English writer Samuel Johnson said, “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.” So, as you prepare every morning to engage and WOW your clients or customers, I encourage you to remind yourself and your colleagues of this:
QUI TAKEAWAY: To a complaining customer, you are not the company’s representative. You ARE the company. So, own it. Be the CEO of the Moment. Take it personally. Take it professionally. Take it responsibly. Just don’t take it home.
The customer is not always right. But know that the customer IS ALWAYS YOUR customer. So, do whatever it takes to make your customer FEEL right.
Take the perspective that customers complain because they want to help your business. Otherwise, they would have left, said nothing, and never come back.
Listen and allow the customer to vent. Angry or frustrated customers generally won’t listen to or accept your apology until they have had an opportunity to voice their frustrations.
And listen to their complaints with the intent to take action, not to explain. To a customer, when something is wrong, your explanation is an excuse. Customers want action, not excuses.
Listen intently, respond empathetically, apologize, and do whatever it takes to resolve the problem, even if it means going with your customer to a competitor.
When all alternatives don’t work, DON’T fire the customer. Simply ask him to resign. “I’m sorry, but I’m not able to resolve your problems. Could I recommend Company X for your experience? I could contact them if you like.” Both the customer and your competitor are happy. The customer will remember you and may stay loyal. The competitor is happy because you recommended them. They may refer you later if they can’t resolve another customer’s complaint. A Mutual Admiration Society of sorts.
On another note, just as important: do you and your customer service colleagues call yourselves the frontline? You may think you and they are front and center with customers. But customers emotionally feel they’re battling the frontline. In war, generals don’t hear the frontline as they dictate strategies to the lower ranks. Would you want your managers to do the same? Doctors and nurses don’t serve their ailing patients. They care. Shouldn’t we call customer service more than the frontline? How about identifying you, your team, and your customers as Customer CARE?
Don’t just serve to sell your products or services to customers. And don’t just serve to satisfy customers. Instead, serve to WOW customers. Serve to CARE.
COMMUNICATE with each customer with a smile, eye contact, and polite interaction. Inform each customer transparently and interactively about the product’s or service’s function, benefits, liabilities, and advantages to them.
ACKNOWLEDGE each customer’s presence and value to you and your company.
RESPOND empathetically and promptly to each customer’s questions, concerns, and complaints.
ENRICH the experiences of every customer.
Your customers feel respected, appreciated, and valued. Each customer is WOWED and happy, eager to return, spend more, and rave about it on social media.
Today, remind yourself and your colleagues of this QUI Takeaway: When a customer complains, be the CEO of the Moment. Take it personally. Take it professionally. Take it responsibly. Just don’t take it home.
#customerservice #customerexperience #customerloyalty #custserv #custexp #cx
Click the bell 🔔 icon at the top right of my LinkedIn profile page to be notified of my posts and articles. Thank you for reading. I very much appreciate you.
