First Rate Customer Service

In my book 4 Secrets of High Performing Organizations, I point out that all successful businesses and the people who lead them have four things in common.

• Successful businesses and the people who lead them develop and communicate a clarity or purpose and direction.
• Successful businesses and the people who lead them engage the full commitment of everyone in the organization.
• Successful businesses and the people who lead them skillfully execute the things that matter.
• Successful businesses and the people who lead them build strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationship with important outside constituencies.

Today, I’d like to focus on customer service and share some customer service best practices I picked up in the First Rate Customer Service Newsletter.

• Calm an upset customer by explaining how you solved a similar problem.  Say something like, “Last week another customer had the same problem. We sent a tech to her location and he solved the problem in a couple of hours.  Would you like me to do the same for you?”
• When a customer is upset and speaking quickly, don’t say “I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”  Instead, say something like, “Let me catch up with you.  I’d appreciate it if you would repeat your complaint so I’m sure I understand.”
• Get customer reviews by asking for them.  As for customer testimonials when you send them things like order confirmation e mails, shipping confirmation e mails or packing slips.  Zappos.com does a great job of this using a survey format.
• Be specific and clear when you respond to customers via e mail.
• Stay in touch with your customers.  Offer them the chance to sign up for an e newsletter that you publish.  Make sure that you allow them the opportunity to opt in to your list.
• Return telephone calls between 8:00 and 10:00 in the morning, and 3:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon.  These are the best times to find people at their desks.

I hope you found these common sense ideas useful.  I’m impressed with the common sense advice found in First Rate Customer Service.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.  Check out my other blog: www.SuccessCommonSense.com for common sense advice on becoming the career and life success you are meant to be and to get a copy of my new ebook Star Power: Common Sense Ideas for Career and Life Success.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.

Comments

[William Mitchell]

I run my company with a focus on customer service. I feel it pays off in the long run by developing an excellent reputation and producing future referrals.

I am also someone who likes to hold phone conversations at designated times. Maybe not at the same time every day, but I like to schedule them so that they do not interrupt the creative process.