comfortable and appreciated. This “first impression” sets the tone for whatever interaction is to follow.
Follow up the greeting with an open ended question. Follow up with a question that is specific to the reason the customer is calling or shopping with you. Don’t ask a yes or no question, such as “Can I help you?” Instead, ask an open-ended question such as, “What are you looking for today?” The best response will give you specific information about why the customer is doing business with you.
Ask why. Once you understand what the customer wants, ask why. Why does the customer need your help or your product? Knowing this may reveal other opportunities for you to help or upsell the customer.
Upsell: And, speaking of upselling, do so if appropriate. For example, if a customer is at an Ace Hardware store buying a can of paint, it is perfectly logical, and many times appreciated by the customer, to ask if he or she needs brushes or other items to complete a paint project. Imagine the customer getting home and realizing that he forgot to get brushes. Not “upselling” the customer when appropriate is really bad customer service.
Ask what else. Don’t finish the customer interaction without asking what else the customer may be looking for – or what other area of help they may need. This may be something completely unrelated to the purchase they are about to make or the reason for their original call. This may reveal other opportunities.
BONUS: Say, “Thank you!” Don’t forget, as this may be one of the most important tactics. Show appreciation and send them out with a strong last impression, which is just as important, if not more so, than the first impression.
In the end, this is all about engagement. This is anything but passive. It means having the right people who are properly trained and motivated to engage with the customer and deliver a strong customer experience.
NOTE: This article is based on one of the tactics from Shep Hyken’s upcoming book Amaze Every Customer Every Time: 52 Tools for Delivering the Most Amazing Customer Service on the Planet, which appears in stores everywhere in September 2013. Preorder the book and get valuable extras at www.AmazeEveryCustomer.com .
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 ©MMXII, Shep Hyken)
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June 3, 2013
5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of June 3, 2013
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.
Deliver a World-Class Customer Experience by Lauren Simonds
(Time) Take a page out of Disney’s employee training playbook to see how creative management can lead to fully engaged employees dedicated to pleasing customers.
My Comment: Nice to have a glimpse behind the curtain of Disney’s training program. The key is to connect the dots. How can the Disney strategies and tactics be used in your business? The answer is your blueprint to success.
Richard Branson’s Customer Service Secrets by Vaughn
(Total Customer) Here, in a video with Forbes, Carmine Gallo finds out the 7 valuable customer service lessons that Virgin America CEO David Cush and Virgin empire founder Richard Branson live by.
My Comment: This is a video that is perfect to show at a team or department meeting. Anytime Richard Branson shares his insights, everyone should listen – and in this case watch. He uses customer service and the experience to compete and win in business.
“Customer loyalty boosts small business profitability” says new report by The FINANCIAL
(The FINANCIAL) Customer loyalty can directly impact business profitability – 60% of consumers are willing to pay more for a similar product from a small independent retailer, compared to a cheaper product from a large, corporate retailer, a report shows.
My Comment: It doesn’t matter if it is a small business or a big business, these stats make a point about the importance of customer loyalty and how it increases profitability. And, isn’t that what every business wants!
Injecting the Fun Factor into Customer Service by Mila D’Antonio
(1to1 Media) Good customer service is difficult to come by these days, but even more elusive is fun service.
My Comment: This is a simple reminder that some of the best companies to work for and do business with have a fun factor. If it is appropriate, try to incorporate a fun, upbeat and enthusiastic attitude in your customer interactions. It really is about attitude. The old saying goes, “Enthusiasm is contagious.” And, my friend Danny Cox says, “If what you have is not enthusiasm, that is also contagious.”
The Big Brand Theory: How FedEx Achieves Social Customer Service Success by Ekaterina Walter
(Social Media Today) Ginna Sauerwein is a customer service veteran who knows the value of social media. Working for the companies such as JC Penney, Delta Airlines, Miller Brewery, and—for the past 29 years—for FedEx, she is now a Managing Director of Customer Service in Western Region. It is her team that is responsible for delighting customers through excellent and timely service. And many of those interactions nowadays are happening through social channels.
My Comment: So many companies compare themselves to other companies in their own industry. Customers do some of that too, but they are also comparing the places they do business with to companies outside of their industry. When a customer has a great customer service experience at a hotel or restaurant, it raises the bar for all companies that the customer does business with. Which is why I love FedEx. They have a brand promise and they keep it. And, just about any company can learn from FedEx, which is why I love this article, which teaches us five ways that FedEx delivers amazing customer service.
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 ©MMXIII, Shep Hyken)
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May 29, 2013
Customer Loyalty Question: Will Your Customer Evangelize You and Your Business?
Social media channels have become the norm.One of the big lessons I have taught and preached over the years is about customer loyalty. In short, people think of loyalty as a customer for a lifetime, but it is really much simpler than that. It’s about the next time, every time. I even have a simple question that reinforces this concept, which I refer to as The Loyalty Question:
Is what I’m doing right now going to get the customer to come back the next time he or she needs whatever it is that I sell?
It’s all about what’s happening right now, and what is going to happen the very next time. Practicing this concept over time creates lifetime customers.
Well, today there is a twist on this concept. Thanks to technology, which has brought us social media and various Internet sites, we can now spin this question a different way. I refer to this as The Evangelist Question:
Is what I’m doing right now going to make the customer want to leave a review on Yelp, Twitter, Facebook, etc.?
In other words, is your customer willing to evangelize on your behalf? More than just recommend you, is your customer willing to give you a positive review via social media channels like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, or websites such as Yelp, Ubranspoon and Angie’s List?
And, if that review is positive, then you have the answer you want (and hope for) to both the Loyalty Question and the Evangelist Question. A positive review means the customer will be willing to return.
This is an important concept for both B2C and B2B businesses. Most people would think the social media sites and websites are primarily focused on retailers selling to consumers. B2B must think broader and realize there are industry magazines, bloggers and even an industry conference where customers will “review” you and your company.
Today is an era of communication that is different than even just a few years ago. Social media channels have become the norm. People will “talk” on these channels, sharing their experiences with others, in both private and public forums. There is no way around it, so why not embrace it. Create a customer experience that is so good that it makes your customers want to share their experiences with others. The benefit falls under the category of Word-of-Mouth marketing, where your customers evangelize on your behalf, creating credible social proof that someone should want to do business with you.
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 ©MMXII, Shep Hyken)
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May 27, 2013
5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of May 27, 2013
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 Candy Cab Gives New York City Passengers a Sweet Ride by Elise Sole
(Yahoo! Shine) Hailing a taxi in New York City is practically a competitive sport but one cabbie is making the grind a little bit sweeter.
My Comment: I love this story about Mansoor, a cab driver who has elevated his profession by giving away candy to his customers. But it is more than that. He creates Moments of Magic for his customers. He creates a brand for himself that creates loyalty. He understands that WHY he wants to do what he does is as important as doing it. Just about any business can benefit from the way Mansoor think.
Are Marketers Ready for ‘Cognitive’ Customer Service? by Craig Hayman
(Advertising Age) The explosion of social media has changed the notion of customer service across all industries. A service once restricted to phones and then email has been opened through social platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
My Comment: Technology in customer service… This is a just a small glimpse into the future of customer service. However, in spite of all of the amazing technology that is coming (or is here), don’t forget that people still do business with people. At some point the customer may interact with the employee of a company. That interaction could make or break all that company is striving to achieve.
IBM’s Watson Now A Customer Service Agent, Coming To Smartphones Soon by Bruce Upbin
(Forbes) Now Watson has a new job–as a customer-service agent with the mostest. The help desk is a bit of a step down from fighting cancer, but IBM is nothing if not pragmatic. U.S. organizations spend $112 billion on call center labor and software, yet half of the 270 billion customer-service calls go unresolved each year, presenting a fairly sizable opening for an enhanced cognitive computer.
My Comment: I love the concept of IBM’s Watson. This may be an excellent frontline customer service program. This technology is a great way to get good information fast. This isn’t an automated attendant. It’s more like Apple’s Siri for business – a true voice recognizing system that will give the customer information faster and more accurately than a human interaction. Not to say that we still need that human interaction. We do. That’s the back-up. People will get comfortable with Watson, and have even more confidence with the company when they know that if they need additional help, they have someone to talk to.
A 3-Step Customer Service Guide for Your Team by Michael Alter
(Inc) What you can do about that moment of truth, when a customer decides to stay or go.
My Comment: Three simple “steps” however we should all pay really close attention to number three. Is what you’re doing (your employees doing) going to make you look good when the customer posts in Facebook (or any other social media channel)? That’s the new test – will you be happy with the online review. More and more customers – in both B2B and B2C – are leaving comments on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Yelp, etc. The customer service you deliver today is going to show up as a review in social media tomorrow.
Build Customer Loyalty: Empower Your Customer Service Team by Scott Anderson
(Business2Community) Customer service at many companies is on life support, and management is ignoring the miracle cure: the customer service team. When an empowered customer service representative helps a customer, he does more than solve a problem: he helps build a relationship.
My Comment: One of the best ways to create great customer service is to hire the right people, train them and… let them do their job! Trust and empower them to deliver the customer service that makes customers want to come back. This is a great article that summarizes some of the key strategies and tactics that create customer loyalty.
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 ©MMXIII, Shep Hyken)
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May 22, 2013
The Two Sides of Customer Service Training: Human and Technical
Delivering Great Customer ServiceJust because an employee understands what it means to deliver great customer service, doesn’t mean that he or she is able to deliver it.
As I talk to many different companies about how they build an organization that is customer-focused, many of them start with the hiring process. You have to hire people that already understand customer service and that are capable of delivering it. That’s the human side of customer service.
The hiring professional in the organization looks at the applicant’s background, prior experiences, answers to interview questions and more. The applicant’s background indicates extensive customer service experience, and he or she may be the perfect fit. Still, after the interviews and assessments, hiring the people who know it, get it and have experience with it, doesn’t mean they are going to deliver the customer service you hope for, unless you provide training – technical customer service training.
Now I think every employee should go through customer service training, and it should be ongoing. It keeps the employees focused by reminding and reinforcing various customer service skills, techniques, and the attitudes necessary for delivering excellent customer service. That’s the human side and is what helps keep the organization’s culture customer-focused. In addition to the human side, or what some refer to as “people skills” training, the employees need to go through technical customer service training that teaches how to apply that human side to their job responsibilities.
For example, you may be the owner of a restaurant and you hire a server. Let’s call him Bob. Bob has never worked at a restaurant, but has a background in customer service. As a matter of fact, Bob was a front-desk clerk at a very nice hotel. He really does understand how to deliver great customer service. But, he doesn’t understand how to wait tables.
That’s where the second side of service comes in, the technical side. A technical customer service lesson might teach an employee which side of the guest is the right side to pick up and set down a plate. No amount of customer service background will teach that, or many of the other nuances that go into creating the perfect customer experience at a restaurant.
This is the same in just about any business. It takes both attitude and skill. The best people have both. The best companies recognize and make sure their employees have both.
The technical side of customer service is actually easy to teach, but that doesn’t mean the customer will have a great experience. The employee also has to understand the human side of customer service. It is the combination of the two that is greater than the sum of the parts.
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 ©MMXII, Shep Hyken)
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May 20, 2013
5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of May 20, 2013
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 Service Tips from the Worst Employer by Mary Nestor-Harper
(Beyond.com) Winning loyal customers is about building honest, respectful, trusting relationships. Why should it be different when the customers are your employees? Drawing from lessons from Dan Sullivan, a business coach, he lists four principles as key to delivering excellent internal customer service. Not surprisingly, they are basic things you’d expect from an employee.
My Comment: This short article has some excellent ideas on how to treat your employees the way you want your customers treated. It really isn’t that difficult; show up on time, be polite, do what you say you will do and follow through. Isn’t that the way everyone (customers and employees) should be treated?
How Enterprise Leaders Like Bill Marriott Create Customer Loyalty by Robert Reiss
(Forbes) The quotes below reinforce that everything is about delivering for customers — and that starts with people focused organizations who use behind the scenes technology to make the customer experience seamless.
My Comment: When three leaders of three great organizations share their wisdom, I listen – or read – what they have to say. We can all learn a thing or two from this excellent article on creating customer loyalty.
Brands have been built on customer service: Jim Bush by Sudipto Dey
(Business Standard) Interview with executive vice-president (world service), American Express. When you move from customer servicing to customer engagement, you develop a value generating asset for the company, Bush tells Sudipto Dey.
My Comment: When Jim Bush talks about customer service, we should take notice. He has done amazing things at American Express, turning the company’s customer/member service reputation into one of the premier companies in the world. Great interview and great insights from one of the customer service icons in the business world.
Secrets for Exemplary Customer Service by Debbie Laskey
(Debbie Laskey’s Blog) I reached out to my 20 favorite customer service experts on Twitter and asked them, “If you could share one secret for creating exemplary customer service, what would it be?” Here are their insights.
My Comment: These 20 tips on creating exemplary customer service are… exemplary! Honored to have a tip included in this list of some very notable customer service experts. There is something here for everyone and every business.
What Zappos Taught Us About Creating The Ultimate Client Experience byBarry Glassman
(Forbes) Experience, they say, is the greatest teacher. So when the Glassman Wealth Services’ team gathered to talk about how we could improve our own clients’ experience, I wanted them to have an excellent example fresh in their minds.
My Comment: The idea in this article is brilliant. Be it Zappos or another company recognized for great service, let your employees experience amazing service first hand from a customer service and experience superstar. Then debrief the experience and take what you learned and implement into your own organization.
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 ©MMXIII, Shep Hyken)
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May 15, 2013
Customer Service Tool: Consistency
Consistency Isn’t Part-TimeIt’s the same every time, never changing. Day in and day out, it’s always the same. Sound boring? It’s not when it comes to consistency in delivering customer service – especially if it’s good customer service. It should always be the same. The customer should be able to count on it,
Customer loyalty is based on this concept. If you want to build intense customer loyalty, in addition to all of the customer service you deliver, you must also be predictably consistent.
Brand loyalty depends on three interrelated quality service experiences:
Brand Loyalty Prerequisite Number One – Product Quality: First and foremost, the product or service has to work. That’s really no surprise. If the quality isn’t there, you’re in trouble.
Brand Loyalty Prerequisite Number Two – Customer Service: This is about how well you deliver the product or service you sell. It doesn’t have to be an over-the-top WOW experience. It just needs to be above average – even just a little above average.
Brand Loyalty Prerequisite Number Three – Consistency: The customer has to have confidence that one and two will happen. In other words, there has to be consistency. Confidence comes when the customer knows what to expect, and gets it every time. Their experience becomes predictable.
All three of these are interrelated. No matter how good the customer service you provide, if what you sell doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do, the customer will eventually find another place to do business. And, if the product is great, but the service is lousy, then the customer will eventually find a place that makes them feel better about their purchase. If there is inconsistency in product quality or customer service, the customer loses confidence because they don’t know what to expect.
Consistency doesn’t mean you never have a problem. It means your customers can count on you if there ever is a problem. The best companies aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. But they are excellent on their recovery.
The bottom line is that inconsistency, mismanaged, causes a lack of confidence. It’s a loyalty killer. The opposite however, is a brand booster.
There was an online review from a customer that did business at an Ace Hardware store in Washington, DC. What the customer wrote sums up exactly what you want your customers to say about you:
“I want to know how these guys hire their staff. I’ve been going there for three years, and every single time I’ve been in – about three dozen times – I’ve received excellent customer service.”
Consistency isn’t part time. It’s all-of-the-time. If you want to create customer loyalty you must… Amaze Every Customer Every Time.
NOTE: This article is based on one of the tactics from Shep Hyken’s upcoming book Amaze Every Customer Every Time: 52 Tools for Delivering the Most Amazing Customer Service on the Planet, which appears in stores everywhere in September 2013. Preorder the book and get valuable extras at www.AmazeEveryCustomer.com.
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 ©MMXII, Shep Hyken)
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May 13, 2013
5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of May 15, 2013
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.
Servicing the Internal Customer by Keren Peters-Atkinson
(Monday Mornings with Madison) Unfortunately, internal customer service is even more replete with bad service. Yet, the internal customer is as important as the external customer. Why is that and how does one go about improving a company’s internal customer service?
My Comment: Too many companies don’t think enough about the internal customer. It’s this simple: Treat employees the way you want your customer treated – maybe even better. What’s happening on the inside is being felt on the outside by the customer. This excellent article is a great reminder of the importance of serving your internal customer.
Journey Mapping Helps Organize Around Your Customers By John Abraham
(CMS Wire) Customer journey mapping is a straightforward but powerful tool to help companies organize around the customer. The core idea is to describe what the customer experiences when doing business with your company, from the customer’s point of view.
My Comment: Success doesn’t happen by accident. It takes planning, and one of the best ways to plan out a company’s success with their customers is with a journey map. The “map” analyzes all of the interactions the customers have with the company, and helps everyone in the company understand how they impact these customer interactions.
10 Things Every Customer Wants by Geoffrey James
(Inc.) Surprisingly, the best price and best value is at the bottom of the customer’s priority list. See what’s at the top.
My Comment: Depending on the type of business you are in, at least one – if not all – of these ten items are what your customers want. As a matter of fact, they are also what your employees want.
How to Calculate Customer Experience by Rob Carpenter
(Evergage) When you start measuring CX, you’ll notice something – your investments not only produce a return because they generate new business or bigger sales, but also because they save you money.
My Comment: Data from measurement gives you the information you need to make good decisions. This article give us some insight into how to measure customer experience.
Building Loyalty The Lady Gaga Way: Focus On 1% Of Your Customers by Jackie Huba
(Forbes) Companies focused on creating more customer loyalty are taking a page out of Gaga’s playbook.
My Comment: I’m enjoying Jackie Huba’s latest book “Monster Loyalty.” There are many lessons we can learn from how super-star Lady Gaga creates “monster loyalty” with her fans. A good start is with this article.
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 ©MMXIII, Shep Hyken)
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May 8, 2013
Customer Service Tool: One to Say Yes, Two to Say No
Empower your people to come up with a solution.It’s easy to say, “I’m sorry, we don’t have that… We can’t get it… We can’t do that… It’s not our policy” Blah, blah, blah. In other words, it’s easy to say, “No.”
But, that is not what amazing companies do. Amazing companies empower their employees to find solutions for their customers. They train, motivate, and praise their employees for coming up with“Yes” answers for their customers.
At Ace Hardware, the role model for my upcoming book Amaze Every Customer Every Time, one of the tactics that many of the retailers have adopted is a concept called “One to Say Yes and Two to Say No.” The concept is simple. At Ace, a single associate (employee) can’t just say “No” without exhausting all options. Furthermore, it takes two people to say “No” to the customer. In other words, “No” requires the approval of a manager.
For example, a customer wanted a Toro lawnmower that Ace didn’t stock. While the store carried Toro lawnmowers, they just never carried that particular model, and the customer was insisting on that one specific model. The store associate could have told the customer, “No, I’m sorry we don’t stock that model,” and the customer would have left to buy the lawnmower from a competitor. But that’s not what happened. Instead, the associate called the manufacturer and asked if he could place a special order for one of the store’s customers. Just a few days later that customer had the lawnmower she wanted. One other important point: the associate didn’t have to get the manager’s approval.
The idea of empowering the employee to say “Yes” to a customer seems natural. Yet to get the approval of a manager to say “No” to a customer is the opposite of what many of us, as customers, have experienced. We’ve all heard someone tell us, “Hold on while I get a manager to approve this.” Yet, you have probably never heard an employee say, “Hold on while I get a manager to confirm that I can say ‘no’ to you.” Of course an employee would never actually say that. With this strategy, the employee has been trained to come up with solutions that are customer focused. The idea of having to go to the manager for approval to say “No” to a customer is what empowers the employee to come up with a “Yes” solution for the customer.
In the process of writing about this concept I found that there were other companies that embraced this approach. However, it doesn’t seem to be the norm. But, the companies that do make this a regular practice a part of their customer-focused culture reap the rewards of happy customers, repeat business and more success.
NOTE: This article is a modified excerpt from Shep Hyken’s upcoming book Amaze Every Customer Every Time: 52 Tools for Delivering the Most Amazing Customer Service on the Planet, which appears in stores everywhere in September 2013. Preorder the book and get valuable extras at www.AmazeEveryCustomer.com.
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 ©MMXII, Shep Hyken)
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