1. Know who is boss...Never forget that the customer pays our salary and makes your job possible.
2. Be a good listener.
3. Identify and anticipate needs
4. Make customers feel important and appreciated
5. Help customers understand your systems
6. Appreciate the power of "Yes
7. Know how to apologize
8. Give more than expected.
9. Get regular feedback
10.Treat employees well.
My thoughts:
#5 is something I haven't covered here before - helping customers to understand your systems. Every business has a different way of collecting and distributing information and most of us use computers to make these processes work. It may be very foreign to a customer when we tell them we can't give them the information that they are seeking. Explaining to the customer something like the shipping process of certain items, account privacy, or the amount of information that is available alleviates alot of confusion and assumptions.
"5. Help customers understand your systems"
I first began to appreciate the power of this element of customer service while working with hospitals and health care givers.
Patients do not have any idea of the "system" they are entering when they are admitted to a hospital.
Taking time to explain how things will work within the hospital's system and what they can expect is fabulous service for patient and patient's family.
Good post - thanks adding to and enlarging the covnersation!
Posted by: Michael Wagner | October 7, 2006 12:39 PM | Permalink to Comment