In my experience, the lion’s share of phone encounters with a majority of companies is frustrating, ridiculously time-consuming and frequently ends in unsatisfactory results. However, it is an unexpected treat when the call is efficient, pleasant and “case is closed” by the time you end the call in a reasonable time frame. Here is where I recently went wrong. As I was told during a call, a brief survey would follow at the end if I wanted to comment on…..
When is the last time you received a hand-written thank you from a purchase you made? And I quote: “Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you. We appreciate your business and the confidence you have in our store and our line of vacuum cleaners. Thank you. Pat C.” Now I know why they have been in business for over 40 years. They started out as a sewing machine retailer but the household demand dried up. They artfully…..
All I could say was “Now that is what I am talking about!”. It was to myself but out loud and animated. I had the best experience that I have ever had at a fast food drive-thru. Here is what made it great. She opened with asking my name and called me by name frequently throughout our brief relationship. Remember, it is only a voice forming the courtship and she made me feel like it would surely lead to a…..
Happily giving back on July 22nd. Libraries across the country, in particular in small towns like where I grew up in Maine, are having hefty budget cuts that require skillful creativity to sustain operations. Reading is a basic skill that children need to succeed. Everyone deserves access to resources that promote reading. Support your town library!
Most of us have certain routines we subconsciously perform. How we brush our teeth. How we dry ourselves after the shower. How we position ourselves when driving. No thinking needed. It is just autopilot. The same can be said for business operations. Many have autopilot procedures and systems, some of which might not be the optimum way to ensure an excellent customer service interaction. I fell into this trap myself recently. I am getting a house ready for summer weekly…..
God bless companies that actually answer their phones. God bless companies that have friendly smiling employees. God bless companies that are customer-centric. God bless companies that know It Can Be Done. WHY? Because You Get Paid to Smile and Serve. Available now.
We come to an area in the summer that is known for being a family vacation destination, therefore, quite crowded in the summer. The local economy depends on that as winter brings a significantly more scarce population. The region is also home to one of the country’s wonderful national parks. My kids can confirm. For the last three years, I grumbled about what a bad impression vacationers get when they arrive based on the terrible road conditions. Most probably go…..
An unbelievable–well not really–phone system set up at my specialty pharmacy. I use them because they do such huge volume that their prices are deeply discounted. I am beginning to think I would rather pay the higher prices at a conventional store. Otherwise, I will surely begin needing an additional prescription for the high blood pressure they caused while trying to reach them. The kicker is how they set it up. The first thing you hear is “Press 1 for…..
Does an organization with specific job descriptions take a risk of creating a “not my job” atmosphere? It could. Successful organizations can have descriptions and not foster territorial employees if they also have one very important component. It must be coupled with a customer centric vision that charges each and every employee accountable to contribute to the effort. Granted, there may be technical elements of a few positions that only particular employees have expertise in. There are far less of…..
WHY? is a customer service satire, poking fun at many industries for a lack of pleasant and efficient customer service. It was only fair to offer one chapter devoted to obnoxious customer behavior. I call them the BCCs. Badly Behaved Consumers. At best, you have been waiting your turn when you have had the pleasure of witnessing an exchange of this impolite behavior. Or worse yet, you might be one of those joining in on the party. So it is…..
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