Tag-Archive for » Who’s Your Gladys «

Is Your Employee Appreciation Backfiring?

February 08th, 2010 | Author: Marilyn

There are some employees who manage to withstand all kinds of criticism and negativity from management and find ways to brush it off and excel at work. Other employees, despite a supportive management team, fail to be productive.

I believe that people who work in an environment where doing their best is recognized have a better chance of feeling good about their work. They also have a better chance of becoming successful producers who enjoy pleasing customers.

It’s a rare employee who would say she gets too much appreciation at work. Genuine praise goes a long way in helping workers stay productive, especially when demands are high.

How well does your company give appreciation to those who serve your customers?

When it comes to appreciation, it’s often not given, infrequent or ineffective.

When it is given, it isn’t always helpful. Why? Because certain types of appreciations BACKFIRE! Appreciation can be tricky business. Sometimes the most well meant praise brings unexpected results.

Just imagine you come to work in an old suit that doesn’t quite fit you anymore. Your boss says, “You look FANTASTIC in that suit.” Would you feel flattered? Probably not. You’re more likely to think: “What does she want from me?” The kind words leave you feeling suspicious of the boss’ motives and on guard for fear of being manipulated.

Compliments can also backfire in other ways:

Suppose you’re practicing your golf swing, and like me, you’re a lousy golfer. Then in one rare moment you swing your club and hit the ball far and true. Just then, along comes a department head who says, “You’re an AMAZING golfer. That was a WORLD CLASS swing!” more…

Category: Developing People, Leadership, internal customer | Tags: Employee Appreciation, Leadership, marilyn suttle, Who's Your Gladys | Leave a Comment

Train, Train and Train Some More – Else They Forget

January 31st, 2010 | Author: Lori

written by Lori Jo Vest, Co-author of "Who's Your Gladys?"

I’ve visited my primary care doctor’s office twice in the last six months. On both occasions, I’ve experienced fascinating examples of customer service ignorance. I’ve written about it once – when the woman at the counter told me to “go sit down,” so she could continue with her conversation with the other patient. “I’ll get back to you in a minute,” she had said. “Whoa,” I thought at the time, “who are you to tell me what to do?” My Gladys attitude came on like gangbusters. I was miffed within the first 30 seconds of my visit.

The latest follow-up appointment wasn’t any better and I’m wondering what the heck is going on at this particular medical practice. Three different people, three different customer service approaches that were alienating to me, the customer. While it may seem like a small thing, the staff members at this business are lacking in what many would call “the social graces.”

Social graces, in this case, are defined as the manners and niceties that are used in your culture to make others feel comfortable and welcome.

more…

Category: Communicating with Customers, Dissatisfied customer, Uncategorized, customer service mindset | Tags: Customer Service, lori jo vest, patient care, Who's Your Gladys | Leave a Comment

Guest blogger Phillip Van Hooser Says: The Game of Business is a Game of Service

January 27th, 2010 | Author: Gladys

Today’s guest blogger is Phillip Van Hooser, MBA, CSP, CPAE. His perspectives, experiences and examples change the way people think about leadership and service. His keynote presentations, training programs and products have been used by companies across the U.S. and around the globe to help people lower turnover rates, raise productivity, improve management/employee relations and manage change effectively. A leadership development expert and executive coach, Phil is a frequent keynote speaker for top domestic and international corporations. This guest blog post is excerpted from his bestselling book, “Willie’s Way: 6 Secrets for Wooing, Wowing and Winning Customers and Their Loyalty” (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2005).

“Business a game?” you ask. “It can’t be. Business is serious… well…business!”

Okay, I agree. Business is serious. There’s a lot riding on the outcome. But think just a moment of the game of business in the same terms as you would any other competitive game in which you enjoy participating, such as tennis, chess or Monopoly. Each of these games shares a number of common characteristics. For example, each is governed by a specific set of rules. The rules are usually fairly easy to understand, but not always easy to follow. Each game requires players to be pitted against at least one other opponent. Finally, for a positive outcome to be realized, either or both participants must possess the skill and strategy to accomplish their individual goals.

In the game of business, to be really successful—to be a truly expert player—both parties must win the first time and every time thereafter.

The “individual goals” of both parties are where things begin to get sticky. In tennis, chess or Monopoly the goal is to beat the opponent as soundly as possible. However, in the game of business, to be really successful—to be a truly expert player—both parties must win the first time and every time thereafter. For example, those who provide products and services must make their customers happy by providing quality products and services at a reasonable price, while still making a necessary profit. But they can’t just do it once and be forever satisfied. One profitable business exchange does not a successful business make. Sustainable businesses have been and always will be built on the foundation of repeat business. more…

Category: Customer Relationship Management, Developing People, Leadership, guest blogger | Tags: Customer Service, international corporations., keynote speaker, leadership development expert, manage change, Phillip Van Hooser, Who's Your Gladys, willies way | Leave a Comment

Customer Service Secrets Revealed at a Mexican Cantina

January 25th, 2010 | Author: Marilyn

The venue had been selected. The invitations had been sent. And Border Cantina, a Mexican restaurant in Novi, Michigan was ready for the arrival of 28 women with gifts in hand. The happy bride-to-be and her fiancé plan on saying their vows on a sandy beach in Mexico. So, when it was time to plan the shower, those of us hosting the celebration thought it would be fun to follow the Mexican theme in our own home town.

I was hoping the restaurant staff could handle this large rush of guests. Unlike their typical customers, our guests remained standing while mingling for the first 20 minutes. A waitress named Ashley came over to the gift table where I was chatting with a friend. She asked us for our beverage orders and quickly moved on. We talked for a few more minutes, and then everyone sat down. The waitress returned with drinks. She looked around the room, having to remember our faces to get the right drinks to the right women, not an easy thing to do. We were impressed that she remembered everyone’s choices correctly.

I thought to myself, “The owners must have assigned their star service provider to our party.” I made a mental note to compliment the manager on the way out. It seems to me that just about anywhere I go, there’s that one person who has a natural ability to manage any kind of customer service situation with grace and ease.

When I conduct customer service training classes, I sometimes ask the front line, “Who are the people in your company that everyone turns to when customer service gets really tough.” All fingers inevitably point to the same person. I imagined that at Border Cantina, I had just found that person.

more…

Category: Customer Service, Delighting customers, customer service mindset | Tags: border cantina, cusotmer service, marilyn suttle, Who's Your Gladys | Leave a Comment

Guest Blogger Janelle Barlow Says: “You’re Giving a Gift When You Complain!”

January 20th, 2010 | Author: Lori

Janelle Barlow is the co-author of two bestselling business books, “A Complaint Is a Gift” and “Emotional Value.” “A Complaint Is a Gift” is currently available in 14 foreign languages. As a speaker, she draws upon her broad educational background and practical management experience. Over 100,000 people from all continents have participated in her training programs and speeches.

You’ve read the statistics: customers don’t complain. Actually, it’s not that customers don’t complain; it’s just that they rarely tell someone who can do something about the situation. Complaining customers tell lots of people about their woes—their friends, family, and just about anyone with whom they are affiliated. Unfortunately, people in businesses who can do anything about the complaint are frequently the last to know when something goes wrong or if there’s a better way to offer their services.

If your feedback enables an organization you regularly buy from to improve its service, then you make it a stronger company.

In order for businesses to be successful, one of the best ways is to keep their existing customers. And this means they have to satisfy customers. That’s not a problem when things are going well. It’s when there is a mishap that businesses benefit from having their customers speak up. In this way, whenever you are a customer, you can think about your complaint as a “gift.” You’re giving them information that can help drive improvement and maybe even keep you as a customer.

Customers may forget that when they are standing in a line and they complain to others waiting with them about slow service, that feedback is not likely to get to someone who can fix this problem. If you encounter a rude waiter on a cruise, or interact with someone who doesn’t follow through on a promise, and you only complain to your spouse or the people who are dining at your table, that cruise line will not get to address the issue. more…

Category: Communicating with Customers, Customer Service, Dissatisfied customer, guest blogger | Tags: A Complaint Is a Gift, Emotional Value, Janelle Barlow, Who's Your Gladys | Leave a Comment

When Customers Tweet – Do You Listen?

January 11th, 2010 | Author: Marilyn

When customers are having problems they want your company to help. When they can’t get help in person or by phone, they turn to their computers. Many reach out to social media sites like twitter to get a company’s attention.

Something you might not know about your customers is this: Their perception of you is damaged when you don’t respond to their tweets.

My coauthor, Lori Jo Vest and I were guests on Michigan Entrepreneur TV last week. During the interview, our host shared her customer experience after getting no response from a tweet. She was especially upset because she had taken the time to seek out the correct party’s twitter handle and use it in her tweet. (Today’s customers are savvy and know how to ferret out useful information.) She said, “I will never do business with that company again!” Are your customers saying that about you?

more…

Category: Communicating with Customers | Tags: customer service on twitter, marilyn sutttle, Who's Your Gladys | One Comment

Guest Blogger Lisa Ford Shares: Customer Loyalty and the Final Questions

January 06th, 2010 | Author: Gladys

Today’s guest blogger is Lisa Ford, CSP, CPAE. With over 20 years of experience presenting to businesses, associations and government, Lisa is best known for her work in the areas of customer service. She is the author of the videotape series “How to Give Exceptional Customer Service,” the #1 selling business tapes in the U.S. for over 3 years and the book “Exceptional Customer Service, Going Beyond Good Service to Exceed the Customer’s Expectations.”

I recently stopped using a service that was getting $984 annually from me for the last seven years. I called the local office to check on cancellation procedures and discovered it was amazingly simple. I was told just don’t pay the next monthly invoice.

Here is the really amazing part – the manager did not make any attempt to salvage my business. There was no inquiry of, “Can I ask what is causing you to….” or “What can we do to keep you as a customer?” After that first call, I stopped by the office to get my final bill to show the account was closed. Once again, the manager missed an opportunity to do an exit interview.

Stop assuming and find out the real reasons for customer loss.

Try – “We are always looking for ways to improve our service, what is the one thing we could have done differently to make that a better experience for you?” Or how about a polite, “Mrs. Ford, we do appreciate your business for these last 7 years. We will be happy to serve you again in the future if your needs change.”

It is easy to blame the economy as the reason customers are leaving. Stop assuming and find out the real reasons for customer loss. Your questions, a tangible show of interest and appreciation, may keep their loyalty. You may certainly gain valuable information to improve your business. My lifetime value was $6,888. Are a few questions worth that? Now is the time to start asking more questions. Prepare your final questions and you may create some new beginnings.

What do you think? Do you do whatever it takes to find out the reasons you lose a customer?

Lisa designs content personalized to the audience and the issues they face. She has also customized numerous videos for clients to use in their ongoing education efforts. Lisa’s experience includes working with Pfizer, Viacom, Edward Jones, CSX, Kaiser Permanente, Morton’s of Chicago, Citgo, American Gas Association, American Diabetes Association and American Veterinary Medical Association. Visit her website at www.LisaFord.com.

Category: Communicating with Customers, Customer Service, Tough Economic Times, guest blogger | Tags: Customer Service, lisa ford, Who's Your Gladys | Leave a Comment

Is Your Workplace Environment Hurting Your Customer Service Efforts?

December 28th, 2009 | Author: Marilyn

My coauthor and I were incredibly fortunate to spend a year interviewing customer service superstars – the leaders and front line staff of ten highly successful companies who excel in customer care – when we were writing “Who’s Your Gladys?” After writing our book, I was invited to assist with and participate in a spectacular train-the-trainer program run by America’s “Number #1 Succes Coach” Jack Canfield. This year-long intense training is allowing me to learn and teach the success principles developed by Jack over the last 30+ years. It’s exciting to notice how the lessons I’m learning from Jack parallel the interviews from the company leaders featured in ”Who’s Your Gladys?”

During one of the trainings, Jack introduced a success pie chart that had a huge impact on me. It originated from Jim Bunch. (If you don’t know about Jim, look him up!) The chart shows that 50% of success comes from your environment, 40% from your mindset, and only 10% from skill. If 50% of success comes from creating environments that support your goals, how can you upgrade your workplace environment to attract and retain more long-term customers? As I looked at the weight that environment plays on success, example after example sprang up based on our year of interviewing successful people.

50% of success comes from your environment, 40% from your mindset, and only 10% from skill.

One example comes from Sky Lakes Hospital. Its customer satisfaction scores raised from the 41st percentile to the top 10% in the nation after a three year customer service culture change. Custom Learning Systems was hired to give the leaders at Sky Lakes tools to support service excellence. One wonderful tool that Sky Lakes adopted was the “Six Foot Rule.”

Every employee, hospital-wide, is required to look up, make eye-contact, and say something pleasant when they pass within six feet of anyone – a patient, visitor, or even a fellow employee. This rule has changed the environment at Sky Lakes. The expectation was non-negotiable. People were held accountable. What happened? For some, the workplace got a whole lot friendlier and much more enjoyable. Unfortunately, for some of the Sky Lakes staff, this new rule was intolerable. In fact, some of the employees actually quit their jobs because they didn’t want to follow the new rule. It didn’t match their cynical dispositions. The upside? This new environment organically weeded out those who didn’t fit the new service excellence culture. more…

Category: Customer Service, internal customer | Tags: Brian Lee, Custom Learning Systems, Customer Service, jack canfield, jim bunch, marilyn suttle, Peggy Wynne Borgman, preston wynne spa, Sky Lakes Medical, Who's Your Gladys | 2 Comments

Guest Blogger Kevin Stirtz Advises: Never Blame, Defend or Explain

December 16th, 2009 | Author: Gladys

Today’s guest blogger is Kevin Stirtz, the Amazing Service Guy. He’s a speaker and trainer who helps companies increase revenue and profits by delivering Amazing Service. Stirtz has been quoted in BusinessWeek, the Boston Globe, Smart Money and the Chicago Sun Times.

When dealing with customer feedback, NEVER blame, defend or explain. Here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

When dealing with customer feedback, NEVER blame, defend or explain.

Last week my wife and I had dinner at one our usual haunts. After giving some feedback to our server that one item I ordered was less than satisfactory, I was dismayed at his response. He was very nice but he launched into a lengthy explanation of how the food was prepared. And then he blamed the corporate office for the problem. Finally, he suggested I contact the corporate office directly because they’d be much more likely to listen to a customer than an employee.

Aside from going TMI (too much information) on me, he wasted my time. I had no interest in hearing all that. What I wanted was simple:

1. An apology because the food did not meet my expectation

2. Assurance that he would get my feedback to the right people

3. Ask me if there was anything he could do to make it right.

That’s it. That’s all I wanted. And that’s what most customers want. Anything else just wastes time and makes it more likely that customer will stop offering feedback. Or they’ll stop being a customer. Either way the company and the customer lose.

Get a free copy of Kevin Stirtz’s Amazing Service Toolkit here – http://amazingserviceguy.com/the-amazing-customer-service-toolkit/