I've Got a Secret

I have a secret. Actually, I've got THE secret.

It is the secret to good customer service.

Are you ready? You might want to sit down for this one. It's deep. It's highly intelligent.

Now that you've stopped laughing, here it is.

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There is no secret.

Countless books have been written about the secrets to effective customer service. But there is no big secret. Everyone can offer great customer service.

And doing it consistently will make you known for offering good service.

Customer Service Tips - Go the Extra Mile

This term has its origins during Biblical times. Roman soldiers could ask anyone to carry their sack or equipment for a mile. Jesus said, "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."

By going the extra mile for your customer, you are doing more than what is expected. You are going above and beyond the norm.

By doing so, your customers will remember you in a positive way and they may be more loyal to you.

If you are finding a tough way to start, watch this video about going over the top.



Make the choice today to go the extra mile. Of course, you can also make the choice that you are just going to sit around and collect a paycheck and not even go the first mile.

I guess those are the folks who don't need a job.

Who is responsible?

You are a manager. Good!

You are working the front line. Great!

A customer comes in. Wonderful!

They want to see you. Sweet!

They don't look happy. Uh-oh!

They want to lodge a complaint about one of your employees. Rats!

Who is responsible? Me?

Should the employee be the one to make it right? No. You'll talk to the employee and get their side of the story, right? No. You're committed to handling the situation right then and there. YES!

While the customer may just need to vent, action on your part will show them you care enough beyond just listening. At that moment, you are responsible. At that moment, you need to take action. At that moment the customer needs to know that when they leave, a resolution is in the works.

Are you responsible?

What's your favorite?

"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse." - Walter Elias Disney

A friend posed a question the other day regarding the Walt Disney World Resort. What one WDW ride do you have to go on every trip? I said it was Pirates of the Caribbean (POTC). And there was a story why.

I attended my first Disney Institute course in November 2009. We were in classes all day and had most evenings off to do as we please. One of the evenings I chose to go to the Magic Kingdom. I had been asked by my son to get a picture of one of the Cast Members, Aaron, who works at the Pirates League, a place where kids of all ages can get a pirate makeover. Costume, makeup, pirate name, pirate secrets, you name it, they do it. Aaron made such an impression on my then 9-year-old son that he wanted to pass along a friendly greeting.

I wondered if Aaron would remember us. I am sure he saw hundreds of kids and adults in the 4 months since we were there. I strolled up to the check-in counter this particular night and guess who was standing there? I told Aaron why I was there and he stepped aside so I could take his picture. We shook hands and I headed over to ride POTC.

As I exited the ride, Aaron was waiting for me at the top of the escalator. With him he had a treasure map and some beads. He told me to give them to my son. Now, this may seem like nothing to the casual observer. But to me and my son, it's as if we were given the winning lottery numbers. But because of that seemingly small gift (that map and those beads are probably a dime for two dozen) we are guests for life.

Do your customers remember you? When they are asked about the product or service you offer will they refer to you as their favorite?

Go back to the beginning - It's never too late to restart

It's a safe bet to say that most of you reading this blog have played the classic Hasbro board games Monopoly or Sorry!. Both games involve starting over for one reason or another. We even have to reset our computers or other electronic devices once in a while.

Sports teams often have to go back to the basics because something is not working right. A new coach comes in and cleans house, frequently building a new foundation from which he builds his team, his way.

As kids, we learn to sit up, then crawl, and then walk. When learning a new language, we learn the basics first; common words and simple phrases. We don't start with advanced conversations.

So, in many aspects of life, it's a good idea to go back to the beginning and review those principals and practices we learned when we started our current position. It can be our job (for pay) or it can be our job in life (husband, wife, father, mother, child). Life can be running so well that we don't think we need to go back and review the ideals and goals we had in the beginning. We can be cruising along and still get hit by a blind spot. That's why they call them by that name. We don't see them coming. We forget. We lose focus.

What about this guy? He was at the top of his game. He still has the talent to remain at the top. But something has thrown him off. Way off. He was seen working with a trainer recently. Hopefully, this is an attempt to restart, to go over the basics and build from there. Go back to the beginning. It's never too late restart.

It's a Business Decision

When I was at the bank recently making a deposit, I told the teller (she's one of my customers too) that we would no longer be banking with them after 1 more day. This is a bank with which we have done business for the past decade. The very nice teller said, "I understand. It's a business decision." She said this with a smile on her face as she looked me straight in the eyes.

What a great attitude! She didn't take it personally. Even though one of the factors in the decision to move was because of a gap in service, it wasn't something she did that ran us off.

While we gave them advance warning of our departure, most of your customers will not when they decide to leave you. You may never know the reason why. Unless you follow your sales, transaction count, ordering, phone volume, or some other key indicator for your business, how will you know? Would you even consider asking your customer why?

If you have invested in a personal relationship with your customer they will probably go out of their way to do business with you or they may feel compelled to tell you why they have stopped. It's more than conducting a transaction. That's what we have registers or POS systems for. Technology will never be able to replace what we long for, and that's relationship. The face-to-face interaction is so important to the livelihood of most businesses.

So get to know your customer. Know their needs and wants before they do. Otherwise, their decision will be to take their business elsewhere.

Congratulations on Your New Job!

I would like to thank you for your years of service. I must inform you that your job is in a state of transformation.

I know this is not the best way to inform you of this. It is much better to do it in person rather than what seems to be an impersonal blog post. But this is a change you may or may not have seen coming.

First off, I wanted to congratulate you on your new job in marketing. I know this probably isn't what you signed up for when you accepted your current position. But, due to many factors beyond your control, you are being reassigned. Why marketing? Don't we already have a team in place that handles all of our marketing? Well, yes and no.

David Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, had this to say about marketing:

"Marketing is too important to be left to the marketing department."

So, starting today, you are now part of the marketing team. You are the face, the personality, the front man (or woman). You inform, educate and cultivate your customer base. It's not just a simple task of working a register or stocking shelves. When customers think of your operation, they often think of you.

Millions of dollars are spent every day on elaborate advertising in print, television ads and radio spots. Throw the internet into the mix and you have the potential for hundreds of millions of impressions a day for your product or service. But if the "face" your customers see is just like everyone else, then they will treat your product or service just like everything else they see. Soon, they will become blind to what you have to offer until they no longer know you are around.

Good luck in your new job!

WOW Moments

Have you experienced a WOW moment today?


Disney believes so much in creating magical WOW moments for their guests that they held a competition a couple of years ago to see who would be their Chief Magic Official. Through a long process which included an online application, interviews, video submissions and an on-site competition, they determined who would be responsible for spreading magic and inspiration throughout the theme parks and surrounding communities. Job duties include creating magical dreams for guests from around the world. The ideal candidate must be happy, never grumpy, able to easily befriend dwarves, dogs, monsters and mice. Must have good manners but can pillage and plunder with pirates when necessary. Must have an interest in oversized teacups and flying elephants.

This wasn't something that Disney went into lightly. It was their intent to find the best person possible to, as they put it, "make dreams come true." Disney was already skilled at making "wow" moments for their guests. They wanted to kick it up a notch.


While you may not be in the dream-to-reality business, you can still create those "wow" moments for your customers. How do you do that? It's really simple. 


Exceed their expectations. 


Most businesses don't. Most businesses are . . . well . . . whelming. Sometimes over, sometimes under.

Create those moments that leave your customers saying "WOW" to their friends, family or colleagues. They will remember you for it and your repeat business will improve.

Because it's what we SHOULD do

"It's not our fault, but it is our problem."

At the The Disney Institute, this axiom is taught as a foundation for the level of service that they offer to each guest and each Cast Member.

The perfect example came up recently with this statement in mind. A customer came in with a product that is normally non-refundable, without a receipt and pretty much expected a full refund. He didn't make up a wild story about why he had to return the product. He told us he needed the money in order to pay his light bill. Whether that was actually the case or not isn't the point. By company policy, we are under no obligation to refund this purchase. He didn't play by the rules to qualify for a refund.

Can you guess by now that I went ahead and gave him a refund? Yep. I sure did. I had other employees present and I could tell they were watching what I was doing but seemed to be more interested in WHY I did it.

Years ago, I had a job at a state university. Lots of rules, lots of procedures, lots of deadlines. In my non-supervisory role, it was my job to communicate the rules and deadlines to prospective students. Those over me had the authority to grant exceptions to the rules when necessary. And after every deadline, it was necessary. Why? Well it wasn't what we had to do. It became necessary because it was what we SHOULD do. In other words, it was the right thing to do given the individual circumstances.

Policies and procedures are in place in most organizations for a reason. They are there to maintain order and avoid chaos. I read on a friend's blog about an experience he had with his cellular telephone provider. He needed a temporary fix for a problem but they were unwilling to help him. Get it? They were not willing to offer a short term solution. Instead of being innovative and make an attempt to exceed the customer's expectations, they stood behind their policies, beat their chests and said, "We are right! You are wrong and we don't care about you!"

I am not advocating dumping all the rules and let chaos guide our decisions. It's not our fault that you can't pay your light/cell phone/water/grocery/mortgage. But it is our problem and we will do what we can to fix it. Because it's what we should do!

Pay Attention

Details, shmetails. Nitpicking. Demanding. Overcritical. Hypercritical. Choose whatever word you want to describe it. Paying attention to even the smallest detail can result in huge rewards. You don't do the details to showcase them in the end. The details, nitpicking and criticism early on in a process usually produce the final product that is worthy of the effort.

Where does the term nitpicking come from? Nitpicking is the process of removing the eggs of head lice (nits) from individual hairs. Years ago, the only options to remove lice were either to shave the hair totally off or to pick them off one by one, examining each individual hair. This is a painstaking, laborious process. But before modern chemicals were found to treat lice, most people only had these choices.

Out of this practice came the term nitpicking which has a negative connotation. The practice is described as meticulous, fastidious, and painstaking. Some people see it as a pastime that only looks for mistakes and inconsistencies. Well, DUH?!?! If we are not paying attention to the details in the work we do (i.e. nitpicking), we are putting out an inferior product or service. Unless you shop at a second-hand store or a scratch and dent outlet, don't you expect a certain level of quality in the goods and services you receive?


If you've never wondered "Where's Waldo?" you can click on the picture above. A new window should appear so you can search the details of the picture to find Waldo. It's a tedious process!

Walt Disney was the master in paying attention to the details. In the Magic Kingdom alone there are seven themed lands; Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, Mickey's Toontown Fair and Tomorrowland. As you move from one land to another, everything transforms to fit the "land" around you. Music playing in the background, they type of pavement under your feet, the costumes of the cast members, the signage, the color of the lighting and the food that is offered are just a few areas where every detail has been addressed.

Pay attention to the details of your job. Let your manager know if you are not able to focus on the details because something is in the way. Do you need to pay more attention to the details? Is there an area at which you excel? Is there an area you are passionate about? Giving the proper focus, time and dedication to the details will bring big rewards!

Curb Service

When you mention the words "curb service" what comes to mind? Depending on when you grew up you might be familiar with some of the old-fashioned drive in diners that dotted the highways and byways throughout the country. Most small towns at one time had a drive in diner. The image of waitresses on roller skates is even further supported in movies and television programming.

Today I had just arrived from the bank when a truck pulled up in front of the store. The way my store is positioned there is a break in the curb to allow wheelchairs, walkers or people with other disabilities to gain access to the sidewalk without having to step up on the curb. Well this man parked right in front of the store blatantly blocking that ramp. I got the lights turned on and looked out front wondering what I was going to say to this man who ignored the "No Parking" sign hanging right in front of him.

As I look out the front door he makes eye contact with me and holds up a handicap hang tag. Immediately my attitude changed from focusing on what I perceived as a rude person to one of a person in need. I walked outside with a smile on my face and I could immediately tell this gentleman was embarrassed by his situation. He was overweight and I could see a cane in the seat next to him. He told me he was scheduled for surgery and needed some items to help him over the next couple of weeks prior to his surgery. After giving me the list, I returned with a training slip showing him what his total was. He gave me his credit card . . . you get the idea. I thanked him, gave him by business card and told him if he had any questions or concerns all he had to do was call me. He was genuinely appreciative of the service he received.

We are part of a culture that expects quick, no-frills service. Drive-thru coffee, drive-thru immunizations and drive-thru weddings were unheard of a generation ago. I guess we can blame it on our parents and grandparents. . . doubt it. We have created this type of atmosphere.

A lot of people today expect curb service type attention. But to those that don't expect it, what would happen if we delivered it to them anyway?

What can you do to bring that level of service to every customer that comes through your doors?

* Smile
* Listen
* Thank the customer
* Look them in the eye
* Carry their purchase to their car, if possible
* Offer freebies

It's pretty simple. Serve your customer as if they were a guest in your home.

How can we use senses to work for us? Sight

How much do we pay attention to the senses when it comes to customer interaction? What we smell, what we can feel, what we see, what we taste and what we hear. How can we use the senses to work for us? How can we use them to enhance the level of customer service we already give?



Sight

What kind of impressions do your customers see when they enter your store? No, we're not talking about your best rendition of Ronald Reagan or John Wayne. What we are talking about is what your customer sees. What attracts them visually to the store? What drives them away visually? Is there a "hook" that piques their interest?



Are you sending a mixed message? If there was no verbal communication between you and your guests is there enough signage and merchandising to speak in your absence?

Everyone loves a bargain. And marketers know this. It is not a new strategy and products are often put on sale to create an impression of a bargain which activates a centuries-old hoarding instinct. We're not talking about OCD tendencies here. But when a customer sees something on sale they are more likely to be attracted to that item.

1. Are all signs correct and being utilized? Are all products sale priced and marked appropriately?

2. Do you know what is on sale around your store? Can you tell your guest what their dollar savings will be? Did you know there are applications for iPhone users where they can take a picture of a barcode and search online sites such as Google for the best price? Yes, they do exist and our customers are savvy enough to use this type of technology to their advantage.

3. What about the lighting? Are all lights working and properly focused? Are the rugs and floors dirty or in bad shape?

The "show" aspect is just one of the key components to the customer's overall shopping experience. How does your show set look?

Cannot vs. Can-DO

A few months ago I had the urge to put some of my thoughts on paper. This came about after returning from a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort in central Florida. Sure, I enjoyed the rides, and the music, and the food, and the shows. But it was something that a Cast Member said that really stuck with me. At the last moment, we decided we wanted to go out for dinner so I headed off to the concierge desk to check on available dining locations.

When I approached the desk, the Cast Member (CM) motioned me over to his station. I told him that we didn't have any plans for dinner and being late in the afternoon, I asked if he could help me with some last-minute reservations. He said, "Of course!" That's it. That's all he said that impressed me. He went on and found us an available seating at Chefs de France. But it was the attitude the CM had that struck me the most. It was an attitude of why-of-course-I-can-help-you-why-wouldn't-you-think-I-couldn't-help-you. Although he never said it, that was the message conveyed. At no time during the experience did I ever think the word "No" was going to come out of his mouth.

This got me thinking about customer service in general. Working in retail, we often come across people who make up elaborate stories in order to get their way. Sometimes customers who need to return a product will fabricate a wild story instead of just telling the truth. For whatever reason, they seem to be afraid to tell the truth. Why is that? Other than the obvious moral implications, have we in retail created an environment where customers expect an attitude of "cannot" rather than "can-do"? I believe we have. Customers are compelled to lie and cheat in order to get what they want.

So, what can we do?

We CAN offer customers a clean, inviting store neatly arranged as to provide a pleasant shopping experience.

We CAN turn a customer's unpleasant experience at another store into a delightful experience at our store so that customers will go out of their way to shop with us!

We CAN go out of our way to find the answer to a customer's question.

We CAN go out of our way to fill a customer's request at the best price in the shortest amount of time.

Because of mediocre (at best) service that is a common characteristic of most businesses, customers often expect a negative response when a customer service issue arises. I say, not any more. Not on my watch. We can DO it!