I found it in a fast food restaurant.

I was invited to speak at a customer service conference in Sydney and found time to wander and enjoy my favourite sites. It was early afternoon and I came across  Planet Hollywood so I popped in for lunch. I received a very friendly welcome  from David and shown to a table,  he was polite, positive and seemed genuinely interested in me.  I received the usual glass of water and a menu.

A little later David returned and took my  order; he asked questions about my visit to Sydney and discussed himself and his work. When he returned, to clear the table and ask if I would like sweets and coffee, I thanked him for his great service and asked about customer service training in Planet Hollywood. He said customer service training had a strong focus in the organisation. I asked if he could tell me more; he said the training manager was in the store and asked if I would like to meet her.

Rachel introduced herself, joined me for coffee and we chatted; I said how great the service was and asked if I could have an overview of their customer service training program as I understood from David that it is quite extensive. She was happy to oblige and provided an overview that included three main elements that I continue to use when developing teams in call centres and other customer focused business areas.

Rachel said new recruits are trained for,  –  “Oh,  a whole day”. I smiled and asked, what is taught in that ‘whole’ day?”  She said, “we talk about the history of Planet Hollywood, where it began, where we are now, our values and future strategies and how we will get there, where the position of the recruit fits into the vision, how their role links to the organisation’s goals etc. etc”.  She said “Now that the role and the values of the organisation  are clear, the applicant can know if the job is right for them, – or not.”

I then asked about the next steps, she said, “we then put the new employee with David, the person you like so much”. “Is that all?” No, Rachel said, “we conduct a 10 minute, customer service session each morning, for example  how to quickly and professionally clear and reset a table”. I said “So you would have all the new people come in ten minutes early and run through this table setting exercise”. “No! We have everyone come in and do the exercise; some have been through it several times!”

So, there’s the secret, 1.) Corporate information so people feel they are part of the organisation and have buy-in. – 2.) Buddy system, to learn and practice with the good performers while also recognising those who perform well, and 3.) Repetition that creates ongoing learning and develops a learning culture.

I have successfully used these steps to improve customer service performance in many organisations, usually with the addition of required technical skills.

Glen Hoppo    http://www.positive-effect.com

Ongoing, incremental improvement, creating success. Remember?

Many organisations have forgotten the ‘Kaizen’ principles of employee driven, incremental and continuous improvement that created significant business growth in the second half of the 1900s. The aim was simple, encourage and support the people who actually do the work, i.e. everyone, to focus on small improvements and removing waste in their area of responsibility.

The most obvious example of leaders taking their eye off the ‘Kaizen’ ball is the absence of mental ingenuity when corporate leaders implement employee learning and staff development programs. Are they employee driven? Are they Incremental and ongoing? Do they consider time waste? There are training programs, e.g.  ‘Tucker Box’ that present a ‘Kaizen’ approach to staff development, an approach that creates a continuous learning culture through time effective, employee driven, incremental learning.

  Glen Hoppo      POSITIVE EFFECT    www.positive-effect.com

What Julie Did

I visited Whirlpool in Benton Harbour Michigan because they always achieved a great CSI [Customer Service Index] rating and I wanted to learn how they do it.  After spending time with the management team and hearing about their approach to customer service and all the tools that were in place to measure and control their customer service performance I asked if I could spend some time with the 100% people [That’s what I call the people who interact directly with the customer, as they are the ones who know 100% about the barriers, preventing them from delivering quality service]

In the Contact Centre I was introduced to Julie. We discussed her job, the organisation and the role of the Contact Centre, and as we chatted she discussed Whirlpool’s corporate values and in particular those that focus on customer service, she talked about the organisation’s visions and mission and answered my questions about customer service achievements and future directions. She also took an interest in me, my family in Australia and what I was hoping to gain from my visit. 

Then the telephone rang and the customer’s details immediately popped up on the computer screen, Julie said “excuse me”, picked up the telephone and said “Good afternoon; Whirlpool service centre; this is Julie”. The customer had purchased a Whirlpool dishwasher and needed a new cap for the soap dispenser. Although she had registered the purchase, the dishwasher was now out of guarantee. 

Julie down loaded a picture of the dishwasher, enlarged the cap and described it to the customer. After confirming that this was the correct item she looked at the inventory information, advised the customer that the cap was available and that she could have it delivered by 10.30 tomorrow morning. I then heard Julie say; “No, you’re a Whirlpool customer we wouldn’t charge you for a little cap”. After a brief discussion Julie asked if there was anything else she could help with, and closed with a friendly parting comment. 

I’m sure at the customer’s next BBQ when a friend says she is looking for a new dishwasher, the customer will mention the great service she received from Whirlpool. 

This is how easy it is to turn a customer into an advocate. Have you identified your caps?

Glen Hoppo  Tucker Box Program  http://www.positive-effect.com/Tuckerbox.html

Communicating with your customer

Attentive customer communication skills can not only make your day easier and help you to create loyal customers; you will also learn things that improve your business. 

It is good to remember that when you are communicating with a customer there are two people who want to say something very important; and want the undivided attention of the other, quite often at the same moment. 

Listen to the customer, even if you know what they are going to say because you’ve heard it all many times before. Don’t interrupt hoping to provide a better service and show that you understand. The customer, like you, wants to tell their story and be heard. Their story may be slightly different this time and you will make the situation worse by interrupting in mid-sentence only to say something that is not relevant.

By being attentive you will pick-up on the non verbal signs that tell you when to have your say. You can then paraphrase relevant parts of the customer’s story to ensure that the communication is connecting, and to allow you to show real empathy for the customer and their situation. 

Reciting legislation or your customer service policies to a customer who is looking to you for answers will only inflame the situation. Let the customer know that you understand and are sympathetic and you may begin to diffuse the situation. If the policies are the reason the customer can’t achieve their desired outcome, be sure you understand the policies and why they are in place, what customer benefits they provide or the risks they address, you can then help the customer understand and accept your response. 

Taking notes as the customer is telling you their story will allow the customer to feel empowered, and they will feel more confident that you are interested in helping them. This is particularly important when you have to get back at a later time, it is also important in this circumstance that you give your name and direct contact details. 

You must lead the conversation, don’t let the customer take you down unrelated paths. By asking open questions related to the subject at hand you can keep the conversation on track toward the best outcome.

Glen Hoppo    POSITIVE EFFECT   www.positive-effect.com

And to everyone our best wishes for a Merry Christmas

And to everyone our best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and a little story about a customer service experience while on Christmas holidays a few years ago.

We met a couple while getting tickets for a show at Treasure Island and quickly became friends. We found we were staying at the same hotel, and when we arrived back there after the show we felt like a midnight snack.

We had some light food and a nice conversation, then the waitress asked if we would like coffee, we all agreed and gave our order, “I’ll have tea, mine will be a latte, make mine a long black”. Marcelle wanted a tea but didn’t like the perfumed teas that were often served and asked if they had English breakfast.

The orders were taken and then confirmed including the English Breakfast “Would you like eggs, bacon, tomatoes” We explained that we wanted English Breakfast tea and all laughed including the waitress.

The message here is; a request for an English breakfast at midnight, however odd, would have been willingly prepared and provided without question. Compare this with a request in a North Adelaide bistro for a salad with some grilled prawns added. “Sorry we can’t do that it is not on the menu.” When asked if there could be an exception as both the salad and grilled prawns were on the menu separately and cost was not the issue. “Sorry, we have checked with the chef and he won’t do it!” A follow-up phone call the next day resulted in the manager supporting the chef. “It’s not easy to get a good Chef!” She said.

I know the customer isn’t always right but isn’t it our objective to help the customer achieve their goals, even if it is a little difficult or even a little odd. No, we haven’t been back.

Glen Hoppo    POSITIVE EFFECT   www.positive-effect.com

They’re not Customer Service Representatives

It’s time for leaders in public and private organisations to realise that the people who provide service to customers are not Customer Service Representatives; they are Custodians of Image and Reputation. This change in language will create a corporate mindset that positively impacts on employees, customers and the bottom-line.

Employees in customer contact positions will now be more carefully selected; they will have the important attributes of commitment to customer relationships, empathy, consistency and accuracy and all those other key customer service attributes like being comfortable with strangers, however they will also have the capacity to lead an interaction, be a decision maker, accept accountability and understand the corporate vision, mission and values.

Organisations that understand this true role of a customer service representative demonstrate a stronger focus on employee support and motivation. Skill training and refreshment is not a once in decade activity but an ongoing program that enhances the corporate customer service culture. They regularly monitor and measure their image & reputation index.

All employees representing the organisation must have these twin capacities, image and reputation.

• Image is created and may have a cost. It is independent so can be introduced quickly and react to opportunities as they appear.
• Reputation is earned, it has a long corporate life, and will require ongoing effort. It is a tangible asset. It must be carefully managed by leaders who lead from the future.

Leaders in these organisations demonstrate three key employee motivation factors and ensure they are part of the corporate culture.

• The opportunity to be responsible.
• The opportunity to grow.
• The opportunity to deliver an outcome.

Glen Hoppo    Positive Effect    www.positive-effect.com

 

We must satisfy three customer groups

To achieve a level of customer service that turns customers into advocates you must satisfy three customer groups. They are:

• External Customers
• Intermediate Customers
• Internal Customers

External customers are the end users of your products and services. This is the group you are usually referring to when creating corporate customer values or arranging customer service training etc. As important as this focus is, exceeding the expectations of external customers is only possible when you have an equal focus on the other two customer groups.

Intermediate customers are the suppliers of products/services you rely on to be able to deliver quality service to your external customers. They include courier services, stationers, product wholesalers, manufacturers, contract finance and legal services, cleaning and maintenance providers etc. By establishing a solid customer relationship with these groups you will be sure the tools and services required to satisfy external customers will be available when and where they are needed. If supply and delivery issues arise it is better for your external customers if there is a close relationship that goes beyond the standard supplier / provider agreement.

Internal customers are people within the organisation that you rely on to do your work. The definition of an internal customers is: “People I rely on to do my work, and people who rely on me to do their work.” Internal customer service is too important to be just “Everyone who works here”. Internal customer service needs to have the same level of dedication, commitment, responsiveness and focus on exceeding individual customer expectations as external customer service.

Quality customer service isn’t something you switch on when an external customer walks in, it’s all of us all of the time.

Glen Hoppo    POSITIVE EFFECT   www.positive-effect.com

Do you really want me in your store?

Everything we do impacts on our customer service  image and reputation, including those little signs we see everywhere. – NICE TO LOOK AT, NICE TO HOLD. IF YOU BREAK IT CONSIDER IT SOLD. This signs says that although I’m your customer and you want my business you don’t really trust me to be in your store. or CHILDREN TO BE SUPERVISED AT ALL TIMES, so now my children are considered dangerous.  These signs, and many like them, remain in our customer’s sub conscious and impact on the impression they have about us and our customer values.

 After all, customer service is about the customer’s experience not about the transaction, our aim should be to create a customer experience that is comfortable and welcoming, one that makes the customer feel special. It is important to consider all non-verbal communication. Take a few minutes to go out of the customer area, then walk back and ask yourself, “What does this space, including the fittings and decor, say to my customer? Does it clearly reflect the customer values we promote?”  

 During a customer service study tour I visited a store that sold toys, chinaware, books and ornaments. The sign in the entrance was refreshing.

 STORE POLICIES:

1. Please touch the merchandise.
2. Feel free to play with anything in the store [except the employees].
3. If you break it, relax we know you didn’t mean to.
4. Food and drinks allowed, enjoy.
5. No shoes, No shirt, No sweat.
6. Our products carry a life time guarantee, the life of the product, not yours.
7. All sales are final.  [more or less]
8. Most importantly our employees have been instructed not to say “Have a nice day”.

I was shopping in Adelaide and in a similar store when I saw a sign on the service counter. ALL BREAKAGES MUST BE PAID FOR.  I asked the manager if he had a lot of trouble with customers breaking things in the store, he said he couldn’t remember the last time something was broken. I asked why he had the sign so prominently displayed. “Oh, they were selling them at the stationers, so I bought one.” Was his reply.

Customer satisfaction is influenced by our non-verbal communication, we must take time to consider the messages we are sending.

Glen Hoppo   www.positive-effect.com

Common Customer Service Gaps

Corporate leaders who consistently live and breathe the customer service vision and values will address the four common customer service gaps.

Gap 1.  Between the customers’ expectations and management perceptions of the customers’ expectations. This gap will be closed when leaders establish a strong corporate customer service culture with a regular program of actively listening to customers.

Gap 2. Between management understanding of customer expectations and the specifications of quality service across the organisation, this requires customer service values of the whole organisation to align with the operating procedures, policies and customer satisfaction research.

Gap 3. Between the organisation’s strong customer service specifications and values, and what is actually delivered. To close this gap all employees must have the required skills, motivation and tools to deliver exceptional customer service.

Gap 4. A frequently over-looked gap between the service quality that is being delivered/ able to be delivered and the service and product quality promised by marketing and advertising departments.  Leaders must recognise what they want to receive. In customer service this is measurement and recognition of the corporate customer values across all departments and all employees, it’s a focus on having the greatest impact on the customer’s success.

Glen Hoppo   www.positive-effect.com

Rule 1; The Customer Is Always Right

 

Rule 1 The customer is always right

    Rule 2 When the customer is wrong refer to rule 1

The customer service people in your organisation, hopefully that is everyone, know that the customer is not always right. Although these rules have been promoted by customer service gurus for decades, employees will question the credibility of those leaders who continuously trumpet them as customer service facts.

 There is a very small number of customers who seem to exist only to wield their imagined power over the organisation; these are the verbally abusive customers whose demands go far beyond what is reasonable, they are the ‘squeaky wheels’ that want to be continuously lubricated with your time, energy and resources. There comes a point where these customers have a negative impact on your profit margins, employee morale and even harmful to your organisation’s reputation. Customer focused organisations know that it is how you manage these customers that counts. It is certainly poor business sense to develop a culture where employees readily label a customer as unwanted or too difficult to spend time with.

By establishing clear expectations and accountabilities at the start of all customer relationships you will encourage those customers who are not going to be happy with your product or service to choose not to deal with you. With clearly defined conditions and agreements it is unlikely that a customer will become difficult and a burden on the business.  Of course some organisations have captive customers here it is essential to continually upgrade ‘difficult people’ skills and provide support for employees in the front line.

If your efforts to turn a very bad situation into a mutually beneficial relationship are not working it may be necessary to disconnect from that customer. This should be done professionally with a focus on the business issues, not personalities, while leaving no doubt about what is happening and why.   

 The relationship with your customer should be mutually beneficial; with each party clear about their expectations and responsibilities. Great customer service is only possible when each party has clear objectives and everyone works together to achieve them

 Glen Hoppo   ‘People Series’ workshops      www.Positive-Effect.com