Top 5 Secrets to Great, Amazing, Stupendous Customer Service

Posted on November 23, 2010 Written by Leave a Comment

Number #1: You have to care.

Numbers #2 to 5: Repeat #1.

You have to care about your job, about the customer, about your paycheque.

As an employee, it doesn’t matter if you aren’t fulfilling some career goal, it matters if you actually care about how you spend your time and how you affect others. As an employer, it’s about empowering and supporting those you hire to represent your company and your brand.

caring 150x150 Top 5 Secrets to Great, Amazing, Stupendous Customer Service

There's caring, and then there's "trying to pick up"

Poop (self-censor) rolls down hill but so can caring. From the boss to the frontline, if an employee feels like they have the support of the business, they’ll want to do more and pay the caring forward. If they don’t, well you should look at your hiring practices.

Caring isn’t something you can teach. It’s a mindset. It’s something you can certainly encourage and foster but the willingness has to be there.

Caring is about taking initiative. It’s about empathy and sympathy.

If you don’t care, how can you expect others to?

Caring traveling from the boss to the employee to the customer = a business everyone will rave about.

Filed Under: My Tips

If You Don’t Want to Be There, We Don’t Want You There Either

Posted on November 18, 2010 Written by 5 Comments

Within a four block stretch in my neighbourhood, there are 4 coffee shops catering to the residents. Two chains (Starbucks/Serious Coffee) and two regional (Café Fantastico/Moka House).

So you need to stand out. You need to have your loyalists. I’m not one of those. I tend to float from location to location based on mood and available seating. The Moka House is one of the more popular locations, embracing the “we’re not a big chain” alternative role. So how come I don’t want to go back, much less become a fan?

Service, baby.

On a Sunday morning (10am, so not that early), I stood in line for my very manly soy chai latte. Very manly. While serving the guy in front of me, the cashier yawned. Not one of those “cover your mouth, oops I’m sorry for that, sheepish grin” yawns. More the “holy crap look at my tonsils because I really don’t care” ones. The woman works in a coffee shop. There’s no end to the number of stimulants she has available.

yawn 150x150 If You Don’t Want to Be There, We Don’t Want You There Either

Did I wake you?

She hadn’t even served me yet and I was already looking forward to it (mmmm sarcasm). My interaction consisted of little to no eye contact, getting my change completely wrong and the personality of a Walking Dead zombie.

Was the coffee and my sandwich good? Sure, but so are everyone else’s in that four block radius.

Note to staffer: you go back to bed, I’m going to go somewhere else. Not that you’d care.

If You Don’t Want to Be There, We Don’t Want You There Either
Filed Under: My Reviews Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Duck, Duck, Goose isn’t Good Customer Service

Posted on November 16, 2010 Written by Leave a Comment

I met my friend Todd at one of the local pubs, Irish Times, just a few nights ago. I hadn’t been inside in months, not for any negative reason, there is just a lot of different places to eat in town.

badmood 150x150 Duck, Duck, Goose isn’t Good Customer Service

Sorry, waiter? I didn't order the bad attitude

The night went really well. Our server (Alicia? Alisha? Something with an “A”) did a great job – she was around when we needed her, personable, engaging … But when it came time for the bill, she blew it.  Hard to catch to ask for the bill, hard to catch when we wanted to pay and hard to catch any smile at all to finish the night.

What happened? My experience to that point made me want to come back. Maybe even tell my friends what a great time I had.  Instead, we have this blog.

Consistency is key in good customer service. If you suddenly change gears, you’ve missed an amazing opportunity to build a relationship. In this instance, the part of the experience I remember most is the end of it (maybe in a few months it’ll be like a girlfriend I broke up with…only remember the good times).

Now I don’t know what happened. It could have been something personal or an at work incident. But in either case, you should let your guest know (without going into detail) there’s something up or get someone else to cover your tables. This is about the customer experience, not the waiter’s.

Consistency: Duck, duck, duck…and keep going. I don’t want to see the goose

Duck, Duck, Goose isn’t Good Customer Service
Filed Under: My Reviews, My Tips Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

RW & Co.: You Mean People Actually Talk to Each Other?

Posted on November 11, 2010 Written by 4 Comments

I recently purchased a fall jacket for myself (Yes, I’m a shopper) but the problem was they only had one colour…not the one I really wanted but not bad. What’s a boy to do? Well the salesperson at RW & Co. suggested I purchase the coat, have a think on it, and exchange for the other colour at a store closer to my home. One problem, by the time I was ready to return it, the tags had been taken off (might have been me).

THE ORDER:
I went into my local store where I was greeted by Laura. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the coat with me, I was just in the area. But, I explained to her that I had the coat, not worn, no tags, and a receipt. She said it wouldn’t be a problem and offered to hold the coat until the following night (Friday) so I could come back and exchange. I wasn’t able to get back to the store until Sunday…. Did I miss my chance?

Apparently, not to worry. The coat was still on hold. Laura, noticing I wouldn’t be back in time, had left a message for her co-workers regarding my situation so I could still get it. When I had mentioned it to the new clerk, about to go into great detail because I thought I was starting from scratch, I didn’t have to. They were already in the loop.  With my shnazzier looking new coat, I walked out of the store in about 5 minutes.

THE SERVICE:
Communication. We think we’re good at it but when it comes down to it, most of us suck. So when staff demonstrate some skill and take the time to relay a message that is explained so well  that I have to barely open my mouth, it stands out.

cantalk 150x150 RW & Co.: You Mean People Actually Talk to Each Other?

communicate, it doesn’t matter how you do it

They didn’t have to accept my coat – it didn’t have the tags on it and they only had my word that I hadn’t worn it. So it was a bit of trust in their customers as well. Isn’t that novel.

But after a warm greeting, non-judgemental or suspicious interaction, holding the coat longer than originally planned and communicating to co-workers in case I came in when she wasn’t there…shows great employee empowerment and customer service on the part of Laura and RW & Co.

I’ll make sure I exchange my next coat there too.


THE CONCLUSION:

spork21 RW & Co.: You Mean People Actually Talk to Each Other?spork21 RW & Co.: You Mean People Actually Talk to Each Other?spork21 RW & Co.: You Mean People Actually Talk to Each Other?spork21 RW & Co.: You Mean People Actually Talk to Each Other?Going steady – This could be the beginning of something major. I don’t mind that you talk to your friends about me. It just shows you care and only strengthens our relationship. Add that bit of trust you put in me and I’ll come back to you again and again.


Service Rating System:

Friend Zone - I just don’t like you in “that way.”
Booty Call - If I don’t have anything else better going on, I’ll stop by.
2nd Date – I’ll give you a second chance.
Going steady – This could be the beginning of something major.

RW & Co.: You Mean People Actually Talk to Each Other?
Filed Under: My Reviews Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Weber Grills: Don’t Know You But I Might Love You

Posted on November 1, 2010 Written by 1 Comment

I’ve never heard of Weber Grills. I’ve never used any one of their products to my knowledge. But I’d buy one.

This will the second time I bring up my dad in as many weeks but since that last blog wasn’t on the greatest customer service experience…I thought it would be nice to get out a more positive business story. Hello, Weber.

BBQ 150x150 Weber Grills: Don’t Know You But I Might Love You

Customer relationship building? That's hot.

If you’re part of a business looking to keep customers and possibly make them fanatics of your products (there might be a few), check this out: My dad hates dealing with you. He will not give out his email address. Hell, he’ll rarely even give his name if a business asks for any of his information because he “doesn’t want to be spammed.” He doesn’t want anything to do with you.

But every week, he gets an email from Weber about their latest barbecue recipe. He opens every single one of them and looks forward to getting them because he’s getting something he wants without a mention of the product. “Recipes” also happens to be the first category on Weber’s website, a very extensive catalogue. (My dad visits their site a lot).

And because of this, my dad will tell anyone who listens how great Weber products are because he’s a fan. He has built a relationship with a company because they talk to him about things he loves, rather than talking at him about things he can get anywhere.

My dad is a member of the Weber tribe and, because I trust his opinion, I could be a convert. When was the last time a business talked with you and added value rather than sounding like a needy ex. (I’m here, love me)

Weber Grills: Don’t Know You But I Might Love You
Filed Under: My Reviews, The UpSOLD! - Customer Service Kudos Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,