Top Ten Best Practices for Customer Care 

On February 10, 2021   /   All Star Customer Satisfaction, Emotional Intelligence, How to Communicate With Customers   /   Leave a comment
Top Ten Best Practices for Customer Care 

As a consumer, when was the last time a business knocked your socks off with extraordinary service?  When was the last time you were wowed by an amazing product and follow up from the company/owner/representative?

This week’s blog focuses on the top ten Best Practices that will attract attention and have clients coming back for more.

  1. Increase customer privacy and protection
  2. Implement “Habit Loop”.  Smartphones and social media are examples of habit loop formation. The ping from a new notification is the cue, the routine involves pulling out a phone to check the notification, and the reward is seeing a new message from a friend or a new comment on social media
  3. Understand how to cater to Generation Z.  According to a Pew report, they make up 40% of all consumers and 27% of the U.S. population
  4. Ask for feedback via short surveys.  Respond to and act on the recommendations. Customers will be glad to know you took the time to read and respond to their suggestions
  5. Stay on top of digital customer service trends
  6. Post Frequently Asked Questions/Answers on social media about your new product/service
  7. Be creative and efficient with your self-service platform (most clients will seek that option for problem resolution before trying to call your company)
  8. Ensure your website meets Google’s Mobile First SEO mandates by March 1st.  Not adhering to the rules will result in a slow response time when consumers look up your site on their mobile devices.  Consumers use their mobile devices ten times more frequently than a desktop computer
  9. For e-commerce stores, consider inserting CTAs (Calls to Action) or pop-ups that request reviews after checkout
  10. Learn how customer service is conducted around the world–you’ll be able to deliver top notch service for a diverse client base

Your clients want to feel your emotions and sincere appreciation.  When you provide them with more than just goods and services, you’ll offer the very best you have…yourself.  Ensure their happiness and you’ll secure a loyal following.  So, go out there and have a great day!

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Ask 5 Questions: Then Pandemic-Proof Your Small Business

On December 30, 2020   /   All Star Customer Satisfaction, Getting Loyal Employees, Innovative Problem Resolutions, Leadership, Providing Exceptional Customer Experiences, Virtual Customer Service   /   Leave a comment
Ask 5 Questions: Then Pandemic-Proof Your Small Business

Customer service delivery has become more complex thanks to a global pandemic.  It is the customer who has leveraged control and has demanded a positive experience, not the company.  

Nearly overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic elevated the importance of delivering fast and accurate digital experiences to customers who found themselves cut off from conventional ways of doing business.

According to a global study by ESI ThoughtLab and ServiceNow, a measly 27% of companies have transitioned from recruiting underperforming in-house talent to high-efficiency automated systems in order to deliver top drawer customer experiences (CX).

So, what’s at stake?  Profitability.  As you answer the five questions listed below, consider whether your responses match what’s in your pandemic plan, company core values, mission statement, and corporate culture philosophy:

  1. Has your team developed skills to create a digital customer experience (CX)?
  2. Have you identified the touchpoint that matters to your customers?
  3. Has your team aligned its objectives & key results (OKRs) with CX?
  4. Has your company consolidated data into a single customer view?
  5. How much progress has your team made toward providing a personalized CX (creating personas specific client demographics)?

The largest returns from CX initiatives come from positioning the right people, processes, and technologies in the right departments to deliver a superior experience time after time.   According to ESI ThoughtLab and ServiceNow, almost 50% of global leaders reported a moderate to large ROI due to maintaining an efficient and  personalized CX platform, versus only 22% for others.

You may have already implemented the necessary safety measures to protect employees and clients from further complications of COVID-19 and future disasters; however, it is also important to know that protecting and growing your small business is about finding ways to anticipate the needs of your clients and to deliver superior service with laser precision.  Trailblazers constantly search for ways to implement state-of-the-art safety and delivery systems that will benefit both clients and employees as well as local and global supply chains.

Remember, clients are your “why”.  Show them that you are in this for them and with them.

Make it a great day.

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Three Words Your Clients Want to Hear: “Yes, Yes, Yes”

On November 19, 2020   /   All Star Customer Satisfaction, Customer Service, Effective Communication, How to Communicate With Customers, Virtual Customer Service   /   Leave a comment
Three Words Your Clients Want to Hear: “Yes, Yes, Yes”

While giving top-notch customer service is a priority for your company, it’s almost impossible to appease every customer request. So, how do you keep customers happy and loyal if you can’t always give them what they want?  

During this global pandemic, if you are not acting as a concierge to your clients—no matter your industry—you are missing golden opportunities to be a differentiator.    

We recommend creating a philosophical platform (instead of a policy) to build on and train your team how to say “yes” even when the answer is “no”.

Establish a culture of saying Yes – Starting with the C-Suite (the company executive offices), a culture of yes needs to be exemplified throughout the company so that all employees understand that saying yes is a core value to uphold.

  • When company leaders and managers are constantly telling employees no, that negativity will likely pass on to your clients
  • Come up with other ways to make customers happy when the product requested is out of season or out of stock.  For example, offer a quality substitute—even if you have to obtain it from a competitor.  Be creative and innovative
  • Celebrate employees in front of colleagues when they solve difficult problems
  • Encourage employees to ask questions and offer opinions; doing so shows you respect their input
  • When resolving difficult situations, use positive language…it is key to diffusing arguments

Provide world-class customer service – When dealing with high-end clients, you have to pull out all of the stops.  Prove that you are committed to delivering gold standard experiences on a consistent basis.

  • After resolving a difficult problem, send the customer a handwritten note of thanks along with a basket of fruit or some other gift that resonates with them
  • Take extra time on the phone to answer a question or resolve an issue.  Never brag about what you did or expect the customer to thank you because that’s part of the platinum service for which you are known
  • Go above and beyond the call of duty.  Your customers will come back to you over and over.  They will become your brand ambassadors
  • Whenever possible, say yes

Your team wants positive energy from you and the C Suite.  Show them how to implement the company’s core values.  It’s one of the best ways to successfully create a Yes Culture.

The next time you have an opportunity to turn a “no” into a “yes”, consider it as an opportunity to do something extraordinary for your client (without a hidden agenda).  They will be drawn to you and will always want to buy from you.  You are their “go to” for business and consultation.

Make it a great day.

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Employees Are a Company’s Most Important Asset

On August 22, 2018   /   Increasing Profits, Uncategorized   /   1 Comment
Employees Are a Company’s Most Important Asset

Photo Provided by Pixaby

During one of my recent training sessions, several participants were surprised to hear me say that employees, not customers, are a company’s most valued asset.  Customers are second.

When employees understand and champion the corporate mission, vision, and core values, their work will reflect what they believe in.  They will be engaged and motivated…in fact, they’ll give such incredible experiences that customers will want to keep coming back to buy more goods and services.  Employees are the key to creating loyal customers and an endless referral source.

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Yikes! They Saw Me !

On October 16, 2015   /   Appropriate Employee Behavior, Business Etiquette   /   Leave a comment
Yikes! They Saw Me !

Melon Slices Photo for 10:16:15 Blog

Caught Eating at the Cash Register

 

A colleague and I were between client appointments and decided to stop and buy a healthy take out meal from a fast casual restaurant.  While our orders were being prepared, we noticed that the cashier took what she probably thought was a discreet bite of food from a plate that she had under the cash register.  Since she was not ringing up a customer at the time, she probably thought that it would be okay to “sneak a bite or two”.

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