The world has been spell-bound by the spectacle and the thrill of competition at the winter Olympics in Vancouver. The world’s best athletes have shown us what it takes to be champions. They haven’t all won medals, but they have all demonstrated courage, skill, strength, intelligence, commitment and humanness.
Some of the competitors have talked about perfection. Speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time, said he had a “perfect race” in the Torino Olympics when he won the gold medal in the 500 meter race. But that’s a rare occurrence in Olympic competition – and in life. These top competitors have had to deal with adversity on their quest for Olympic medals. Some of that adversity is physical and some is emotional, and they’ve overcome it to succeed.
Lindsey Vonn, the strong American skier, competed with a severely bruised shin, a broken finger, and other minor bruises and injuries after several crashes and hard falls. She was committed to doing her best and earned a gold medal and a bronze medal. Coming into the races, she said, “I can guarantee you that I’m going to do everything I can to be as ready as I can with this injury and still try to ski well.” She didn’t give excuses. She demonstrated courage and skill and showed what a champion she is.
Many other athletes competed with physical injuries and didn’t let that stop them. Then there was the emotional adversity that others endured.
Canada's figure skater Joannie Rochette won the bronze medal in ladies' figure skating four days after her mother died of a heart attack soon after arriving in Vancouver. Joannie overcame her incredible sadness, a maze of mixed emotions and lack of sleep to deliver the performance of a true champion.
During the competition, Julia Mancuso, US Alpine skier, learned of the death of her close friend and renowned freestyle ski racer CR Johnson after an accident in Squaw Valley. Dealing with that emotion, she won two silver medals.
Winning is not just about the physical conditioning and skill in the sport. Of prime importance is the mental and emotional state of the athletes. Being able to clearly focus on their goal while dealing with personal issues is a mark of true champions. It doesn’t’ take away from their humanness, it adds to it.
What we can learn from these outstanding Olympic champions and apply to our own business in order to achieve success is this:
• Find your passion
• Set clear goals
• Focus
• Do what it takes
• Offer no excuses
True champions use adversity and challenges to propel them to success and to make them stand out above the crowd. Be a champion in your own life and your own business and achieve the success you deserve.
Lynn Murphy
www.keyinnovative.com
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Your Customers’ Feedback – Ask For It, Listen To It and Use It to Improve
In an earlier blog, I discussed the latest survey which shows that when people quit doing business with a company, 86% of the time it’s because of poor customer service. As a business owner, manager, or employee, this is something you can control. In order to know how your customers want to be treated so that they come back, you have to know what they’re experiencing when they interact with your employees. Then you have to be sure every employee is trained to deliver extraordinary service each and every moment.
Here are three things you can do to find out what your customers want so your business can survive and thrive in this economy:
1. Look around your place of business. Do people have to wait to get help? Are people on hold on your phones? Do people appear to be frustrated or angry? You may be busy, but you must pay attention to everything that’s going on.
2. Look around the Internet. What are people saying about your business on sites like Twitter and Facebook? Are you losing business because of what people are saying about your company on these social networking sites? Don’t forget that there are millions of people who read these sites every day.
I recently came across postings by @ComcastBonnie on Twitter. She searches Twitter for any mention of Comcast and contacts the people posting those comments to see how she can help. Through Bonnie, Comcast is not in the dark about what people are saying on Twitter. This is an example of how companies are finding proactive ways to provide service to their customers. Every day check these sites to see what is being said about your company and about your competition.
3. Ask your customers for feedback. Let your customers know you welcome and appreciate their feedback. Make it easy for them to tell you - What are you doing well? What could you do better? What do they want? What don’t they want? Then do something with that feedback. Here are examples I’ve seen lately of how companies are asking for feedback, using it to improve, then letting their customers – and the world – know what they’ve done.
Domino’s Pizza has ads on television showing clips from focus groups where they asked people what they thought of Domino’s pizza. The ads go on to show Domino’s employees arriving with pizzas at the homes of the people who had been critical. Domino’s had made the improvements suggested and brought new and improved pizzas to ask how they’d done. This is a brilliant example of companies asking for and listening to their customers’ feedback. They let their customers know they had listened and that they did something with the feedback.
Microsoft is running ads for the new Windows 7 including customers who contacted Microsoft with suggestions for improving their operating system. In the ads, the customers themselves are saying that Microsoft listened to their suggestions. These customers are taking ownership in the new operating system.
Make your customers feel valued by listening to their comments, and then letting them know what you did with their feedback. They might turn out to be customers for life. Wouldn’t you feel special if you were treated that way? That’s extraordinary customer service. It’s what helps those companies outpace their competition.
Customer service skills can be taught. In this economy, the companies that are going to survive and thrive are the ones that train their people to deliver extraordinary customer service each and every moment.
www.keyinnovative.com
Here are three things you can do to find out what your customers want so your business can survive and thrive in this economy:
1. Look around your place of business. Do people have to wait to get help? Are people on hold on your phones? Do people appear to be frustrated or angry? You may be busy, but you must pay attention to everything that’s going on.
2. Look around the Internet. What are people saying about your business on sites like Twitter and Facebook? Are you losing business because of what people are saying about your company on these social networking sites? Don’t forget that there are millions of people who read these sites every day.
I recently came across postings by @ComcastBonnie on Twitter. She searches Twitter for any mention of Comcast and contacts the people posting those comments to see how she can help. Through Bonnie, Comcast is not in the dark about what people are saying on Twitter. This is an example of how companies are finding proactive ways to provide service to their customers. Every day check these sites to see what is being said about your company and about your competition.
3. Ask your customers for feedback. Let your customers know you welcome and appreciate their feedback. Make it easy for them to tell you - What are you doing well? What could you do better? What do they want? What don’t they want? Then do something with that feedback. Here are examples I’ve seen lately of how companies are asking for feedback, using it to improve, then letting their customers – and the world – know what they’ve done.
Domino’s Pizza has ads on television showing clips from focus groups where they asked people what they thought of Domino’s pizza. The ads go on to show Domino’s employees arriving with pizzas at the homes of the people who had been critical. Domino’s had made the improvements suggested and brought new and improved pizzas to ask how they’d done. This is a brilliant example of companies asking for and listening to their customers’ feedback. They let their customers know they had listened and that they did something with the feedback.
Microsoft is running ads for the new Windows 7 including customers who contacted Microsoft with suggestions for improving their operating system. In the ads, the customers themselves are saying that Microsoft listened to their suggestions. These customers are taking ownership in the new operating system.
Make your customers feel valued by listening to their comments, and then letting them know what you did with their feedback. They might turn out to be customers for life. Wouldn’t you feel special if you were treated that way? That’s extraordinary customer service. It’s what helps those companies outpace their competition.
Customer service skills can be taught. In this economy, the companies that are going to survive and thrive are the ones that train their people to deliver extraordinary customer service each and every moment.
www.keyinnovative.com
Friday, February 12, 2010
Extraordinary Customer Service Helps Businesses and Employees Survive Economic Downturn
Whether you have your own business or work for someone else, the key to surviving and thriving in this slow economic climate is providing excellent customer service.
In order to be successful in business you must keep customers coming back. You must to have a product or service your customers want, but your competition has that. How do you set yourself apart from your competition? The key to surviving and thriving in the economic downturn is providing service, service, service. You must deliver extraordinary customer service and make your customers feel valued so they keep coming back and tell others about your company.
The numbers show us how important it is to hang on to your existing customers. It costs businesses six times more to attract new customers than to keep the old ones. Customer loyalty is worth ten times the price of a single purchase. It makes economic sense to cultivate the loyalty of your customers.
Why do businesses fail to create loyal customers? Why do customers leave companies? You may think that it’s primarily because they’ve found a better product or price somewhere else. But it’s not. If you’re focusing your business on only those two things, you are probably losing business and may not even realize why.
The newest Customer Experience Impact Report by RightNow® Technologies and Harris Interactive released in October 2009 shows that 86% of the time when people quit doing business with a company it’s because of a bad customer service experience. That’s a huge number! Eighty-six percent of the people who leave feel they were treated rudely or with indifference by an employee, manager or owner. Most never go back to that business. That’s a number that you can do something about.
Customers not only have high expectations for service, they’re demanding it every time they interact with an organization whether in person, on the phone or on your website. If you want to succeed in business, as an owner or as an employee, you have to focus on treating your customers the way they want to be treated – with extraordinary customer service.
You can take steps to make sure you and your employees put your customer first. One of the steps is to train your employees how to deliver extraordinary customer service every time. The good news is that customer service skills are trainable. Look for my upcoming blog on effectively training employees in customer service.
In this economy, the companies that are going to survive and thrive are the ones that deliver excellent customer service. Make your company one of them.
www.keyinnovative.com
In order to be successful in business you must keep customers coming back. You must to have a product or service your customers want, but your competition has that. How do you set yourself apart from your competition? The key to surviving and thriving in the economic downturn is providing service, service, service. You must deliver extraordinary customer service and make your customers feel valued so they keep coming back and tell others about your company.
The numbers show us how important it is to hang on to your existing customers. It costs businesses six times more to attract new customers than to keep the old ones. Customer loyalty is worth ten times the price of a single purchase. It makes economic sense to cultivate the loyalty of your customers.
Why do businesses fail to create loyal customers? Why do customers leave companies? You may think that it’s primarily because they’ve found a better product or price somewhere else. But it’s not. If you’re focusing your business on only those two things, you are probably losing business and may not even realize why.
The newest Customer Experience Impact Report by RightNow® Technologies and Harris Interactive released in October 2009 shows that 86% of the time when people quit doing business with a company it’s because of a bad customer service experience. That’s a huge number! Eighty-six percent of the people who leave feel they were treated rudely or with indifference by an employee, manager or owner. Most never go back to that business. That’s a number that you can do something about.
Customers not only have high expectations for service, they’re demanding it every time they interact with an organization whether in person, on the phone or on your website. If you want to succeed in business, as an owner or as an employee, you have to focus on treating your customers the way they want to be treated – with extraordinary customer service.
You can take steps to make sure you and your employees put your customer first. One of the steps is to train your employees how to deliver extraordinary customer service every time. The good news is that customer service skills are trainable. Look for my upcoming blog on effectively training employees in customer service.
In this economy, the companies that are going to survive and thrive are the ones that deliver excellent customer service. Make your company one of them.
www.keyinnovative.com
Monday, October 12, 2009
Dealing with Complaints and Irate Customers
The customer is not always right. Participants in my customer service training workshops often repeat the mantra “the customer is always right.” I don’t believe that’s true. What is true is that the customer is always the customer.
Customer service representatives often complain about customers yelling and even cursing at them over the phone or in person. Some companies time the customer service calls and expect the representatives to resolve the customer’s difficulties in four minutes or less. This creates additional stress for you and your representatives, but it’s something that can be effectively handled with practice.
When you have to deal with complaints from those ballistic customers, you can build your company’s reputation as an exceptional service organization, and you can build your reputation as an outstanding customer service representative by practicing these tips:
1. Let them vent. When your customer calls with a complaint, they want feel like someone is listening to them. Listen very carefully so you get a clear picture of the issue.
2. Remain calm. If the customer is using foul or insulting language, calmly let them know that you’ll be glad to help them but that you will not talk to them if they continue to yell or curse. Make sure you maintain a calm demeanor. Don’t get hooked into their anger or reply with sarcasm, indifference or anger of your own. Don’t tell them to calm down. That only adds fuel to their already inflamed anger. Let them know you’re sorry they’re experiencing the problem. A little empathy goes a long way.
3. Find a solution. Assure your customer that you’re going to find a solution to the problem either during the phone call, or you’ll call them back with a solution. If you need to involve your supervisor or someone in a different department, be diligent about finding the right person to resolve the problem.
4. Keep them informed. Tell them what you’re going to do to help them each step of the way. Tell them what you’re going to do to follow up. Then do it.
5. Resolve the issue quickly. Resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Studies show that when customers’ problems are resolved quickly, they will come back. They may even tell others about how well you handled their problem. Word of mouth is great (and free) advertising.
6. Show your appreciation. Thank them for bringing the issue to your attention. Then thank them for doing business with your company. Let them know you value their business. Showing appreciation goes a long way in building loyalty with your customers.
These are just a few of the tips included in the customer service training we provide for handling customer complaints. Satisfied customers are what make your business successful. When you have an upset or irate customer, finding ways to satisfy that person can turn him or her into a loyal customer.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories. You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email - info @ keyinnovative.com.
Customer service representatives often complain about customers yelling and even cursing at them over the phone or in person. Some companies time the customer service calls and expect the representatives to resolve the customer’s difficulties in four minutes or less. This creates additional stress for you and your representatives, but it’s something that can be effectively handled with practice.
When you have to deal with complaints from those ballistic customers, you can build your company’s reputation as an exceptional service organization, and you can build your reputation as an outstanding customer service representative by practicing these tips:
1. Let them vent. When your customer calls with a complaint, they want feel like someone is listening to them. Listen very carefully so you get a clear picture of the issue.
2. Remain calm. If the customer is using foul or insulting language, calmly let them know that you’ll be glad to help them but that you will not talk to them if they continue to yell or curse. Make sure you maintain a calm demeanor. Don’t get hooked into their anger or reply with sarcasm, indifference or anger of your own. Don’t tell them to calm down. That only adds fuel to their already inflamed anger. Let them know you’re sorry they’re experiencing the problem. A little empathy goes a long way.
3. Find a solution. Assure your customer that you’re going to find a solution to the problem either during the phone call, or you’ll call them back with a solution. If you need to involve your supervisor or someone in a different department, be diligent about finding the right person to resolve the problem.
4. Keep them informed. Tell them what you’re going to do to help them each step of the way. Tell them what you’re going to do to follow up. Then do it.
5. Resolve the issue quickly. Resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Studies show that when customers’ problems are resolved quickly, they will come back. They may even tell others about how well you handled their problem. Word of mouth is great (and free) advertising.
6. Show your appreciation. Thank them for bringing the issue to your attention. Then thank them for doing business with your company. Let them know you value their business. Showing appreciation goes a long way in building loyalty with your customers.
These are just a few of the tips included in the customer service training we provide for handling customer complaints. Satisfied customers are what make your business successful. When you have an upset or irate customer, finding ways to satisfy that person can turn him or her into a loyal customer.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories. You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email - info @ keyinnovative.com.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Making Your Customer Feel Welcomed
As part of an annual checkup, I recently went to the outpatient section of a local hospital for some routine tests. Hospitals are not my favorite places and I was not looking forward to spending time there.
Because I teach customer service, I am always critical of the service I receive at any business – in person or on the phone. Thinking about my experience that day, I realized what this hospital had done to make my visit pleasant.
They practiced what we all need to remember as part of providing excellent customer service:
1. Create an inviting environment. Make sure that you’re creating a positive first impression. Does what your customers notice immediately upon walking through your door deliver the message you want to send, and does it make them glad they’re there?
The reception and waiting areas were light, airy, comfortable, clean and fresh smelling. Instead of the smell of disinfectant or other unpleasant odors, there was a lovely, subtle vanilla smell. Warm soothing colors, interesting artwork, and a garden of native plants which could be seen through a wall of windows created a calming effect. Instead of the stereotypical molded plastic chairs and 20-year old furniture, there were modern, padded and very comfortable chairs.
Look around with a critical eye and see if you’re sending the right message.
2. Let your customers know you’re glad they’re doing business with you.
The staff members were extremely courteous and friendly. They immediately acknowledged me when I walked in; they smiled; and they introduced themselves by name. Everyone was pleasant. If they were having a bad day, they didn’t let it show. They introduced themselves to me. They took the time to think about my needs. I felt like they really cared about me.
Focus on your customer or patient. Stop your personal conversations. The customer is paying your salary and deserves your attention. Thank them for doing business with you and invite them back.
3. Proactively anticipate your customers’ needs.
Instead of hearing my name yelled out when it was my turn, the staff gave me a pager with flashing red lights and a buzzer. It allowed me to bury my nose in a book and not worry about missing my turn.
Put yourself in their shoes and think about what you would want if you walked in for the first (or the tenth) time. Anticipate their questions and concerns, and offer to help.
These seem like such obvious things, but more often than not businesses forget or overlook some of these necessary customer service practices. In tough times like these, every business must do as much as possible to provide exceptional customer service. That’s what will distinguish your business from every other business and will build loyalty among your customers, clients and patients.
As I discovered last week, Banner Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix stands out not only for their medical expertise, but also for their culture which focuses on providing outstanding customer service. Make sure your company is doing the same.
Because I teach customer service, I am always critical of the service I receive at any business – in person or on the phone. Thinking about my experience that day, I realized what this hospital had done to make my visit pleasant.
They practiced what we all need to remember as part of providing excellent customer service:
1. Create an inviting environment. Make sure that you’re creating a positive first impression. Does what your customers notice immediately upon walking through your door deliver the message you want to send, and does it make them glad they’re there?
The reception and waiting areas were light, airy, comfortable, clean and fresh smelling. Instead of the smell of disinfectant or other unpleasant odors, there was a lovely, subtle vanilla smell. Warm soothing colors, interesting artwork, and a garden of native plants which could be seen through a wall of windows created a calming effect. Instead of the stereotypical molded plastic chairs and 20-year old furniture, there were modern, padded and very comfortable chairs.
Look around with a critical eye and see if you’re sending the right message.
2. Let your customers know you’re glad they’re doing business with you.
The staff members were extremely courteous and friendly. They immediately acknowledged me when I walked in; they smiled; and they introduced themselves by name. Everyone was pleasant. If they were having a bad day, they didn’t let it show. They introduced themselves to me. They took the time to think about my needs. I felt like they really cared about me.
Focus on your customer or patient. Stop your personal conversations. The customer is paying your salary and deserves your attention. Thank them for doing business with you and invite them back.
3. Proactively anticipate your customers’ needs.
Instead of hearing my name yelled out when it was my turn, the staff gave me a pager with flashing red lights and a buzzer. It allowed me to bury my nose in a book and not worry about missing my turn.
Put yourself in their shoes and think about what you would want if you walked in for the first (or the tenth) time. Anticipate their questions and concerns, and offer to help.
These seem like such obvious things, but more often than not businesses forget or overlook some of these necessary customer service practices. In tough times like these, every business must do as much as possible to provide exceptional customer service. That’s what will distinguish your business from every other business and will build loyalty among your customers, clients and patients.
As I discovered last week, Banner Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix stands out not only for their medical expertise, but also for their culture which focuses on providing outstanding customer service. Make sure your company is doing the same.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Invisible Customers
As a kid I wanted to be invisible, but I grew up and got over it. As an adult, when I’m attempting to spend my money at a business, I do not want to be invisible. I want service. If I were to judge based on the reaction of many sales associates and servers, there must be times when I am completely invisible.
My husband and I recently went to a nice chain restaurant, one with table service and a good reputation. The hostess seated us, handed us menus and left. And there we sat. For almost 10 minutes. Nobody greeted us. Nobody brought us water. Nobody even made eye contact. Plenty of servers and even a manger walked by. I tried to make eye contact with someone, anyone, after sitting there all that time. The restaurant wasn’t even busy. Servers were standing behind a counter several feet away merrily chatting with each other. Nobody even looked at us. I finally got up, walked back to the hostess and told her we were still waiting for service. She immediately apologized and tracked down the problem – the server didn’t know it was her station. That really didn’t matter to us if they had an internal communication breakdown. We were still hungry - and getting more unhappy by the minute. Someone should have noticed that we were sitting there for much too long without service.
I understand how busy servers can be and how chaotic the business is at times. However, it's everyone's job to still be aware of what’s going on. I experience this in retail stores, too. Frequently employees walk down the aisles and purposely avoid making eye contact with the customers. Do they hope the we won’t bother them if they don’t make eye contact? They might get their wish when the we decide to spend our money elsewhere.
Here are some of the keys I teach my customer service clients that will help you and your employees provide better customer service and build loyalty in your customer base:
1. Pay attention. Heads up! Know what’s going on all around you. Notice what needs attention even if it’s not specifically your job or your section. Your customer doesn’t know who is assigned to do what. Like us, they only know they’re being ignored. I know it’s tough to always be vigilant when things are busy. But I often experience worse service when a restaurant isn’t busy than when it is. Do you lose your edge when things slow down? Just making eye contact to acknowledge the customers, saying hello and offering to help as you’re passing them in the aisles can make a big difference to your customers, and to your bottom line. People will spend money where they feel welcomed.
2. Apologize. If you realize that a customer has been ignored or is upset about the service, apologize immediately – even if you don’t think it was your fault. Your customers want someone to acknowledge the problem. They want to feel that someone cares. Our server and the hostess both apologized a few times throughout the meal. We believed they meant it.
3. Make up for it. If your customer thinks it’s a problem, it’s a problem. Do something to make up for it. Our server took the cost of our appetizer off our bill. She was extremely attentive once she realized the problem. It doesn’t have to be something big, just something to let your customer know you want them to come back.
The customers who are treated as if they’re invisible will soon become truly invisible around your business. They’ll spend their money somewhere else. Surveys show that when people quit doing business with a company, over two-thirds of the time they leave because they were treated poorly, not because of the product or price. That’s something you can control. In these economic times, your level of customer service may be the thing you need to set you apart and help you survive. Your bottom line will reflect it if you quit treating customers as if they’re invisible and consistently provide exceptional customer service.
Lynn
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Best Buy's Customer Service
On a recent trip to Best Buy, the sales associate definitely did not meet my expectations. He far exceeded them. In fact, if this had been a baseball game, Trevor would have hit a bases-loaded, walk off home run. I have to admit that I didn’t have high expectations when shopping at Best Buy. I stopped at the north Scottsdale store before Christmas and couldn’t even get a sales associate to look at me. I was sure I was invisible. I was looking for a camcorder and decided I’d have better luck at a camera store. I was disappointed by the service at the camera store, so went around the corner to the Best Buy on Camelback and 20th Street in Phoenix. With my expectations set low, I was amazed at the service Trevor provided to me.
Since I train organizations to provide exceptional customer service, I'm always aware of the customer service skills (or lack of those skills) from the service people I deal with. I recognized in Trevor outstanding skills in serving customers. Trevor is a pro. He should be training Best Buy's other sales associates how to really, truly deliver exceptional customer service. Here’s what Trevor did that impressed me so much.
1. He asked me probing questions, in great detail, about how I would use the camcorder. He asked things that I had never even considered since this is my first camcorder. His questions demonstrated his extensive knowledge of the products. He asked questions for five to ten minutes before he even walked me over to look at the selection of products.
2. He listened – thoroughly, not just superficially. I knew that he listened because as we looked at each camcorder he kept bringing the conversation back to how I’d responded to his questions.
3. He used his critical thinking skills. He translated my answers into recommendations that would truly meet my needs.
4. He was knowledgeable and confident in his product knowledge without an ounce of arrogance or an attitude of superiority. He never talked down to me even though I knew nothing about camcorders. His confident attitude gave me the assurance that he did indeed know what he was talking about. He was able to build my trust that his recommendations were worth taking.
5. He informed me; he didn’t “sell” me. After about an hour of discussion and looking at accessories I might need, I wanted to buy a camcorder from Trevor. He never pressured me. He just willingly and competently educated me and let me make an informed decision.
I was elated with the whole experience and spent more than I ever intended when I walked into the store. I even decided on impulse to buy a couple of CDs while Trevor was finishing up the transaction. It is clear to me that he is not one of those employees who only trades his time for a paycheck. He is not just taking up space. Trevor encompasses the best qualities of a sales person and will go far in whatever field he chooses. He has taken the initiative to know his products, and combines this knowledge with excellent people skills. These are skills that I teach to my clients. Some grasp them more easily than others.
As managers and supervisors, you may not always have customer service naturals like Trevor in your workforce. The good news is that these skills can be learned. To continue to grow your business and remain profitable, exceptional customer service is the answer. Do your employees exceed your customers’ expectations? If so, how are you accomplishing that? If not, what can you do about it? I’d love to know your thoughts.
Lynn Murphy
Since I train organizations to provide exceptional customer service, I'm always aware of the customer service skills (or lack of those skills) from the service people I deal with. I recognized in Trevor outstanding skills in serving customers. Trevor is a pro. He should be training Best Buy's other sales associates how to really, truly deliver exceptional customer service. Here’s what Trevor did that impressed me so much.
1. He asked me probing questions, in great detail, about how I would use the camcorder. He asked things that I had never even considered since this is my first camcorder. His questions demonstrated his extensive knowledge of the products. He asked questions for five to ten minutes before he even walked me over to look at the selection of products.
2. He listened – thoroughly, not just superficially. I knew that he listened because as we looked at each camcorder he kept bringing the conversation back to how I’d responded to his questions.
3. He used his critical thinking skills. He translated my answers into recommendations that would truly meet my needs.
4. He was knowledgeable and confident in his product knowledge without an ounce of arrogance or an attitude of superiority. He never talked down to me even though I knew nothing about camcorders. His confident attitude gave me the assurance that he did indeed know what he was talking about. He was able to build my trust that his recommendations were worth taking.
5. He informed me; he didn’t “sell” me. After about an hour of discussion and looking at accessories I might need, I wanted to buy a camcorder from Trevor. He never pressured me. He just willingly and competently educated me and let me make an informed decision.
I was elated with the whole experience and spent more than I ever intended when I walked into the store. I even decided on impulse to buy a couple of CDs while Trevor was finishing up the transaction. It is clear to me that he is not one of those employees who only trades his time for a paycheck. He is not just taking up space. Trevor encompasses the best qualities of a sales person and will go far in whatever field he chooses. He has taken the initiative to know his products, and combines this knowledge with excellent people skills. These are skills that I teach to my clients. Some grasp them more easily than others.
As managers and supervisors, you may not always have customer service naturals like Trevor in your workforce. The good news is that these skills can be learned. To continue to grow your business and remain profitable, exceptional customer service is the answer. Do your employees exceed your customers’ expectations? If so, how are you accomplishing that? If not, what can you do about it? I’d love to know your thoughts.
Lynn Murphy
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