Customer Service:
It's Not Just a Department, It's An Experience - December 2011
Welcome to the December 2011 issue of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience." As we come into the holiday season, take some time to reflect on your customers, for without them, you would not be in business. With that thought in mind, thank YOU for giving me the opportunity to serve you over the past year. My holiday wish is that your customers fall in love with you because of the great experience you are providing to them.
This month's newsletter will provide you with some tips on how to complain more effectively when you are the customer. Don't miss the video about your customer's story. It will make you think twice about your customers and what they might be going through as you take care of them. And there's a bonus video about call center complaints included as well.
Welcome to our many new subscribers and new clients. Our goal is to help you improve the experience you are providing to your customers, increase customer retention and generate additional revenue through cross-selling, up-selling and referrals.
Enjoy this month's newsletter!
In This Issue:
What's Your Customer's Story? | How to Effectively Complain | Calling Into a Call Center
What's Your Customer's Story?
They each have one. It might not be the one you think it is. This is a powerful video. It's worth the three minutes it will take to watch it.
Click to watch video
How to Effectively Complain
My newsletters typically provide you, the provider of products or services, with tips and suggestions for taking better care of your customers. However, this article is specifically for YOU, a customer of other companies. Because sometimes things don't always go right and you need to complain, here are some tips to complain effectively:
1. Complain to the right people. While you might want to tell your tale of woe to your friends and family, they probably can't resolve your problem. Take your problem to the source.
2. Keep your cool. Be professional when you contact the company. You will get more bees with honey.
3. Calmly explain your situation. Be clear about what you are complaining about. Present the company representative with what you feel is an acceptable outcome for your problem. Know what you want before you contact the company. Is it a refund? A replacement? A credit? An apology?
4. Get the names of the people you speak with and keep good documentation of the chain of events leading up to your problem as well as during the attempted resolution.
5. Understand that the first person you speak with may not have the authority to address your problem. Ask the employee if they are able to accommodate your request or if you would be better served speaking with a manager. If you need to be transferred to a manager, ask the employee to provide the manager with the details of your problem so you don't have to repeat yourself, getting you more annoyed at having to tell your story again.
6. Be reasonable. Is what you want feasible or are you being unrealistic in your request?
7. Be willing to leave. Most of the products or services you are buying can be purchased from many different sources. Don't settle for inferior products or a bad customer experience. You deserve what you paid for and you are entitled to be treated well.
Calling Into a Call Center
Last month in this space, we talked about call centers. Here's a video with customer's impressions of call centers in their own words. Perhaps you can relate to their frustrations! Unless of course you are the one causing them!
Click to watch video
Where's Randi?
I have several speaking engagements scheduled over the next few weeks. If you would like to attend an event,
send me an e-mail and I'll send you the details!
Tuesday, 1/10
Oil Heat Association of South Jersey
Haddonfield, NJ
Friday, 1/13
Master Your Message to Win More Business
Fresh Meadows, NY
Wednesday, 1/18
International Association of Business Communicators
Melville, NY
Friday, 1/20
National Association of the Remodeling Institute
Cleveland, OH
If you'd like me to speak at YOUR upcoming presentation or meeting, call me!
In Conclusion...
Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience". It is our hope that you not only get the customer or client, but that you also hold onto them! If you have clients, colleagues or friends who wants to hold on to their customers too, do them a favor and forward them this newsletter.
Until next time, take good care of your customers, or someone else will! See you next month!
Sincerely,
Randi Busse
Call us today to set up a free consultation:631-598-5598
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