Dennis Snow Blog

I’ve recently put together a white paper titled, “The Top Five Customer Service Mistakes Companies Make, and How Your Organization Can Avoid Them.” The mistakes addressed in the white paper come from working with and observing hundreds of organizations, large and small, and noting the issues that seem to come up again and again.

My purpose in writing the paper, however, was not to simply point out the mistakes. For each of the five issues addressed, I’ve offered approaches for avoiding the mistake or for making course corrections if things have gotten off track.

The five customers service mistakes addressed in the white paper are:

1. Not clearly defining what the customer experience is supposed to be.
2. Designing processes for the company’s convenience, not the customer’s.
3. Hiring the wrong people.
4. Not making customer service a significant part of new-hire orientation as well as ongoing training.
5. Tolerating poor service performance from employees at any level within the organization.

To download the white paper, simply click on this link – Top Five Customer Service Mistakes – fill in the requested information, and click the download button. Be sure and let me know if you have any problems with the download.

Please forward this post to anyone you feel might benefit from the information provided in the white paper. And I would welcome any feedback, pro or con, you might have based on what you read.

Most of all, I hope the information helps you and your organization in delivering the best possible customer service

Tags: Commentary, Service Analysis, Tips for Better Customer Service by Dennis Snow
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When asked to describe their corporate culture, business leaders sometimes struggle to answer. Responses often run the gamut from vague generalities such as “we have a culture of putting the customer first” to recitations of the company’s mission statement.

I believe that you can see a company’s culture simply by watching what employees are doing and how they do it. In short, a company’s culture is defined by what people do within the organization.

The critical point of course, is to have a culture by design rather than by default. Many organizations simply allow their culture to evolve with no plan or direction and then wonder why there’s no consistency of performance and no anchor for accountability. A much better strategy is to understand exactly what you want to happen within the organization and build the culture accordingly.

While an organization’s culture is made up of many elements, my focus is helping organizations define the service component of their culture. And the process for doing so is quite simple, consisting of two questions:

1. What we want our customers to say about their experience with us?
2. What employee behaviors would lead them to say those things?

For question number one I recommend crafting three statements you want customers to say about their experience. These statements can come from survey data, focus groups, observations, or from a variety of other sources. But coming up with three statements forces an organization to define the customer experience in terms of outcomes that lead to customer loyalty.

At Walt Disney World for example, the three statements that lead customers to want to return and to also talk about their experience in glowing terms are these:

• It was a magical experience.

• They paid attention to every detail

• They made me and my children feel special.

Certainly Disney wants guests to say a lot of other things about their experience, but these three statements are at the core of guest loyalty.

In my business as a speaker and consultant, I want my clients to say:

• He knew our business and customized the program content to our unique situation.

• He didn’t just provide concepts; he provided specific tools to help us apply what we learned.

• He made learning fun.

These three statements came from reviewing testimonials from clients that have either had me back a second time and/or referred me to other clients. In essence, these are the statements that lead to customer loyalty in my business.

After defining what I want clients to say, pinpointing the behaviors that would lead them to say those things is pretty straight forward. For the first statement, for example, it’s important for me to talk with members of the organization, research industry data, and connect every learning point to their situation. As I prepare for a client engagement, the behaviors I need to demonstrate to achieve these statements guide my planning process. And those times when I don’t feel as successful as I would’ve liked to have been, it’s usually because I violated my own rule.

Ideally this approach should be used at the organizational level. That way you have consistent behaviors across the entire organization. It can, however, be used at the department level and even at an individual level. It all depends on what your sphere of influence is. As a bank teller for instance, what three things do you want your customers to say about any interaction with you? What behaviors would lead customers to say those three things?

While this approach may seem overly simple, I think simplicity is what makes it work. Leonardo da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

What three things do you want customers to say about your organization?

What employee behaviors would lead customers to say those things?

Tags: Leadership, Tips for Better Customer Service by Dennis Snow
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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 by Dennis Snow
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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 by Dennis Snow
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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 by Dennis Snow
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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 by Dennis Snow
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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 by Dennis Snow
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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 by Dennis Snow
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One of the best ways to distance your organization from the competition is to solve a problem that frustrates your industry’s customers. I just read an Orlando Sentinel article that provides a great example of this approach: Disney by Cell Phone.

The number one guest complaint at Walt Disney World is about long wait times for the rides. And over the years Disney World has implemented several tools to help minimize the problem. Tools include:

• Wait time signs
• Entertainment while waiting in line
• Making the line part of an attraction’s theme or “show”
• Tip boards around the park with posted wait times for popular attractions
• FastPass® (a mechanism for making a “reservation” for particular attractions)

Disney World (and Disneyland) has just introduced a new way to help reduce wait time frustrations for Disney guests – “Mobile Magic.” It’s a smartphone application that allows guests to get real time information about attraction wait times, character greetings, and other park events. The application allows guests to get the most out of their Disney visit by helping them make informed decisions about what to do next.

The full application of Mobile Magic is only available to Verizon subscribers right now, but a scaled down version is available to subscribers of other mobile services. My guess is that the full application will soon be available to anyone with a cell phone.

The reason I’m sharing this story isn’t to brag about Disney, it’s to point out an example of a relentless quest to solve an ongoing customer frustration. I can’t think of an industry that doesn’t have its inherent customer frustrations, and most companies just accept them as givens. But customers don’t accept them as givens; we see them as reasons to look for alternatives.

You don’t have to do an expensive survey to find out what frustrates your customers. My guess is that you know exactly what frustrates them. Those recurring complaints and those negative customer interactions that burn out your employees tell you what the problems are. What’s needed is action.

So, I challenge you to pick one customer frustration that you’ll commit to solving. Start small if necessary; but commit to one. Bring in some employees from your operation and go to work coming up with and implementing a solution. Or you can use this link to a Service Improvement Meeting agenda which guides you through a team meeting for identifying and developing solutions for customer frustrations. Once you’ve solved a problem, go on to another one.

Imagine if you just identify and solve one customer frustration per quarter. Four improvements a year is huge! It will put you in the “world-class” category, and customers will wonder, “Why can’t other organizations do it like they do?”

Tags: Commentary, Service Analysis, Tips for Better Customer Service by Dennis Snow
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Are your company’s processes designed for the convenience of the customer or for the convenience of the company? How would customers respond to that question?

Think about a process you can tweak (or overhaul) that will result in customers asking, “Why can’t other companies do it like yours?”

Tags: Commentary, Dennis on the Radio, Leadership, Recommended Resources, Service Analysis, Tips for Better Customer Service, Uncategorized, When Bad Service Happens To Good People by Dennis Snow
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