Customer Experience Tip #1444

Your prospects and clients want you to exude confidence, but if there’s even a slight chance your confidence could be perceived as arrogance it’s time to dial it back. Balance that confidence with active listening, patience, and kindness and you’ll be building deeper connections.

Customer Experience Tip #1443

The moment you learn of the unhappy customer should be the moment you start devising a plan for resolution … and the moment you let the customer know that you’re doing so. Speed of response matters, even if that response is only to say that you are aware and you’re now working on it.

Customer Experience Tip #1442

It’s OK to make a mistake. You’re human. Trying to hide your mistake is not OK, and besides, that almost never ends well. In most cases, it’s better to ‘come clean’ with that customer and recover from your mistake with transparency.

Customer Experience Tip #1441

“Rather than worrying only about offering customers a discount on products or services or focusing on how fast employees can process transactions, companies could benefit in the long run from empowering their employees to meet customers’ emotional needs more often.”

–Dina Gerdeman, Harvard Business School

Customer Experience Tip #1440

Sometimes you have to say no, but if you’re a jerk about it then don’t expect your customer to come running back the next time they need your product of service. People like doing business with people they like … kind people.

Customer Experience Tip #1439

Do you charge a relatively large sum of money for the service you provide? If you’re not painting a clear enough picture of your expertise and what’s involved in bringing that customer’s project to life, then that customer may very well have a difficult time seeing the value and therefore justifying your fee.

Customer Experience Tip #1438

It’s OK to not know something. It’s not OK to pretend as if you do. So, instead of making that customer suffer through unnecessarily long resolution times (while you learn your way through something unfamiliar) involve a more senior peer to help that customer while you listen in and learn.

Customer Experience Tip #1437

“People think the world is going to come down on them. It turns out that this is the greatest opportunity for a company to move in and create a memorable experience. A problem could be a problem, or a problem could be an opportunity.” –Stefan Thomke, Harvard Business School Professor

Customer Experience Tip #1436

Customer empathy will always win the day, in a world (and marketplace) that so desperately needs it.

Customer Experience Tip #1435

When you “own” that customer’s problem for them and see it through to resolution, you become their champion. Everyone loves a champion.