My Personal Amazing Customer Experience

My Personal Amazing Customer Experience

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

A recent “customer experience” caused me to reflect on how I have observed that phrase over years.  

Recently, I began using a new upscale grocery store shopping app.  My personal shopper was unable to fill several items in my order.  Since the pandemic, I’ve become accustomed to expect inventory shortages due to the “global supply chain crisis” so I wasn’t particularly upset by the grocer’s foible.  

A few days later, I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email apology for the “lack of service” and shortcomings in their job performance.  They assured me that the deficiency does not represent nor comply with their company’s core values for client satisfaction. 

Included in the email was a “because you were inconvenienced” coupon that allows me to order a high end product—at not cost.  It is a product that I have purchased from their store on several occasions.  

Even though I did not submit a complaint, this level of empathy demonstrated that the store understands how to:

  • Be accountable.  They stepped up and addressed the fact that they missed the mark by not meeting my expectations and that their own internal service standards had been compromised.
  • Stand out from the competition.  Their acknowledgment of the situation followed by an olive branch apology in the form of a product they know I like is a display of vulnerability.  They know I will shop for that product again…regardless whether it is at their store or at their competitor’s store.

So, how were they able to provide stellar customer service to me in the face of perceived failure?  Because they know the basic tenets of the “amaze your customer” model:

  1. They initiated a plan for problem resolution.  Their email explained that, even with global supply shortages, they do their best to monitor stock levels in order to set appropriate expectations for their customers. 
  2. They monitored my shopping activity.  Apps are data rich and are uniquely positioned to synchronize customer information into a clear picture of the customer’s style and taste.  In my case, they noted the number of chats I had with my personal shopper via the app.
  3. They were able to detect an issue and quickly respond. Chatting with a shopper is not in itself unusual, however, the number of canceled items in my order raised a red flag. The grocery store shopping app reacted to that red flag by reviewing my shopping experience and the grocery store manager reached out to me to resolve the issue.

Has your business implemented an “amaze your customer” model?  Let us know in the comments below.  Remember to always do your part to make it a great day!

Quality Customer Care on Social Media

Quality Customer Care on Social Media

Dialing up the client services department to complain (or compliment) about your buying experience can be a hassle.  Let’s be honest, it’s just easier to use social media to convey good or bad consumer experiences to solve our problem.

Social media customer service was once a rarely used service channel, however, that has changed.  Companies are bringing customer service pages back to the internet.

According to Forbes Business Magazine, addressing service quality on a social media platform boosts a company’s brand.  When executed with empathy, it presents situations to the public that describes how the business treats its consumers (this can also be a golden opportunity to shine if you’re delivering exceptional quality care).

To thrive in commerce on the world wide web, your customer service had better be on point. So, consider this:

1) Identify which social media platform you’ll use to communicate with customers.  Ideally, it should be the same platform the majority of your customers currently use.

2) Decide on an appropriate response time.  How quickly will you commit to responding to your customers?  Most customers expect feedback within an hour.  Establish customer expectations with automated responses that identify turnaround time.  Post your service hours.

3) Make sure your company’s values are reflected when acknowledging customers criticisms. Coach employees on proper verbal and written tone of voice.  Offer specific examples and encourage role play to enhance the training.

4) Monitor conversations on your social media platforms in order to gain insight into public opinions about your business and products.  Use it to improve your weaknesses.

Tell us how social media has impacted your customer service delivery.

Remember, make it a great day!

4 Powerful Ways to Kickstart Customer Service

4 Powerful Ways to Kickstart Customer Service

Most customers will leave your brand if you don’t give legendary service.

It’s simple.  The quality of a company’s customer service will impact revenue. Offer gold standard experiences and revenue will increase. Deliver consistently poor service, revenues will not only decrease but there’s a good chance the company will go under.

Surprisingly, what matters most in service may not be what you think. Research shows more than anything, customers want to be seen, heard, respected, and have their problems resolved with laser precision and quickness.  They don’t like repeating themselves either! 

Dimensional Research, a market research company, revealed that 69% of consumers attributed their good experience to quick problem resolution, while 72% were irritated with having to explain their problem to multiple employees.

Follow these time-tested solutions in order to take your customer service from ordinary to legendary:

  1. A Powerful Support Team – Every employee is responsible for delivering gold standard service.  Managers are the glue that hold the company together.  They’re responsible for encouraging, training, and motivating all members of the team.
  2. Purpose and Values – Ensure all employees (a) are on board with the company’s vision to serve (b) have a sense of strength and solidarity for the company’s success.
  3. Recognition and Appreciation – Give the team positive feedback and recognition in order to build esteem and enhance a feeling of value and accomplishment.  This will build morale and create happy employees who will deliver exceptional service.
  4. Journey to High Performance – You want team members who are committed to being great, who think in terms of “we” rather than “you”, “I”, and “me”.  You want a team that will anticipate client needs and deliver ultimate luxe.

Strive for Michelin star ratings.  Give such personal and detailed attention as to make clients feel as though they’re the only customers on your books.  And above all…

Make it a great day!

Value Customer Service – It’s the Heartbeat of the Company

Value Customer Service – It’s the Heartbeat of the Company

Photo Provided by Pixaby

Adapting to seemingly ever-changing client whims is no different from adapting to life challenges in general.  Successful business owners accept inevitable changes—they quickly adapt and, when necessary, re-evaluate their brand, product, service, strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities.  Adjustments are a fact of life and a certainty in business.

Sharing a few thoughts:

– Know your industry better that anyone.  It’s up to you to manage customers’ expectations.  In other words, it’s your job to showcase the company’s value proposition and to make it so memorable that consumers will know exactly what your business offers and how it is different from the competition.  In the busy online and brick-and-mortar marketplace, make sure your business has a trait that is worth remembering, pursuing, and buying.

The Stories Customers Tell About Service

The Stories Customers Tell About Service

Photo Provided by Pixaby

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: