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Apr30
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Here's an interesting customer service tip from the Business Processing Outsourcing Blog:
"Your voice can have a positive or negative effect on your interaction with a customer. Speak at a rate that is comfortable for your customer. A good rule of thumb is to speak at a rate of 160 to 180 words per minute."
I thought it interesting in that I never would have thought to measure my rate of speech in terms of words per minute. Many of us are familiar with measuring our typing speed, but rate of speech?
Which brings me to a technique that helps you check your rate of speech... http://www.wmich.edu/grad/gatraining/TAcheck.htm
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Apr30
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We're each given twenty-four hours each day. No more, no less. And the majority of people work about eight hours a day. For those who work in customer service, you are given eight hours each day to offer phenomenal service. ...
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Mitch Mitchell... (How could you forget that name?) Mitch tells us a tale of an online shopping experience that made him feel special :) And of course, that's what we all want to feel - like a special customer. Mitch...
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It was a busy day at Walmart and the lines to check out were ten plus people deep. However, a couple of the self-service lines were very short. "Hey, let's go over to self-service," I tell Hubby. I'm the self-service...
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Here's a little tidbit for you....Consumer Specialist by the name of Angie Lau went "undercover" to expose bad customer service. She reported an experience in a restaurant where she requested a half order of an entree, but the waitress refused...
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Apr29
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This of course is referring to those customers that are just not worth the effort. Yes, sometimes we just have to do it, and thank Goodness it's a very rare occasion. And it's usually the customer who should actually be in a straight-jacket anyways
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Paul Allen of MyFamily.com posted "Remembering to Be a Lovecat", and has reaffirmed his committment to helping other entrepreneurs succeed in their businesses. It certainly is a great reminder to rethink our goals and motivations and why we start a...
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This is a follow-up to my post "Follow-Up With Your Customers". Do you understand what it means to follow up with a customer? Well, if my brief post last month didn't clear it up for you, then I recommend reading...
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Many companies talk left and right about how to gain customer loyalty but often forget that it was their own loyal employees that created loyal customers in the first place.
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Yesterday I received a piece of miscellaneous mail. I say "miscellaneous" because I know that people have put effort in these advertising materials and I don't want to undermine their profession. Anyhow, on the front of the brochure was a...
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Apr28
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Verizon has plans to cut 7,000 jobs in the next three years in an effort to save $8 billion dollars - of which 1,661 jobs in four U.S. call centers will be cut by June 30. Wow, that's a pretty...
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Last month I talked about my dream car, the Audi A8, and announced that I was looking for feedback on Audi's service. Well, looks like I'm not alone in my search. Steve Castledine is also on the hunt for Audi customer...
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When you work in customer service, you definitely have to maintain a certain level of energy and remain positive at all times. This can especially be challenging when some of your coworkers are constantly complaining and have negative attitudes. Believe...
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If you would like to read an illustrated and very detailed rant about customer service in the Arab world, may I point you in the direction of Khalidah's blog >>>> click here to read! I came across Khalidah's blog via...
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I must come clean when it comes to tipping at the coffee shop. Sometimes I'll give a dollar in change versus putting a paper dollar in there so that the barista can hear that I'm giving them a tip.
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Apr27
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Oftentimes it is frusterating when you ask a coworker for help and they're not very giving. What do you do when this is the case? Excellent service to our customers is certainly a must, but we often forget that our...
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With the debut of Southwest's new blog has come a barrage of opinions and criticism of the blog itself. I have yet to form a solid opinion of it except that I do like the graphics and the layout...mmm...nuts... I...
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The Consumerist tells the story of "Widgett Walls" who's been a customer for seven years. Long-story-short, Widgett gets turned down by T-Mobile for a $50 special on a phone because a rep says the special is "expired". So, Widgett leaves...
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Something I hope that all of us strive to do each and every day...because in essence, that is what the whole concept of customer service is.
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According to "Platypus Jack" there is a prevailing myth when it comes to customer service: "It’s ALWAYS the Customer’s Fault" Who would ever say such a thing? But, oh, yes, there are many of us that work in customer service...
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Apr26
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Robert Spector, a best-selling author and speaker, recently gave a presentation to private sector representatives and government and labour officials of Barbados. His speech centered around "Excellence in Service: The Nordstrom Way" and the principles that managers of Nordstrom follow...
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I'm a HUGE bookworm. Look up the word "bookworm" in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of me next to the word :) Reading and blogging certainly do go hand in hand :) I came across "Codicer Noviate's" blog...
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Remember when I emailed Carl's Jr to ask them: What is your customer service policy? I received this email back from them: Dear Ms. Palma: Thank you for taking the time to share your comments with us. We have forwarded...
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Meikah Delid of Customer Relations: The New Competitive Edge, is my guest blogger today. Meikah also provides a wealth of information about customer service. I truly enjoy collaborating with others who are passionate about educating others and have learned quite a...
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I love quotes - something about words of wisdom that truly inspire me, especially when given from people that I admire. I want to start off the day with a few service quotes taken from Wisdom Quotes: Only a life...
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Apr25
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Nick Rice of Strategic Design tells us how he keeps his customers loyal to him: "...If I'm not face-to-face or on the phone, I feel like I'm letting my customers down and I'm afraid that a nuance will be missed....
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In the book, The Mind of the Customer by Richard Hodge & Lou Schachter, there is a passage that talks about the idea that it is the manager's responsiblity to develop a customer-centric system and processes. The authors highlight steps...
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Entrepreneur Magazine recently interviewed a few top sellers on Ebay to find out some of the keys to their success. One of the top sellers is David Wirtenberg, owner of Outrageous Auctions (eBay user ID: outrageousauctions). David sells engagement rings,...
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Why not meet and talk about a mutual resolution to the problem instead of making threats? Doesn't that make more sense?
If your employer threatened to fine you $100 for every week that you provided bad service, how would that make you feel?
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El Pollo Loco, a fast food restaurant chain that specializes in flame-grilled chicken, has recently launched a program that gives customers the opportunity to voice their opinions. It's called "Tell Us About Us", which implements the Assured Resolution(TM) 1-800 Customer...
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Apr24
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Hosting Hoopla published an article by Johnder Perez titled How to Provide Exceptional Service, which is dedicated to all of you online businesses out there. Here's what John recommends: Live Support - an easy way for customers to seek assistance...
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The other day I was in a local coffee shop and as I was walking out the door, noticed a newsletter titled Synergetic Energy: Health, Fitness & Dance In San Diego. I picked it up thinking I would find something...
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Well, I always try to learn something new everyday. Today, I learned the phrase "Give 'Em the Pickle!" which was coined by Bob Farrell, former owner of the Farrell's chain of ice cream parlors (love their service, by the way!). ...
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Imagine visiting a foreign country, hopping into the hotel cab, and the driver greeting you with a "Happy Birthday!" Wouldn't that be suprising, to say the least? Well, this happened to Mr. Lam on his recent visit to Myanmar. "...
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Ahh...the power of the blog. People should pay more attention to how they treat their customers because the power belongs in the hands of these customers - especially the ones with a computer and have a blog! For instance, I...
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Apr21
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I consider myself a pretty positive person, but once in awhile the old cynical Maria slips through... like when I read this at the CRM Blog: "...for this kind of service [ self-help, chat, remote diagnosis, and email management ] to be...
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How about you - do you have average service? Or are you just trying to get by with mediocre customer service?
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I've worked for managers that didn't like it when we had fun at work. When we laughed and carried on, it didn't seem like we were doing anything productive. Bah - humbug! If you're this type of manager, I suggest...
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Avon uses this system for its sales representatives. When I was a rep I used the option a few times and I found it to be very convenient.
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I just now realized that I had started off one of the posts I wrote yesterday with that same Bob Dylan line...
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Apr20
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Miles Baker at MarketingWithMiles.com stresses the importance of following up with your customers.
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If you don't mind, I'm going to take a little break from writing about customer service to tell you that... One of my greatest joys in life is being a part of the Know More Media network of bloggers. (I've...
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Earlier I talked about love and passion for your job... Well, I just came across a passage in Brian Tracy's Getting Rich Your Own Way that complements what I said about love. You could call this a continuation of his...
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Corporate Research International did a survey of 6,000 people and asked them to rate companies in different service areas on a scale from 1-10 - with 10 being the highest score. Here's the ranking of the top three companies in...
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"You're gonna have to serve somebody" -Bob Dylan When I first started writing for this blog, I talked about the idea that, in essence, we all perform some type of service in the work that we do. Whether you're a...
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Apr19
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The way we communicate to our customers is important in the service industry, but it's just as important for owners/CEO's/Executives to communicate with their teams to find out what's going on with customers. Tim Whelan talks about a restaurant he...
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This is another dedication to those people who dislike their customer service "job"... An excerpt from Brian Tracy's book Getting Rich Your Own Way. This may open your eyes and give you a whole new perspective about your current situation.
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There's a great article that I read via the CRM Mastery E-Journal called Why the Customer Care Revolution has Failed -How Companies Misuse the Telephone when Responding to Customers. The author makes note of eight things that cause the greatest...
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Seth Godin has been most generous in offering Know More Media the opportunity to publish a few excerpts from his new book The Big Moo. One of the excerpts is written by one of The Group of 33 and is...
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When women receive a gift from their boyfriend or husband that's in a small square box, you can see their eyes light up even before they open the gift. It's amazing how such a little thing can make someone that...
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Apr18
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We live in a "What's-In-It-For-Me" type of society where many of our interests are centered around personal benefit versus being outwardly focused, or thinking about the community benefit. It reminds me of toddler days when you're constantly saying, "Mine! Mine!"...
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You want a customer service rant? I'll give you a rant.... " People who have never worked in customer service have absolutely no right to complain about their service unless they see the employee sitting down and doing nothing, or...
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There are many reasons why you should give good customer service - not just to customers, but to fellow employees as well. As I was thinking about my own reasons, I happened upon a chapter of Robert Bacal's Perfect Phrases...
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There is skepticism surrounding the idea of service being a "science", but that's what happened when psychology and computer sciences first came about.
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Most businesses begin with the idea of being able to supply customers with what they need or want. As time goes by, some business owners tend to lose sight of this fundamental principle. Problems come up and the day-to-day activities...
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Apr17
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Today Asbury Park Press has an article called "Building Loyalty". It offers many examples of good customer service, particularly how employees can make a huge difference in the reputation of a company. Good customer service always begins with hiring the...
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This is in reference to Jim Green's post at How-To Products... Entrepreneurs have great ideas, but if those ideas are not backed up by great service, all that work simply goes down the drain. It's like throwing money away. Would...
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Late last Thursday night I had a craving for one of those Carl's Jr. malts, so I went to their website to see what kind of flavors they had. Since I was there, I decided to send them an email just...
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We all know as business people that sometimes there are delays in helping a customer. There may be technical problems or just an internal miscommunication between departments. These things happen and we try to do the best we can. We...
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I know that there are many unscrupulous Ebay sellers out there and I often wonder how they are able to stay in business for so long. Many of them get by selling knockoff purses - and I know this because...
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Apr14
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As part of the spring cleaning process Hubby and I decided to get a new bed. So, we shopped online and settled on a couple places to check out. At the first place we were greeted by Mark, whom Hubby...
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I read somewhere that if you have an online business that you shouldn't put too many out-links because you want to keep the customers at your site. However, an article I read today at BusinessWeek Online is making me rethink...
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I'm a huge fan of The Apprentice. In fact, I even went to one of their "tryouts" last year. Needless to say, I didn't make the cut. :) Because I'm on a TV fast for the month - meaning that...
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Ben Mutzabaugh of USA Today tells us that The Senate Commerce Committee is talking about passing a bill that requires call centers to disclose their location when they are on the phone with customers: "The bill, S.2553, would make it...
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Is customer service more than a smile and being cordial? Well, those of you that have been a reader of this blog know that of course, it's more than that! For those of you that think customer service is just...
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Apr13
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Hubby and I just had a conversation about customer service... He says, "Walmart has the best customer service, hands down." "Really?" I ask. "Yeah. There's someone at the front to greet you when you walk in and there's always someone...
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My colleague, Bill Belew, here at Know More Media, tells us that Nissan dealers in China ranked #1 in customer service last year. That's because they were trained by Japanese dealership executives in everything from cleanliness to post-sale customer service. ...
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You've decided to start a whole new CRM initiative.... You get the hardware, software, etc., but don't see any improvement. Mark Levit says that there are a few reasons why these systems don't live up to the hype, and it...
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The more I write about customer service, the more I learn that the movement towards a customer-centric society is slowly but surely getting there. RetailDesignDiva.com asks the question, "Customer Service: A Lost Cause?" and I have to answer simply: No. ...
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Well, I think I'll share a good customer service story since I haven't come across any in the past couple days... I know we're all a little leary of shopping online, especially on Ebay.com because of horror stories we've read...
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Apr12
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I know many of us would just love it if we could get a big account for our business - big account meaning a huge corporation, thus the word "elephant" - which is used in Steve Kaplan's book called Bag...
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Thinking about applying for a job with Southwest Airlines? Don't just expect your standard interview - you're in for a job audition, and it starts the moment you first call them. Managers take notes of every conversation and contact you...
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I visited Barnes & Noble today and browsed through Ken Blanchard's book, Customer Mania: It's Never Too Late to Build a Customer-Focused Company. From what I read, it looks like a good book. The book goes into detail on four...
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