Customer Experience Tip #1131

If your gut is telling you that something might be off with a customer’s current experience, consider getting someone else (the right person in your firm for this) involved just to check in with that customer.

Customer Experience Tip #1130

Before you make that call, consider what the customer has already told you is going on in their life and world. Now consider being sensitive to that; even asking about it when appropriate. Always seek to put yourself in their “shoes” and mindspace. Displaying genuine empathy can go a long way.

Customer Experience Tip #1129

“I have talked for a year now about this seismic change of consumer behavior changing and going away from bricks and mortar traditional retail shopping and to eCommerce and mobile. In order to mitigate that, I think it’s incumbent upon the responsibility of retailers to create these fantastic experiences that’s going to sweep them away.”

–Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks

Customer Experience Tip #1128

If you’re in the world of relationship selling, stay away from incentivizing customer survey participation. Your happiest customers are often happy to oblige. Your least happy customers want you to know their frustrations as long as they feel it’s safe and that you care to know. And your in-between customers (“Passives“) as well as your unhappy group may be a little nicer — and therefore less honest — about their “real” experience in hopes of winning that “Amazon Gift Card.” Skip the incentives, ask nicely, and be thoughtful with your content and delivery.

Customer Experience Tip #1127

When you witness a team member who is not contributing positively to the customer experience, it’s time for someone to have (what may turn out to be) a difficult conversation with that person. Or you could just ignore it and hope it gets better. But we all know that’s not likely to happen. What we ignore, we allow … and even encourage.

Customer Experience Tip #1126

Resist the urge to become defensive about a negative online review. Instead, be open to learning something from the feedback. And be sure to respond in a non-defensive manner: Listen, apologize, solve, and thank. (L.A.S.T.)

Customer Experience Tip #1125

It’s not enough to deliver on a promised result, you must also make them feel taken care of along the way.

Customer Experience Tip #1124

“Build your company’s ultimate Customer experience model as if no Customer has bad intentions.”

–John R. DiJulius, III

Customer Experience Tip #1123

You might be conscious of making a great first impression with your customers. But are you focusing as much attention on their last impression of you and your firm?

Customer Experience Tip #1122

Calling an out-of-state customer? Remember to check and be mindful of their time zone. While you might be starting your day, they may be fast asleep. Or while you might be returning from a late lunch, they might be sitting down to dinner with their family.