Phillip Van Hooser - Transformational Leadership

Maintaining your customer service momentum and building upon the foundation you’ve put in place is the key component for customer service success. If you want to get the most mileage out of your customer service efforts, consider these tips for maintaining your service momentum.

1.  Redefine Your Routine Service Activities.

 All of us have aspects of our jobs that are routine, mundane and down right boring. Often these activities require little thought or planning. Unfortunately, this is the place where our service momentum lags or breaks down first. Redefining the routine, mundane and mindless aspects of our job functions often reveals new opportunities for service at a level unexpected by our customers. Take a quick survey of the routines in your job that you dread, dislike or find boring. With list in hand, schedule some time to talk with the most imaginative person you know. Ask for suggestions that might breathe new life and excitement into these routines. A fresh perspective may reveal possibilities to which we have become blind.

 Additionally, ask for the opportunity to spend some time each month working along side another employee in a job other than your own. This might be a subordinate, a peer, and when appropriate, a superior. The new perspective will give you a better understanding of the overall direction of your organization. You will have the chance to learn more broad-based skills and develop more collaborative working relationships. The change of pace and scenery allow you an opportunity to be infused with new insights and energy regarding how you might better serve your customers.

 2.  Listen, Think and Use Common Sense.

 Exceptional customer service boils down to building relationships with people. The best service providers are interested in the customer’s needs and work to provide a satisfactory solution for those needs. As you are engaged with each customer, ask thoughtful, focused questions that will reveal what the customer is thinking, how the customer is feeling and what the customer wants to happen next. Once you ask a question - listen. The response the customer provides will help you formulate ways to create a common sense, tailor-made plan of service.

 3.  Bend the Rules, Sometimes.

 Some people have been trained and conditioned to think bending rules and going against established organizational policies - for any reason - is the equivalent of heresy.  Hear me clearly, I contend that “bending” rules is different than “breaking” them. An example might help here. The clothing store policy states that store hours are from 10:00am to 9:00pm. A customer purchased several garments and has requested alterations. She needs the items for a business trip tomorrow. The alterations have been completed, but your customer must leave town before the 10:00am store opening time. Question: Which will build your customer service momentum more quickly - opening early for your customer to pick up her alterations or forcing her to abide by the company policy? Gray areas like this occur in business every day. Consider these two points of caution. Evaluate which policies, rules and procedures are pliable and which are not. Those activities that would be too risky, too costly, illegal, immoral or unethical are off limits. The activities which have more room for independent decision making are the ones that, on occasion, can be bent to satisfy the needs of your customers. Finally, take a minute to think. What are the specific, long term ramifications of the action? What is the best thing that can happen if I respond to a customer this way? What is the worst thing that can happen? A moment of thought may save hours of regret.

 4.  Make the Last Few Seconds Count.

 People remember most what they experience last. Making the last few seconds count is a great way to build on the momentum of your customer service efforts. The first step to accomplish this is to display and communicate an appreciative attitude. Tell your customer specifically what you appreciate about them, Specificity proves you know and care about what others do for you. Next, never part company without asking if there is any other way you can help your customer. Offering your assistance is the single beset way to identify continuing or additional needs your customers may have. Finally, if you really want to extend the momentum of your customer service efforts, write your customers a thank you note -whenever possible. This follow up communication is rarely expected. Most service providers miss this additional chance to be top of mind with their customers. It will cause your customer to think about you just a little longer and (hopefully) more positively than your competition. Now that’s momentum!

Phillip Van Hooser
Leadership Expert, Author & Keynote Speaker
phil@vanhooser.com

Phillip Van Hooser’s perspectives and personal experiences change the way people think about leadership and service. His best-selling book, Willie’s Way: 6 Secrets for Wooing, Wowing and Winning Customers and Their Loyalty, has been used by companies all across the U.S. and beyond to help their people develop a renewed spirit for serving their customers. A frequent keynote speaker for top U.S. corporations, Phil shares many of his leadership and service strategies for top U.S. corporations. Learn more now at www.vanhooser.com.