Dennis Snow Blog

Fellow consultant and blogger Mari Pat Varga recently asked me to be a guest blogger on her site. Specifically, she wanted me to discuss the customer experience improvement tool that I call “Service Mapping,” which helps organizations design their processes with the “lens of the customer” in mind.

In the blog post (the link is below) Mari Pat also included a clip from one of my presentations in which I describe how to get the most from the Service Mapping tool.

I hope you find the tool to be valuable in your service improvement efforts!

A Tool For Creating Outstanding Customer Experiences

Tags: Recommended Resources, Tips for Better Customer Service, Unleashing Excellence // Add Comment »

I recently interviewed Kevin Stirtz, The Amazing Service Guy, on the subject of improving customer service. Kevin’s experience as a speaker and consultant has led him to engagements with organizations like Urban Outfitters, Supercuts, Pep Boys, and Embassy Suites.

Kevin also hosts one of the best customer service sites on the Web, www.AmazingServiceGuy.com.

Click below to listen to our interview, which focuses on what organizations can do to continually raise the level of service they provide.

 

 Kevin Stirtz Interview [29:08m]: Play Now | Download

Tags: Audio Interview // Add Comment »

I recently had the opportunity to work with Family Video, the largest privately owned movie and game “rentailer” in the United States, and third largest overall, with 612 stores. In an industry struggling to deal with significant changes, such as new rental options offered by Netflix and Redbox, Family Video is the only DVD/game rental operation showing positive growth. Expanding continually, they again achieved record profits last year.

Why is Family Video doing so well as others in the industry struggle? First, they are constantly looking for ways to offer increased value to their customers. Free children’s movies and innovative new release promotions draw current and new customers to the store. I believe, however, their biggest advantage is the way they’ve crafted the customer experience. Each element of the experience has been studied and designed to maximize customer satisfaction.

One of my favorite examples is the Family Video policy to “diffuse first, educate second.” This means that whenever a customer problem occurs, such as a disputed late fee for a DVD, employees are expected to first make the customer happy (diffuse the situation), then explain the policy (educate).

For example, sometimes new members are confused about late fees for DVDs and games. If a customer complains, employees are empowered to waive the late fee, which they immediately let the customer know. After diffusing the situation, the employee then explains the policy. Now they have a happy customer who understands the policy. (Their computer system can indicate if someone abuses the system).

The approach may appear subtle, but it is profound. Think about it; usually when customers complain about a policy or perceived injustice from an organization, the first thing that happens is an employee explains the company policy. Internally the customer gets tense, builds their argument, and waits to present their case. When the employee then says something like, “I’ll do it for you this time,” the customer feels as though they’ve been chastised (like a child), and that they should be grateful to the company for agreeing to wave their policy. (Isn’t it amazing how many companies act as thought the customer should be grateful for the privilege of spending money with the company?)

The Family Video approach turns the situation around. The tension is immediately diffused because the employee first takes care of the problem. Now when the policy is explained, customers listen because they’re not crafting their argument. Again, subtle but profound.

The impressive thing about Family Video is that approaches like “diffuse first, educate second” are built into the organization’s culture (I’ve provide just one example). These touches are not just desired of employees, they’re expected. Therefore Family Video is relentless in training and reinforcing their special touches, and they’re fanatical about hiring employees who embrace such a customer-centric approach.

What’s the result of their efforts? As mentioned earlier - expansion as well as record profits in a “declining industry.” Not a bad return on their investment in the customer experience.

The lesson here for me is about bridging the gap between the science and the art of customer service. The science of customer service tells us that service recovery (in this example) is important for creating strong customer relationships. The art, however, digs deep into the how of what we do. The art asks, “how can we create the strongest emotional connection with what we do?” World-class service organizations don’t just teach the science of service, they help employees perfect the art of customer service.

Organization’s often make the mistake of looking for the holy grail customer service practice that will rocket them past competitors. It just doesn’t’ work that way. Great customer service isn’t the result of one big thing; it’s the result of many little things done extremely well.

Suggestion: Take a look at your organization’s approach to service recovery. See how you can apply “diffuse first, educate second” to your approach.

Suggestion: Look at one of your customer service practices and brainstorm the art that can take the science of the practice to a new level.

Tags: Commentary, Service Analysis, Tips for Better Customer Service // Add Comment »

Every morning, the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz reviews the list of clients who will be visiting the office that day, noting the industries the visiting clients are in. Then, instead of having generic magazines in the waiting room, they put out magazines that are of interest to members of those industries.

They have to stay on top of their client list so that they have appropriate magazines, but imagine how much better their approach is than the norm. Most waiting rooms have the standard, general-interest magazines that, more often than not, are months (or years) out of date.

I can imagine the Baker Donelson receptionist saying to a client from the construction industry, “Good morning, Mr. Peterson; Janice will be ready for you in a minute. I just put out the latest issue of Builder News for you to look at while you’re here.” I have to imagine that Mr. Peterson would be impressed by the personal touch offered by the firm. And a subtle message is also communicated - “Baker Donelson focuses on the latest trends in my industry, since they subscribe to my industry’s periodicals.”

What can you do to demonstrate personal interest in your customers?

Tags: Service Analysis, Tips for Better Customer Service // Add Comment »

My post about my recent experiences with Southwest Airlines, The Curse of Arrogance, seems to have struck a nerve with some folks, especially Southwest Airlines flight attendants. Another site picked up the thread and included several comments from flight attendants who placed the blame on obnoxious or abusive passengers. I agree; no employee of any organization should put up with abuse. But the situations I observed involved no abusive passengers. As I wrote in the original post, I’ve recently started to notice more and more Southwest flight attendants being standoffish, mechanical, and impatient. In other words, more like flight attendants on other airlines.

Keep in mind that I’m not talking about rampant poor service at Southwest - they’re still the best by far. There have simply been enough incidents of mediocre service that caused me to notice; that’s all. On another airline I wouldn’t have even thought twice about it since mediocre (or poor) service on other airlines has become the norm. But Southwest is special - and I hope they always will be. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that today’s Wall Street Journal shared Department of Transportation data that ranked Southwest highest in on-time arrivals and fewest customer complaints (An Airline Report Card).

But here is something that truly impressed me. I received a thoughtful comment from the Vice President of Inflight Services for Southwest (see the comment from Mike Hafner below). Just the fact that someone in that position, who I’m sure has plenty on his plate, is concerned enough to comment on one blog post, well that speaks volumes. He’s rightly supportive of his team, but also acknowledges that “there is not much room for having a bad day.” One of Walt Disney’s greatest concerns for the Disney corporation was that they would rest on their laurels. He said, “In this volatile business of ours, we can ill afford to rest on our laurels, even to pause in retrospect. Time and conditions change so rapidly that we must keep our focus constantly on the future.” He always cautioned that no matter how strong our reputation is, “the show goes on tomorrow.” Mike, I appreciate you taking the time to write, and I also appreciate the pride you obviously have in your team.

Tags: Commentary, Leadership, Service Analysis // Add Comment »

I’m ashamed it has taken me so long to recommend one of my all-time favorite books, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, by Steven Pressfield.

The title is clearly a play on The Art of War, by Sun Tzu, and it is a highly appropriate title. The “enemy,” in this case, is RESISTANCE. That is, anything that keeps us from doing our work. While Pressfield’s chosen work is writing, the principles he outlines apply just as well to anything from running a marathon, starting a business, starting a diet, or anything else that requires attention and commitment. In my world, his principles apply to any organization wishing to improve their customer service.

Here’s the key line at the beginning of the book: “Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.” That line can apply to any endeavor we want to do (or even were meant to do) and what actually gets done. The gap between the two reflects the resistance succumbed to when faced with actually doing the work.

Here’s another quote that got my juices going: “Never forget: This very moment, we can change our lives. There never was a moment, and never will be, when we are without the power to alter our destiny. This second, we can turn the tables on Resistance. This second, we can sit down and do our work.” (Italics are mine).

Resistance is one of the main reasons companies abandon one customer service initiative after another. When the planning is done, when the meetings are over, we have to sit down and do our work to actually implement the plan. Like the writer staring at the blank page, we become easily distracted by other “urgent” matters and never get around to doing the thing that really matters. Changing an organization takes commitment and a willingness to battle resistance on many fronts - from ourselves, our employees, our bosses, and even from our customers.

For every excuse about why an organization can’t implement this or that strategy, there’s another company who “slayed the resistance dragon” and got the work done and is better for it.

Please, please, do yourself a favor and get the book. After you’ve read it, which I’ll bet you’ll read in one sitting, send me a note with your thoughts. I’d love to hear what The War of Art inspired within you. One of my hopes is, of course, that it inspires you to beat resistance in applying the customer service principles in the new edition of my book, Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service. Shameless plug I know, but Unleashing Excellence really does provide you with the tools to break through the resistance you’ll face in improving your organization’s customer service.

Tags: Commentary, Recommended Resources, When Bad Service Happens To Good People // 4 Comments »

Southwest Airlines has been my favorite airline for a long time - I’ve written about them often in this blog and talk about them often in my speeches. I’m a Southwest fan not only because of positive experiences, but also because their success and almost cult-like following has been a great case study as a speaker and consultant.

But I’ve noticed a disturbing trend over the last several flights I’ve had with them. It seems that more and more of their employees have adopted what I would call an “attitude of arrogance.” Since most interactions are with flight attendants, this trend has been most noticeable with them. Whereas in the past just about every flight attendant was personable, funny, and helpful, I’m seeing more flight attendants being standoffish, mechanical, and (even worse) impatient with passengers who might be struggling with overhead bag space or trying to find seats for the whole family.

On a Southwest flight last week, in fact, I watched a flight attendant work herself into a huff as a mom was making sure her children all had seats before she sat down. Yes, the mom was slowing down the boarding process, but the flight attendant should’ve helped out rather than embarrassing the mom in front of a planeload full of passengers. By helping, the flight attendant would’ve sped up the process and saved the mom’s dignity and peace of mind.

Southwest has never been a perfect airline; I’ve seen a few less-than-stellar Southwest employees before. But those instances were rare. But lately I’ve noticed “unSouthwest-like” behaviors becoming more common with more employees. I don’t know about you, but I feel let down when a trusted organization violates a trust that has been built up over many years. It almost feels like a close friend violating a trust. And once an organization begins to lose the trust of their loyal customers, lost loyalty isn’t far behind.

I’m hoping that Southwest Airlines hasn’t gotten too big for its britches. But the attitude of some of their employees is one of resting on their reputation. It’s as though they’re saying to passengers, “We’re doing you a favor by allowing you to fly an airline with a reputation as legendary as ours.” Well, they should study the fates of other once successful companies that started taking their success for granted such as General Motors, Circuit City, Woolworth’s, Eastern Airlines, Washington Mutual, Bennigan’s; and the list goes on.

The lesson here is that no matter how stellar your organization’s reputation is, that reputation is very fragile. Customers might be willing to forgive the occasional blip in service, but they won’t forgive arrogance. They have too many choices, and every one of your competitors would be giddy to get your customers’ business. Each of your employees must be hungry to build solid customer relationships, and the only way to do that is to treat customers with the care and respect that demonstrates that you value their business and are honored that customers have chosen to do business with you.

Do your customers feel you VALUE their business and that you are HONORED they’ve chosen to do business with you?

Is there even a hint of arrogance creeping into your performance?

Tags: Commentary, Service Analysis // 10 Comments »

A key customer service principle is to “deliver on the promise of the brand.” Every organization owns a particular brand image in the minds of customers, and anything out of alignment with the brand creates a disconnect and a disappointment for the customer.

Imagine, for example checking into a Ritz Carlton hotel only be treated rudely or with an attitude of indifference. The contrast between the brand image and the actual experience would be jarring and memorable. But when the experience and an organization’s brand image are in alignment, the result is confidence, trust, and loyalty.

Brand Image + Aligned Experience = Confidence, Trust, Loyalty

Two recent experiences reinforced this formula for me. First was the purchase of Paul McCartney’s “Good Evening New York City” 2CD + DVD combo, recorded at the newly constructed Citi Field (on the former site of Shea Stadium). The concert was kind of a tribute to the concert The Beatles played at Shea 44 years earlier. As a fan of anything remotely connected with The Beatles, I immediately purchased the set when I saw it for sale at the Starbucks checkout counter.

My only concern was wondering how McCartney, at 67 years of age, could pull off the quality of voice and musicianship of the music produced when he was in his twenties. Well, what a thrill to listen and watch as he performed Beatles, Wings, and solo classics nearly flawlessly, with the same energy as he did decades ago. Talk about delivering on the promise of the brand. If you’re a fan, buy the recording - you won’t be sorry.

The second experience took place last evening when my wife and I, along with our sons and their girlfriends, attended an Orlando performance of the Broadway musical, Rent. Many years ago, I saw the play on a rainy day in London and, having no idea what to expect, was completely blown away by the production. I also was delighted by the 2005 movie version of Rent, and have listened to the soundtrack many times.

So, I was prepared for an evening of a familiar show, hoping I wouldn’t be disappointed because of that familiarity. Just like McCartney, the cast (including the two original lead actors) performed as though it was opening night for the most important audience in the world. The show was incredible and stirred the same excitement I experienced when I first saw it in 1998.

So, what does any of this have to do with customer service? Well, imagine how many times Paul McCartney has sung the same songs, and how many times the cast of Rent has performed the same play. And yet each time they do it, the performance feels fresh and vital. The performers clearly don’t want to disappoint so they give it their all.

A business should operate the same way. Every employee of every organization should understand that:

• An organization’s brand is fragile.
• An organization’s brand image is on the line with every interaction.
• Yesterday’s performance no longer counts. Today’s performance drives future loyalty.
• Disappointment results from a disconnect between an organization’s brand image and the actual customer experience.

We can all take a lesson from enduring performers who consistently deliver excellence. These performers recognize that while they may have sung the same songs or delivered the same lines thousands of times, RIGHT NOW is the only time that matters for this customer.

Is your performance timeless?

P.S. If you’re serious about improving your organization’s customer service, be sure to check out the just released second edition of my book, Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service.

Tags: Commentary, Tips for Better Customer Service, Unleashing Excellence // Add Comment »

The busiest shopping day of the year, Black Friday, is now behind us. If you were one of the multitudes who braved the crowds, my sympathy is with you. My wife and I long ago decided that since shopping and crowds are two of our least favorite things in life, we would NEVER shop the day after Thanksgiving.

But, we will be doing some holiday shopping during the next couple of weeks. And we know that we’ll have to face the crowds. According to the National Retail Federation, November and December account for 25 to 40 percent of many retailers’ annual sales. So, like it or not, the crowds will be there.

On the bright side, holiday shopping provides a wonderful customer service laboratory. You get to see which companies perform well under pressure and which ones collapse in a showcase of unpreparedness. And our businesses can learn from both scenarios.

Recommendation

In your very next staff meeting (or via email if you don’t have a meeting scheduled soon), ask your team to be especially aware of their shopping experiences during the holidays. Even if they’re not shopping for holiday gifts, they’ll likely be doing some kind of shopping. Let them know that in a meeting immediately following the holiday season you’ll ask for a summary of their experiences, and what your organization can learn from those experiences. (Note: this is all strictly voluntary - not a work assignment. You don’t want to get into the “are you paying us for this?” quagmire).

During their shopping adventures, your team should observe:

• The quality of their interactions with employees - What are some examples of things employees did particularly well? What are examples of things employees did poorly? What could they tell about the quality of hiring, training, and accountability from the organizations they observed?

• The quality of the physical environment - What are some “good show” and “bad show” examples they observed while shopping? How effective were companies at keeping the facilities organized? If a company was good at it, what were they doing?

• The quality of company processes - What are some examples of processes your team members experienced that were designed more for the company’s convenience than the shopper’s? What are some examples of process that were impressive?

Keep in mind that the assignment doesn’t just apply to brick and mortar stores. Each of the above three points can apply to online and catalog shopping. For some of you, online examples may be the most applicable.

Ask your team to come to the post-holiday meeting prepared to share what they experienced (again, strictly voluntary). During the meeting, dig for learnings that come out of those experiences, good and bad, that you and your team can leverage in improving the experience YOUR customers have with the organization.

Because your team members lived through these situations themselves, their emotions will be engaged in the discussion, providing a foundation for frank discussion of what your organization can do to improve.

You’ll want to act quickly on getting this “assignment” out, since we’re right in the middle of the busy season. Don’t let it go by without learning from it!

Tags: Commentary, Service Analysis, Tips for Better Customer Service // 1 Comment »

I want to let you know that the second edition of my book, Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service, co-authored with Teri Yanovitch, has just been published. You can find it in bookstores or at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

Teri and I are very excited about the book, as it offers additional tools and approaches developed since its original release in 2003. We’ve included best practices from many organizations who have successfully implemented the Unleashing Excellence approach.

One of the book’s elements we’re most proud of is the ability for you to access downloads of the tools described throughout Unleashing Excellence. You can instantly customize the tools to your own operation.

Unleashing Excellence is a step-by-step guide that covers:

• The “DNA” of Service Excellence
• Creating a Service Improvement Team
• Developing Your Service “Non-negotiables”
• Communicating the Service Strategy to Your Team
• Service Training and Education
• Hiring for Service Excellence
• Developing Effective Service Measurements
• Recognition and Reward Systems
• Implementing a Service Obstacle System
• Building a Culture of Accountability

You can find information about Unleashing Excellence at the following link - www.UnleashingExcellence.com. Or you can find it in books stores or and BarnesandNoble.com.

Tags: Tips for Better Customer Service, Unleashing Excellence // Add Comment »