Although many individuals have chosen to abandon good principles of the past, I prefer not to sub comb to a poor service doctrine, instead, I want to lead a movement to enact the RE-BIRTH OF GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE—WILL YOU JOIN ME?

It will be easy, by adhering to some basic standards, together we will be able to exemplify excellence in service, so that others will mimic our behavior optimistically so that GREAT service may be reborn.

These are the list of standards can be used by customers and providers alike to jump start this movement:

1. ANALYZE BEHAVIORS

Take several moments throughout the week to reflect on how well or how bad your interactions are and make an active effort to tweak problem areas.   Conducting an analysis will help to quickly identify areas that need improving   so that your service interactions are productive and pleasant.

2. DEMAND QUALITY SERVICE INTERACTIONS

Both customer and provider are in the position to require either pleasurable communication, it is a reciprocal. If one provides another with amiable contact, the other will soon follow suit.  Make sure your actions require respectable communication.

 3. PROCEED WITH CAUTION

In a major service dilemmas, use your head not your heart/feelings to determine a suitable resolution, Most times resolving conflicts, requires for you to have an out-of-body experience—that is, to step out of yourself and devise an adequate solution.  The next time you find that there is a major break down or miscommunication, proceed with caution.

Are you ready to create a trend of quality service? LET’S GO and don’t forget to report on how well you did.

Until Next Time…

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Until next time…

Often times the deciding factor for the customer, lies greatly in the degree of difficulty regarding the business’ return policy. Customers like myself that do not have an initial intention to return an item, but, would still prefer to have an option that allows a sense of flexibility when acquiring merchandise.

Here a few examples of return policies that I have loved and hated throughout my shopping experience:

MOST BELOVED
REFUND POLICIES THAT OFFER RETURNS WITHOUT  A HASSLE.
Usually department stores such as Nordstroms, Bloomingdales and Macy’s have a very loose return policy. In which, it is rare that you would have an issue returning anything from shoes to perfume. In my experience, the store reps are usually very friendly and comfortable about your returns, sometimes even without a receipt. This is extremely important to me when I want to purchase and item fast and take it home to think about it, rather than to be force to purchase it without an alternative return option.

REFUND POLICIES THAT OFFER VARIOUS LOCATION OPTIONS
How many times have you made an online purchase, received it and realized you have the wrong item or you want to return it but, you have to mail it back? Stores that provide you with various location options to return the merchandise, including in-store online purchases, almost always can count on me to be a repeat consumer.

POLICIES THAT JUST DOESN’T QUITE WORK
REFUND POLICIES THAT CHARGE FEES
I always wondered why companies would penalize customers for returning items.  In the past, Best Buy, would charge customers a 10% restocking fee for a return, which seemed very unfair to the customer.  Although, I never had an issue with any merchandise from Best Buy, the policy itself discouraged me from purchasing their products and even visiting the store.  Recently, Best Buy has changed its restocking fee and replaced it with a more suitable return rule, I may plan a visit in the near future.

REFUND POLICIES THAT PROVIDES LIMITED OR NO OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN THE MERCHANDISE
My number one reason for not shopping at some small retail stores is their limited or no return procedure. If I am wavering on a purchasing decision, most times I choose not to buy the item if there isn’t a refund policy in place. I feel pressured in fully committing to a purchase in which I cannot return.  I am fully aware that smaller stores have overhead which do not allow them to adhere to looser return policies, however it would be nice to extend the  polices a bit.

What are your thoughts?

Until Next Time…

Happy New Year IATC READERS!

I have returned with another year of customer service anecdotes, discussions and analyses.

I appreciate your readership, so feel free to connect with me by writing comments on the blog or e-mailing info@theP3solution.com with any suggestions and/or feedback.

The first IATC discussion of the year involves obtaining more satisfying customer service interactions in 2012, from both, the customers/clients and service provider/professionals standpoints. My belief derives from an old saying “You get what you give,” which reinforces the value of reciprocity.  

So to start the NEW YEAR on a happier customer service note, I am providing some key tips for customers and service providers alike, to aid in building a foundation of better customer service interactions. 

FOR THE CUSTOMER:

1. BE PATIENT – Patient is a virtue, we have all heard it.  However, how often do we display it? Being patient with difficult situations has proven to be more useful than not in many situations.

 2. LISTEN TO THE SERVICE PROVIDER – Often times the rage in our head is over talking the service provider, blocking our full understanding of the situation.  Listen with your ears and take in what the agent is saying so that you are able to respond appropriately.

 3. SMILE – Who can get mad at a smiling face? Remember, honey gets more bees than lemons when engaging in settling customer service situations.

4.  REMAIN HUMBLE – Humility is not a weakness. Submission/Removal of Pride can sometimes lead to a quick satisfactory resolution.

FOR THE SERVICE PROVIDER:

1. DON’T BE SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE – Apologizing for the inconvenience is a great gesture… when you are resolving the issue.  Be mindful of using “Sorry for the Inconvenience” as a default phrase and focus more developing an effective resolution for the customer.

 2. LISTEN TO THE CUSTOMER – Communication is most effective when both parties are active listeners. Take the same amount of time to listen to a customer’s complaints as you would their compliments.

 3. KEEP ALL PROMISES – Promise only what you can deliver. Breaking promises only adds to customer disappointment and will only decrease your credibility.

 4. TAKE THE EXTRA STEP – Helping to find a product, explaining the operation of an item, suggesting other alternatives, are all a part of going beyond your call of duty. Customers not only notice, but appreciate the effort and more likely to tell other people about your courtesy and/or the business.

Remember, happier service encounters begin with mutual interactions. Aim to give what you want to receive.

 Until next time…

Ahh… the ever-so-famous, go- to phrase, that is often meant to provide solace and comfort to a person(s) for some type of caused mishap.  But does it? How many times as a consumer, have you heard or read: OUR APOLOGIES; WE’RE SORRY or OUR MISTAKE from a person or business without resolution. My web hosting provider is notorious for this type of behavior and unfortunately, their apologies for my inconvenience have not been resolved—only push to the side.

JustHost.com is listed on many sites as one of the top 10 hosting sites, however , what these lists aren’t aware of is the lack of customer service that JustHost.com provides to its patrons. As a customer for nearly two years, I have experience numerous and continuous email glitches and down site issues with little to no explanation and even less assistance.  However, my choice to remain as a patron heavily involved the convenience of not changing hosting companies and their seemingly apologetic tone about the problems I was experiencing.

But how many times can you apologize for the same issue before it
becomes meaningless?  

Apparently, several, here is an example of JustHost’s response to multiple complaints about my email outage and my threat to find another hosting company:

I apologize for the issue. Your requested to cancel your account at the end of its current billing term has been processed. Your account will stay active until December 05, 2011 then it will auto suspend.

Here at Just Host we value every customer, and we will be very sorry to see you leave. On behalf of the all the Just Host Team we hope you enjoyed your experience, and look forward to maybe seeing you again soon…

Thank you for considering Just Host as your web hosting provider. Please let me know if there is anything else I can assist you with.

REALLY?
Are they reading their own correspondence?  Furthermore if I “enjoyed my experience” would I request a cancellation? Apologies are supposed to be empathetic to a situation, however, when reading this e-mail, it appears that the apology was just a formality at the beginning of the correspondence.

Unfortunately, web hosting companies aren’t the only businesses that mishandle apologies, across industries, this practice of apology without resolution is excessive and rampant. As a consumer, I feel that empathy should be reserved for true understanding and I would rather have you replace your “I’m sorry” with “its resolved”.

Until Next Time….

Customer Service Week October 3-7

DOES CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK REALLY EXISTS?

YES IT DOES!

Customer Service Week is an international event devoted to recognizing the
importance of customer service and to honoring the people who serve and support
customers with the highest degree of care and professionalism. In 1992 the U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event, celebrated annually during the first full week in October. (CSWeek.com)

TIPS ON HOW TO CELEBRATE:

-         Purchase Your Staff Some Morale Booster Materials

• www.csweek.com
• www.promosontime.com
• http://www.positivepromotions.com/

-         Do Something to Special for Your Staff

• Have an Appreciation Party
• Provide Special Raffles/Offers/Incentives
• Have a Customer Service Pep Rally

-         Do Something Special for Your Customers

• Raffles/Offers
  
• (storefront) Make the Store Really Festive and Geared Towards Celebrating the Customer
• (online)  Make Your Landing Page Really Festive and Geared Towards Celebrating the Customer
• Special Greeting
• Appreciation
• Thank You

Of course, you can come up with your own unique ways to celebrate customer service as a customer and a provider. Please come back and share with us, how you did that.

HAPPY CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK!

Until next time….

Produce a Quality Product

Whether you are providing a tangible product or offering a service, it should always be your best work. Excellence displays a sense of a value and appreciation in what you do, hence presenting  to the customer, YOUR gratitude and THEIR worth.

Have Fair Market Pricing

You CAN make money without inflating costs, providing reasonable pricing is a great way to continue to draw and maintain devoted consumers. Customers who find that they can get the exact same products and/or services for a lesser price, often feel cheated, finding your  business unappealing and oftentimes will not return.

Make It Easily Accessible

Website, Marketplace, Storefront, doesn’t matter, customers NEED accessibility. If they cannot get to it with ease, FORGET ABOUT IT!  Convenience is what drives repeat business, sometimes more than price. If a customer feels that your product/service can be retrieved effortlessly, and without challenge, you will probably see them again.

Give Great Service

Who would have thought a little smile and assistance could go a long way?  But IT DOES!  Great service is just one of those things that is ABSOLUTELY necessary in customer retention.  Having attentive, knowledgeable and helpful employees make customers feel comfortable and encourages them to return and repeat the experience.

If All Else Fails, Bring On The Discounts!

In these times, face the facts, LOWER PRICES ENTICES CONSUMERS – two for ones, BOGO and percentage off sales, can feel like winning the lottery for some shoppers. However, although discount pricing brings them in, it may not encourage them to revisit, especially if you don’t have superb quality and/or great service.  If you don’t add additional value to your discounts, you may find yourself having to compensate your lack of repeat customers with constant discounting.

Customer loyalty can be achieved, however, it takes a lot of creativity, ingenuity and insight to develop ways that will not only bring in, but keep consumers faithful.

Until next time…

Good customer service can be defined as beneficial communication between a customer and a service provider that produces satisfaction.  It can also be the determining factor of a returning or purchasing customer or if someone refers other potential customers.  So it is safe to say that your service is very necessary for success.

Here are my top five successful CUSTOMER SERVICE ENCOUNTERS:

5.Outback Steakhouse | Annapolis, MD

I felt right at home, the waitress referred to me by name, took interest in what I ordered, made suggestions, and checked on us as if she was on a timed schedule.  The waitress’ attention to the customer alone was well worth stopping through, not to mention the food was delicious.

4.Starbucks | Silver Spring (Metro Station)

Nothing like stopping in a place, early Monday morning, to get your favorite beverage
where not only do they know your name, but they know what your drink as well.
That’s exactly what this place provides, an experience that leaves me feeling
refreshed and refueled all day. Can’t seem to remember that special concoction
that the Barista whipped up for you the following week? No Problem— these
professionals got it covered, remembering every detail, down to Soy Milk or
Non-Fat.  Now I will take a Vente of the service anytime.

3. Macy’s (Dresses) | Tyson’s Corner

Patience is a virtue and the woman at the Macy’s dress department exemplified a great
amount of it. I wanted a dress, in a certain size and she found it for me, however it was in California.  For 25-30 minutes she was on the phone with another Macy’s representative, trying her best to not only get them to ship the dress, but to extend a discount to me. Because of the extended difficulty given by the rep in California, I decided not to purchase the dress.  However,  instead of giving me a dirty look for wasting her time, the Tysons Corner rep decided to help me find more choices.  Kudos to her!

2. Sports Authority | Rockville, MD

Have you ever been in a store and couldn’t locate an item, you ask a clerk and
he/she refers you to the isle number?  Well not at this Sports Authority, when I couldn’t find the item, the retail person kindly walked me to the item and explained my options.  Talking about taking care of your customer!

1. Fatburger | Elkridge, MD

And now my ultimate customer service encounter so far this year—The Fatburger
Experience. Now I know your wondering how is that possible at a fast food restaurant?  Well, simply by doing this, taking the time to explain every menu item and option that was available to new customers with a SMILE. Now that’s doing it right, and to top it off she even offered a complimentary sample topping.  When I
want to cheat on my diet again, I will certainly drop back In to Fatburger.

Do you have a best service encounter? Please share it!

Until next time…

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Until next
time…

Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business won’t be profitable for long.

Good customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy – happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.

If you’re a good salesperson, you can sell anything to anyone once. But it will be your approach to customer service that determines whether or not you’ll ever be able to sell that person anything else. The essence of good customer service is forming a relationship with customers – a relationship that that individual customer feels that he would like to pursue.

How do you go about forming such a relationship? By remembering the one true secret of good customer service and acting accordingly; “You will be judged by what you do, not what you say.”

I know this verges on the kind of statement that’s often seen on a sampler, but providing good customer service IS a simple thing. If you truly want to have good customer service, all you have to do is ensure that your business consistently does these things:

1) Answer your phone.

Get call forwarding. Or an answering service. Hire staff if you need to. But make sure that someone is picking up the phone when someone calls your business. (Notice I say “someone”. People who call want to talk to a live person, not a fake “recorded robot”.) For more on answering the phone, see Phone Answering Tips to Win Business.

2) Don’t make promises unless you will keep them.

Not plan to keep them. Will keep them. Reliability is one of the keys to any good relationship, and good customer service is no exception. If you say, “Your new bedroom furniture will be delivered on Tuesday”, make sure it is delivered on Tuesday. Otherwise, don’t say it. The same rule applies to client appointments, deadlines, etc.. Think before you give any promise – because nothing annoys customers more than a broken one.

3) Listen to your customers.

Is there anything more exasperating than telling someone what you want or what your problem is and then discovering that that person hasn’t been paying attention and needs to have it explained again? From a customer’s point of view, I doubt it. Can the sales pitches and the product babble. Let your customer talk and show him that you are listening by making the appropriate responses, such as suggesting how to solve the problem.

4) Deal with complaints.

No one likes hearing complaints, and many of us have developed a reflex shrug, saying, “You can’t please all the people all the time”. Maybe not, but if you give the complaint your attention, you may be able to please this one person this one time – and position your business to reap the benefits of good customer service.

5) Be helpful – even if there’s no immediate profit in it.

The other day I popped into a local watch shop because I had lost the small piece that clips the pieces of my watch band together. When I explained the problem, the proprietor said that he thought he might have one lying around. He found it, attached it to my watch band – and charged me nothing! Where do you think I’ll go when I need a new watch band or even a new watch? And how many people do you think I’ve told this story to?

6) Train your staff (if you have any) to be always helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable.

Do it yourself or hire someone to train them. Talk to them about good customer service and what it is (and isn’t) regularly. Most importantly, give every member of your staff enough information and power to make those small customer-pleasing decisions, so he never has to say, “I don’t know, but so-and-so will be back at…”

7) Take the extra step.

For instance, if someone walks into your store and asks you to help them find something, don’t just say, “It’s in Aisle 3″. Lead the customer to the item. Better yet, wait and see if he has questions about it, or further needs. Whatever the extra step may be, if you want to provide good customer service, take it. They may not say so to you, but people notice when people make an extra effort and will tell other people.

8) Throw in something extra.

Whether it’s a coupon for a future discount, additional information on how to use the product, or a genuine smile, people love to get more than they thought they were getting. And don’t think that a gesture has to be large to be effective. The local art framer that we use attaches a package of picture hangers to every picture he frames. A small thing, but so appreciated.

If you apply these eight simple rules consistently, your business will become known for its good customer service. And the best part? The irony of good customer service is that over time it will bring in more new customers than promotions and price slashing ever did!