Impeccable Customer Service Tip #402
When you’re unsure of how to dress appropriately for a client or work-related event, dress up. After all, isn’t it better to be the dressiest person in the room than the only one in blue jeans.
Engineering the Customer Experience
When you’re unsure of how to dress appropriately for a client or work-related event, dress up. After all, isn’t it better to be the dressiest person in the room than the only one in blue jeans.
When nearing Halloween, keep a full bowl of candy (and/or healthy treats) out for your customers and clients. Take this idea to another level by delivering a full bowl to the offices of your top clients, for their clients to enjoy. Consider visiting their office about once or twice a week to refill the bowl.
When meeting with a client at a restaurant, be sure to take the seat with the least number of possible visual distractions. This way, the client can experience your undivided attention.
“We had accidentally stumbled on the core elements of a culture dedicated to delivering great customer service! It turned out that people who work in a friendly environment that is tolerant of mistakes, and who are empowered to make decisions about how they do their jobs, arrive at the best possible solutions for serving customers.”
-Richard Branson
Your clients have a need to feel heard; a desire to feel listened to. Take notes of what they are sharing with you (if it’s via phone, you can even let them know you’re doing this).
Whenever possible, have your newly-hired employees shadow employees from other departments. Invite them to observe, ask questions — and later describe — how each role has its impact on the overall customer experience.
Meeting regularly with your staff to discuss customer service is a key practice, yet many people hate meetings. Regular internal meetings are not usually the problem. Poorly facilitated meetings are.
Together, set ground rules that are designed to keep the conversation interactive, respectful, relevant, and moving forward.
You’ve heard the saying, “Measure twice, cut once?” Well, when it comes to replying to customer e-mails, read twice and answer once.
Too often we tend to respond willy-nilly, without spending enough time fully understanding our customer’s concerns, or without simply answering all of their included questions.
“Here is a simple but powerful rule: always give people more than what they expect to get.”
-Nelson Boswell
Here’s a line that — when expressed sincerely — will demonstrate care for that upset customer:
“I apologize. That must have been very frustrating for you.”
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