How to lose a customer

Today I went to the supermarket to buy a few things for dinner. I knew it was going to go wrong because my usual entrance to the parking lot was gated off by shopping carts lying on the ground to block my path. OK, I'm flexible, I'll drive around.The second thing was when they were out of my favorite glass bottles of skim milk. It's the best way to drink milk, in my humble opinion. They had every flavor except for mine.Next, I tried to check out by "paying by touch." Let me tell you, this can be the best system in the world, you just sign up with your driver's license number, your credit card number, your preferred customer number, and your phone number, and away you go. Notice I said can be the best. Many times, my preferred card number doesn't work in the system, and it doesn't take the savings off of the bill, and tonight was one of those nights.Now this would have been okay, had the checker just used the house card and given me the lower price so my debit card would be billed the correct amount, however she did not know how to do this. Instead, she said to go over to the service counter and someone over there would help me out.Skeptical, I walked over to the service desk to see 3 clerks talking to each other and cutting out something that was much more urgent than me and the 4 other people in line. For some reason, after a few minutes, one girl asked to help me. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I told her my dilemma, and she proceeded to go through my bags, re-scanning things and writing down what she thought was the correct cents off. I'm no cheapskate, but five dollars is 2 gallons of gas! Of course, she was doing all of this in her head, and didn't let me see the slip, and of course didn't do it correct, ripping me off to the tune of about 20 cents, plus I had to re-pack my own groceries.To add insult to injury, there was no ramp open to go down to the parking structure I was forced to use, so I had to grab my bags and carry them, with my wife, down 3 flights of 10 stairs.This is maddening to me! It's so easy to do things right. Here's how I would provide customer service:Plainly mark the entrances that are closed, and advertise it on your stores website, thus alleviating some of your customers' frustrations, and provide the alternative entrances.If you're out of something, put a sign up that lets me know when it's going to be back so I can return and buy it then, and apologize that you're out. A little sign is all I ask, not a big production.Make the error in favor of your customers, and scan the house savings card whenever in doubt. And give your checkers the ability to fix this, instead of sending us over to the service desk.Offer something extra to customers when your computer systems don't work as planned. It doesn't have to be a lot, but give me a coupon for a free loaf of bread, a free deli sandwich, or something nice. It's not my fault your preferred system doesn't work.Use loyalty cards for EXTRA things, not to get the every day lowest price. Why am I going to scan my preferred customer card if I know I don't have anything that's on sale? I'm not, that's why.That's all I've got. See, it wasn't so hard, was it? Making customer service great is a lot easier than you though. And oh yeah, you won't lose me as a customer if you at least try. Thanks!

2009- The year of the customer

How can this be? This should be a top priority all the time, but especially in tough times. Here are some tips to improve your customer service - and make this a great year for your customers!1.) Be friendly. What happens to customers when they enter your business? Is there a gate keeper or a host? Gate keepers keep people out, hosts make people feel welcome. Your host should be smiling and should greet people when they come in. Bonus tips for restaurants - "How many?" is not a greeting. Try something crazy like, "Hello!" This goes for the phone too - do callers hear warmth or annoyance?2.) Stop assuming. I hate to say it, but too many managers are delusional. They think they can pay their front line people peanuts, treat them poorly, give them little to no training or feedback, and have them radiating joy and happiness all day. Get real managers. Have you ever rewarded good service? Does Susie Sunshine earn more than Evil Eddie? I bet not. That would be too hard.3.) Be responsive. I know we can't all be perfect, but people want you to respond quickly. After all, they are trying to give you money. Seat them quickly, get them through check-out lines quickly, don't keep them on hold. If people have to wait, at least train your employees to communicate! Too many times I see employees talking to each other rather than helping customers. Hello? There's a recession, people! You cannot afford to ignore your customers! But see number 2 - do your employees really have any incentive to help customers? And where are you when this is happening? In your office answering e-mail?4.) Provide information. All people are not technology experts - they need help and information. They don't know how to find all the things in your store or understand all the services you offer. The worst thing is, most of your employees don't seem to have this information either. Train them! Or make the information accessible. Listen to what questions customers ask - do they want nutrition information on the menu? Is your return policy confusing? If more than three people have a problem or ask a question - address it! Don't blame the customer for not reading your small print or your lame sign. They are in a hurry - train your people to be proactive and explain problem areas.5.) Have a great attitude. Customers will put up with a lot if the person trying to help them has a great attitude. Things are going to happen no matter how hard we try. Mistakes will be made. If you can keep smiling and the customer knows you are really trying, they will cut you a break. It's when you lose it or come across as rude, that they get angry. If you are a front line customer service person, your job will be a thousand times easier if you can remain friendly. You will also have job security - your boss won't want to lose you and all the customers you impress will want to hire you. And you will have so much more fun. We attract the energy we give out - give out happiness and good will - and it will return to you tenfold. Be rude - and you will suffer.5a.) Supervisors - this attitude thing goes for you too. Your people are often mirrors of you. Are you always angry and stressed? Well - there you go! Expect your people to be angry and stressed as well. I believe leaders get the followers they deserve. What kind of followers do you have?Companies talk a lot about customer service but at the end of the day, their actions speak louder than their words. They don't take care of their customer service people, yet they expect them to carry the company. But front line people have to carry part of the burden as well - are you really friendly? I've seen heavy sighs and eye rolls way too may times when I simply wanted to pay for a purchase. I've tried to find items in poorly organized stores and been ignored by employees who could have helped me. wake up, people! You wonder why sales are down? Because you treat your customers like garbage. You are mad when they want to return things or ask questions or need help. You make jokes about how stupid they are. Welcome to 2009, the Year of the Customer. Next time you treat a customer badly, you just might be out of a job. But be a superstar in all you do and who knows to what levels you might rise!

7 Customer Services Pointers

1. You chose this job, or it chose you. Either way, it’s in your best interest and the best interest of the customer for you to show up and be fully present to the job. Set an intention every day to be the best you can be at your craft. Make it a point to do a little learning about how to get better at it every day. You get better the more you practice. Find joy in doing your job well. Recognize and acknowledge yourself for all the “wins” during your day. (Even if, and especially if your boss doesn’t notice often enough.)2. Be proud of what you do. You play an important role in the company’s success. I’m here to remind you that the experiences you provide for the customer could make or break their relationship with the company. Even if parts of the process are broken, even if the wait times are long, even if the customer is upset about some aspect of the company, a great experience with a customer facing person can make up for a whole lot. You have the opportunity to make deposits in the customer’s emotional bank account and keep those customers happy, coming back, and referring friends.3. You have emotional genius. Being good at customer service requires a great deal of emotional intelligence. In fact, in your job, EQ is as important – and often more important – than IQ. Here’s the neat thing – being in a people oriented position gives you the unique opportunity to practice and even perfect those EQ skills. That’s going to help you in every relationship you have in your life. As you get better at your job, you get better at your life. That’s a bonus!4. The customer is not always right. I know you might have a little card that came from the corporate office that tells you they are, but I’m telling you what you already know to be true. They are not always right. Sometimes they are wrong, sometimes they are mean, sometimes they lie, sometimes they drive you crazy. But being right or wrong is not the point. Your job is to be so skillful that even if they are wrong, angry, nasty or just having a bad day, you have the ability to turn a bad situation into a better one. A highly skilled customer facing person is a magician, able to transform and diffuse difficult situations into good ones. 5. You work in the performing arts. Service is not like a manufactured good. It can’t be made ahead of time and put on the shelf. It happens in the moment, as needed, and it’s all about performance. That makes you the performer. Just like an actor (or a public speaker or trainer for that matter) there will be days when you just don’t feel up to it and you will have to act “as if” you were. Here’s where your good training comes in. Rehearsal and visualization work to help you prepare for a great performance every time. Think of yourself as an improv artist. Ta-da! 6. You have a stressful job, but the amount of stress you take home every day is up to you. How you view your job is just as important as how you do your job. If you allow yourself to over dramatize, ‘catastrophize’, get defensive, and take everything personally, you’re in for a tough time. Your body reacts to the perception of danger with primal instincts to fight or flee – both involving a cascade of stress chemicals that can damage your body. You have the power to change how you view any situation – including your job. Find a “frame” that makes it less stressful and more enjoyable. 7. You have the opportunity to make the world a better place every day. Whether you deal with 10 customers or 200 customers a day, you have the power to create positive experiences for all of them. When you make your best effort to add sincere care and appreciation to every interaction, you are infusing it with positive energy and vibration. When the customer leaves the interaction with you feeling good they are likely to spread that positive emotion. Emotions are contagious - negative ones as well as positive ones. You have the power to spread positivity and make the world a better place. We all know how important that contribution is these days. Take it seriously and you can make a serious difference in the lives of your customers and every one they touch. Allow yourself to see the ripples of good will and well being you are sending out into the world. Spread happiness and appreciation and you will feel energized and build your own good health. Optimists live seven to nine years longer than pessimists. Use this list of “7 Things” to start a lively dialog in your organization. Spread the article around. Discuss each of the points, add a few of your own, really think about the good things about being in a customer facing job. Appreciate the power and opportunity that rest in your hands. Make the commitment to be the best you can be. Have fun and do good work. Caring is contagious – go ahead, spread it around.

Where customer service begins

Ask any CEO if he or she is committed to excellent customer service and the answer typically is, “Of course we are!” But ask why their organization’s service isn’t among the ranks of the Walt Disney Company, the Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, or any other extraordinary service provider and the excuses are tiresome: “We can’t pay enough,” or “People don’t care,” or “Our turnover is high.”Now assume for a minute that these excuses are valid (which I am convinced they are not), and ask a leader, “What are you doing to alleviate this problem?” and witness their awkward scramble for an answer. If an organization is truly committed to legendary customer service and their lame excuses were valid, why wouldn’t they be using all available resources to solve these problems?So what is the secret? It may seem amazing that the solution to achieving legendary customer service does not lie in some “slogan driven” training program, but rather in a simple two-step process: (1) Hire to the culture of the organization; (2) Provide a multi-day orientation program that encourages new hires to embrace a new set of values.Think about it – Disney, the Four Seasons, Nordstrom, and other celebrated service providers hire from the same employment pool and pay about the same wages. What these companies do better than others is hire and orientate.Hire to the culture. World-class service providers require multiple interviews with potential employees in addition to the one or two human resource interviews. The purpose of these multiple interviews is to assure that the candidate fits the culture of the organization. At the Four Seasons, in addition to a diverse mix of employees, each hotel or resort manager must also interview all potential hires before an offer is made. Kathleen Taylor, President of the Four Seasons’ worldwide operations explains: “It is not for the GM (General Manager) alone to say, ‘Yes, I like the person’ or ‘No, I don’t.’ It shows the potential dishwasher that his [or her] job is really important. He may go home that night and tell his mother or friends, ‘Wow, I met the GM today,’ and on his first day at work, he knows the GM, and the GM knows him.” Equally important to ensuring that a candidate fits the culture is consistently demonstrating that everyone's role, no matter where in the hierarchy, is important to creating magical moments of service.Hiring to the culture of your organization assumes you can define your organization’s dream (or vision), values and behaviors (Codes of Conduct, as defined in our best-selling book, The Disney Way). If your culture needs defining, it would be wise to work on those critical elements before embarking upon the hiring process.Over the years I have heard many executives argue, “Why be so concerned with hiring the right person? Anyone can learn these entry-level jobs, and if a new hire doesn’t work out, there are three people waiting in line.” The solution to their short-sighted mentality eludes them. They probably would agree that the most valuable asset of any organization is the customer. So wouldn’t they want to trust their most valuable asset to the most competent, capable and skilled person available, not just the “next in line?” It leaves me dumbfounded. JoAnn Wagner, President and CEO of the SOS Staffing Family of Companies, explains how ‘Hiring for Fit’ is vital to effective customer service and overall success. “Superior customer service begins with uniting the right talent with the right opportunity, which starts long before a candidate’s first day on the job. Interviewing, testing and screening of a candidate’s experience and background compared with a company’s culture are all factors that must be carefully weighed. Once a culture match has been made, a comprehensive orientation program is the final crucial piece.” So, if caring for your customer is not reason enough for finding the right employee, isn’t increasing your competitive advantage? Both the Hay Group and Workforce Management magazine have calculated the cost of replacing an $8.50/hour employee at $10,000 to $12,000. Disney, the Four Seasons, and fellow world-class service providers experience 3-5 times lower turnover than their competition.I also hear the argument, “Our HR department is too small or does not have time to find the ‘right’ people.” One solution to this problem is to form a strategic alliance with a staffing services firm. Susan Aherns, Regional Manager for Adams & Associates in Washington explains: “Companies who form a true partnership with a staffing firm will add arrows to their quiver that they would not have otherwise. The right firm can function as an integral part of a company’s HR department, saving it valuable time and money. In the end, businesses often save more by utilizing a staffing firm to find the best candidates.” The Commonwealth Alliance Program (CAP) reports that businesses now attribute 25% of all revenues to strategic alliances. Karen Lustman, District Manager for Orange County direct hire firm Devon & Devon, elaborates: “Hiring in today’s competitive climate is much more than finding a body. Strong strategic alliances result in win-win solutions. When a hiring firm understands the company’s mission and culture, they send only best-fit candidates.”If you have hired an individual who has passed the “culture fit” test with flying colors, it’s now your responsibility to immerse him or her into your culture. This must happen before they begin their operational or staff responsibilities.Orientation. Orientation programs in most organizations would have to increase by a factor of ten to reach the level of pathetic. Most involve new hires in tedious activities ranging from completing forms to reviewing policies. Then, the “welcomed” newcomer gets thrown into the hustle of getting the job done. Even in companies with well-defined cultures, the success rate of these new hires is less than stellar.If new hires end up being fired or resigning within the first six months on the job, they are almost always branded as failures. I’ll bet you’ve heard the feedback: “he never really bought into our level of service,” or “she never really understood our values.” An all too often believed myth is that values can be explained or even dictated. Nothing could be further from the truth. One cannot mandate a new set of values to anyone; the only way for values to be effective is for individuals to embrace and internalize the values. Luckily, we can turn to a tremendously successful role model for this lesson in action. . . Isadore Sharp, CEO and founder of Four Seasons. “Issy” told me, “They (values) are only words on paper, the words have significance only if behaved; the behaviors are significant only if believed.” Legendary customer service does not come from a policy manual; it comes from the heart. So, how do you get new hires to embrace a new set of values? Answer: Build a multi-day orientation process. Anything less than two days is not enough. People need time to understand how the new values contribute to the success of the organization and why their current set of values will not work. For decades I have been involved in leading organizations to structure cultural orientation programs so that individuals and teams can internalize the vision, the values and the culture of an organization. I challenge you to spend your time establishing the right hiring process and the right orientation process, not in just getting the “right” people.

The Customer Relationship Cycle

Using the “Customer Relationship Cycle” we can examine the payback of training customer-facing employees with business development skills.
The Customer Relationship Cycle illustrates a prospective customer's perception of trust and interest throughout the sales process.
A typical cycle progresses as follows: initial skepticism, a period of enthusiasm, a peak of excitement at the close of the sale, a period of disillusionment after the sale and an eventual plateau of realized value.
The Customer Relationship Sales Cycle has a simple and clear message: To maximize revenue, sales organizations must invest in managing the sales process at all points in the cycle. Companies must engage the prospect beyond the Peak of Interest (close of sale) through the Disillusionment phase (post sale) to the point of Realized Value (customer satisfaction and loyalty).
A customer passes through several stages on the path to realized value:
Skepticism (Initial contact through demonstration): A breakthrough, product or service demonstration, marketing launch or other event generates significant interest.
Peak of Interest (Close of Sale): During this phase of over enthusiasm and unrealistic projections, a flurry of sales activity results in some buying events.
Disillusionment (Post Sale): Hunter salesperson moves on to next opportunity. Customer relationship wanes.
Enlightenment (Implementation): If the customer is continually engaged after the initial sale and there a successful implementation of the product or service. Customer sees initial return on their investment.
Realized Value (Account Management): If an on-going customer relationship is maintained and value is recognized, the customer feels comfortable with the reduced levels of risk and a rapid growth phase of value perception and loyalty begins. Customer is open to value added products and services.
Success oriented organizations recognize the potential of each customer contact and the necessity to deliver unparalleled customer service while exploring sales and referral opportunities. The challenge is to train your service and non-sales representatives to approach every customer interaction as a selling opportunity.
....Any organization's non-sales staff can and should be able to generate sales leads and new business. It costs relatively little to make sure they get those skills today, to turn them into revenue-generating “farmers” for your enterprise.

A customer oriented organization

How to create a customer oriented organization
This article is about the creation of a service organization.
No matter the size of your company, the key to successful customer management is infusing your company to the core with best practice principles of quality customer service. This means, that every person in the organization at any level from piccolo to CEO must have a vital commitment to deliver service. The key to ensuring excellent customer service is through your employees. Your employee creates a customer oriented organization. There are some guidelines, which are essential in obtaining a customer oriented organization, some of them are;
A) The way you treat your employees has always an impact on how they treat their customers. It has a much stronger effect, than any training can provide. It is culture.
B) Frontline-staff as well as back-office staff must gain the effort of soft skills training and technical training. Training in interpersonal and communication skills as well as process and problem-solving skills is essential to any service organization. A minimum of training to all employees must be given. In a given situation, should back office-staff as well as front-office staff be able to handle the customer to a satisfactory level. No doubt.
C) The best and strongest managers in service organizations do always get in the frontline, and shows staff, how to handle difficult customers. They do always set a perfect example. They set up and implement a service model strategy, which should be followed by all employees. The service strategy is the brain of the service organization.
D) Do always design internal and external procedures with customer convenience in mind or make a reference group of customers, invite them in - and have their word of new coming procedures in the service organization. Involve your customers to commit them to buy your product through excellent attention and service.

Kindness and Customer Service

Customer service is not an option. When you think about customer service, do you own your customer or rent your customer? Would your customer go out of his or her way to do business with you? What does this mean exactly?
There really isn't a better or best time to think about our relationships with our customers. When considering these questionable economic times and the competition for the ever-diminishing discretionary dollar, will your organization rise to the top in the mind of your customer? How can you guard yourself from customer attrition and employee turnover?
If these questions cause a moment to stop and ponder, you no longer have to wonder what characteristics the companies that rise above all have in common. Their dedication to values such as kindness in leadership, customer service and community service sets them apart from crowd. Their faithful following will make the extra time and spend the extra gas money to do business with the organization that follows these principles. Here's a thought... try a little kindness.
When was the last time you just called to check-in and say hello or how are you? It is the attention to detail and the dedication to letting your customer know that they are valued that will make a difference. In other words, would your customer continue to do business with you if they had to make an extra effort to do so? Do you make an extra effort for them? Try a little Lagnaippe Service; do something special and see what happens. The little things in life offer the biggest reward.
Dallas Teague Snider, CMP is the Founder of Make Your Best Impression and a Business Etiquette and International Protocol Consultant. She teaches workshops and seminars on business etiquette, customer service and international protocol. Book Dallas to present to your next convention or meeting. She is currently accepting orders for her new book that is a must have for every business professional. Scheduled to be available in February 2009.

Customer Service Importance

Ask any CEO of a company, president of a bank, manager of an office, minister or staff and they will tell you HOW IMPORTANT the customer is to their operations and success. In meeting after meeting, heads of industry, the service sector, utilities, and government try to convince the audience how much they believe in customer service." It is our mission, it is our number one priority, it is our goal, it is why we are in business...," often prove to be mere epitaphs. Unfortunately, these same "customer friendly" executives go back to their offices, de-employ office staff, fail to initiate a customer service improvement plan and send memos out saying customer complaints are unjustified and overblown.
It is a contemporary mantra of service-oriented economies throughout the world that the customer is the key to success. Yet, how many of these same people are just miming what others say or think without ever actually considering what customers want, how to deliver good service, how to develop systems that enhance customer satisfaction and create a service friendly environment. The reality is that customer service around the world, with a few notable exceptions, is either declining or stagnating. Technological developments have dehumanized service while economic pressure and high employee turnover have left customers wondering when they will receive proper service at a fair price and in a timely manner.
Why is customer service in such a "funk" - what is causing this service malaise despite the "lip service" being paid to the significance of the customer in contemporary business, government and public life? If customer service and contact with a customer or client are so important for the success of a company or organization, then why are some companies and organizations failing in this critical department?
Moreover, can a company offer good services/products at low or reasonable prices but still not meet customer demands and suffer financially as a result?
Can a company know the needs and problems of customers without having contact with them and without listening to them?
These three fundamental elements must exist and be cultivated in order for good service to flourish:
1. Expand your idea of service 2. Consider or reconsider who your customers are 3. Develop customer friendly service techniques and systems
If you master these three fundamental elements, your customer service is bound to improve and mature.

Why Customer Service ?

Every business whether it is sales of products or services, depend heavily on customers. Customer Service assumes significance in that few businesses can continue to grow without a strong base of quality customer service. Customers form the foundation of any business. It would be suicidal to ignore the complaints if any by the customers. Apart from the quality of the products or services sold, the customer feedback by word of mouth, act as an ambassador for the seller/service provider. Applying the same token , after sales services/24-hour services support form the vital cog in the wheel of a successful business house.
Banks are often cited as the testing crucible for customer satisfaction and the standard of services. Here the quality of the customer service can be assessed by a single visit to a bank branch. An impatient junior officer, a service bottle-neck at the counters or imparting of wrong or factually incorrect information -all these contribute to deficiency in customer service, let alone more serious errors. Today Banks, which basically offer the same services and charge the same for common services, are preferred only on the basis of their quality of services. Customer services are given the utmost importance by most successful leading banks. They have instituted special customer response and grievances redressal systems where high-ranking officials monitor the correctness of the responses or the redressal of a particular grievance.
The standards of customer services in banks are today excellent and many business corporates like mobile phone services providers ,internet service providers, utility services and courier agents are practicing excellent standards of customer service.
It was Dale Carneigie, if I remember correctly, who once said that the Customer was Always Right. How true! Give in to the Customer arguments and then when things have cooled down sufficiently, prove your arguments to him. The customer would stay permanently loyal to you.
Customer service is no longer a mere sales jargon or sales pitch. Customers today who are very knowledgeable and demand services, cannot be sidelines or shortchanged any more. The competition is waiting to snatch away your precious bank of customers. If you fail to deliver or fail to redress in time, the loss is yours.

Working from home in Customer Services

Companies are finding it easier to hire work at home employees to take care of their customer service needs. With the new technology, high speed internet, and the trendy networking capabilities, it is even easier to have your customer service representatives across the world from your company and the customers will never know. This opportunity is available to anyone who has a solid motivation for work from home jobs and who wants to earn a good amount of money.
Customer Service Needs
Those who want to open a business and work from home in the customer service field need to understand that the major benefit to this line of work in really for the business who hires you. In hiring a freelance worker, there is no need for added expenses in monthly leases, office equipment, and utility bills. This leaves more money open for them to pay you on an hourly basis.
By The Hour - Work From Home
The average customer service worker at home is estimated to make an average of $14 an hour. Those who are taking the same calls in a center for a company only bring in an estimated $9 an hour. The difference is the result of savings to the customer when you are in business for yourself at home. If you have needs such as medical problems or want to stay at home with your children, this hourly rate is a good way to do it. The internet is full of companies offering a customer service position and great rates to those who get hired.
What To Expect
The companies looking to hire a work from home customer service representative may require you to have certain experience or training. Most, however, will start you out at the bottom and give you the training you need. They may also ask for a background check as if you were taking on a regular position. The individual company will give you the specifics of what they are looking for and how they expect the job to be done. Some companies may also reimburse you for charges you incur with your phone or other tools and tasks needed to complete the job but this too will vary from company to company.
What You Need To Start Work From Home
It is essential that a home office for customer service contain certain items to make work more productive and efficient. First, you will need a good computer that runs the way it should and the simple knowledge of how to work with it. Second, a high speed internet connection is also a necessity to communicate and place orders and other material for the company. Third, you will need a solid phone line and an unlimited long distance plan so customers can reach you. The most important item the work at home customer service specialist needs is a positive attitude and good people skills to be able to get along with the customers effectively and with high quality service

Customers Expectations

At some time in my career, I learned that the standard for customer service should be to “surprise and delight” the customer. That means you must find out what the customer expects and then give the customer more than he or she expects. The following 9 steps can be used to exceed the customer’s expectations.
1. Ask the customer what he or she expects from you.
2. Based on the customer’s answer, do whatever it takes to deliver more than the customer
expects, and remember that you want the customer to be “surprised and delighted.”
3. Ask the customer if you delivered more than he or she expected.
4. If not, do whatever it takes to deliver more so that the customer is “surprised and
delighted.”
5. Once you know that you have exceeded the customer’s expectations, ask the customer if
there is anything more that you can do.
6. If the customer tells you there is more that you can do, ask what it is and do it.
7. Assume the customer tells you there is nothing more that you can do, but you can think of
something more that you can do. Do the additional thing that you thought would be of
benefit to the customer.
8. After you have done everything that either you or the customer can think of, make sure the
customer knows that it was your pleasure to work with him or her.
9. Tell the customer that you are available at any time if something comes up and the
customer needs additional service.
These steps are not complicated and are really quite simple to follow. You have the ability to make your customer happy when you do so much to meet and exceed his or her expectations. You can be proud of yourself whenever your customers are “surprised and delighted” by your good service.

Customer Service For Executives

Everyone in a corporation should learn customer service and that includes the executives to. The late great Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald's stated in his book; Grinding It out. That each of his executives had to spend time behind the counter of a McDonald's store greeting customers and understanding the business model in each month. He insisted that his executives never lost touch with reality and understood what their business was all about. It was about customer service he would say and he was right.
Ray Kroc used to say that if a customer is happy when they leave the store they will come back 10 more times. If they are unhappy they may frequent a different restaurant 10 more times until they forget about their bad experience. What he was driving at is that if you lose a customer you lose 10 times of what ever that sale was when they receive the bad service.
Customer service is as important today as it was back then and it will always be the quintessential part of any corporation or small business. If you cut corners on your customer service you will pay for it ten-fold. Customer service means increased sales and increased sales mean successful businesses. Customer service is the key to the health of your company and the wealth that it generates. Please consider all this in 2009.

Call Centre Customer Service

When we envision a call center we visualize a big room full of cubicles, desks, and customer service reps (CSRs) answering their telephones with their headsets on. We envision clients and customers calling into a queue and waiting for the next available rep. We think of call center customer service as how fast the CSRs answer the telephone calls – the longer the wait time, the worse the customer service is perceived to be.
But call center customer service goes far beyond that. A call center is a place where a business answers the phone when a client calls. It can be a small business with just one or two employees or a big business with thousands of CSRs manning the phones. It doesn’t matter; a call center isn’t necessarily what we all envision it to be. If you have ever answered the phone at your place of business you have provided customer service at a call center.
Remember that - if you answer the phone, you are providing customer service. That means you need to be accessible to your customers, solve their problems, sell them what they need, and do it in a timely manner. Customer service is not only done by large businesses with an army of service reps, but also by every small business professional, sales person, and business owner.
Every time your business phone rings it is an opportunity to provide exceptional service to a customer. Be courteous, be polite, and your customers will love you for it.

Why is Customer Service Important

If you are someone who eats out a lot then you know how important customer service is. Of course, it varies from establishment to establishment, and from person to person. Opinions and standards vary quite a bit, but I think we all agree that customer service is very important. We all want to be treated well and to enjoy that friendly service we all deserve. Having spent a decade working in customer service jobs, I can attest that it can be a rather unpleasant occupation to say the latest. However, when you deal with the public for a living and depend on their generosity to pay your bills, you don't have to ask a foolish question like, why is customer service important? That answer has been made clear long ago. The first job I landed was at a Chinese restaurant. The proprietor was an old friend of my uncle's. The first question he hit me with was, why is customer service important? It was actually kind of a tough to understand what he was trying to say in his broken English. I thought he asked me; why is cussing servants in Portland? I was taken aback for a moment but was rescued when he was distracted by another matter. My pal then mercifully translated what he had said, and I basically laughed it off with relief.
While I may not have understood every word that my new employer was trying to say, I didn't have any difficulty learning the value of good customer service. I quickly found out when my deliveries didn't make it on time. Late delivery equaled irritated hungry patron, which meant that I didn't get a tip. Over the next several years I tried jobs in video stores, malls, and taverns. Bartending brought a completely new dynamic to the question, why is customer service important? What do you people to drink, there is a whole new set of rules that you have to operate with. You really do have to keep your emotions in check. Remember, angry customers means no tips. And if you get a trunk customer who knows what he's capable of. When you work positions like these, you want and need the gratuity. You really don't hit an hourly wage that adds up to much so this is really important.
If you are in the service industry then no doubt you fully understand the value of good customer service. I know you don't even have to ask why is customer service important? Since most of us have dined our or been to a bar, we all know what things are crucial. No one likes to be kept waiting nor do they like poor service, especially when you're paying good money. This not only keeps the patrons happy, but the boss as well. Poor customer service can certainly cause a customer to never return. So you ask why is customer service important? Because it pays the bills

Customer Service Call Centres

A call center is a centralized office of a company that answers incoming telephone calls from customers. A call center may be an office that makes outgoing telephone calls to customers by the means of telemarketing. Such an office may also responds to letters, faxes, e-mails and similar written correspondence.
Customer service has always supported corporate growth by keeping customers happy and ensuring their ongoing loyalty. But the challenges of today's business environment demands that customer service take advantage of its unique capabilities and opportunities to make a more substantial contribution to the progress of the company. The customer service department of the call center can drive sales, change the image of the company and make customer relationships more profitable. The key is to execute the right strategy and choose the right tools. Call centers offer business services that typically include telemessaging, order collection, customer service options, customer care and the outbound calls that follow.
Customer service means providing every customer with great service anytime, anywhere, through any channel and keep costs down. Customer service means providing solutions and facilities at any given time. Most of the consumer goods companies have started to provide pre-sales and after sales service to its customers through call centers. Be it a problem with the equipment or booking of an airline ticket or net banking facilities or online stock trading, customer services is equipped to offer help. Today, customer service has become a completely variable concept, and it provides the necessary phone call service through the many customer service call centers

Customer Service Jobs

There are some careers that will always require the services offered by the people who work within them. Engineering jobs, electrical jobs and customer service jobs are all careers that will likely always be around. No matter what company you work for, there will always be a customer service department keeping customers and clients happy. No matter whether it be a supermarket, a distribution company or a bank; there will always be a customer service helpline that you can contact if you need any help or advice, therefore there will always be a customer service role available for you.
The Role of Customer Services
Customer services are there to help clients and customers to find the answers to their questions and to deal with any complaints or queries that they may have. The most important thing that you have to have in order to work in customer services is good people skills. Being able to relate to people no matter what their age, sex, race or location is a definite advantage. You can never tell who will contact you and so you need to be able to communicate with a wide range of people.
Patience is another skill that will come in handy. There are times when you will be dealing with abusive customers. Patience is the only thing that will get you through the really difficult times when you are trying to handle a demanding customer. You have to be able to control your temper and help the customer as much as you possibly can. This is a skill that not everybody requires. So if you find that you do get a little hot tempered when faced with confrontation then a customer service job may not be the best career choice for you!
A customer service role could entail the following:
• Answering telephone calls • Passing customers and clients on to the right department • Answering queries regarding products or services • Trying to solve problems with purchases that customers have made • Assisting customers and clients with making the best purchases to suit their needs
The role can be varied and all contact that you have with customers will be different. Of course it would help if you actually cared about the potential problems that customers could have. If you care then that will shine through when you are talking with customers and they will trust you and the company a lot better if they feel that you are on their side.
Typically customer service jobs are demanding, tiring and challenging. They are not suited to everybody and you will have to show a good level of people skills if you are to make it in a customer service role. Overall if you would like a career in customer services than you do not typically need many qualifications. Just good people skills and a willingness to learn are usually all that you need to start your customer service career. All companies require customer service employees. So if you do choose to make it in customer services then you can be sure that there will always be a job for you

Customer Service Jobs

It is very easy to find Customer Service Jobs in almost each and every field in the Job market. All types of offices, companies (small or big), professionals etc. require customer service people to assist their customers and provide good services to maintain their businesses. Although Customer Service Jobs are easy to find but full of complications for people who lacks in patience and gets frustrated very fast. The disadvantage of Customer Service Jobs is that you have to serve the customers, which is not that easy as it seems to be.
Customer Service isn't rocket science and isn't a department. It is a simple philosophy that should be practiced by everyone in an organization, regardless of their position, and it can be broken down into four basic parts; these four points could be considered the starting point - the basics of Customer Service Jobs. By understanding these very simple techniques, you will be well on your way to creating more moments of magic for your customers.
Common sense
Common sense means doing the obvious. It is a little more than treating your respected customers like you would want to be treated. It is simply treating your customers the way they want to be treated by an agent or organization. Understand that what you would expect might be different than what your customer might expect from you. Common sense is a basic technique of Customer Service Jobs.
Flexibility
Don't let "company policies" stand in the way of making a customer happy. However there is possibly a point where you have to take a stand. In spite of what you may have heard, the customer is not always a right side. Let them be wrong with dignity, if they are wrong. Do what you can, within that kind of reason, to see that your customer is always happy.
Solving Problems
There are two types of problems to solve - business and non-business problems. Business problems include taking care of meeting and complaint a customer's needs. Non-business problems that have nothing to do with what you and your company do on the daily basis. These customers are coming to you to either satisfy a complaint or have you help them with a problem, and you should always need to be there to help them.

Finding Customer Service Jobs

When looking for customer service jobs you really have to take stock of yourself. Are you an outgoing positive person? Do you have patience with others? Are you prepared to deal with people's demands? The good news is this; there are normally lots of choices when it comes to customer service jobs.
The goods and services sector is expanding all the time. This is due to increased spending within that sector worldwide. As a result the retail sector and the service sector go hand in hand.
This gives you plenty of opportunity presuming you are able to put the hours in. One thing you must also consider with customer service jobs is the anti social schedule you may be put on. You may have to work weekends and evenings. However when looking for these jobs ask if you can have a rotating schedule that gives you some time to be with friends and family.
The principle behind customer service jobs is customer service. People like to buy from people they like. In most cases they even buy more because they like the people they are dealing with. As a result personality is key, but not only that, a genuine care for other people and what they need can make you extremely successful within this industry.
Although these customer service jobs at the outset may not pay a lot that is not to say that they will not pay well as you progress within the industry. This is especially so if you are determined and have the right attitude. Companies are willing to spend time and money in training the right people for the job.
So when looking for customer service jobs take your time. Find a company that you like. Get a rotating schedule then hunker down and do the job to the best of your ability.

Customer Service Jobs

Work at home customer service jobs is a great way to make some extra money by working at home. In fact, since 2005 these call center jobs have been on the rise. Many consumers, including myself, are very frustrated when we call for technical support and end up talking to someone from India that we cannot understand.
For this reason, work at home customer service jobs are booming and hiring. There are many different companies that will hire you for work at home customer service jobs. Some are better than others, you just have to look closely at the details.
If you are interested in work at home customer service jobs, then here is some great information. Most customer service representatives will earn $8 to $9 per hour, while call service agents earn $13 to $14. Please remember those are just averages. Every company has different setup and different pay.
If you are interested, you must have a computer, somewhat fast internet connection, phone line dedicated to home-calling service with unlimited long distance, and good to excellent "people" skills. If you have all that, you are completely set for work at home customer service jobs.
A positive is that the company hiring you may reimburse you for some of the essential tools. The hiring company may also put you through a customer service training course so you get a better understanding of what to do. Some may also ask you to take a drug test and do a quick background check on you as well

The Sales Recruitment Jobsite

Find Your Sales Career At Sales Recruitment Jobsite
Finding a sales job can be a very difficult task but sales people have always been creative people and since the process of job hunting is really just the process of selling yourself it is a bit easier for sales people to make an impact on a potential employer. A smart salesperson knows how to find and use the most powerful tools available to get the job done and when it comes to being the most powerful tool in the job of hunting for a sales job anywhere in the UK the answer is the Sales Recruitment Jobsite found at www.salesrecruitmentjobsite.com. The Sales Recruitment Jobsite is not only offers a complete listing of tens of thousands of available sales jobs in the UK but it also offers a variety of services that are unique to the Sales Recruitment Jobsite. There are many reasons why so many employers find their top sales talent at Sales Recruitment Jobsite and you should be aware of this very powerful job sales job hunting tool.The Sales Recruitment Jobsite offers the very basic of services that you need to find a sales job in the UK. You can search for jobs offered by hundreds of employers in dozens of categories to try and find that job that is perfect for you. You can also use the Jobsite to do the searching for you while you are not even logged in to the site. You can upload your resume so that hundreds of potential employers can look through your resume and see if your qualifications are what they are looking for. The Jobsite helps match up sales professionals to sales organizations by putting both prospect and potential employer through a rigorous process of answering questions and finding out what qualities each candidate possesses and how that matches up with what the employers are really looking for. The Jobsite goes deep into the qualification process and pulls out the important information that other websites forget to ask.In the continuing effort to go that one extra step the Sales Recruitment Jobsite also offers a very unique service to their sales candidates. You can create what the Jobsite calls a talking resume where you make an online video of your resume and really show potential employers many of the qualities they would need to see to make up their minds. Your demeanor, your approach, and your style comes across in these talking resumes and you can make a huge impact on a prospective employer by doing a professional talking resume. It is a service that is unique to the job hunting industry and something that sales people should definitely take advantage of because there is no better way to show your capacity for doing an excellent job in sales than with a video resume.The Sales Recruitment Jobsite offers free advice and also has an extensive network of active recruiters that use the service to help match up employers with the candidates they are looking for. The Jobsite offers opportunities from entry level positions all the way up to sales executives and they do one of the best jobs in the UK of matching up employers with the candidates they are looking for. Are you looking to relocate to Australia or the United States? Then the Jobsite can help you find the sales job you are looking for there as well. The Jobsite is a fully functioning international sales job placement service that offers thousands of jobs in hundreds of fields that you are bound to be qualified for. So if you are looking for the perfect sales job in the UK or abroad then check out the Sales Recruitment Jobsite today and get your career back on track.