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Customer Service Resolutions for 2019 …

The new year always provides us with an opportunity to look back and assess what each of us has accomplished. It also allows us the chance to think about how we can make a fresh plan for improving any aspect in our lives. Although many people dislike the word resolution, its definition does provide a sense of authority when we make a firm decision to do or not do something.

When it comes to customer service, instead of making new resolutions, a review of what we should be doing is probably the best commitment that we can fashion.

In my workshops, I talk about “The 7 Rules for Great Customer Service” quite a bit. These rules provide us with a benchmark that is useful and timely.

Keep customers the priority.

Be access-approachable.

Know your customers’ expectations.

Exceed their expectations.

Remember that interruptions are opportunities to serve.

Use logic not emotion.

Say “thank you” … often.

Each of these rules are simple. Each of these rules are attainable. Each of these rules provides us with a standard for customer service excellence.

What will your customer service level look like in 2019? Take time today to create your personal vision. Review the rules once again and write down your personal goals. Try every day to make these goals a reality. By doing so, this will be an amazing year for both you and your customers.

Santa Claus Delivers! 

Customer service and Santa Claus have a few things in common. Delivering is one of them. With customer service, we should always deliver the best we have to offer! Santa does the same by delivering the best to all the good boys and girls of the world.

Santa loves what he does. Great customer service happens when we have a smile on our face and find joy in our work. Customer service is about making sure we greet everyone with a smile and a hearty welcome! Santa does the same. He even adds a cheery “Ho-Ho-Ho” as well. Customer service is about good listening! Santa listens too. He listens to make sure the right presents go down the right chimneys.

Santa Claus delivers every single time. If you check the history books, you know that he’s never missed a Christmas Eve. The spirit of a Santa Claus leaves us with a memorable impression. Isn’t that exactly what we want to do with every one of our customers?

Showing that you care … 

One of the things that the holiday season lets us do is to show others that we care. Receiving a card, a phone call, a plate of cookies, or a thoughtful gift … all of those things lets us know that someone appreciates and cares for us. Doing the same for others, lets them know that you care as well.

Great customer service is based on a concept of caring and mutual respect. Unfortunately at times, the systems we have put in place at work “for convenience” actually keeps us from personally caring with others. If we think about it, customers really don’t connect with automation tools. Customers connect with people. Customers connect with us.

The spirit of Christmas isn’t sitting in a room by yourself opening your own present. It’s about being with others, family, friends, loved ones. Sharing, giving, and of course caring. Great customer service is a gift that we can share all through the year.

Becoming access-approachable … 

I speak a lot about people relationships. Its important that our employees make a difference with our customers in a positive way. This improves our corporate culture. Looking internally, what can we do to improve or reinforce people relationship skills?

The phrase access-approachable comes to mind. Do people (employees and customers) feel that they have access to us? If they do have access, how approachable are we? No matter what level or position we may be, we can show everyone that our focus is always on people. It will be if we remain access-approachable.

Our corporate culture thrives when people remain our focus. I recently saw an HR survey that said 70% of millennial workers would not stay at their current job if they considered it to be an unpleasant work environment. That’s probably true with older boomers like me as well.

It’s easy to treat people with respect, to listen, and to portray a positive attitude. Most people have to work hard in order to do the opposite. Being access-approachable is one way to improve corporate culture, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll improve a little bit of ourselves as well.

Everybody makes mistakes … 

Mistakes are a part of life. I’ve made a ton of them. How about you? What’s the best thing to do when a mistake happens? Some people think they should shut up, keep quiet, and maybe nobody will notice. That’s not a good thing to do in the customer service world.

When we deal with customers, mistakes do happen. Sometimes, mistakes create a bigger problem. If you make the decision that customer service is your top priority, any mistake should be dealt with in a timely manner. Customers not only appreciate it, they deserve it.  When a mistake happens, admit to it. Don’t blame others. The faster that you admit to the mistake, the faster you can concentrate on a solution.

We are all human. We do make mistakes. The important thing to do is to always make NEW mistakes. Never repeat your old ones.

Is Customer Service Dead?

I recently heard that a survey of business leaders determined that mediocre customer service seems to be the new benchmark these days. Customers in today’s environment, believe it or not, have very low expectations for service.

Why is that? Could it be that we have become used to a fast paced, fast food, no frills level of customer service? Could it be that we have just become silent when we receive less than satisfactory or unmemorable customer service? Maybe we have convinced ourselves that we don’t deserve good customer service?

Whatever the reason, those of us in a customer centric business know that great customer service should be the norm. If one of our customers has a problem, we shouldn't just listen to them, we need to address their concerns. Our job is to actually hear and then dialogue with our customers. We can be empathetic. We can have a positive impact on their experience today.

In the business world, bad customer service affects a company’s bottom line which in turn affects everyone. Is Customer Service Dead? Not if we take the time to make our customers a priority today.