Customer Service:
It's Not Just a Department, It's An Experience - June 2010
Welcome to the June issue of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience."
This month we're going to talk about your employees and how they may be "playing" with your customers. We'll also discuss the role trust plays in the customer experience.
Welcome to our many new subscribers and new clients. Our goal is to help you improve the service you are providing to your existing customers as well as prospective customers, increase customer retention and generate additional revenue through cross-selling, up-selling and referrals.
Enjoy this month's newsletter!
In This Issue:
There's a New Game in Town | Do You Trust Your Employees?
There's a New Game in Town
It's sweeping businesses by storm. It's all the rage with employees. It's called "Avoid The Customer". Has it hit your business yet? You better hope not!
Here's how the game was played during a recent visit to a bank:
Let's say you walked into your bank and you were the only customer in the branch. There were four tellers behind the counter and you're thinking you hit the jackpot! You're assuming you'll be in and out in no time. You could even have your pick of which teller to go to. However, if none of the tellers are even paying attention to the fact that you are there waiting, you might as well be "Mr Cellophane" in "Chicago"!
What happened is that every teller avoided eye contact with me hoping that someone else would acknowledge me and call me to their window. Now, I know you need to count the money and do other administrative tasks as a teller, however, when there is a real live "CUSTOMER" standing there waiting to be taken care, that's your cue! Isn't that what you're paid to do?? Take care of customers?
Instead of ignoring me, how about showing me some love? How about taking that time to get to know me and connect with me? How about making me feel welcomed into your bank and appreciated for doing business with you rather than the bank down the street?
How many bank tellers does it take to take care of one customer? Apparently, in this case, four weren't enough!
Four Bank Tellers + One Customer Does Not Necessarily Translate Into a Great Experience!
Just like the Silly bandz that have been banned from some schools, this "game" of "Avoiding the Customer" must be banned from your business! Everyone loses when this game is played!
Do You Trust Your Employees?
If the answer is no, why are you letting them take care of your customers?
Your front-line employees often provide the first impression a prospective customer has with your company. Are you sure you can trust them to make a good impression? If you don't trust them, you probably can't.
A lack of trust in any area usually means that they probably shouldn't be trusted to interact with your customers. Can you really trust that they'll do the right thing when it comes to taking care of them if you don't trust them? If you don't trust your employees, do you really think your customers are going to?
Trust is the foundation for effective communication, employee retention and employee motivation. If we, as owners and managers of the business, are able to build this type of culture within our organization, we will reap the rewards. Employees who feel respected and trusted, and who are treated like adults will act like adults. Employees will be more productive and enjoy coming to work, and be ambassadors for our brand and our organization.
If you empower your employees, they might surprise you with the way they do their job. They will be inspired to take better care of your customers. Unless employees are trusted with decision making, they won't make a decision. Provide employees with a vision and set of principles and then empower them to make decisions. Give them the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them.
Trust is a two-way street. Do your employees trust you? Mutual trust will create an environment that customers will flock to. If you don't have trust, you may not have customers!
If you are on Long Island...
Join us at the LI Press KIOLI (Keep It On Long Island) Summit on Friday, 6/11.
Attend the Summit and learn new and effective ways to grow your business and strengthen the Long Island economy.
The Summit will be held from 11a-4p at The Inn at New Hyde Park. There is no charge to attend the Summit.
I'll be presenting a seminar on growing sales with Jeff Goldberg from Jeff Goldberg & Associates and Rob Basso from Advantage Payroll. Our presentations are from 1:45-2:45 and from 3:00-4:00.
To learn more about the KIOLI Summit and to register for the event, visit:
Registration Link
Hope to see you there!
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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