I love the commercial for Discover Card where the CSR working in some remote call center poses as the supervisor “Peggy” to get out of a tough customer conversation. I thought it was funny until I met my personal version of Peggy going by the name of Boris. I was headed to Albany on an early morning flight along with a handful of other people. I was taken by surprise when my suitcase didn’t make it. I wasn’t going to let a suitcase mishap ruin my day, so I reported the loss to baggage claim and went on my way. I was sure it would arrive before the night was over. I met my customers in
Are You A Good Caddy
I started golfing about 5 years ago. I know, I know- you avid golfers wish I would have stayed at home. But, I fell in love with the sound of my club hitting the ball and the beautiful scenery. And then, there were the times that I hit the ball just right and it felt like I was cutting through butter. When the ball went exactly where I wanted it to go I would tell myself, “That was easy!” But then, as hard as I tried to recreate what I did, the perfect swing became elusive. I resorted to blaming a pulled muscle or fatigue for my inconsistent skills and poor score.
You have customer service
Where Did Customer Service Go?
When I assess a department or call center, I ask the employees to take a short personality test which focuses on the concept of team. You are either a coach, a cheerleader, team player or score keeper. It has been my experience that most great customer service departments have a lot of team player, people pleasing personalities. This personality likes to make people happy and we like happy customers. Customer Service Departments by nature are people pleasers, too. A general manager needs a special project done and asks the customer service manager to take it on. She smiles
4 Basics to Having an Impressive Phone Routine
One of my very first jobs after high school was as a dance and acrobatics instructor for a well-known local performing group. I had dabbled in gymnastics as a kid, but had never taken a dance class or had any formal training in either area. I responded to an ad I had seen in the local paper and thought it would be a fun job. I felt I had good qualifications; I could do a back flip, I liked dancing and I was a fast learner. I had no idea what to expect in the interview, but I was looking forward to showing off. The interview was like none other. The interviewer was a plump, middle-aged dance
E-mail Wars
I remember the first time an e-mail blew up in my face. I wrote two sentences that included factual information and the other person assumed I was accusing her of not doing her job. She wrote back a snippy response and before I knew it, war had been declared. After we met face to face and talked about it, she confessed she was having a bad day and took dramatic license by adding in sarcasm as she read my words. I had an apology to make, too. I didn’t realize how important it was to her that I began with a personalized comment such as, “Good morning, Lisa!” It
Last Call
A few years ago I had made an appointment with my doctor and I specifically asked for the last appointment of the day. After I checked in, a woman in faded pink scrubs beckoned me to follow her to the exam room. She forced a smile as she told me someone would be with me soon. I knew that “soon” usually meant 30 minutes, so I sat in a chair and began to read. I could hear the nurses talking in the hallway and doors opening and closing. It seemed as if I wasn’t the only one with a late afternoon appointment. Thirty minutes turned into 45 and I noticed that things had become awfully
Fear Of Negotiating
Picture the scene: You have a spring in your step as you follow the secretary into the conference room for your 9:00 meeting. You know this is going to be a perfect way to end the week. Today you will walk out with a signed contract worth millions. You are confident that after a few minutes of conversation you will have them eating out of your hands and that they will not only sign the contract, but be grateful that your company is willing to provide them with such an amazing service. Your eyes scan the conference room as you enter. You notice the freshly polished wood
Don’t Let Your Employees Bring You To The Brink Of Disaster
Customer Service and Operations are the two departments that are the life blood of your district. As a service based business, everything revolves around completing the service safely, on time and in a way that makes the customer feel satisfied. If a driver doesn’t show up for work, you have a crisis that needs to have immediate attention. If you have a CSR at lunch, one off sick and only one person to answer customer calls, you have a crisis. Behind every 5 minute hold time is a situation that could have been prevented if there was a crisis management plan in place. Do you have a plan in
Your Excellent New Customer Service Has Been Cancelled
When you are a new customer, you often times receive better service than if you have been a loyal, long-time customer. We are thrilled when a new sales opportunity comes our way, but we yawn when the same old face shows up at our establishment month after month. New customers are exciting! A customer that calls in each week is dull and uninteresting. Sometimes the customer service you experience changes the moment you drive the car off the lot. Or, there may be small changes over time. The company stops offering free coffee or now charges for something that was free a few months before. Small
I think we have a leak! How to stop cancellations from ruining your sales numbers.
I found myself chuckling when my sister confessed to me that after a long, hot day she filled her dog’s pool with cold water and laid in it with a cool drink! She said it was amazing. Unfortunately, she discovered a slow leak which meant she had to jump up and replenish water, every time she began to relax. After a while, the task of filling the pool created so much work that it took away from the original goal of cool enjoyment. The slow leak caused her to give up and throw the pool in the trash.
Often times, our sales efforts mirror that leaky pool. Great ad campaigns bring prospects
