YYJChat: A Customer Service Conversation

Twitterpeople 300x226 YYJChat: A Customer Service Conversation Last night, I was invited to be the guest on a local Twitter chat called: #YYJChat. I know the founders (Susan Jones and Mat Wright) of this weekly engagement but, to be honest, I hadn’t ever participated as a guest or a participant. My mistake. What a blast. A lot of fun in a whirlwind of 60 minutes. The chat takes its name from the local area’s Twitter hashtag (Victoria, BC = #yyj) and usually focuses on political or civic issues. I’m honoured they took a chance with me and tried something new…a discussion on customer service.

I thought I’d pull out some of my favourite tweets (yes, I’m the narcissist who included a few of his own. But they were fuelled by the great discussion)

Customer service can only get better if we discuss what’s working and what isn’t. It’s also just as important to praise business when they do it well as much as it is important to let them know when they’ve let you down. This lively bit of back and forth certainly reinforced that feeling.

Did their points raise any concerns with you?

 

QUALITY CHECK: Service from the Back Nine from Highland Pacific Golf

It’s been far too long since I put a business to the The Upsell Q&A. Matt Diederichs, manager of the guest services team at Highland Pacific Golf Course said he was up for a few queries. Who am I to disappoint him? Here’s the latest Quality Check:

5411194079 5a2372c614 m QUALITY CHECK: Service from the Back Nine from Highland Pacific Golf

Service Does Not Have to Be Ugly

1) What is your definition of bad customer service?

My idea of poor customer service is simple: When it’s clear that the customer service staff doesn’t care that I’m choosing to bring my business to their establishment, that’s bad service. That doesn’t mean that the staffer is intentionally rude, or ignores me (although those definitely fit the description). It could be as small as a tone of voice, a lack of eye contact, or being slow to acknowledge that I exist. Good customer service is often as simple as attitude and attentiveness. Oh, and I want to be thanked for my business.

2) From a retail perspective, what’s one of your customer service pet peeves?

Retail is becoming a tougher and tougher place to provide great customer service. I believe that I’m indicative of today’s consumer, in that I’m already fairly educated when I walk into a store. I’ve done research on the internet, I’ve asked my social circle for recommendations, and I’m going in with information. The annoying part? When I know more about the product that I’m looking to buy than the sales associate does. In that case, the staff should simply acknowledge that they don’t know and find the information for me, rather than attempt to talk in a circle to disguise their ignorance.

3) Can you provide an example of great customer service your company provided?

I’d like to think that we provide uncommon service at Highland Pacific every day. But one instance that really stands out was when a patron left a wallet at the course last summer. One of our staffers mapped the driver’s license address and drove the wallet back to its rightful owner. They’ll remember that for a long time I think.

Thanks to Matt for providing his insight into customer service. It was a slice. (Hey, I was good. I had every opportunity to be golf punny but I took the high road.) Please let me know if your business is ever interested in participating in an Upsell Q&A. Love to hear from you.

 QUALITY CHECK: Service from the Back Nine from Highland Pacific Golf

QUALITY CHECK: Lending Money but Giving Service from a Mortgage Advisor

I do tend to lean towards eateries when discussing customer service but let’s be clear, great service is essential in every industry, whether for our customers, clients or employees. Sean Dhillon is a Mortgage Advisor with CIBC and the target of the latest edition of the Quality Check.

1) In one or two sentences, define good customer service.

sean photo 138x150 QUALITY CHECK: Lending Money but Giving Service from a Mortgage Advisor

The man, the myth: Sean aka @I_Lend_Money

Good customer service is looking after a client’s needs; the ones they are aware of and the ones they are not aware of.  Purchasing or building a home can be a daunting process and critical information can be overlooked, so my role is to walk my clients through each step of the process and pointing out which parts need the most attention.  I make sure my clients are well informed and confident about their financial decisions. (booo Sean, you went over 1-2 sentences. I’ll let it slide this once. Once.)

2) From a retail perspective, what’s one of your customer service pet peeves?
A pet peeve of mine is a competitor wasting a clients time trying to make a financing transaction work when that transaction is clearly above their experience level and/or they have no direct solution for the client’s needs. Often times the best customer service is referring the client to an expert who will take care of their clients’ needs promptly and efficiently.

3) Can you provide an example of how you turned a bad experience into a good one through customer service?
A customer was referred to me by their sister for construction financing towards the house they were building.  The clients were frustrated with a competitor who did not understand the client’s needs and the construction lending process. The clients were called in by the competitor during the customer’s work hours and were made to sit in his office  for 45min without giving them a clear indication if they were going to be approved or not. The competitor had been talking to the client for two weeks prior to that. Building a home is time sensitive and the longer a project stalls the costlier the project.

Within 48 hours of meeting the client (during evening and weekend hours), gathering information, and discussing the project in detail along with their needs I had them approved. Moreover, I obtained for them $50,000 more than the project required because cost overruns are common and I make sure I look after a customer’s unexpected needs.  In addition I paid for the client’s appraisal bill the competitor wanted the client to pay, even though I didn’t’ have to. And I setup the client with both life and disability insurance because they didn’t have either and it’s easy to fall off a ladder or step on a nail when you’re building a home.

Thanks Sean. Are you stepping out from the crowd? Sadly, one of the best ways to do that as a business is through great customer service. I say sadly because it’s not common. So be uncommon, give great service.

 QUALITY CHECK: Lending Money but Giving Service from a Mortgage Advisor

QUALITY CHECK: Icing Sugar, Fruit and Service from WannaWafel

The new, bright and shiny QUALITY CHECK – Q&A FOR BUSINESS is courtesy of Renaat with WannaWafel, an authentic Belgian waffel house in Victoria B.C.  Now I’m hungry.

1) What is your definition of bad customer service?
Being approached, after having paid and served, without a word or expression makes me want to turn around and leave. Damn!!! Why did I pay? The lack of human emotion or interaction kills me. It tells me that itʼs not their business or, if it is, they donʼt like their business or they donʼt want your business and donʼt care at all. Doomed to disappear.

Also, not being greeted when I arrive will make me turn around before I even order. I don’t care if they are students who are heavily underpaid and just doing what theyʼve been told to do…they have to start realizing that it is because of the returning customers that they have a job. Customer care should be, by far, the most important training focus.

Small Logo attachment QUALITY CHECK: Icing Sugar, Fruit and Service from WannaWafel

So, do you wanna?

2) From a retail perspective, whatʼs one of your customer service pet peeves?
When people come in and donʼt respond to your greeting, as if  they’re a rock or ice block brought in to your shop. They look around and walk away without a word. Could that be that they feel like they have to buy something once they start talking? It makes me feel like ʻwhatʼs wrong with me or my cute little store?’

3) Can you provide an example of how you turned a bad experience into a good one through customer service?
Having customers from around the world visiting our waffle cart in the Inner Harbour, bigger groups tend to surround you while talking in their foreign language. This can be quite intimidating and overwhelming because you have no idea what they are talking about. There faces are pretty serious and they feel great that they can comment on everything without me having a clue. I know how that feels as a Flemish person.

Good thing I did pay attention during my first business year and enjoyed wondering how other cultures say :”Bon a petit” or “enjoy”. So, whenever I have a pretty tense situation going on like that and I’m able to guess the language they are speaking through listening and their physiognomy, I say just that one word in there language, like “Masarap.” They all start laughing as if I just said: “I love you.”

They change completely, order more waffles, take pictures and some of them just
wonder if I just understood everything they were talking about. It feels really great when you can open up a persons’ face, which was at first very grumpy, and turn it in to a bright smile. It becomes so much easier to start and develop a conversation.

Thanks Renaat for answering my Q&A. FYI – WannaWafel will be making an upcoming appearance on CBC’s Dragon’s Den. I’m looking forward to it.

QUALITY CHECK: “Hitting the Floor” with European Flooring

The new QUALITY CHECK – Q&A FOR BUSINESS comes from Zech, manager of @EuropeanFloors, the supplier and installer of premium hardwood flooring in Victoria B.C. Check out their thoughts on good customer service:

1) In one or two sentences, define good customer service according to European Flooring?
Good customer service is taking care of the client’s needs in a professional, courteous and knowledgeable manner so that they are happy and satisfied with the floor buying experience.
(This means starting from the beginning by asking questions, listening to the customer and identifying their needs. We try to educate the client on the differences between the different hardwood flooring options and show the customer the benefits of using our products. This way we can suggest, and hopefully provide them with, the best flooring solution for their project.)

2) From a retail perspective, what’s one of your customer service pet peeves?
Buying a floor is typically not a quick, five-minute process and in some cases can be an overwhelming experience for the client so we try to take a consultative approach to assist them with their decision. Because of that, it’s essential that a client budget the time necessary to discuss their project and review the best options.

EuroFlooring 150x150 QUALITY CHECK: Hitting the Floor with European Flooring

Home of European Flooring

Choosing a floor is an important decision in any renovation since it is the foundation of the job and cannot be easily changed afterwards. Therefore, it is in the client’s interest to allow time to discuss the details of their project and examine the pros and cons of different hardwood floor options. A little extra time spent choosing the right product can pay huge dividends in the look and performance ofthe floor for many years to come.

3) Can you provide an example of how you turned a bad experience into a good one through customer service?
We recently had a customer who had spent over $60,000 with another company on two hardwood floors that failed and had to be torn out. Because he had bought the flooring from one company and arranged for his own installer, they each pointed to the other for the floor’s failure and the homeowner had no recourse.

When we were called in to help, we completed a thorough on-site inspection that allowed us to identify and address any underlying problems and were able to help the client choose an appropriate engineered hardwood floor for his needs. And because we offer both exceptional products and full installation services, we fully cover all of our flooring installations, meaning the client could rest assured that in unlikely event of a future concern, we would be there to help.

Thanks to Zech for the entry. If your business needs a QUALITY CHECK, email me at russlol@theupsell.com

 QUALITY CHECK: Hitting the Floor with European Flooring

“Lathered Up” QUALITY CHECK from Rocky Mountain Soap Company

I asked Rocky Mountain Soap Company, a retail store in the Mayfair Mall in Victoria B.C., about their idea of customer service and how to turn bad to good.

1) In one or two sentences, define good customer service according to Rocky Mountain Soap?
Great customer service is all about adding value to the customer’s day – over and above the benefits of the product that they have bought or might buy in the future.  At Rocky Mountain Soap, customer service means listening to the customer, identifying their needs (not ours) and providing them with a solution or sometimes even just an answer to a question – this is the essence.  People can buy soap or bath and body products anywhere.  What we do is to try to show the customer the benefits of using out products – and so if we can educate the customer about an ingredient, product usage, potential concerns, like allergies, then we have done more than just sold them a product and it is perhaps more likely that they will come back.  

rockymtn 150x150 Lathered Up QUALITY CHECK from Rocky Mountain Soap Company 2) From a retail perspective, what’s one of your customer service pet peeves?
While we strive to impart product knowledge to our customers, it can be frustrating if they are not listening.  Listening is a two way street.  If we explain that we don’t use an emulsifier in a product and that it must be shaken before use, this is for the customer’s benefit.  We have a no questions asked return policy on all our products, but when a customer returns a product because they didn’t perhaps listen carefully to us, we feel bad, not for the lost sale, but for the lost opportunity for the customer to experience a great product.  That being said, it is incumbent upon us, as product advisors to get the messaging right.  At Rocky Mountain Soap, we honestly are not into sales pitches – and so perhaps, when guests hear stuff like product usage, they are misunderstanding that it is a sales pitch.  On this front, we can do better.

3) Can you provide an example of how you turned a bad experience into a good one through customer service?
A customer came in and complained that a soap that she was using caused her to break out into a rash.  We asked her a few questions and realised that she had eczema and had inadvertently bought soap with strong essential oils, instead of our pumpkin patch soap that is designed for sensitive skin – which happens to look similar to the citrus based soap that she had picked up instead.  We refunded her money, gave her two bars of the pumpkin patch, explained “our” mistake and apologised.  She came in angry, expecting to have to argue to get a refund.  She left with a refund, the proper soap and a huge smile on her face.  She is still a customer today.


The UpSOLD! (courtesy of
@britt_morrow)
I ordered something online from Victoria’s Secret and waited about a month for it to arrive. I called them in a bit of a panic because I was leaving for Europe for a year in a week and still hadn’t received my item – turns out it got lost in the mail. They were very polite over the phone and sent me a replacement at no charge via express mail which arrived the next day.

I have had other experiences with them too to varying extents, all of which they have been nothing but polite and accommodating.


THE TIP:

Solve Don’t Sell.

It seems so simple but so few businesses seem to get it. Solve my problem, don’t sell me a service. From my own experience and 1065245 handshake 150x150 Lathered Up QUALITY CHECK from Rocky Mountain Soap Companyfrom becoming more attuned to the ups and downs of customer service since I started writing this blog, it has just become more apparent. The best service and relationships are built from pulling (the problem from the customer), not pushing (the product or service).

Pulling, not pushing.
Think of it like you’re about to walk in front of a bus. What would you rather happen?

Solve Don’t Sell.

 Lathered Up QUALITY CHECK from Rocky Mountain Soap Company