Customer Service Forum
Janine Nunes, Editor
JNunes@douglaspublications.com
July 29, 2005
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Welcome to the Customer Service Forum, brought to you by the editors of “First Rate Customer Service” (briefings.com), a weekly newsletter for customer service professionals. This week, our Quick Tips article is about figuring out how to be authentic in order to build customer loyalty.
We’ll also share responses to last week’s Reader Question and invite you to respond to this week’s question. As a special addition this week, we’ve included an insightful comment by a customer service manager who says it’s not always wise for reps to make apologies to customers for things that are out of your control.
Be Your Authentic Self
People generally have good instincts about other people. To strengthen customer loyalty, you want your customers to sense that you are being genuine in what you say to them. Never say things to them that you don’t mean or don’t personally believe in. If you’re not exactly sure who you are and what you stand for, try this exercise:
Make a list of seven things that make you (that’s right, you, not the company) unique. These are qualities that you offer to your customers. Maybe you have a lot of energy, a down to earth sense of humor or an open-minded attitude. Maybe you’re an expert in your knowledge area, or you’re good at communicating well with different types of people, or you are a very caring person.
Once you’ve completed your list, find ways to use those qualities to enhance your service activities.
It’s also worthwhile to think about what special differences you make to your company. What do you believe about service? What are you here to do?
Answer these questions in the form of a written personal mission statement. Put it on an index card that you carry with you or post at your work station. Read it whenever you’re down, stressed, or just feel unappreciated. It’s a great shot in the arm that will remind you of who you are and why you’re here.
Source: “Building Customer Loyalty, the 21 Essential Elements in Action,” by Briefings Publishing Group. For more information on obtaining this publication, go to Briefings.com.
Someone told me you recently had an article in your First Rate Customer Service hard copy newsletter about how to handle customers when their credit is denied. I run across this problem only occasionally, but it is one of the trickiest problems to handle when it comes up and I’m not confident I do it well. I just subscribed to the hard copy newsletter, but that issue came out awhile back. Could you recap the highlights of that article in the Customer Service Forum for me? And if any readers out there have practical advice on this, I would really appreciate hearing it.
Send replies, comments or new questions to JNunes@douglaspublications.com by Wednesday, Aug. 3. Include your first name and city, if you wish.
Sometimes callers ask me to connect them to someone higher in position than myself. I find this offensive since I am trained to resolve their problems. I don’t want management to think I can’t handle my job, so I make customers deal with me. Do you think I’m doing the right thing? I would ask my managers this question but they are not very easy to talk to and you never know what will set them off.
Michelle, you sound like a call center manager's dream. I worked my way up in our industry and part of what helped me to do so was having an attitude similar to yours. You are absolutely right; you have been trained and empowered by your management to serve your customers fully. But, please don't let the caller know you are offended by their asking to speak to your superior. Simply say something like, "I can certainly put you through to someone but I would appreciate it if you would allow me to assist you first. I am fully trained in all areas of problem resolution and I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Will you allow me the opportunity to assist you? I promise I will bring in my superior if you feel I haven't been helpful." I found this approach to work for me 100% of the time. Keep up the good work!
We can’t say it any better than Loree has in her above response. Perhaps the only thing worth adding is that it’s good for top brass occasionally to handle a sampling of complainers to apologize for operational mishaps that led to shoddy service and to learn more about outsiders’ perspectives. The top brass also should intervene in high-stakes conflicts, such as when a top client expresses grave reservations about repeated service failures. You can find more on this topic in “Achieving Excellence in Customer Service” by Briefings Publishing Group.
On a different subject, we received an interesting comment from Bill in Melbourne, Australia, who took issue with our response to last week’s question, which was about dealing with angry customers. Bill has more than 30 years of experience in this realm and we appreciate his insightful feedback. Here’s what he had to say:
Dear Janine,
I'm not quite sure that I agree with the suggestions made in this latest Customer Service Forum about apologising to angry customers.
I absolutely agree about allowing angry customers to vent, provided they are not being abusive, as part of an approach to calm the situation down. Once the situation is relatively under control empathising with the customer is paramount. However, empathising is about trying to place yourself in another's shoes and I don't believe this necessarily means apologising. Rather than simply saying "I'm sorry," in my experience it is far better to say things like "I'm sure I would feel exactly the same way if I had been treated that way" or "I think I understand why you feel that way.” The intent should be to build rapport with the customer and not apologise for something which the customer is likely to be equally aware was out of your control as a service professional.
Companies who ask service employees to personally apologise for things they haven’t done, run the risk of seriously undermining the self-esteem of their employees. The approach also perpetuates the myth that working in a service area is the same thing as being subservient. This whole dynamic contributes to the high staff turnover many service organisations experience.
There are a couple of significant exceptions to the above, where apologies are essential. First where the individual talking to the customer is the one who made a mistake, or personally contributed to whatever it was that made the customer angry. It is only proper and reasonable under such circumstances for the individual to apologise.
The second scenario is where it is essential that someone apologise on behalf of the company and such circumstances need to be managed carefully. It should also be remembered that in some jurisdictions, apologising can have legal consequences i.e. it could for example be construed as a tacit acknowledgement of a breach of contract. In circumstances where a company needs to apologise, managers need to be big enough to accept their responsibilities and apologise on behalf of the company.
Although these are my personal views and opinions, they are based on 30-plus years working in high tech service environments.
Great work with the Forum. I find it interesting reading and pass items onto my staff on a regular basis.
“You always pass failure on the way to success.” --Mickey Rooney, American actor
Handling a Micromanager
Your boss likes to look over your shoulder and tries to manage even the smallest, most insignificant aspects of your job. How can you show him or her that you can be more productive with a little freedom?
Communicate, communicate, communicate! Keep a micromanager informed with memos, e-mails and phone calls. It takes only a few minutes, especially if you use e-mail.
Also, ask for suggestions. Micromanagers appreciate it when you seek their advice. That reassures them that you will perform a task to their specifications.
Source: “21 Workplace Personalities: How to Say the Right Things at the Right Time.”
For more information, click here: http://www.briefings.com/cpr.asp?item=BK1392
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Janine Nunes, Editor
Douglas Publications, LLC
4684 Quarry Ridge Trail
Rockford, Ill. 61101
(815) 963-3112
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