The box came directly from a local company, and was labeled, “Fragile.” Even so, the spout on the ceramic cup (wrapped in bubble wrap) was broken.

I phoned the company, and heard an informal, “Hello?” I wondered, “Did I call someone’s house, or a business?” The woman who answered the phone confirmed my name and mailing address, and told me she’d mail out a new cup.  She was efficient on the phone, which was good. Though it would have been nice to hear a little more empathy for my inconvenience.

My next thought was about the business owner. For a small business, these types of service recovery expenses can put a dent in profits. Times have been tough here in Michigan over the last several years. The cup was probably broken due to poor shipping, rather than something they did wrong. Doing the right thing means fixing mistakes, and I was happy to see that they were taking responsibility.

A short while later, I opened the jar of cherry preserves from the gift basket. I twisted the top and heard the familiar “POP” that lets you know it was properly sealed. What did I find inside? Mold.  It seemed so unlikely. How does a properly sealed jar end up with mold inside? I snapped a picture on my cell phone and emailed it to the company. I figured it would be important to them to know about this. I guessed that they probably didn’t make the preserves themselves and may have received a bad batch from their source. I convinced myself that they’d want  to know if other jars on their shelves were in the same condition, so they could avoid disappointing (and disgusting) another customer.

Did I get an email back? No. Did I get a replacement package in the mail? Surprisingly, yes. A few days later, a package arrived with a new ceramic spouted cup AND a jar of blueberry preserves. Yum! I rummaged around the box and found no letter or note. Disappointing – this business missed an opportunity to explain, build up my confidence in their company and create a connection.  I had hoped they would offer the type of service recovery that would make me sing their praises and consider ordering from them when I send gifts to friends and colleagues. I won’t do either, but not because of a missing note.

When I opened the jar of blueberry preserves, I didn’t hear the expected “POP.” I wondered, “Can a jar be properly sealed if you don’t hear a ‘POP’?” I didn’t see any mold. I took a tiny taste, but I wasn’t willing to risk eating it. I threw it in the trash.

Did I call the company and complain? Not this time. My past experience told me that they probably wouldn’t consider it a big deal. And, honestly? As a customer, I don’t want to have to work that hard. After two mishaps with the preserves, I lost confidence that this company pays enough attention to detail for me to trust them.

From helping companies create cultures of service excellence, I have discovered this: What appears on the surface doesn’t tell the whole story.   It could very well be that this company does care. Most likely, food safety and the well being of their customers are of great importance to them. It’s possible that this was a fluke – an unfortunate set of circumstances. What happens when all the tender loving care you put into your company gets overshadowed by a series of blunders? Do you have processes in place – like service recovery tools and mandated follow up calls or emails – to set things right quickly and respond to customer concerns?

When mistakes happen, the customer’s perceptions are all they have to go on.  in this case, nothing was done to change my opinion that this company didn’t really care.  A quick phone call or email to ask me about the second delivery would have uncovered something that the company can’t fix now, because they don’t know about it. PLUS, it would have made me feel better about their products.

When a company makes a mistake, an upset customer can be turned into a raving fan, or they can stop doing business with you and tell others about their bad experience. In tough times, the art of customer service can be brushed aside as an extra, for which there’s not enough time or energy to establish, train, or maintain.  When you consider the cost, the losses, the fact that online review sites make it easy for customers to complain – in reality, it’s vital to the longevity of any business to put extra care into the details of customer service.

What do you think?

What do you do to turn around an unfortunate customer experience?

© Marilyn for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Customer Service, marilyn suttle, Who's Your Gladys

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Better than Average companies are those that stand apart from their crowd. Could customer service be a differentiator? Most certainly. When we have become systematically drilled to be disappointed, prepared for poor service, and blind to bad interactions, it is easy to exceed expectations and stand out from the crowd.

You’ve heard of Zappos, Disney, and Apple as names often associated with outstanding customer service. But have you heard of Chicco USA?

As my wife and I were preparing to welcome our first son, we shopped at the local big box baby store for a stroller. We looked at this model and that one. We checked out the features and functionalities. We prodded and priced. After a few hours, we settled on a sleek kid carrying machine in the form of a Chicco Cortina travel system.

It performed as expected for our first son and both my wife and I thought we made a wise investment. When our second son arrived 19 months later, our gear was still in good shape and we continued to use it.

One day, when I returned to my mother-in-law’s house to retrieve my youngest one, I found the stroller standing on her porch with the push bar hanging at its side. Mind you, this push bar goes up and folds down. It’s not designed to go side to side.

Still not understanding how exactly this situation happened, my wife called Chicco to see if there was a replacement push bar available.

At that point, we had the stroller for about three years and it was clearly out of warranty.

After my wife explained the situation, the customer service woman said, “Well, the push bar is not available as a separate part.”

“Rats,” I thought. Here goes another few hundred dollars out the window for a new stroller.

“But, it’s no problem,” the customer service woman continued. “I can send you out a new frame with the push bar attached.”

“Wow, that’s cool,” I thought. I just saved a few hundred dollars and no longer need to replace the window which I was about to throw it out. Note to self: Open window before throwing out money.

When the frame arrived, Chicco not only supplied the frame, but new wheels and a new snack tray. The only parts that we needed to reuse from our broken stroller were the seat cover, canopy, and storage basket. Essentially, it was a brand new stroller. Sweet!

Chicco is committed to the safety of children. Their goal is to produce quality products. At Chicco, spokeswoman Lisen Syp explained, customer service is “the right thing to do.” It is “not a particular pillar of emphasis.”  But consumers do notice and routinely comment about their practices.

Three lessons that can be learned from this Better than Average company are:

1. Autonomous Authority – The customer service woman was empowered to analyze the situation, determine how best to help the customer, and act on an outcome. Notice that she did not once ask to place my wife on hold to consult with her supervisor. She made a decision to right the wrong without needing to ask for permission. If they have to ask for permission, they are powerless.
2. Exceed Expectations – I expected a stroller frame. If Chicco had sent just a stroller frame, I would have been more than satisfied. It seemed like a small miracle that we could even get a frame.  But when the frame and wheels and snack tray arrived, I was truly blown away. Wow your customers by giving them more than they can chew.
3. Create the Culture – When I later asked the spokeswoman about Chicco’s customer service practices, she commented that it isn’t an area of emphasis but it is the right thing to do. There are no false pretenses. They try to be an honest company standing up for their products and quality. If there is a wrong, they will fix it. It’s as simple as that. Do you view customer service as something to be worked on or another chance for a positive company interaction?

For more information please visit http://toddbrockdorf.com and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. His book is available at Amazon.com.

© Gladys for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: better than average, Customer Service, Todd Brockdorf

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Unfortunately, many chat features on retail sites aren’t “open” 24 hours a day or staffed by service providers who are well-versed in managing unusual requests. Here’s an example that a friend shared with me recently. Patrick is a video producer at an ad agency, charged with creating commercials and programming that engage his client’s customers. As he searched for a particular piece of equipment, he was surprised by the low level of service he received online.

Welcome to ******s Chat, you’re chatting with Robert. How may I help you?

Robert: Hello!
Robert: Patrick, how may I help you today?
Patrick: Hi… I’m looking for this product/model online and can’t find it for sale. ******s HD Media Player HMP5000. Is this for sale in the United States? Is it compatible with our NTSC formatted TVs?
Patrick: I found this manual online however: <link>
Robert: I’d be more than happy to help you with this.
Robert: Patrick, this model is for UK.
Robert: Please check the below link: <link>
Patrick: Is this compatible with American TVs? I know there can be issues between NTSC and PAL formatting.
Patrick: And can you actually buy this anywhere?
Patrick: *online*
Robert: You may check with amazon.com.
Robert: Is there anything else that I can help you with today?
Patrick: Does ******s manufacture this particular model still? A little help in specifically purchasing your product would go along way right now
Robert: Since this model is not for USA,  we do not have these details…
Patrick: and there is no United States equivalent?
Robert: Please visit the below link for the details: <link>
Patrick: Contacting the UK team is fruitless… as a ******s product expert, is there any other network media players ******s offers to those in the continental United States? The reason I’m very interested is ******s supports many video codecs other manufacturers do not.
Robert: Sorry, for USA do not have equivalent model.
Patrick: Thanks.
Robert: You’re welcome.
Robert: Thank you for contacting ******s.
Chat is closed by agent.

Yikes! This agent appears to have no real interest in getting his online customer the information he needs, beyond sending him a link and referring him to a third party site (amazon.com) to purchase the item. Unfortunately, I’ve encountered the same issue with my cellular provider when asking questions that seem beyond the chat agent’s knowledge.

How can you ensure that you’re doing service via chat in a way that will help, rather than hurt, the customer relationship? Here are three ways to consider:

Base your success metrics on customer satisfaction, not number of calls handled.  In researching the topic, I’ve discovered that many sellers of chat software emphasize the ability to serve more customers with per rep, as a way to increase efficiency and save on salaries. (One even touted reps who could handle eight customers at once!) While you may achieve volume, you definitely won’t amp up your service if the reps are only giving cursory attention to each customer.

Send unusual requests to the phone. If a customer request is beyond the typical circumstances, why not ask for a telephone number and call them? I had a few unusual questions for my cellular provider and the chat rep simply sent me a phone number, which was less than delightful, as I had to wait in the queue for ten minutes before I could reach someone. I would have been delighted by a quick phone call.

Train, then train some more. Chat service eliminates valuable cues like tone of voice and light conversation while information is located. Well-trained reps can warm up even a chat conversation. During training sessions, brainstorm with your team to figure out what situations occur regularly so that you can find creative and engaging ways to respond.

What do you think? How can you use chat to serve online customers at the highest levels?

Written by Lori Jo Vest, coauthor of the bestselling book, “Who’s Your Gladys? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer into Your Biggest Fan. 

© Lori for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: lori jo vest

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Today’s guest blogger is Micah Solomon,

Learning to treat individual customers as individuals is a key to business success. But being aware of underlying trends in the marketplace is also essential for the success of any business that relies on significant numbers of transactions and forward-looking planning. These are the six major customer trends:

Customer Trend #1: Customers Expect Anticipatory Technological Behavior and Aggregated Information — Instantly. Today’s customers aren’t willing to search for information, or to wait too long in line to get answers from a human. Today’s customers expect technology to bring an experience that is easy, instantaneous, and intuitive. Customers want to type or thumb a few keystrokes on their smartphones or tablets and have the information they need served up for them concierge-style based on their IP address or satellite location and other useful clues.

Customer Trend #2: Shame Shift and Values-Based Buying. Today’s consumers tend to be shy about consuming too conspicuously, unless the object of their splurge has “attached meaning” to a cause or charity. And, as shown by a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 87 percent of consumers in the United States believe that companies should value the interests of society at least as much as strict business interests: only 13% want to do business with a company that only values the bottom line.

Customer Trend #3: Timelessness Over Trendiness. In these times of uncertainty, customers are searching for authenticity and a back story in the products and services they buy. Examples are everywhere, from the suburban rage for raising hens to the surge in popularity of classic Hunter boots. Thanks to the recession, customers are looking for old standbys that can become hip again

Customer Trend #4: Customer Empowerment. With an array of choices at their fingertips, customers expect companies to respect them, to make it easy to contact them, and to respond to their comments, promptly and thoughtfully, “which I suggest you do,” Solomon advises, since technology has empowered customers to share their annoyances.

Customer Trend #5: The Greening of the Customer. The younger the customer, the more “hooked on green,” so this trend isn’t likely to abate for awhile. It’s wise to operate from the assumption that customers will have concerns relating to the environmental impact of your operation and their purchase.

Customer Trend #6: The Desire for Self-Service. Fueled by our round-the-clock, tech-savvy lifestyle, the desire for self-service options, from online shopping to concierge-like touchscreen menus in public spaces, is only growing. Rather than ignore it, tap the potential of self-service to provide anticipatory service.

Adapted from “HIGH-TECH, HIGH-TOUCH CUSTOMER SERVICE: Inspire Timeless Loyalty in the Demanding New World of Social Commerce” by Micah Solomon (AMACOM; May 2012; $23.00 Hardcover; ISBN: 978-0-8144-1790-4).

Micah Solomon, author of High-Tech, High-Touch Customer Service, is the customer service strategist and speaker termed by the Financial Post ”a new guru of customer service excellence.” Solomon is a top keynote speaker, strategist, and consultant on customer service issues, the customer experience, and company culture — and how they fit into today’s marketing and technology landscape. An entrepreneur and business leader, he previously coauthored the bestselling Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit. His expertise has been featured in Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, Bloomberg Business Week, CNBC, Forbes.com, and elsewhere, and he created and helms the “College of the Customer” website. For more information please visit http://www.customerserviceguru.com, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter

© Gladys for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

I suggest that as you read it, you suspend any “excuses” as to why this won’t work for you. Do this long enough to come up with at least one way that you can adapt these ideas for yourself. Here’s the note that Kathy sent me:

“Marilyn, I have to tell you about a great experience I’m having with a fitness company.  I started going to a 5:00 a.m. fitness boot camp about eight weeks ago.   I know that doesn’t exactly sound like fun, but this company makes you feel so appreciated and cared for that it really is fun!

“The same day I attended my first class (and thought about quitting because I was so out of shape), one of the trainers called to thank me for coming and asked what I thought.  We chatted a bit and it was more than just a run-of-the-mill chat, she seemed genuinely interested in helping me reach my fitness goals.  The next day I received a welcome and thank you card in the mail along with a little journal ‘to keep track of my success’.

“Two weeks later I received another package.  It was a Starbucks gift card and a congratulations note for ‘working so hard’ and that I should go treat myself.  (And the note gave suggestions for healthy drinks to choose!) “And I forgot to mention that every person gets individual fitness counseling to help you reach your goals. “Since I really enjoyed the workouts, I decided to commit for a year.  That week in the mail I received a package with another thank you note, a snack cooler, and two $100 gift cards to share with friends should they decide to join. “Last week, I received a nice t-shirt in the mail.

“And today I received a personal call from the owner of the company, Egan Inoue.  (Egan is a world-champion athlete, just google his name to learn more about him.)   I’d missed an event where he was speaking last week. He heard I was sick and he gave me a personal call to check on me. “The customer care and service I receive from Egan’s Fit Body Bootcamp definitely sets an example that other companies could learn from. “The fact that they take the time to make their clients feel appreciated and continually supported is beyond awesome.  They truly are committed to helping people achieve their goals and I’m happy to tell others what a great job they do.”

Though there are many, here are three takeaways to consider:

1. Even if your product or service is “not fun” (like getting up at 5 a.m. in the morning to work out), what can you do to create such appreciation for your customers that it’s experienced as fun anyway?

2. Make personal phone calls to follow up. If you’re thinking, “I don’t have time for that!” – re-read this article, and notice what a HUGE impression personal outreach has on the customer experience. Though – be warned – without a genuine feelings of care for your customers, it will land like a sales call. Authentic interest is required.

3. Offer support and success tools. Do you have a way for your customers to measure their success using your products or services? Consider how you can amplify the value of working together in an unexpected way that delights your customers.

What about you?

What’s one idea that you’ll implement this week to create an “I belong here” experience for your customers?    Written by Marilyn Suttle, coauthor of the bestselling book “Who’s Your Glady? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer into Your Biggest Fan.” Contact her at Marilyn@MarilynSuttle.com. 

© Marilyn for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: customer loyalty, I belong here, marilyn suttle

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Customer service is essential for the success of your business. Yet many small businesses or solo-shops crash and burn because they confuse customer service with customer tyranny. They imagine that serving customers means giving into endless demands.

If you’re troubled by customer service issues, try this exercise, an adaptation of Byron Katie’s “Work” to business issues.

Write down the statement, “I have to satisfy all my customers all the time, and that means…”

EXAMPLE: “I have to satisfy all my customers, and that means that I need to accede to all of their requests. Since I can’t possibly do that, I’ll either go bankrupt or burn out or get a reputation for bad service.”

Next, ask yourself what happens to you when you believe this. How do you feel? How do you behave toward yourself, your customers, your employees? What additional beliefs do you hold?

EXAMPLE: “When I believe that, I feel like a phony because I know I cannot possibly meet all my customer’s demands even though I pretend to give good service. I feel defensive and resentful because it is not possible to live up to this. I feel cornered and I sometimes strike out or shut down.”

Breathe, you’re halfway there!

Without trying to change your thoughts or beliefs, ask yourself, “Who or how would I be if I did not have this thought?”

EXAMPLE: “I’d feel free. I’d be curious about what customers had to say because it might help me do better work. I’d look forward to making my best offer in response.”

Now, look at your original belief, the part that you wrote after, “I have to satisfy all my customers all the time and that means…” Turn it around, rewriting it as the opposite.

EXAMPLE: The belief “I have to accede to all their demands” becomes “I do not have to accede to all their demands.” It could even be stated, “I do not have to accede to any of their demands” or “I have to NOT accede to all their demands.”

Notice how it feels to play with these reversals. Are any of these statements as true (or maybe more true) than your original belief?

For me, all three statements are at least as true as the original. After all, we’re each responsible for our own businesses, and that includes the ability to choose how to respond to a customer demand or request.

Sometimes we might find that saying yes to a customer demand is bad for business because it is out of line with what the business really offers or with the resources at hand. In addition, we can notice that saying yes to a customer all the time without pausing to reflect turns the customer into a tyrant or a dictator. Is this really a good way to treat your customers?

Let’s not turn customers and clients into demanding children. Instead, let’s treat them with dignity, respect, and balance. Let’s make clear, clean, and complete commitments to them that outline what we can do, by when, and under what circumstances. Let’s respond to their complaints with integrity, dignity, curiosity, and a commitment to resolution that serves both parties.

That might mean referring a customer to someone who can better meet their needs. It might mean clarifying your policies and promises so that, in the future, customer expectations match the reality of what you deliver. It might mean saying no to the request while saying yes to the requester: “Yes, I value your patronage. It does not work for my business to provide that service at that price, however we are ideally suited to doing this other thing for you at a price I think you will like.”

The bottom line is that when you examine your hidden beliefs and challenge them you can open up a bigger playing field, a space in which you can make your best offer, do your best work, and serve your customers without burnout.

Read Molly’s articles to find out what makes good customer service, and, while on the site, don’t forget to join 12,000 readers of her Authentic Promotion® ezine to get valuable tips on how to grow your strong business while you lead balanced life.

© Gladys for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: burn out, Customer Service, Molly Gordon

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

“I’ve been having a great customer service experience related to my daughter’s diabetes, and it seems like something to pass on to you. There are two FB support groups I belong to for Type 1 Diabetes, and naturally there are a number of newbie parents on there who have oodles of questions and many concerns about equipment, insurance, etc.

“A member of both of the Facebook groups is a representative for Solara, a medical supply company. He is always reading the posts, responding with as much helpful information as he can and offering to work directly with the insurance company, meet with people to go over information about the myriad of insulin pumps and answer any questions about parents’ concerns.

“It’s a customer service model (and tactic) that I’m sure is prevalent out there, but I haven’t seen it in action before. And with something as stressful and terrifying as dealing with a child’s diabetes (and its many complications), he is a comforting presence.”

What a fantastic example of proactive social media customer service! I have yet to encounter anything exactly like this story, though I frequently use Twitter and Facebook to solve customer service problems I’ve had. This approach – showing up where your newbie customers show up and helping them navigate unfamiliar territory – is genius. The Solara company is creating personal connections with the customers that need their help the most and making a difference for parents who have serious concerns about their childrens’ health.

What do you think? Are there opportunities for you and your company to show up to offer introductions and solve problems for users of your product or service?

© Lori for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: diabetic supplies customer service, health care customer service, solara customer service

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Today’s guest blogger is Joyce Weiss, She’s who you go to when you find yourself looking for innovative, creative strategies to improve conflict in the workplace and your bottom line. Joyce shows you ways to help teams synergize their power to new levels by guiding you though conflict negotiation, designed to create new levels of productivity and profitability.

Do you want to increase respect in the workplace? Do you want to reduce conflict and stress? Do you want to re-energize your team? If you said “yes” to even one question…please continue reading!

All teams need a wake up call from time to time – an energy boost or an attitude adjustment. How do you know when it’s time for your team to get re-energized? Look at them. Is there energy in the team?  Are they communicating with respect?  Do your teams make time for stress relief exercises? Are people excited about work? Are employees talking to each other? Is there laughter and fun in the air? If you answered “no” to even one of these questions, then it could be time for you to initiate your team for ideas on how to increase respect and reduce stress.  It helps if you are open and use some of their ideas.

For many companies, it’s the “same old” routine day in and day out. People grudgingly go through the motions of work, but they don’t have their heart into it. There’s so much stress or negativity in the air that you can cut it with a knife. The silence is deafening, and when someone does talk, it’s laced with sarcasm and retaliation…there is an over abundance of conflict in the workplace.

But work doesn’t have to be this way. You can help your team learn new facts about stress so everyone is focused and having fun again. Here’s how.

Create a stress relief committee:
Ask for volunteers to head a stress relief committee. Typically, the people who want this role are the overly optimistic people who are full of energy anyway, but that’s okay. You need someone to take the lead. Empower the committee to determine when the team needs to do various stress relief exercises and allow them to organize a group break so everyone can recharge.

Ask the group for their input.  Ask them the question: What does respect mean?
You can’t mandate what the team “should” do to reduce stress and re-energize. That approach will always backfire because someone (or maybe everyone) will think the activity is “dumb” or a “waste of time.” Therefore, have the stress relief committee find out what each person would like to do to reduce stress and increase respect in the workplace. It could be anything from bringing in a chair masseuse once a month to getting everyone to dance to some upbeat music to having a 15-minute silence break. There are numerous respect activities and I will include a few examples in the next article.  The possibilities are endless so long as you get everyone’s input.

Address the nay-sayers:
Invariably you’ll have at least one person who won’t want to go along with the group’s activity. The key to winning this person over is to find out what he or she needs to do to reduce stress. Whatever you do, don’t let the nay-sayer sit out from the designated activity. That will only cause others to look down on him or her and erode the team’s spirit and increase workplace gossip. Instead, say to the person, “As the manager, it’s my job to make sure everyone has some stress relief. Tell me what will help you re-energize.” Listen to what the person says and do that activity next (as long as he or she participates in the current activity).

The Energy to Succeed:
Everyone needs a fun break from time to time – an escape from the stresses of work and life. So give your team the opportunity to discuss how to reduce stress to increase respect in the workplace. By doing so, they’ll have the strength and creativity to get more done in less time…and with better results.

As a coach, leadership consultant and facilitator, Joyce Weiss has used her extensive professional experience with companies like Ford Motor Company, US Army Reserves, BAE Systems, Spectrum Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield to provide bold solutions for individuals, corporations and associations. Based in West Bloomfield, Michigan, she is the author of “Take the Ride of Your Life! Shift Gears for More Balance, Growth, and Joy.” If you have not signed up for the Free Video Series on Reducing Conflict in the Workplace…please do so now. You will receive one video/week for 20 weeks.  The videos are only 2-3 minutes long and are packed with tips and stories that you can use at home or at work. Sign up now at http://www.joyceweiss.com.

© Gladys for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: conflict resolution, Customer Service, joyce weiss, workplace stress

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

My grandma had a poster on her wall that read, “Old age isn’t for sissies.”  Perhaps we should take liberty to rewrite it as “Providing exceptional customer service isn’t for sissies.”  Sometimes a shot of inspiration reminds you of what you’re capable of handling.

A friend of mine who has great success connecting with her clients on twitter, asked me for a list of my customer service quotes that she could post on twitter.  I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see how often those quotes were shared . (“Retweeted” in twitter-speak.)

That got me thinking. Perhaps it would be helpful to share them on this blog. Below you’ll find some of my personal quotes. If you find one that hits just the right chord with you, feel free to print it, post it, or use it as a conversation starter with your service team.

“When you’re on the receiving end of a client’s anger, imagine that they’re venting at the problem, not you personally. Then, you can mentally shift to partnering with them to resolve the problem.” – Marilyn Suttle

“Moods can be contagious. Don’t catch or spread a bad mood.” — Marilyn Suttle

“In every moment we have a choice to excel.” – Marilyn Suttle

“When you depersonalize abrasive behavior and see it as a call for help you become a catalyst for the best kind of change.” — Marilyn Suttle

“When you give appreciation IN ORDER TO get something– it’s manipulation and people can sense it. Appreciate genuinely.” — Marilyn Suttle

“Notice the difference between being in control and needing control.” — Marilyn Suttle

“Optimists move through life with a happy exterior. What happens on the inside shows up on the outside.”  — Marilyn Suttle

“Do an evening review at the end of the day to reflect on what went well and what you’d do differently next time.”  — Marilyn Suttle

“When you’re busy, avoid taking the quickest action. Instead make the extra effort to truly serve the customer.”  — Marilyn Suttle

“Get in touch with your passion and put it to work at work.” – Marilyn Suttle

“Even your most loyal customers always have a choice about where to take their business.” — Marilyn Suttle

“People who work in an environment where doing their best is recognized have a better chance of feeling good about their work.” — Marilyn Suttle

“Thank your customer for complaining and mean it. Most will never bother to complain. They’ll just walk away.” — Marilyn Suttle

“Notice what happens when you shift your focus from making money to contributing to your clients’ success.” – Marilyn Suttle

“When you see examples of business or relationship failure, shift from ‘I won’t do that’ to noticing what you WILL do. Moving toward is more powerful than moving away.” – Marilyn Suttle

“Cater to your customers’ lifestyles. It will create instant rapport and a lasting sense of ‘I belong here.’”  —  Marilyn Suttle

“After each customer interaction, notice if you gave them a “happy to see you” kind of experience.” — Marilyn Suttle

“Move from serving clients the way YOU like to be served to serving them the way THEY like to be served. It’s as simple as asking their preference.” – Marilyn Suttle

“Look for the positive qualities in your client’s negative behavior.” — Marilyn Suttle

“Success isn’t the end result, it’s found in our moment by moment shifts toward the direction of your vision.” – Marilyn Suttle

“Notice what you might be believing that isn’t true – especially the beliefs that start with ‘I can’t ___,’  ‘I’m too ___,’ ‘I’m not ___ enough.’” – Marilyn Suttle

“There’s a difference between being busy and being productive.” – Marilyn Suttle

“Shifting from thought into action is like shifting from neutral into drive.” – Marilyn Suttle

What do you think? Do you have a favorite quote to share that has helped you stay at the top of your game? Please share it! 

© Marilyn for Who's Your Gladys?, 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: customer service quotes, ladys, marilyn suttle, who's your g

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh