Aren’t you tired of receiving sales and marketing letters that start with, “Dear Valued Customer…”? Most (all) of these letters go on to demonstrate that rather than being valued, you’re really a faceless, nameless entity in a long, long line of faceless and nameless entities.

In order for me to feel valued as your customer, I have to feel that you see me as an individual. I have to feel that you’re glad I’m a customer. And most importantly, I have to feel that you actually care about helping me.

Following is a list of actions that make me feel valued as a customer. Depending on your organization and industry, you’ll likely have to adapt the specific actions to the specifics of your situation; but the principles should apply no matter the organization or industry.

1. Acknowledge my presence

Even if you’re with another customer, at least give me a signal that you know I’m there. Eye contact and a smile is all it takes. Let me know that I’m more important than your paperwork or shelf stocking, and definitely let me know that I’m more important than chatting with your colleague.

Keep in mind that I know that you know I’m there. But when you don’t acknowledge my presence, you’re telling me that you don’t care that I’m there.

2. Remember something about me

When you remember my name or what I ordered the last time or the name of my kids or anything about me, you’ve paid me the ultimate compliment. You said I’m worth remembering and I just love that.

3. Share a tip or secret

Most of the time, you know more about your products and services than I do. You know how I can avoid the same problem in the future, or how to get the product to do things I’ve never dreamed of.

When you give me that, “Wow, I didn’t know it could do that!” feeling, you’ve made me a friend for life. Especially when I feel equipped to dazzle my friends and colleagues with my new found knowledge!

4. Do something unexpected

When I make a significant purchase or go through an important event (like surgery), a follow-up call, email, or handwritten note communicates that you’re thinking about me, and at least for the moment you’re creating good vibes.

Forwarding a news article that’s pertinent to me or to my business lets me know that you don’t just think about me when I’m spending money with you, you’ve got my best interests in mind. Knowing that you’re looking out for me puts you on a whole new level of favorite organizations.

5. Return phone calls and emails immediately

Few actions more accurately demonstrate how important you think I am than how quickly or slowly you get back to me. That return call or email response that comes minutes (or even seconds) after I left the message tells me that you respect me enough to show a sense of urgency. One of the greatest loyalty-building statements your customers can say is, “Wow! Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!”

6. Help me maintain my dignity

There are a lot of things I think I know and don’t, or I know just enough to do some real damage. Then there are many, many things that I know I don’t know. But you’ll never win by making me feel stupid. When I feel stupid or embarrassed, I just want the interaction to end; which isn’t a very good customer loyalty strategy.

Yes, save me from myself, but keep my dignity intact. The most skillful service providers gently nudge the clueless in the right direction (see Tip #3), while always respecting the customer. The very best service providers sometimes make the right solution look like the customer’s idea in the first place, complimenting them on their fine judgment. However you do it, making me feel good about myself makes me want to see you again.

7. Respect my time

An inevitable result of an organization’s inefficiency, poor processes, or carelessness is wasted time for me as your customer. And time is the only resource I can never get back. So, when I have to explain my problem each time my call is transferred, my life gets a bit shorter. When I’m in a checkout line with twelve customers, and only two of ten checkout lines are open, my life gets a bit shorter. When I’m sitting in the waiting room and no one mentions the doctor is running thirty-minutes behind (allowing me to decide whether or not to reschedule), my life gets a bit shorter.

On the other hand, whenever you do something that saves me time, or helps me to manage my time, you’ve separated your organization from just about every other one out there. My new favorite example comes from Seasons 52 Restaurant of Orlando, which I’ve mentioned many times in this blog. As you finish up dessert, you press a button on a tiny remote control provided by the valet, and they bring around your car so it’s ready and waiting as you exit the restaurant. Beautiful!

Those are just 7 actions you can take that make me, your customer, feel valued:

1. Acknowledge my presence

2. Remember something about me

3. Share a tip or secret

4. Do something unexpected

5. Return phone calls and emails immediately

6. Help me maintain my dignity

7. Respect my time

I’m sure you can think of many more, and I’d love to hear some of them. Please write back and let me know of things you’ve experienced as a customer that made you feel valued, or things you’ve done to make customers feel valued.

Something to think about: Are you doing things that make your customers feel VALUED?

Tags: Tips for Better Customer Service by Dennis Snow
6 Comments »

Aren’t you tired of receiving sales and marketing letters that start with, “Dear Valued Customer…”? Most (all) of these letters go on to demonstrate that rather than being valued, you’re really a faceless, nameless entity in a long, long line of faceless and nameless entities.

In order for me to feel valued as your customer, I have to feel that you see me as an individual. I have to feel that you’re glad I’m a customer. And most importantly, I have to feel that you actually care about helping me.

Following is a list of actions that make me feel valued as a customer. Depending on your organization and industry, you’ll likely have to adapt the specific actions to the specifics of your situation; but the principles should apply no matter the organization or industry.

1. Acknowledge my presence

Even if you’re with another customer, at least give me a signal that you know I’m there. Eye contact and a smile is all it takes. Let me know that I’m more important than your paperwork or shelf stocking, and definitely let me know that I’m more important than chatting with your colleague.

Keep in mind that I know that you know I’m there. But when you don’t acknowledge my presence, you’re telling me that you don’t care that I’m there.

2. Remember something about me

When you remember my name or what I ordered the last time or the name of my kids or anything about me, you’ve paid me the ultimate compliment. You said I’m worth remembering and I just love that.

3. Share a tip or secret

Most of the time, you know more about your products and services than I do. You know how I can avoid the same problem in the future, or how to get the product to do things I’ve never dreamed of.

When you give me that, “Wow, I didn’t know it could do that!” feeling, you’ve made me a friend for life. Especially when I feel equipped to dazzle my friends and colleagues with my new found knowledge!

4. Do something unexpected

When I make a significant purchase or go through an important event (like surgery), a follow-up call, email, or handwritten note communicates that you’re thinking about me, and at least for the moment you’re creating good vibes.

Forwarding a news article that’s pertinent to me or to my business lets me know that you don’t just think about me when I’m spending money with you, you’ve got my best interests in mind. Knowing that you’re looking out for me puts you on a whole new level of favorite organizations.

5. Return phone calls and emails immediately

Few actions more accurately demonstrate how important you think I am than how quickly or slowly you get back to me. That return call or email response that comes minutes (or even seconds) after I left the message tells me that you respect me enough to show a sense of urgency. One of the greatest loyalty-building statements your customers can say is, “Wow! Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!”

6. Help me maintain my dignity

There are a lot of things I think I know and don’t, or I know just enough to do some real damage. Then there are many, many things that I know I don’t know. But you’ll never win by making me feel stupid. When I feel stupid or embarrassed, I just want the interaction to end; which isn’t a very good customer loyalty strategy.

Yes, save me from myself, but keep my dignity intact. The most skillful service providers gently nudge the clueless in the right direction (see Tip #3), while always respecting the customer. The very best service providers sometimes make the right solution look like the customer’s idea in the first place, complimenting them on their fine judgment. However you do it, making me feel good about myself makes me want to see you again.

7. Respect my time

An inevitable result of an organization’s inefficiency, poor processes, or carelessness is wasted time for me as your customer. And time is the only resource I can never get back. So, when I have to explain my problem each time my call is transferred, my life gets a bit shorter. When I’m in a checkout line with twelve customers, and only two of ten checkout lines are open, my life gets a bit shorter. When I’m sitting in the waiting room and no one mentions the doctor is running thirty-minutes behind (allowing me to decide whether or not to reschedule), my life gets a bit shorter.

On the other hand, whenever you do something that saves me time, or helps me to manage my time, you’ve separated your organization from just about every other one out there. My new favorite example comes from Seasons 52 Restaurant of Orlando, which I’ve mentioned many times in this blog. As you finish up dessert, you press a button on a tiny remote control provided by the valet, and they bring around your car so it’s ready and waiting as you exit the restaurant. Beautiful!

Those are just 7 actions you can take that make me, your customer, feel valued:

1. Acknowledge my presence

2. Remember something about me

3. Share a tip or secret

4. Do something unexpected

5. Return phone calls and emails immediately

6. Help me maintain my dignity

7. Respect my time

I’m sure you can think of many more, and I’d love to hear some of them. Please write back and let me know of things you’ve experienced as a customer that made you feel valued, or things you’ve done to make customers feel valued.

Something to think about: Are you doing things that make your customers feel VALUED?

Tags: Tips for Better Customer Service by Dennis Snow
6 Comments »

What’s more important to a business’s success; the product (the steak)? or the delivery (the sizzle)?

The problem with focusing strictly on the product is that you soon find yourself in a commodity environment, and remaining competitive eventually becomes all about price. That’s a hard battle to fight and a harder battle to win. Focusing strictly on flashy delivery, however, has its own problems. Flashy delivery of a mediocre product is usually a recipe for customer disappointment. The old “snake oil salesman” comes to mind.

There are examples, of course, of organizations that are successful with extremes of both of these models. But such success is exceedingly difficult and only a few companies excel at those extremes. For most of us in business, there’s a better way.

It’s the Steak AND the Sizzle

Most organizations that succeed in the long term recognize they are selling the steak AND the sizzle. Yes, the product must be good, or even great. Yes, the delivery must inspire an emotional connection with the customer. The steak and the sizzle must go together.

Here’s a literal example of the steak versus sizzle metaphor:

A Dining Disappointment

My son and his girlfriend recently ate at a high-end steakhouse that a couple of friends had recommended. Danny and Nikki both enjoy a good steak, so they were really looking forward to the dinner.

The first sign of trouble was the slow service. It took some time for the server to arrive at their table, and then even longer for him to bring them a drink menu, and then even longer to deliver the drinks. (The service never got any faster)

The dinner menu emphasized that salads are made table-side, which is ideal for Danny and Nikki because they’re both pretty particular (fussy) about what they want on their salads. Well, the salads arrived fully made from the kitchen with items neither of them wanted and without items they did want.

When the steaks arrived, Danny and Nikki both agreed that while the steaks were okay, the quality wasn’t really in alignment with the price or with the accolades they had heard from their friends. So much for their much anticipated special dinner. But, they’re both experienced in the service business so they chalked it up to an off night for the restaurant.

Nails in the Loyalty Coffin

The first nail in the loyalty coffin came when, at the end of the meal, the server asked how everything was. Danny and Nikki gently and politely said they were a little disappointed because what they had heard wasn’t consistent with the experience. To which the server replied, “Well, your steaks were cooked the way you asked,” and said nothing else.

Then came the second nail in the loyalty coffin. Nikki had a bit of her steak left and, not wanting it to go to waste, asked if the server would mind boxing it up. Typically a high-end restaurant at least makes an attempt at an attractive presentation for the take-home box. The server returned with Nikki’s boxed steak in a cheap plastic bag you’d find in any discount store. Danny and Nikki knew I’d love that, so they took a picture of it. Not a pretty picture or a thoughtful representation of a “fine dining” restaurant.

Now, it could indeed have been an off night for the restaurant or for the server. But that’s not the point. The point is that two customers went out for a much anticipated steak dinner and ended up disappointed. For that night at least, the restaurant was just selling steak with little regard for the sizzle. If the delivery had been strong, Danny and Nikki would likely have given the restaurant a second chance. For that matter, if the steaks been exceptional and the service just mediocre, they may have gone back. But not only will they never return, they’re sharing their experience with others.

The question is not, “Is it more important to sell the steak or the sizzle?” The question is, “How can we excel at selling the steak AND the sizzle?”

Tags: Commentary, Service Analysis by Dennis Snow
1 Comment »

This video post shares some of the secrets of employee engagement. If you receive my blog via email, you may need to click here to view the video.

Tags: Leadership, Video Blog Post by Dennis Snow
No Comments »

My guest blogger today is Ron Kaufman, founder of Up Your Service! College. In this post he writes about a subject near and dear to my heart: it’s usually the little courtesies and gestures that have the biggest impact on the customer experience.

I can relate to the hotel experience he shares. Like Ron, I don’t really need a huge and ornate hotel room. But I do appreciate a room that is well thought out through the lens of the guest. (And I’ve always wondered how some hotels do the mirror thing he mentions!)

Little Things Can Mean A Lot When Customer Service Improvement Is Needed – by Ron Kaufman

Customer service improvement doesn’t always call for sweeping or costly changes. Sometimes, very little touches can go a long way.

At the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul, Korea, the rooms are not large, but a few thoughtful touches combine to make a big difference.

There is the usual range of amenities: slippers, bathrobes, room safe, mini-bar, hairdryer, voicemail, etc.

But the bathroom mirror has a heater installed behind it, just above the sink. After a shower when the room is steamy, that small section of mirror remains clear. This is a customer service improvement guests notice.

There is a box of tissues in the bathroom, of course, but another box sits by the bed in an attractive container.

A laundry bag is waiting when I arrive; that’s normal. But inside the closet an empty shopping bag is also provided for my use. It’s large and strong and very sleek, silver-colored with dark blue ribbon handles. There is no big brand name of the hotel emblazoned on the side, only an elegant print near the top edge that says: “Your Bag.”

I think I’ll bring it home inside my luggage.

Ever stayed in a hotel room that was big, but not very special? My room at the hotel is just the opposite, small in size but very big in little pleasures. Every little customer service improvement stands out and works well for the Westin without costing a lot in the process.

Key Learning Point For Customer Service Improvement

You can use this strategy, too. Make a big customer service improvement by paying attention to the little things that count. Maybe it’s the personal note you write, or remembering a customer’s preference from one visit to another. Perhaps it’s pre-filling a form on your customer’s behalf, or keeping track of an order and calling ahead to reconfirm delivery.

Action Steps For Customer Service Improvement

Your action steps needn’t be big, bold or expensive. Often it’s the little things that make a big difference in service.

Copyright, Ron Kaufman. Used with permission.
Ron Kaufman is the world’s leading educator and motivator for upgrading customer service and uplifting service culture. He is author of the bestselling “UP Your Service!” books and founder of UP Your Service! College. To enjoy more customer service training and service culture articles, visit UpYourService.com.

Tags: Commentary, Guest Blogger, Service Analysis by Dennis Snow
No Comments »