What's Your Customer's Personality?

Customers fall into four basic personality types. See if you recognize any of them:

The Hurried Customer can be direct, forceful, competitive and strong-willed because they want to hurry and get their issue solved. Because they are direct, they get frustrated when you give them more information than they asked for. You don't have to dig too deep with this type. They'll tell you what they want.

To handle this type, let them make their point. Let them know you're listening and they'll easily feel like a winner.

The Friendly Customer only wants to feel welcomed. They can be awfully chatty and may talk over you as you're trying to help them. So, to successfully manage the Friendly type, ask for their opinion. Nothing makes them feel more wanted than knowing you value what they think. Be brief with this type though, because being as talkative as they can be, time can get away as you're trying to help. They have a tendency to go off the subject. When this happens, simply guide them back to the current issue. But do so gently as the Friendly type does not like bluntness.

The Puzzled Customer is the one you'll have to dig deep with and question. They're usually a bit confused as to what their real problem is and haven't a clue as to what's needed to fix it. So they tend to throw out a lot of issues at once; all with detail and hopes that you'll be able to get to the bottom of their issue. You see, no matter how unsure they may be, they trust you to know what they need.

Work with this type by asking questions for clarification. Take notes if you have to. Remember, they'll be giving you a lot of detail whether you need it or not. And just to be on the safe side, when you think you've got the message, restate your understanding because you're working with a lot of stuff.

Last is the Demanding Customer; the one who pushes your patient quota. Notice I said 'demanding' and not difficult. They're the ones most likely to rant and rave. As long as they're not abusive, listen to them and let them vent. They'll eventually run out of steam. They'll challenge  your methods of resolution and will want to speak to someone (else) in authority. Don't argue with them; let them. Choose your attitude; don't get caught off guard, and DON'T TAKE IT PERSONAL. Understand that this customer's emotions probably come from frustration over the issue and not because of anything you've done. (See more on this HERE).

Any service provider can recognize a Hurried, Friendly, Puzzled, or Demanding customer. But it's the Blissful one who knows just how to communicate with them, interact with them, win with them; all through Customer Bliss.


~~~Tell Tammy~~~
I hope you enjoyed Customer Service Week this year.
Let us know what you've noticed, learned or just thought about during this year's campaign.

Until next time,
Stay Blissed

 

 

Show Genuine Concern to Customers

A customer walks into your place of business, asks for something and you give it to them.

Did you provide customer service?

Absolutely.

Did you provide exceptional service...or as we like to say...Customer BLISS?

Well, that's questionable.

How did your customer feel while being assisted? How did they feel about the way they were assisted? How did they feel about you or your workplace as a whole?

If you think that your customer has to verbalize the answers to these questions in order for you to know, you're wrong. So how could you possibly know? Through genuine concern. You must care enough to want to know.

With genuine concern for your customers, you tune into them. You take their issues personally and look for ways to 'Bliss' them. Then you look for clues that prove you were successful. The clue may come as a smile as they leave your office or through the tone of their 'thank you' just before they hang up the phone. It could be through a number of actions, and if you care, you'll recognize how they feel.

Genuine concern is about caring for more than just your job. It's caring about your service and the positive results that come about when you've done a great job. It makes customer service a part of you. It becomes a talent, not just a skill. You won't have to force yourself to treat your customers politely or respectfully because by caring, you've transformed them from 'just a part of your job' into real people with real concerns that you want to fix for them. You've transformed customer service into Customer BLISS.

Through genuine concern for your customers you'll make them:

• Feel important
• Believe in you and trust you
• Work with you to find solutions to their problems
• Generate positive perceptions about you, your service and your place of business

All in all, you'll make them become better customers. So do whatever it takes to show your customers they matter to you. Show them you're genuinely concerned.

 

Civility, Diversity, and Customer BLISS

 

 

Customer service involves the use of good manners and etiquette. Throw in civil behavior and regular customer service becomes Customer BLISS. Today's tip addresses civility and the role it plays in customer service. It includes areas in need of more cooperation, tolerance, and understanding. It's about communicating in areas of diversity. In other words, the human side of service and the basic behaviors that make everyone feel comfortable.

Regardless of what makes your customer (or anyone else) different from what you're accustomed to, (physically, racially, developmentally, etc.) always focus on your fundamental similarity; the fact that you're both people.

Be Helpful Without Condescension

If someone needs additional help in some way, offer to assist the same way you would offer to help someone with an armload of bags; without making a big deal of the situation. Answer questions and give explanations thoroughly, factually and without judging a person's understanding or capabilities. Never make another person feel stupid or inadequate because of a personal attribute.

Be Patient

If someone has a physical disability that reduces their mobility, patiently wait until they make themselves comfortable before you begin working with them. Never show signs of annoyance, irritation or impatience. Ask if they would like your assistance before you attempt to help in any way.

Be Considerate

An example of this would be when you are speaking with a customer who struggles with English because it is not their first language. Allow them to attempt communication in a way that is comfortable for them. If their message has been conveyed, but with a few grammatical errors included, don't correct just for the sake of correcting them. Let them know you understand their meaning. Speak at a moderate pace and, if necessary, ask them if they'd like you to slow down. Simple, uncomplicated words will help you convey your message. And please, speak in normal tones. A raised voice does not guarantee understanding. Instead, it could cause resentment. Raise your voice only if your customer requests it.

Note: Don't assume that a person's hearing challenge automatically means total hearing loss. There are levels and degrees of any challenge and you should let the person with the challenge inform you of the situation and their needs (e.g. asking you to speak slower, louder, or repeat a word, question or statement). Never assume that yelling is necessary.

Be Genuine

People know when you're being phony. Don't do or say something only because it's politically or socially correct. Genuinely care for others. When you take their issues personally, you will find all sorts of ways to create comfort for them (more on this in a later post).

Be that service provider who is always aware and makes others feel comfortable in any situation. With your helpful, patient, considerate and genuine approach, you will elevate every customer to the highest level...Customer BLISS. 


~~Tell Tammy~~
How's your Customer Service Week going so far?
How are you letting your customers know you appreciate them?
Please comment in the section below.

Refrain from Blame

Customer BLISS begins with the value you place on your customers, teammates, and colleagues. Show respect to everyone and everyone wins. When a problem arises due to neglience or a mistake on the part of a co-worker or other employee, don't point out blame. Instead:

• Attempt to rectify the problem through the necessary procedures.

• Then AFTER the customer leaves, inform the involved individuals of the situation as it happened and explain what was done.

By taking the situation in hand...or in other words, by accepting responsibility for the situation, you satisfy the customer and keep individuals and workplace reputations intact.

Never let co-workers look bad. It'll only make you all look bad. Value and take care of all your customers; internal and external.

"Courtesy and respect keep all customers Blissed"

 

Customer BLISS Begins with a Smile

Monday, October 7, 2013 begins Customer Service Week. Let's kick it off with a smile:

Something as simple as a smile carries a lot of power. You see, a smile is not just seen; it is also heard. Yes, even over the telephone. So, BEFORE you pick up the phone, smile...and keep that smile as you greet your customer on the other end. They will hear it.

But what happens if you don't?

When your customer does not hear an honest, pleasant smile in your voice, then right from the start, you have set some critical wheels into motion; wheels that can throw your intentions off track and cause the whole customer experience to go awry. Even before you find out what they need, your customer may:

• Lose confidence in your ability to solve their problem
• Feel your assistance is insincere
• Get the impression that you're only 'going through the motions' of helping, just to hurry the phone call to an end
• Lose trust 

They can hear all of this in your voice when they DON'T hear a smile.
So, now what happens?

You hear distrust in your customer's voice and no longer want to deal with them...but of course, you must. So you label them 'difficult'...all because you failed to smile. See a pattern developing here? You should. You created it; along with creating more work for yourself because:

• It takes work to regain your customer's trust
• You now need to rebuild your customer's confidence in you and your abilities
• You've presented the idea of incompetence on your part
• Your customer will definitely let others know what they think of you and your service

So now you know what to do to prevent all this: Don't get caught in the act of NOT smiling. 

It was once said by a famous yogi: "Let my soul smile through my heart, and my heart smile through my eyes that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts." 

Why not take this to another level and let your 'willingness to help' smile through your voice and 'your voice' smile through any problem your customer may have. Then you will find that:

A Smile gives you power; the power to replace a customer's uneasiness with trust.

A Smile gives you control. Enough to make each of your customer's experiences a great one.

A Smile removes apprehensions and turns them into trust.

Smile...and you have the power to create Customer BLISS by creating BLISS for your customer. Seize that power to make your good service great. It'll only cost you a smile.



~~~~~Tell Tammy~~~~~

How're you putting your Customer BLISS into action? 
Share your plans for Customer Service Week in the Comments section below. We want to hear from you.

The Best-Kept Secret to Turning A Difficult Customer into a Happy One

If you have a job, you have a customer; a customer who may be internal or external, virtual or physically face-to-face. They could be co-workers that you see every day or simply voices on the phone.

But no matter who your customers are, at some point, you've probably considered a few of them 'difficult'. You know the ones, those who expect you:

...to know their needs (even when they don't know themselves)
...to quickly deliver those needs, and
...to answer every demand and challenge they toss your way in order to get their needs met (and with a smile on your face to boot)

Since the success of your job lies in keeping all of your customers happy and satisfied, it's important to know one of the best-kept secrets on how to turn a difficult customer into a happy and satisfied one.

So what's the secret?

STOP CALLING THEM DIFFICULT

That's the secret?

Yes, that's it. It's that simple.
You see, it's not about what you should do; it's about what you should not do...You should not label them 'difficult'.

Here's why...

Labeling a customer 'difficult' sabotages your relationship with them and is unfair to both you and your customer because...

• You put yourself in defense mode which negatively affects your attitude toward them; an attitude that's bound to be felt by the customer and ultimately resented by them.
• It causes you to inadvertently restrict yourself from providing the full scope of service that you could be giving.
• It creates a negative impression for you, your workplace, your customer, and for anyone who hears you call them difficult.

Then why do we do it?

• Sometimes we don't realize it's what we're doing.
• Sometimes we're just repeating what we've heard others say about the customer. We may have heard  about how hard it is to please them, causing subconscious prejudgment.
• You might even feel challenged because it's you who doesn't know what to do to please them.

When you think about it, you may be the one who's actually creating the so-called difficult customers in your work life. So when you begin to think of a customer as challenging, what can you do?

You can...

• Choose a better attitude and create a better customer...a happy customer.
• View the challenge as incentive to up your game of service, and 
• Don't try to figure out what they want or need; listen for indications of what will please them. Directly or indirectly, they will let you know.

So regardless of what your customer has done in the past or what you've heard they may do in the future, the next time you feel the D-word coming on, do the right thing...the fair thing;

1) Recognize your customers for who they are and what they need...people who need your help. 
2) Then do what's necessary to help them. 

Loyalty will be created and trust will be built. And instead of thinking of them as difficult, you'll learn to appreciate them for the value they bring.

7 Ways to be and Stay Satisfied With Your Job

Do you get excited when you think about the functions of your job? Or are you only interested in doing what's necessary to get you from Monday morning to Friday evening without a hitch?

The way you feel about your job depends on you; your perceptions and your attitude. Maybe you feel you're lacking in the job satisfaction department. If so, consider the following to bring satisfaction back to your position:

Pride and a Positive Attitude 
Keep in mind the fulfilling position you hold and take pride in your role as a service provider. Pat yourself on the back for the great job that you do. Feel good about yourself when you think of the responsibilities that have been placed in your care.

Shared Vision
Determine your definition and your vision of quality service. Compare it to that of your department and team. If you're not all on the same sheet of music, take the initiative and request input from your colleagues to create the necessary steps to get there. Work with your team. Understand, create and agree on new processes and procedures to provide quality service.

Knowledge & Focus
Know your job inside and out. Familiarize yourself with company policies so you can focus on your customer without worrying about your performance. For example: let's say that in the interest of trust, you offer your customer a refund for a prior service mix-up; however, policy dictates this should not be done. Knowing the rules beforehand eliminates the chance of making a bad situation worse by offering something you'd have to either take back, or take a career hit for. Understand just how far you are able to go for your customer. If necessary, ask your supervisor for clarity. Then you can focus on your customers' needs without worrying about errors in job performance.

Improvement 
It's not enough to provide great service. It's also your duty to continuously strive to improve and provide the highest quality of service to your customers, both internal and external.

Dedication
Meet and surpass the expectations of your internal and external customers. Be dedicated to them and to yourself by staying focused on your job-related goals and your current performances. How do you measure up to your own expectations?  

Commitment
Like your dedication, commit to creating a positive experience for everyone. Go above and beyond the expectations of your customers and colleagues. Commit to this and deliver quality service.

Willingness
After studying the previous areas of performance, how willing are you to do what it takes to get the job done?

Job satisfaction begins and ends with YOU. Whether you work 20, 40 or 60 hours a week, the time you put in becomes less stressful when it is spent in a positive frame of mind. Keep in mind that you can't do anything about the actions or attitudes of others, nor can  you control those unexpected situations that constantly creep up. But you can control the way you perceive them which determines how you deal with them.

Whenever there's an issue preventing you from having a great attitude, identify it and do what's necessary to fix your perception of it. Equip yourself to confidently deal with whatever comes along and improve your overall performance.

Become passionate about your job again. And at the end of each workday, ask yourself,

                          "Am I satisfied with my performance...with my job?"

       
                Then think of how good you'll feel when your answer is a resounding "YES".

National Boss's Day 2011

Is Boss’s Day for Bosses Only?

Monday, October 17^th is National Boss’s Day, a day that’s recognized as a time to shower employers with flowers, gifts, parties and awards to show how much they are appreciated.  But is Boss’s Day for Bosses only?

Not entirely.

Boss’s Day also promotes relationships between the head of the workplace, aka the boss, and the people under their employ. It’s a time when the people from multi-level positions celebrate together to display a unified workforce. You see, this way, employees benefit too.

But it’s called “Boss’s” Day” because the workplace is a reflection of the boss, their performance and their achievements. Boss’s Day acknowledges the “great” boss and inspires the average one to become great.

A great boss:

• Provides direction and focus to create a mutual sense of purpose
• Values their people as individuals
• Fosters solid relationships by earning respect and building trust
• Constantly provide their employees with opportunities to learn and grow

So to Employees I say: Celebrate Boss’s Day to honor the person you work for and the environment they’ve created for you.

To the Boss I say: After all the excitement dies down and you’re posed with the question - What’d you get for Boss’s Day? -  before you answer, think of your staff and ask yourself:

"Other than the fact that I’m the boss, did I actually earn a celebration for Boss’s Day?"

If you honestly feel the answer is YES, then Good For You! If you answered NO, don’t fret; it’s not too late. Just make today the day you turn it around and become the kind of boss you’d like to be; the kind of boss you’d like to have; the kind who doesn’t just know what it takes, but actually does what it takes to earn the title of a Great Boss. 

~~~~~Tell Tammy~~~~~

What're you doing for Boss's Day? 

Customer Service Week Begins Today

Today begins Customer Service Week 2011. This special week was introduced over 20 years ago by the International Customer Service Association as a series of week-long events to recognize the people who worked in areas of customer service. 

Dedicate this week to honor your customers' contributing role in helping you achieve success in your business. By focusing on them, you ensure them of their importance to you and your organization. 

Great Customer Service begins with the relationship that you establish between you and your customers from the start. It’s important to build a positive connection with them by building strong rapport. Use these quick and easy methods to create solid connections:

• Give your customers the PERSONAL TOUCH. You can easily show how much you value them simply by taking the time to know their names.
•  BUILD TRUST in your relationship. Don’t just let it happen, make it happen. Honor your word. Keep your promises.
• SHOW APPRECIATION for your customer’s business by doing little things for them. Reward them for repeat business; give inexpensive incentives such as gift certificates or thank-you letters and encourage them to keep coming back.
• SHOW INTEREST in your customers. Recognize milestones. For example, let’s say a customer tells you they are on their way to their son’s soccer game. If within a few days, they come in to see you or they call, ask them, “who won the big game the other day?” This not only shows that you listen and remember, but that you care about them as people and not just as a customer. 

Rev up your team now! Get your workplace involved! Prepare some exciting activities for fun and recognition. 


Need inspiration? Check out the official Customer Service Week site for product, ideas, & more at http://www.csweek.com/customer_service_week.php

~~~~~Tell Tammy~~~~~

I'd love to hear about your Customer Service Week plans. Why not share them here.