Creating Exceptional Customer Relations

Studies show that 68% of customers who quit doing business with a company do so because they are turned away by an attitude of indifference on the part of a company employee.  That is, the customer's perception of that employee's attitude. When we're face-to-face with our customers, we need to be aware of our facial expressions and body language for they send messages we're sometimes not even aware of!

And, it's important to make sure your customers feel valued and heard.  Everyone wins when you take the time to pay attention to your relationships with customers—both internal and external. Word-of-mouth is one of the most important factors influencing a customer's decision to buy from or work with your company.

Go beyond simply satisfying customers to having them sing your praises! And keep your customers coming back—again and again. When I lead this workshop we:
-  Determine the 7 sins of customer service and how to avoid them
-  Differentiate among the four essential factors in communication and employ them to prepare for and manage interactions with customers
-  Explore how the way you look and the sound of your voice impact coworkers and customers—both positively and negatively!
-  Identify the Red Flag words that tick customers off and cause them to get defensive or aggressive 
-  Demonstrate you're listening and make sure your customers feel heard
-  Focus on ways to stay in touch and keep customers coming back

Stay away from words that push your customers' buttons!

There are words that are guaranteed to tick off customers!  To push their buttons. They're like waving a red flag in front of a bull.

Here's a list for you to ponder─and some suggestions for replacements:

Red flag phrases                                                          Calming phrases

You should have...                                             I can understand why you

You’ll have to...                                                  May I ask you to...

Why didn’t you?                                                 I can see why...

 

I have to                                                             I will, Let me, I’d be happy to

 

I’ll try                                                                   I’ll take care of this

                                                                           Let me see what I can do

I can’t                                                                  Let me find out for you

That’s not my responsibility                                I’ll find out who...

It’s not our policy                                                Here’s what we can do

                                                                           Here’s what you can do

But                                                                      And

 

No Problem                                                        You're welcome!

                                                                            I’m glad I could help…

                              I’m happy to…

                                                                            My pleasure…

Who do you need to get to know better?

Abraham Lincoln said, "I don't like that man. I must get to know him better."

This wise man's quote relates so directly to the last questions I ask participants to answer on their action plans in the workshop Impression Management: Influencing Others. I originally created the course for the Directors at Swedish Medical Center and have customized it for many other clients since.  It focuses on the fact that as we reach management positions, we are asked to influence a wide range of individuals─some of whom we may have had little contact with before.  

They're asked to think about everyone: direct reports, peers, managers of other departments, executives, board members, community members and on and on. Each of us has someone─or more than one person─whom we avoid because we have trouble communicating with them, don't understand them or just plain don't like them.  Yet, this person may be critical to our success or the success of our team.  For this reason, the final questions they're asked on their action plan are these: What is one critical relationship I need to build?  What can I do to begin building this relationship? When, where and how can I commence?

Who don't you like?  Who do you need to get to know better?

Venting Partners: You can't survive without one!

Leading a workshop the other day, I was reminded of a wonderful technique that allows you to vent appropriately—out of ear shot of customers or team members—and with an end in sight! It’s a good stress reducer and eliminates frequent complaining—which wears everyone down.  First you and someone agree to be venting partners.  When you need to vent, go to your partner and ask if this is a good time. They have the prerogative to set another time agreeable—or convenient—to both of you. 
To start, the listener says,

"OK, go!"

 After one minute the listener says "Stop."

 Then, the listener asks my favorite question,

“Do you need another minute?”

If the answer is yes, the listener says, “Go!”

After another minute, the listener says, “Stop.”

Interestingly, after a full minute or two of someone giving us their undivided attention, many of us don't need anymore time! 

There are some important rules:

Venting partners:
ŸGive partner their complete attention
ŸMake eye contact
ŸLook interested─maybe nod the head
ŸAsk open-ended, clarifying questions─if needed
ŸGive acknowledgment of the other person's feelings

Venting partners do not:
ŸTell their partner to calm down
ŸGive advice
ŸInterrupt
ŸSuck up the other person's pain

 

When the venting session is over, both must let it go.  Try it─you'll feel better!

Empower your employees to deliver exceptional customer service

I was just in San Francisco for the National Speakers Association How & Now Weekend.  Our conference was at the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront.  It was one of the best hotel experiences I've had and by sharing this with you, I ask you to think about whether or not you empower your employees to deliver exceptional customer service.

My flight from New York landed about 3:30 pm, so I was checking in much later than most of my fellow NSAers.  When I saw how lovely the view was, I asked the young woman at the front desk if she had a room with a view.  She said, "Of course. That will be $20 more per night."  Still functioning on my penny-pinching ways begun in 2008, I said, "Oh, that's OK.  I don't spend much time in my room during the day."  You guessed it!  Walked into my room and looked out at a beautiful view.  Think about it.  Most people had checked in for the weekend.  She could see that room would be empty.  Why not give it to me?  Why worry about $40?  And the next day, still tired from two cross-country flights, I returned to that room to relax four times! 

When I was about to leave on Sunday, I headed out to the entrance to check on the shuttle.  I was told it would be there in six minutes.  It was windy, so I told the attendant I would be inside.  A few minutes later the shuttle pulled up, dropped off several people and...zoomed off!  I was half way to the door as it disappeared.  As you can imagine, I wasn't happy.  The doorman asked me to wait and went inside.  I followed him and the young woman he spoke to said, "I'm so sorry this happened.  We'd like to pay for your taxi to the airport."  She handed me her card. Lauri Donnelly is the Restaurant Supervisor.  I assume she was the acting manager at the time.  But how often do we see that entities, departments, locations, people function separately and seem unable to solve a customer complaint?  Yet studies show if the customer feels you are responsive to a problem, they will do business with you again in 82% to 95% of the cases.

What about your company or organization?  Everyone needs to be empowered to do what it takes to make customers very, very happy.  To deliver exceptional customer service.  Do that and they will do business with you again and again!

Which piece of the pie are you willing to give up?

With the holidays upon us─and the new year just around the corner─seemed like a good time to focus on our priorities.  AND, think about what to say "No" to.  A classic approach is the make a list of what's important to you─right now.  Your list may include some─or all─of the following.  Or you can create your own list.  

 

Ÿ Career

Ÿ Health

Ÿ Wealth...material

Ÿ Family

Ÿ Social...personal relationships

Ÿ Education...personal growth

Ÿ Spiritual

Ÿ Recreational...leisure

 

Ÿ Personal...self

Then, draw a circle. Think of it as your pie and "cut" it into "pieces" to reflect the percentage of your waking life you will invest in each area. The next time you are about to say "Yes" to a new project, role, experience, committee─come to your pie and put your finger on the piece you're willing to give up. And, if you're tempted to make a New Year's resolution in 2013, read my post about setting goals first.  Happy holidays!

Employ Selective Agreement to be a better listener

As Stephen Covey said, "Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply."

To truly listen we need, indeed, to focus on understanding the other person.  And suspending judgment.  In other words, be open to new possibilities or alternatives.  An excellent technique to employ is another form of what I call verbal aikido. I introduced you to Limited Response in previous post.
 

Let's explore a second form of verbal aikido─Selective Agreement.  This technique asks you to look─or listen─for something you can agree with in what the person is saying.

 

Instead of: "Are you kidding?!"

How about: "Interesting idea. How would you see it being put into action?"

 

Instead of: "Never heard of anything like that."

How about: "I hadn't thought of that. Would you give me an example so I can understand more clearly?"

 

Instead of: "Well, of course."

How about: "I agree.  And, I've also noticed that..."

 

Your fall-back phrase is, “You may be right, _______.”

Problem is, that phrase is often followed by a big 'But!' which erases everything that was said before the 'but.' Change that three-letter word to another three-letter word, 'And!'  You'll notice I've only used the 'and' in the last example.  It's implied or understood in the first two.  Some participants in my trainings have said, "It wouldn't be grammatically correct to use 'and' in the first two examples."  I agree, and ask that you simply think 'and.' Doing this will help you avoid saying, "Bu-u-u-u-ut!" You'll be a better listener and the other person will be more likely to hear you.