The Stories Customers Tell About Service

The Stories Customers Tell About Service

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During a recent gathering of friends, we had an opportunity to talk about our experiences in customer care from various industries.  Some of the testimonies were experienced by most of us, however, one stood out: the chef who stabbed cooked meat with a cleaver, dangled the stabbed meat in the air and ate it.  Yes…my friend said that actually happened in front of her, her family, and other restaurant guests.

Our discussion led me to write today’s blog to prove that common sense is not as common as we would like to think.

Running a business that has a poor reputation is like a bird trying to fly without wings.  Let’s be honest, branding is everything.   Your organization’s perceived reputation is the foundation for its success or failure.  Consumers have a rightful expectation that every interaction they have with your organization will fulfill the promise that your brand has implicitly or explicitly proclaimed.

It takes years to build trust and only seconds to destroy it which is why you should do everything to protect your brand as if it is an endangered species.  Here are a couple of things to remember:

All-Star Customer Service Agents

All-Star Customer Service Agents

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The quality of a company’s customer care program is as good as the people who provide the service which means that customer service training is too important to be relegated to a non-essential category.

Customer service agents are the “go to” experts who answer pressing questions about your organization’s products.  Arming them with tailored training to resolve challenges with pinpoint accuracy will go miles in retaining quality clients.  In addition, on-the-job “refresher” coaching in “live” situations provide excellent teachable moments that can be journaled for future use.  Another option is to assign seasoned agents as mentors to new hires to help them perform their duties with excellence.  Many offices have this type of set up in place.

Bright Ideas to Satisfy Your Customer 

Bright Ideas to Satisfy Your Customer 

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Customer service is the lifeblood of every organization.  Maintaining a feasible pre- and post-sale customer experience strategy will help launch team sales into first place in your company’s overall goals.  While there is no secret code on how to acquire quality customers, we know that investing time and effort to develop a plan surely helps.  Today, we’ll talk about ideas on how to attract new customers and retain existing ones.

Consider this:

> Target a specific customer base who would appreciate you sending personalized video emails which, by the way, is an excellent way to give specific and detailed responses to questions and problems.

> You should know what social media outlets your clients use.  Make sure you are present on them and offering tips, suggestions, remedies, and foresight…be the thought leader in your industry.  Remember, over the last few years, channels other than the telephone has risen:  Chat – 43%, Online communities – 39% and Web self-service – 18%.

Want to Offer Better Customer Service? Check Your Nutrition Plan

Want to Offer Better Customer Service? Check Your Nutrition Plan

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Corporate gold standards empower management and employees to proactively act on situations in order to give clients uninterrupted superior service.  Believer it or not, without a balanced nutrition plan, this could become a daunting task.

A Harvard Medical School blog reported a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and symptoms of mood disorders.   Our nutrition habits have everything to do with our mental and emotional disposition toward others.  With that said, it is reasonable to conclude that a healthful nutrition plan is a contributing factor for creating a successful customer service program.

Managing Sensitive Customer Issues

Managing Sensitive Customer Issues

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Your busy day didn’t have room in it but it happened.  That “special” client presented another problem that has to be resolved—immediately and to his satisfaction.  Typically, you are the “go to person” who knows how to put him in the best mood, negotiate a resolution that leaves everyone happy, and wish him a pleasant adieu until the next visit.

But is your entire team as polished as you when it comes to these kinds of situations? Are they empowered to resolve sensitive problems…to please the client at an acceptable level without “giving away the store”?

Exceptional service never takes a holiday, so incorporate problem-resolution vignettes in your weekly sales meetings.  Try this one and allow 15 minutes for your employees to huddle and formulate the best answers: