Category: Customer Relationship Management

Because it’s idiotic! Really, don’t make it worse than it already is.

Customer service as we use to know it is getting to the point where we have to accept what we get, instead of a human-to-human exchange of what does us the best, and actually helps us. What’s idiotic? Making appointments for quality customer service, especially when no one else is standing in line. I waited an hour at…I don’t really want to name names here, but the first part of their name says it’s the Best (which it isn’t–my opinion) and Buy (to assure the public that their prices are the “best buy”–not always–again, my opinion). To be fair, my so-called appointment was with the much-touted Geek Squad, the super geniuses of computers. Of course, their failures reflect on the bigger company.

I didn’t have a software or a hardware problem. I needed a smarter computer guy than me to push the right settings so my laptop could do what it is supposed to; we did buy the computer there. For a smart computer person, five minutes max. Still, no one was in line by the time I made my reservation for tomorrow because I didn’t want to waste another hour waiting for one today. I get home and I have an e-mail confirming it with all the charming language, which didn’t work because I was already pissed and getting pisser by the minute.

This kind of exceptional customer service was quite the opposite of assuaging my negative feelings, making me feel more loyal and positive toward the company, so loyal in fact I may recommend it to others. That’s exemplary customer service plays. Those days are numbered. By the way, did I tell you I was a customer service manager for five U.S. States and the District of Columbia for eight years? Just sayin’.

At least two of these customer service strategy methods today drive me nuts. Like everyone, I have to tolerate some of the methods or I get nothing done.

The ones noted below assure me that we are becoming a society of deadheads who will accept what we are told about customer service interactions procedurally. Most customer service team is handed on via the comment section on a website, e-mail, a website’s frequently asked questions (FAQs), a talk with a representative that’s most likely a cyber (that’s kind of a dis-embodied robot–the human voice–no body), e-mail or if you are very lucky you will be given a number to call. The voice you hear to move you through several more prompts, which may or may not get you the answer or action you need, will undoubtedly be soothing and feminine. I’m not being sexist. It just is. Point of fact.

I wrote the book on what happens when humanity becomes a bunch of “deadheads” and lets the cyber takeover, but let’s save that for later.

So, what do we trainers do? I don’t know. You tell me. I don’t want to turn into a deadhead. Is that anything like a zombie? It is getting close to Halloween.

Actually, I do have some thoughts as you knew I would. The above was part rant and part exaggeration, but I wanted to get everyone’s attention. People should walk away from customer service pleased not pissed, yet, we see it every day and the customer service teams. Is it an economic shortcut? Someone isn’t getting the message that word of mouth does a lot for a store, one way or the other. Someone in line told me that she had heard Best Buy was closing–all of them. Rumor or fact, I don’t know, but let a few people emphasize that it is a good idea and it will ensure its demise. I honestly doubt it because of its share of the market, but “appointments for customer service?”

Restaurants do it so much better. Send a steak back, the manager will come to your table to make sure it’s cooked right; he or she might even throw in something extra like an appetizer or a dessert. The restaurant wants to make sure that existing customers are more than satisfied, and will remember the positive experience and positive customer feedback with the customer service tips. But a smile, genuine concern, and willingness to help work as well as customer satisfaction with excellent customer service.

I think we should do our part as trainers or customer service representatives or customer service professionals do not ignore customer service when we go in see a client propose training. We need to ask questions and make it part of the final analysis we present to our client. We have been doing without true exemplary customer service for so long we may have forgotten what it looks like or even its true value to our clients to show them our customer relationship management. If they had an up-and-running customer service unit, we checked it off. This time test it to see it if passes the customer service skills test (the upset, disappointed, frustrated, and angry people test). If it doesn’t, mention its value to the client. Now, that would be a selling feature for the company. Hit while it’s hot!

In Conclusion

The phrase “Don’t Train This…” when it comes to great customer service should be interpreted with caution. While some argue that customer service is an innate skill that cannot be taught, it is important to recognize that training can still play a significant role in improving good customer service. While it may be true that some individuals possess natural talents in communication and problem-solving, training can provide essential tools and techniques to enhance these skills and provide consistent, high-quality service.

A disclaimer. This commentary is mine and mine alone, and the opinion expressed here is not influenced by The Free Management Library in any way.

As the Host of the Blog site, I ask that you take a look at my new blog that focuses on other topics than training. My training/speech blog is still out there, but I’m letting it die in cyber space. My best selling e-book, The Cave Man Guide to Training and Development is out. I need to tell you that I know Cave Man is not spelled that way and that is on purpose. The Cave is where we work, play and live. Read the book and you’ll get it. I hope to have two more following it soon. I also have a futuristic e-novel, Harry’s Reality, a look at what happens when society gives up control of the mismanaged dying planet to an evolving artificial intelligence. It is also available at any book store that sells e-books for direct downloads to your e-reader, and in any format directly through Smashwords. By the way on my blog site you’ll find snippets of the novel and a coupon for a free download of my novel through Smashwords.

Happy training.

For more resources about training, see the Training library. For more resources on Customer Services check the links here as well as our blog on Customer Service.

We all have different ways to train using customer service programs. Some would say some of us remain in the dark ages, but you also might argue that not all that’s old-fashioned is bad. We often buy things because they are antique or retro. It may make the untested or lightly tested technology of the day look good; however, it makes the trainers who have good old-fashioned, reliable company training on their minds look bad.

I won’t deny it. But I do think there are good ways to do the job right and good ways to sound good and make a profit. Don’t get me wrong; profit is important, but a one-time sale as in some automated services is bad for all trainers, not just one business.

If you have automated customer service, make sure it works smoothly and quickly and gives callers an opportunity to talk directly to a customer service rep. Not everyone is or is willing to be computer literate to take care of basic business.

True story. We received a utility bill threatening to shut off our utilities in three days if we did not pay five months of our past-due bill. Our bill has always been on autopay so we didn’t notice. We don’t generally open that information bill that says so much has been taken from your checking account, but we did this time and will now in the future.

When I tried customer service, I was told to go to the webpage or call the next day. The website wouldn’t take my numbers–not my fault. I gave up and called the next day, or rather my wife did.

After a forty-five-minute wait, she was able to talk to a person who told her that we had never been on autopay, which was absolutely not true; we had no problem on our end and no notice from them. And they couldn’t fix it without transferring us to two different places with waiting lines and a fee for credit card payments.

Not good customer service. Maybe because they were the only game in town… May I make a suggestion here? If you don’t know the business or the specifics of training or customer service, don’t sell businesses off-the-shelf merchandise in place of the real thing.

Customer service hotlines that don’t really do much but steer a customer through the automated system to the right person hopefully is not my idea of good customer service and it shouldn’t be yours. Customer service means solving problems and giving customers the satisfaction of knowing you back your product or service.

This automated form of customer service is useful provided the customer has an account number and other accounted identifying passwords and, of course, fingers of lightning on the phone keyboard. Make enough mistakes most systems send you to a web page, which is not much better. I have even had them hang up and say to call another day.

Know it now, it is my opinion that in most business practices someone should still be able to get to a person without waiting thirty minutes–ten is bad enough. Waiting kills customer confidence in your company. If you don’t have the people or particularly busy days, most of us understand this economy.

Good customer service is never about passing the buck. Who the hell told a business professional of that magnitude that was the case? Were they not adequately trained in customer service, or were they given off-the-shelf products (how-tos) to keep costs down and provide immediate answers without talking to a person and calling it customer service?

Keeping your company happy and customers glowing will keep managers from jumping through hoops to find elegant solutions to a problem that could have been solved simply–and probably at less cost in the long run.

I apologize for my long absence. It was health-related. Now, I’m back and I promise the best that I provide great customer service. Training and development are so intertwined with how we do business well, I feel something has gone wrong in training when other areas show flaws. For those who have followed me, you know the solution, in any case, is either bad communication or misguided training. We all have to make a buck, but let’s keep the country strong by relying on some of the basics that made us who we are–not always the cheapest but the most dependable. I hope that’s still true.

Best Practices for Developing a Successful Customer Service Training Program

1. Customer expectations: The first step in providing excellent customer service is to understand your customers’ expectations. Customer support teams should be trained to identify and understand customer expectations and tailor their service accordingly.
2. Effective customer service: Effective customer service involves identifying and addressing customer needs and concerns in a timely and efficient manner. Customer service training programs should focus on teaching the customer support team how to provide high-quality customer service that meets or exceeds customer expectations.
3. Training programs: Training programs are essential for ensuring that the customer service team has the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to provide excellent customer service. Customer service training programs should cover topics such as customer communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.
4. Customer service training ideas: There are many different customer service training important ideas that can be used to improve customer service. Some examples include role-playing exercises, case studies, and interactive training session.
5. Customer satisfaction: The ultimate goal of any customer service program is to improve customer satisfaction. Customer service training program should focus on teaching customer support teams how to identify and address customer needs and concerns to ensure that customers are satisfied with their experience.
6. Customer loyalty: Providing excellent customer service can help to build customer loyalty. Customer service training courses should teach customer support teams how to create a positive customer experience that encourages customers to return in the future.
7. High-quality customer service: High-quality customer service involves providing fast, friendly, and efficient service to customers. Customer service training programs should focus on teaching customer support teams how to provide high-quality customer service that meets or exceeds customer expectations.
8. Customer service program: A customer service program is a comprehensive strategy for providing excellent customer service. Customer service training programs should be an integral part of any customer service program, as they can help to ensure that customer support teams are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to provide excellent customer service.
9. Put the hands-on back into customer service. I think one of my first blogs talked about the government and how we had gone automated, then pulled back to personal involvement to satisfy our customer base. In areas that are necessarily people-friendly or should be, don’t expect a machine voice to take the place of a person who can provide unique solutions or even make decisions.
10. Always have a place for questions with a person equipped to answer in a polite, respectful manner whether the company is right or wrong. Managers should be taught or trained to do this or they shouldn’t be managers. If it isn’t a manager, but a specialist, extra pay is in order. Keep in mind the stress level of the position, and rotate and back-up, up that function.

In summary, effective customer service training programs are essential for providing great customer service. Customer service teams should be trained to understand and meet customer expectations, provide high quality customer service, and create a positive customer experience that encourages customer loyalty and satisfaction.

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

Pay me a visit on my webpage and check out my other writings–some in different arenas. Also, my book The Cave Man Guide to Training and Development and novel, Harry’s Reality, are related and interesting diversions for a small price. Happy training.

Improve Your Business with Free Online Customer Surveys

Do you want to provide better service to your customers – service that beats your competition?

One very quick and easy way to tap into the core of what your customers really want is a free, automated online customer satisfaction survey tool. Many companies offer free versions of their survey tools. They do it for the publicity and the new prospect awareness they get. In return, you get an awesome tool. And if you really like it, you may upgrade to expand your reach. That’s a great deal!

When should you use an online satisfaction survey?

Email surveys are useful for collecting feedback after an online customer service interaction such as an email or chat; after a website visit; or for proactively reaching out for customer feedback. While email surveys are often used to collect feedback after an in-person or telephone interaction, it is a good idea to collect feedback through the same channel as the initial interaction.

Sample email customer satisfaction survey questions include:

• Did we provide the information/answer you needed? [yes/no]
• How easy was it for you to interact with us through email? [1 = not easy to 5 = very easy]
• How satisfied are you with the service you received from us? [1= very dissatisfied to 5=very satisfied]

Pop-up and website customer surveys

Pop-up or website surveys are useful for collecting feedback after a customer has visited your website, or for collecting feedback from customers for whom you do not have contact information. Sample pop-up or website survey questions include:

• Why did you come to our website today? [list answers]
• Were you able to complete your task? [yes/no]
• If you were not able to complete your task, why not? [open-ended]

Free Online Customer Survey Tools

Expect a few limitations with the free versions. They won’t affect the process, but they do usually impose some limitations, such as number of surveys or number of responses. The upgraded paid versions are usually quite affordable, and relatively not very expensive.

QuestionPro – The free version allows an unlimited number of responses, but you are limited by number of surveys (2) and questions per survey (10). Upgrade for $15.

Survey Gizmo – The restriction on the free version is the number of responses (250). But you can have unlimited surveys and questions. Upgrade options start at $19 a month.

Survey Monkey – The restriction on this free version is the number of responses – (100) and also the number of questions (10). Upgrades start at $19.95 a month.

A plan of action for following up on customer feedback is critical for your survey’s success.

When was the last time you used a customer satisfaction survey? What did you learn? What do you recommend to other companies?

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For more resources, see our Library topics Marketing and Social Networking.

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ABOUT Lisa M. Chapman:

Ms. Chapman’s new book has a name change! The Net Powered Entrepreneur – A Step-by-Step Guide will be available in April 2012. Lisa M. Chapman serves her clients as a business and marketing coach, business planning consultant and social media consultant. She helps clients to establish and enhance their online brand, attract their target market, engage them in meaningful social media conversations, and convert online traffic into revenues. Email: Lisa @ LisaChapman.com

Guest Writer: Juliette Johnson

So you’re thirsty and you’re looking for a drink. You head to thee canteen and are offered a choice between Coke, Pepsi or a generic brand cola. The generic brand cola is the cheapest on offer but which do you choose and why? You need a new TV do you buy a Sony or a Panasonic?

These quick introductory questions sum up the importance of brand loyalty, and why we need to create it.

What is Brand Loyalty?

Brand loyalty is basically a scenario whereby a customer will always choose one brand over another – not because of price, not because of convenience but because of fostered loyalty to your brand.

Brand loyalty is the process whereby companies market their products and attach connotations to them so that customers become reluctant to purchase from anyone else. At the base level companies try to build a reputation through their products – for providing quality, convenience, reliability or safety. Whatever key targets a company employs the aim is always the same – to make consumers keep buying from your company.

How is Brand Loyalty Created?

Brand loyalty is created or engendered though a number of different avenues but the most crucial is through marketing. Marketing allows a company to portray a product in a certain way to influence customers into choosing their brand above all others.

Advertising is of course the primary means to this end and in recent years this has expanded to digital and online platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. These platforms have become crucial in building 121 customer relationships and loyalties.

Most people are now on Facebook and companies are incredibly keen to engage with people on these sites as people spend an inordinate amount of time on social media sites and can be engaged with in increasingly new ways.

Building brand loyalty through personalized marketing, social “events” like competitions and online games has become increasingly part of brand marketing operations. However, other brand loyalty strategies are important – word of mouth spread, trust, price, convenience and utility all play a crucial role in ensuring brand loyalty is created and maintained.

Why is Brand Loyalty Important?

The reason brand loyalty is so important is simple. Brand loyal customers will avoid buying your competitors products wherever possible. This means that your company can have a solid foundation of loyal customers without the uncertainty of market shifts and competition. Working towards expanding your loyal customer base is therefore vital to successful business strategy.

Instilling your brand with qualities means that it is perceived as being of a higher class or order than your competitors but in order to instil these sentiments you have to engage with your customers in the correct ways.

The First Step

We have already explored marketing avenues briefly, but in terms of fostering brand loyalty, market research must always be the first step in preparations. Customer profiling and segmentation allows companies to build the foundations of effective brand loyalty strategy and to ensure that your target audiences will engage with your products and brand and that they will become loyal customers. Of course there is no exact science to whether a person will become a loyal customer but failing to evaluate this core principle can leave a company’s marketing untargeted and ineffective.

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For more resources, see our Library topics Marketing and Social Networking.

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Juliette Johnson is a Marketing Researcher and Communications Specialist. This content was created through consultation with the International Brand Marketing company ICLP Loyalty.

When companies think they are smarter than their customers it’s time to time customers learned how not to play their game. That’s right, I said it. We need to train customers; they just aren’t savvy enough. Actually, we, customers, probably are, but we don’t have the time to fight the companies taking advantage of us. We shouldn’t have to, but our apparent attempts at teaching companies is either falling on deaf ears or is being ignored–BECAUSE WE ARE STILL BUYING THEIR PRODUCTS!

I’m big on customer service. It’s important. It’s the smartest thing companies can do to build a product name and company reputation…until they think they are smarter than the rest of us.

I am about to embark on a bit of rant–as if you couldn’t tell. I generally write about training and development issues here and I’m more of a lecturer than a ranter–although my rants seem to be popular, too. Maybe that’s because rants are popular. Anyway here goes:

I’m sure no one here has ever experienced bad customer service. No one has ever felt the employee didn’t want to be there or look you in the face. There’s, of course, something very wrong with this picture. I walk into this joint, see, and no one raises an eye, see, and I notice a clipboard with names on it. Nobody “sees” me. Even my name that I first wrote in longhand (not horrible longhand I have to say) is ignored because an employee (I really just want to call them a helper because an employee works for a living) does not want to mispronounce a name not clearly written. The solution: ignore it. Move on to the next one–the one in block print so you will only be viewed as a stellar communicator. One pissed consumer. If I must sign in, then I must need this company more than they need me because I must wait until it is convenient for them to acknowledge my paying presence.

Customer service should not be based on my ability to pay for your service or even my existing account, which may put others to shame. I am nothing more than a customer; treat me like one. Forget my large paying presence, I might add, because I have a family contract with them that I pay monthly, which I must pay large fees to get out of a contract if I am not getting the service promised. I only mention this because of lost potential.

Not that someone should jump up because I am a long-term, high-paying customer–no that would be like the airlines. This is only cell phone service so there is no need to acknowledge a six phone full-service presence. We’ll come back. If not, there are other customers–and they already have us with a contract so we can buy nicer phones with so much stuff we don’t want and demos we don’t want. And, they can change the service at will. If we don’t like the change, they won’t let us out of our contract. Maybe if we got a lawyer… The trade off’s not worth it. The cost of a lawyer and the cost of the contract. They know it; we know it.

It’s not the airlines so no special privileges, and if the company enters into contract negotiations to build more towers, provide competitive phones, or cancel what extra niceties you have now, they can and we are still under contract to pay if we opt out. Can they do that? Apparently. Each new contract is a new time to take you for more…until we learn how to work your system or other systems stop going along with your game and offer customers what they want and treat them right. Only then you’ll go away or change.

The companies get theirs in the end, but not after they have taken us for all we are willing to pay them for products we may not want, contracts we feel obliged to buy because we don’t have the product or service guarantees that used to convince us the products and services were worth it in the first place. I hate buying a guarantee my freezer is not going to die on me in more than 90 days or even a year. Doesn’t say much for our ability to build or produce quality, but it does say a lot for our salesmanship. Or, our own stupidity as customers.

I think we need some training because the big business folks are taking advantage of us. They are just asking for government regulation, but in this economy and the pressure to make smaller government it won’t happen for a while. Big business knows this. So, make millions, billions while you can. You certainly are contributing to making this economy even weaker, but at your CEO’s pay level, does he care?

Now I will admit not every company is out to screw you. Those that try harder to let me know they care what I think, that they’ll cut me an occasional break on policy, they are telling me I am a customer worth having. Customer loyalty is not what it used to be. Consumer websites are telling us how to get the most of our money, but the companies are still taking advantage when they can and give capitalism a bad name. We are turning into our own third-world with greedy attitudes; if we are indeed, I hope we are minus the corruption, but greed does motivate that possibility.

All that’s left is to educate the consumer to see that customer service is designed for the company first, and we’re along for the ride. The company is smarter than us, right? They can tell us how we should spend money and what we should want to buy. The problem really is that they do. It is number one on some sales pitches, “Make someone need your product!” Sales has become almost a dirty word because customer service has really left the table like Elvis has left the building, not to be seen again.

I know everyone has customer service horror stories. I could go on forever. I don’t know how exactly we could manage to train all customers to be smart customers. It would be quite an undertaking and who would pay for it. Granted we all pay now–just not for the training, but for the opportunity to be fleeced.

We would all try to do some training though, I think. Honorable people we are. We could do it for free; of course, there would be access to our websites and our books–our services.

Seriously… Honestly… We could hold seminars, and I’m sure some innovative trainers will do that. Just make sure you ask a lot of questions and don’t buy a contract. We could go viral on the Internet and complain. Isn’t that already being done. Wish I could be a catalyst for more to happen. Maybe if we all work together and not take it anymore. Tell the big guys what we think, tell them what we don’t want and aren’t willing to pay for. Even the cell phone companies have contract-free programs, but you pay full price for the phone that will be obsolete in a year. Gotcha still.

I want a laptop I can type comfortably on–not the usual flat keyboard. I’ve seen organic add-ons, but don’t you think that would have been one of the first adaptations in the product evolution? Makes you wonder if they thought it would limit sales. Most people only use it for typing–even searching the Internet. I’d venture a guess that 90 percent of the hardware and software is not used except as a feature must pay for. Who cares if you use them after you leave the store or the online site where you bought it. Of course, the custom option still exists…pay extra for that. That’s not just computers. Some things stay rather basic–like toilets, but you can get a fancy one if you like–gilded.

Trainers unite and train customers. Someone has to do it. One company I know even uses that idea to sell customers on the fact their particular store is not a discount store but a store that has so many connections it can give you the best deal. If you buy there, they give you credit for being an educated consumer. Brilliant strategy, sounds good and they win. Get on those company web sites and tell companies what you think. Boycotts are lovely this time of year–just before Christmas, but companies aren’t terribly worried with all the diversification.

End of rant. Happy training from the Cave Man. Let’s get back to the beginning when life was hard but fair.

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

Today’s customers are emotional and want to blame someone. We may not be able to fix the problem ourselves, but we can help; the big problem is getting them to listen. We know what makes great customer service. We know what keeps customers coming back. Unfortunately, it’s not one thing that matters in a tough economy but everything.

Customers come to us angry and frustrated, but powerless.

They are also confused, disappointed, vengeful, hateful, hurt, and even arrogant to bully an answer out of us. In return, we find ourselves feeling the same way as we deal with them, but there is a difference: we can help. Ironically, it’s that simple understanding we’re going to need to train in most cases. It’s not that people don’t care, but that they don’t know when it’s okay to express caring. If those same customers come up against a machine, the irritation level goes up astronomically.

When we turn customer service into an automated system, we up the ante on frustration. We already know that. We cringe when we hear the system kick in, but companies put in the systems anyway because it saves money–not realizing we are already resenting the company. Some companies are still convinced that good customer service skills mean giving customers the answers they want and you’re done. There’s nothing more to be done. Not in my world, and I hope, not in yours.

What can we do about bad or “unfeeling” customer service? Training, of course. You could stop and say, we just have to hire certain personalities who can “deal.” It’s certainly helpful, but organizations don’t always think like us. You can hire or move previous customer service experience workers with ready answers or you can hire someone with a script who can either give a standard answer or refer to others who will get back to the customer. Which is the better option? The cheaper option is the latter. The former can be better at giving out the right answers. However, both may be lacking in what it takes to satisfy a customer.

Customers may have received the correct answer from the company’s point of view, but not in their own mind. So, is it acceptable for the customer just to go away angry? As a regional customer service manager, I have six states and six state customer service managers who may have already tried to deal with the customer’s problem, who most likely even told the individual exactly what he or she needed to do to resolve the said problem, but the customer is fishing for the answer he wants. Sometimes they do go away angry, but they may not be as frustrated; sometimes customers even thank me although I was no concrete help at all. They are thanking me for listening and trying to help them resolve their problems–even though I, too, was powerless to do so or had to tell them an answer they didn’t want to hear.

We are all good customer service folks who want to be empathetic but sometimes can’t take too much time to do it properly. Company rules. Too much time spent talking means too little getting done elsewhere. You know those other duties. The big topic on my email this morning. Actually saw several variations promoting training for Smoking Cessation. Now, there’s a hot topic! No pun intended. Management’s idea, of course, is that employees are spending too much time smoking instead of producing–oh, and it’s bad for your health. So it really sounds like employee support, too.

You know the story–that one disgruntled customer means many more lost customers. We give various numbers to back that up, but we know it’s true. However, that customer doesn’t have to be disgruntled, although they may not be totally satisfied. Not only can that negative situation go away, but it also can go completely the other way. “I didn’t get what I wanted, but they seemed to really care and would have taken care of my issue if they could.” That’s not a bad message to send.

With training, you can pare down what you need to say and still maintain the rapport necessary for a positive outcome. You can set the agenda, and achieve buy-in and positive outcomes because you have done your job. I’ve been a crisis manager for more than 10 years and “putting out fires” for many more than that. I am a customer service manager. I don’t like to give the bad news but I have to sometimes; I don’t like to be yelled at, but I know what it feels like to be a customer. Even if you are pressured to cut down the length of the calls, shorter calls can still be done with respect for the customer and common courtesy.

I’m sure there is a shopping list of things you should and shouldn’t say to an irate customer, but we don’t have time here to list them all. Instead, I’ll try to provide some good links to get a start on the whole story. Right now, the real problem is getting customer service programs that serve the public without pissing them off. Please forgive my language, but my sense of the dramatic does get away from me in moments of passion.

I’m sure if you are a customer service trainer you include in your training the way to address customers, not just how to find the information and ladle it out.

This includes active listening, showing empathy and genuinely trying to help.

Automated systems are designed to keep you from a person–and so are websites; however, they do serve a useful purpose for solving really basic problems. Bottom-line. Some customer service systems that save money are designed to keep people away from other people. Have you noticed public chat groups that seem to evolve over a need to have questions answered by a person, especially those customer service interview questions hard to get answered by the company? Even chat sessions have references while you are waiting for a person to “chat” with about your problem, and there are FAQs and a web page full of help. An intelligent person has already looked and resorted to “chat” where the answer was not so obvious. The chat person gained a friend because even in that little box was the tiniest amount of empathy for your problem. A little goes a long way.

Here are my thoughts, for what they are worth. To get the most out of customer service:

• Use people who know what they are talking about.
• If not available or affordable, use people who really know how to talk to people.
• Train these people, following the advice given by professionals on how to deal with difficult people and situations.

I get so many calls reflected back from the field to me because someone who should have been able to handle a situation easily at the local or state level could not put customers at ease, show them some respect and tell them what had to be done, and what else the customer could do if they were not satisfied. It’s an easy way to deflect what a great customer service representative doesn’t want to do.

That’s why training customer service people with the communication skills needed to do the customer service job interview is just as important or more important than the product subject matter itself. Talking to people may not seem as profitable in some circles, but as the public gets more and more fed up with the lack of good customer service answers, it will affect what products they purchase. There’s nothing like affecting profit margins to achieve a change in policy. I have a few names on my list already–and these are companies I respected. When I needed them, they were hard to find–if nothing else. So, it appeared they were only interested in my money.

• Tell people that whatever customer service role the staff tells you is probably what they can deliver in their jurisdiction or charge; if there is a higher option, they should give the customer that, too.
• Tell customers to write their Congress people if it is legislation that needs changing.
• Tell them the process of how to address the issues they have as best they can.

A situation may involve multiple agencies or other solutions not even remotely related to what you or your company can deliver, but tell them what you can. If you don’t know for sure, tell them that, too. At least you will be given credit for trying. There is no real reason why not to do it. Person to person. It’s no different than telling a customer the product they really want is available elsewhere. You lost the sale but gained enormous respect. Why have customers write letters, emails, and phone time and time again and never get to the people who can help? Your company and mine will keep hearing from them if the problem is unresolved.

All the customer service professionals I know are in agreement that “it’s out of our hands” or “it’s not my job” should never come out of a customer service rep’s mouth. Instead, offer suggestions of where the best referral can come from–even if what you are doing is guessing. Tell the truth–always. If it is a guess, tell them so. You’re human and you’re trying to help. There is a limit to the type of information to give. You don’t want to be seen as their confidant and champion for all things in life. Actually not even this, so try to control the conversation so it stays focused, but stay human.

Finally, I said I’d list some links for dealing with “difficult” customers. I didn’t have time to screen each one, but it’s a start. I may come out with my own later. I do like the attitude of the first one which says there are no difficult customers.

• http://www.davekahle.com/article/dealing.html
• http://customerservicezone.com/faq/indexangrycustomers.htm
• http://ewweb.com/sales/electric_difficult_customers/
• http://www.zendesk.com/blog/responding-to-nightmare-customers

As I always say, please comment, even if you know we will disagree. I don’t mind. I’ll probably ask you to friend me on LinkedIn. I don’t have the lock on answers. I’m reacting from more than 30 years of working in the fields of training and development (especially delivery and development), and communication–most recently in customer service jobs. These are all areas I feel passionate about. By the way, I do train and develop customer service programs. Check out my website, if you feel inclined. I’d appreciate it. Always looking for a challenge and my next project. My place or yours. Have an Affair to Remember. I guarantee training results.

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

For a look at the human side of training from my Cave Man perspective, please check out my book, The Cave Man Guide to Training and Development. Happy training.

If you are going to proclaim that you care, then you should truly demonstrate it. If you proclaim you care about showing customers love, then you’d bloody well better act like it. More damage is caused by not walking the talk.

“Your Call is Very Important To Us”… Is it really?

I have spent the most frustrating day sitting on hold, listening to outgoing messages telling me how important my call is. Please don’t use this outgoing message if you do not have a reasonable hold time. Both of these consumer organizations should know better. The insult of listening to the direct message over and over again is much worse than enduring typical hold music.

When is the last time you called your customer support line and experienced what your customers do?

“We appreciate your business”…Really.

From a positive standpoint, there are many organizations that are very good at reinforcing their customer appreciation event. Here are a few simple, low-cost approaches that can go a long way to retaining your customer relationships.

5 Ways to Say “We Appreciate Your Business”

1. Make it personal.

Send personalized cards My dentist’s office of 11yrs sends me a birthday card with signatures from each person in the office. Send customers personal thank you cards for referrals. Do you track when your thanking customers first starts doing small businesses succeed with you? Send an anniversary card telling them how much you appreciate your business. If you can’t recall how to send a physical card, check out www.paperlesspost.com.

2. Discounts to recognize loyalty.

Frequent shopper programs are easy to manage. It sure would be nice if my local pizza place recognized that I used to be a weekly customer and sent a small discount card telling me they missed my business.

3. Frequent buyer incentives.

You should know who are your most loyal customers. Reward them!

4. Branded SWAG

Pens, coffee mugs, hats, key chains, mini-flashlights, memory sticks, etc. Reward customer loyalty in other ways. Match your giveaway to the type of service you provide. If you fix computers, give away low-cost branded memory sticks. If you are a plumbing service, give away low-cost mini-flashlights. Everyone likes to get SWAG (stuff we all get).

5. Free consultation, service, analysis, or reports.

Offer something of your expertise for free or at a discounted service. You can target customers milestones who only use the X services by introducing them to the Y service you also offer to social media platforms or social media channels with user-generated content.

Bottomline:

Retaining customers is much easier to do than finding new customers for future interactions. Reward continued loyalty. Remind your happy customers that you appreciate their business. Really you do.

As usual, your customer feedback and comments are welcome!

We’ve all heard the saying “knowledge is power.” What we often forget to do is to stop and ask our customers and even ourselves if we are focusing on the right issues.

WHAT is important to your customers? Is it the speed of service or response? Is it quality of service or response? Is it ease of access or use of your site?

Tools for listening to your customers

• Online Surveys (Zoomerang, Survey Monkey)
• Customer Call Outs (call x% of last month’s customers)
• Post Engagement Surveys By Mail and Email
  
• Post Transaction Questions
  

To retain loyal customers, businesses must focus on providing excellent customer service. We have learned that delivering quality solutions and products doesn’t take the place of delivering quality service. Take a good look at your transaction processes. Is it a pleasure to do business with your organization? A great customer service team can help to retain customers, reduce churn, and lower customer acquisition costs.

It is essential to model your customer transactions after successful experiences. Take some time to learn what is important to your customers. Talk to your regular customers to find out why they come back. Model your customer transactions after these successes. By understanding the customer journey, you can identify pain points, improve the customer experience, and increase customer satisfaction. Replicate the good processes!

Proactive customer service can also play a significant role in building loyalty. Use marketing or sales campaigns to show your current customers that you value their business and are committed to providing good customer service. By doing so, you can create a positive impression that will keep your customers coming back. A great customer service team can help your business to stand out from the competition, increase customer loyalty, and reduce customer acquisition costs.

To provide great customer service, you need to understand your customers. Customer data can provide valuable insights into their preferences, needs, and behaviors. You can use this data to personalize your interactions with them, anticipate their needs, and provide relevant recommendations. This can lead to higher customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.

In summary, providing excellent customer service is crucial to building and retaining loyal customers. By focusing on what matters most to your customers and modeling successful processes, you can improve customer retention and drive repeat business.”

We all know the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is engaged in the important work to prevent customer service disasters involving extreme loss of life, and because its job is so important to us, the TSA as the big dog in charge has been getting the brunt of the criticism for any appalling incident involving airport security.

The administration even gets blamed for the headache-painful changes to our travel routines that have nothing to do with security–except we have to go through it at some point.

This is not yet another TSA bashing, but an article about the need for effective customer service.

There is a problem lurking about that can impact that very critical job performed by the TSA. I’m talking about customer service disaster that involves, (the same ones the TSA is getting the brunt of criticism for) that are really the fault, not only of the TSA but of the airports and the airlines as well. These minor disasters can distract TSA employees from the more serious application of their due diligence.

While I don’t believe the customer service disasters are all the administration’s fault just because a situation involves security, it does bear some responsibility as an organization to treat bad customer service with respect from the support team, as do those it is partnered with—the airlines and airports.

On a recent trip over the holidays, my family and I were treated with TSA employee “hospitality” as we expected. Naturally, we didn’t like the invasion of our privacy and dignity, but we understood its necessity. And, there is no denying that we were treated politely by TSA staff. However, our vacation “disaster” needn’t have happened at all had all the partners involved done their respective jobs with the proper respect that should be accorded to any customer base.

This article is about a terrific opportunity for trainers to offer airports and airlines training in something they seemed to have forgotten.

Airports and airlines once noted for fine customer service agents, seem to have lost the respect of their customers. Why else would the airport not be prepared to bring handicapped passengers through security–or do what they must to assist customers who need extra help from the customer service reps, thereby making the experience more pleasant for those who don’t need assistance but still have to stand in lines?

Fort Lauderdale does a lot of vacation business, and has a large aged population, so you would think people in wheelchairs and walkers, and small children, must be regular customers in the Fort Lauderdale Airport. That being said, the airport and those who work there should know their age and handicapped customer loyalty well. This was not my experience.

What I witnessed was that, when faced with the fact that “these people” travel, too, airport employees treated them with disdain because they hold up the lines. Let’s not forget to growl and hiss at the children who also find Florida with their parents a fine vacation spot or jumping-off spot to activities in the Caribbean. While we’re at it, let’s disparage the TSA employees, blaming them as well as customer needs for delays.

While the TSA employees were as pleasant as they could be, with a little help from the airport or airline personnel in the environment where they must do the important job of security, they could have done that job much better for the customer service failure.

Procedures should be in place by the airport to bring people who need assistance through security, not pass them by, but assist them to smooth the process. How about a separate line for children? With someone who can talk to children without scolding or scowling (maybe some TSA), but the airport could help.

My 82-year-old mother-in-law in a portable walker/wheelchair combination was placed in a small boxing ring box, while security figured out how to make a woman stand who couldn’t stand without being in extreme pain, and the rest of us looked on embarrassed for her, hoping her incontinence would not take the opportunity to make itself obvious. Two TSA security guards were needed to make sure she didn’t run away. Do I need to mention how ridiculous that is? I suppose she could have been faking it. While we were on the cruise, she had to be playing the slots and run around the ship while we were sleeping. All the other times we wheeled her around the ship, the airport and anywhere else she wanted to go.

I’m sure customer service training is needed. There has got to be another way.

Making matters worse, we were sent to the furthest terminal—the wrong terminal and almost missed our flight because no one thought assistance was needed after we passed the evil TSA post. Mercifully, they held the plane and transported us via the carts to the proper terminal; the one we started in. Grit teeth. It’ll be over soon and we’ll be on vacation.

In Philadelphia, Mom was put in a bulkhead seat where she had a little more legroom. In Fort Lauderdale, we were on our own, despite many calling weeks ahead and trying to work out a solution. She sat in an aisle seat and cried silently in pain. Nobody seemed to care. She has a lot of trouble bending one leg. I suppose the airline’s attitude is “if you can’t manage the cramped quarters, let them eat first class.” Obese people beware. We’ve already seen how you might have to buy two seats. What if your size was the norm? I guess the airlines would have to adjust or no one would fly. But unless you can hire a private jet, you’re stuck with the only game in town. Money talks if you are disadvantaged, too.

Guess the economy has made the airlines numb when it comes to passenger comfort. Gone are the days of flying the “friendly skies;” my friends are on the ground. Coming home we waited until everyone else got off first–except for a couple with a small baby, who had brought a carrier to sit in the seat. We didn’t want to hold anyone up. Nor did the airline attendants come to assist, taking bags down or moving them to the front of the aircraft. Not in their job description. Maybe it should be.

Trainers, please make sure that airline personnel are not tactless enough to remark in front of passengers, “Gee, I just don’t know what is taking them (us, the passengers) so long to disembark.” Actually, she said, “leave,” with all the vehemence of “get lost.”

Finally, we disembarked, struggling to push Mom up the steep ramp to the terminal by ourselves, to hear the insensitive comment. We asked as soon as we arrived if we could have a cart to take us to baggage claim. We know we need assistance even if no one else does.

Three carts passed us by as we were obviously waiting for something and finally, in frustration, I chased down a manager who confronted the cart drivers who stopped not 30 feet away. Much argument–excuses really– about, “it’s not my job.” And, “I came by and no one was here.” Really? Where could we go and not stand out—a family of six with a red wheelchair? One comes back after obviously being chewed out and wants to see our boarding passes for some unknown reason; we are after all leaving the airport. We should have taken his number, but all we wanted to do was go home. Top it off, the cart couldn’t take us out of the terminal so without a word he drove us about 20 yards and stopped. We were on our own again.

A long post, I admit. I write a lot when I’m steamed, and I’ve had time to calm down. I saw here, not a situation unique to us, but an experience that need not have happened to us or any other family had three organizations, partners in a multi-billion dollar business, provide adequate good customer service and poor customer service training to anticipate and resolve the simplest of issues.

I’ll bet the airports would like to figure out how to re-direct people who have gone through security back to the restaurants and other vendors at the front of the airport. If people are like me, they want to get to their gate first, and then if they have time to shop or eat… If money talks, maybe that is a way to get the airports, at least, to take a serious look at customer service with the airlines and TSA, and how to achieve that goal of getting people back through security to the main vendors and back again with little hassle and time spent in the same page. If airlines did their part to help, more of us might like to fly the “friendly skies” again.

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

As always I look forward to your comments, especially those related to training and development. On those and related issues, involving communication and training, contact me through my website: http://www.actingsmarts.weebly.com.

A lot of call centres experience peak call volumes around this time of year, especially if they’re supporting the retail sector, and with inclement weather hitting right now people are stressed with driving, shopping, baking and trying to get everything done before the holidays start.

Sometimes our customers can be a little impatient and conversations aren’t always the most pleasant as we deal with shipping issues, out of stock items, billing errors or the myriad of other reasons for their calls, and this can be a negative experience for our agents. Recognizing that high call volumes and stressed customers can turn a good day bad is something we really need to be aware of. So what can we do?

Spending time on the floor is even more important now – sitting in and listening to calls, asking how their day’s going, asking about holiday plans and recognizing their efforts goes a long way. Thanks to the readers who sent me in ideas of some fun things to do in call centres over the next few weeks.

1. Celebrate traditions – get your agents to share some of their holiday and family traditions. Write them up on coloured paper and post them on a holiday themed bulletin board. Your at home agents can easily participate by emailing their stories to you.
2. Theme days are always fun – dressing in red or green and giving out ballots to everyone who participates.
3. Have an ugly sweater day and award a prize for the tackiest sweater
4. Holiday hat day – prizes for the best decorated holiday hat
5. Have agents decorate their workstations – and yes, you can give away prizes for that too. At-home agents can decorate their home office and send in their photos. Post these on the holiday board
6. Have the management team walk around the centre and deliver hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies
7. Play some reindeer games – Set up some fun holiday themed games in your lunch/break rooms – play some holiday tunes and relax

I’m sure there are lots more great ideas out there – feel free to comment or email them to me directly. Just keep in mind – simple and fun. No one needs extra stress trying to plan complicated activities at this time of year!

So this weeks rule (#7) – Celebrate the season by keeping things fun and stress-free in your call centre

And we’re still building our list of 100 quick and cheap ways to Reward and Recognize in the Call Centre so help me add to the list by submitting feedback – or emailing me at kimvey@rogers.com

Once we get to 100 – I’ll post the entire list right here and you can start using all the great ideas people have shared

Feedback or comments: Tell me about how you’re celebrating the season in your call centre.