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TwitterWe encounter customer service every day in many different ways. From the gas station to the coffee shop, from the cable company call centre to the car dealership, the time we spend with businesses is usually more than we spend with our families. I decided to take a look at one week. One week of [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Business Services’
Pet Peeve: Too Many Staff Can Be Too Much of a Good Thing
March 23rd, 2011 
Russel You know that old joke, “how many (insert relevant person here) does it take to screw in a light bulb?” I often ask myself that question when I’m in a business…though I don’t tend to laugh at the punch line so much. Here’s my joke: “How many staff members does it take to figure something [...]
QUALITY CHECK: Service from the Back Nine from Highland Pacific Golf
March 4th, 2011 Russel 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: 1) What is your definition of bad customer [...]
Great Customer Service is the Ultimate Upsell
January 7th, 2011 Russel Would you like that Keg-size? Have you seen our featured product? For a $1.99, you can get fries… These are all questions and suggestions to get the customer to spend more money. You may not need what you buy. You may not have even thought about purchasing them. But it plants that seed and gets you [...]
Posted in My Tips 
Tags: Business, Business Services, customer, Customer Management, customer service, Rate of return, roi, Salesforce.com, Twitter, upsell 
2 Comments »OK, You Have Me. Now What Are You Going to Do With Me?
January 4th, 2011 Russel Shopping during holiday season isn’t the most enjoyable way to spend your time. And that’s really what you’re spending the most of: your time. Time finding parking. Time navigating the crowds. Time standing in line. Mind-numbing time. (I’m a big shopper, can you tell?) What I don’t understand is why more businesses don’t take advantage [...]
Posted in My Tips Tags: booze, Business, Business Services, Coast Capital Savings, Crime Stoppers, crm, customer service, engagement, Liquor store, Queue area, Toronto 3 Comments »Duck, Duck, Goose isn’t Good Customer Service
November 16th, 2010 Russel 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. The night went really well. Our server (Alicia? Alisha? Something with an “A”) did [...]
Posted in My Reviews, My Tips Tags: Business, Business Services, consistency, customer, Customer experience, Customer Management, customer service, Irish Times, pub, service No Comments »Sell Your Passion, Not Your Product
October 18th, 2010 Russel David Meerman Scott said it best, “No one cares about your product except you.” But dammit it’s super awesomeness in a can! Sure, sure…. I recommend not selling your product…sell yourself and why you love what you do. That kind of passion is infectious, inspiring and could instigate a relationship. And a relationship is key [...]
Posted in My Tips Tags: Ambrosio, Business, Business Services, Consulting, Customer Management, customer service, davidmeermanscott, James Bay, passion, Victoria 1 Comment »QUALITY CHECK: Lending Money but Giving Service from a Mortgage Advisor
October 16th, 2010 Russel 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 [...]
What Do You Cost? The Price of Customer Loyalty
October 10th, 2010 Russel Visited GardenWorks recently, a greenhouse and pottery store, to find a couple of pots. Yes, I’m very greenthumby. I must have walked around the store for 15 minutes trying to decide which pot worked best for me. Question #1: Guess what didn’t happen in that 15 minutes? Not a single acknowledgement from staff. No “Hi, [...]
QUALITY CHECK: Icing Sugar, Fruit and Service from WannaWafel
September 18th, 2010 Russel 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 [...]