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Learn the key questions to help clients avoid hiring bad and unethical Public Adjusters.
With a new year just beginning, now is the time to start questioning your customer service delivery. In this short article, customer service expert Shep Hyken presents 14 questions you might want to ask yourself and others in the agency.
It’s 2015 so, in keeping with the new year, customer service expert Shep Hyken offers 15 customer service tips to keep in mind and in practice throughout the coming year.
If you read my last article you read a list of customer service tips that anyone can put to use immediately. This is the second half of the list of 40 quick customer service tips. This list has a number of 'do's,' as well as a number of 'don't do's.' Even though the list starts with the number 1, it is actually 21.
An amazing customer service experience comes down to this: 'Sell a product or service that works and be nice to the customer about it.' It's that simple. I could stop there as most people would agree with that statement. However, this is just 'what it is.' Not how to do it. Understanding 'what it is' becomes the starting point. Knowing and 'how to do it' and actually doing it (customer service) is the execution.
I love books! They spill out of my bookshelves and sit on my nightstands and even on my favorite chair. My favorite books though, are the ones that can be read and referenced time and time again. I'd like to share an excerpt from one such book. It's a wonderful customer service story about a world-class moving company located in Walled Lake, Michigan.
You’ve read about the explosion of “disrupters” that are going to revolutionize the insurance industry. Most of them promise quick and easy online or smart phone app access but none of them really address what it takes in the form of a customer experience that enables the sale and retention of the customer. In this article, customer service expert Shep Hyken talks about “customer engagement.”
How far will you go to provide superior customer service? Would you invest hours learning basic American Sign Language so a single customer will have a better experience?
In recent months, this has become a hot topic: Can our agency cancel or non-renew a nightmare client?
The greatest benefit you have as an independent agent is that you are the 'local' professionals - you know both insurance and the area. When you communicate with your customers bring them local news, whether it's the local high school or college sports schedule, highlights and scores, upcoming events within 50 miles in the next week, or even the weather forecast (especially in farm country).
The story you’re about to read is a five-star, scale of one to ten – give them an eleven – amazing customer service story. If you’re a customer of Whole Foods, this story likely won’t be surprising.
Years ago I took a course offered by the Afterburners, a group of former military fighter pilots who teach corporate America how to bring military strategy into their boardroom. One of the very powerful lessons I learned about the military way of “doing business” was that they debriefed after every mission – both failed and successful missions.
When it comes to customer service decisions, I can’t stand the word rules. You can throw the word policy in there too. A better word might be guidelines. Or, if you insist on using the words rules and policies, then at least get employees to, rather than hide behind them, understand the spirit of the meaning behind them.
Hurricanes and other communal disasters draw public adjusters to the affected areas like sharks to the smell of blood. One public adjuster likened the influx to a pack of wolves stalking prey. Be prepared to advise your clients on the best ways to deal with public adjusters.
If something is HIGH QUALITY AND CHEAP it will inevitably take longer to accomplish. And if something can be delivered FAST AND CHEAP, it will likely not be the quality you desire. Since you can only have two of the three options, which would you chose?
Increasingly, agents are discovering that they have customers that they no longer want for one or more of many reasons. Maybe it's a contractor that generates so much certificate of insurance activity that commissions can't offset the cost to service the account. Other customers may have 'personality' problems or present what agency management perceives as a morale hazard. So, how do you get rid of them?
Can an insurance carrier and its agent hold a client hostage? Short of any statutory prohibition, the answer appears to be yes. Without a law to the contrary, the contractual agreement between an insurance carrier and its agent appears to allow for “special consideration” regarding the recognition and acceptance of an agent of record (AOR) request. But is this a good idea – or even legal?
Are insurance carriers required to honor an AOR? We have discussed this question a couple times, most recently with a Point/Counterpoint article. In this re-visitation a couple reader responses to this discussion are presented.
Creating loyal customers is a far more cost effective strategy than bringing in new ones. Many studies claim that it can cost five times more to acquire a new customer than keep an old one. If that is the case, then loyalty – even at a lower wallet share – is a very smart strategy.
Creating a Customer-Centric Culture. That’s a lot of words that begin in C. Well, this article is about D’s, specifically the Six D’s of Creating a Customer-Centric Culture.
Agents owe their clients a certain level of service, but what is that level? What should be the agent’s role? What standards of care are reasonable to properly assure an insurance client that he is properly protected? Agents are responsible for the safety of their clients' assets. While it may not be their very lives that are imperiled, if the agent doesn’t do his job, their client’s future and financial security could be ruined.
Most agents pursue prospects with a passion as long as the prospect appears to be positive and amenable to working with the agency. However, most agents also forget about the client after the policies have been issued and checked and the premium is paid. The next time they think about the client is when the renewal is on the horizon IF changes are needed in the coverage.
Point/Counter Point: Can an insurance carrier and its agent hold a client hostage? Short of any statutory prohibition, the answer appears to be yes. Without a law to the contrary, the contractual agreement between an insurance carrier and its agent appears to allow for “special consideration” regarding the recognition and acceptance of an agent of record (AOR) request. But is this a good idea – or even legal? This is an argument on both sides of this issue.
Life is too short to deal with customers who are unpleasant, rude or just plain mean. These individuals add nothing to your day and ultimately lower the moral of the entire office. You probably have someone in mind as you are reading this. Be willing to fire a client.
Are there any situations where you would refer a prospect to another agent? One agent who writes almost exclusively commercial lines refers personal lines opportunities to an agency that writes predominantly personal lines. In this article, Shep Hyken gives two other examples of referring potential customers to competitors and the reasons why.
When customers realize that a company they do business with is wasting their time by giving poor service, or forcing them to wait on the phone for customer support, they will consider finding another company to do business with who will give better service, quickly fix problems, and as a result, respect the customers’ time.
Service centers make a lot of sense from a financial standpoint except it will take as many as five years for your clients to stop calling YOU and start calling the carrier service center. You will refer them to the Service Center and they will wonder why they need an agent if they are going to talk to the insurance company whenever they have a question. Do they work well for your future?
Bradley Flower, Big I member and owner of Portal Insurance in Mobile, Alabama, knows a few things about catastrophes. He developed catastrophe claims process we asked him to share for agents who have cat-exposed clients. After catastrophic events, your insureds will reach out for help, and while you may be mopping up your own damage, this process can help you provide excellent service to your insureds.
Can your little agency compete with the “big boys,” the direct sales organizations that have billion dollar advertising budgets? Yes! In this article, customer service expert Shep Hyken gives you six strategies to compete and don’t forget our growing “Is Insurance a Commodity?” VU Featured Resource that will increasingly provide you with the tools you need to compete with direct writers in personal lines.
It’s okay for customers to be misinformed or make a mistake. However, sometimes the customer is not only “not right,” they are abusive and disrespectful toward the people who are trying to do their best to help them, our employees.
You've got just over a week before Valentine's Day. Do something nice for your customers Valentine’s Day (and every day). Spread the love, spread the joy. Here is our suggestion for a Valentine that will last throughout the year…
What is customer loyalty? I asked a number of business people this simple question. Most agreed that customer loyalty means that the customer will come back, again and again. However, what customer loyalty doesn’t always mean is that the customer is loyal to you, and only you.
The federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act requires insurance agents to follow best practices outlined in that legislative rule. The Big “I” Agents Council for Technology offers resources that can help agents comply with the legislation and help ensure agents fully document all text conversations they have with their clients. Following some simple best practices can help all your employee capture all communications with your clients in your agency management system, or otherwise document conversations in your agency’s files.
One of the key differences between Producers and Service Staff is the nature of their personalities. While the Producer has that sales personality, assertive but not pushy, friendly but focused, reading the signals that the prospect gives to qualify or disqualify them as a potential customer, the Service staff is a helper personality, with intrinsic drivers to serve the customer’s needs and keep them happy, but not necessarily comfortable with the potential pressure or rejection of the sales function. With an understanding of some of the personality types within the agency, why would an agency want the person with a minimal expectation of success to handle incoming sales calls?
What can an insurance agency learn from a furniture company? Simplicity Sofas focuses on quality, innovation and improvement. They jump to supporting their customers and resolving issues. They communicate, keep their customers updated, and follow through. Do you?
If you’re never flown Southwest airlines, you are likely not familiar with their customer service approach. In this article, customer service expert Shep Hyken talks about his experience and I add my own at the end. For two other articles about this company, search the VU for “southwest.” Also, try searching for “ritz carlton” for an article about the “Ritz Carlton Way.”
I’m constantly amazed at how many different ideas people and companies use to amaze their customers. When you get a complaint, you probably apologize and do your best to make it right, problem solved, correct? Here’s what one business does that not only placates a dissatisfied customer, but also makes him or her an evangelist for the business….
If you’re going to make a brand promise, keep it. Otherwise, you and your company may be the brunt of the punchline… We’re not happy until you’re not happy!
The best companies know what they are good at, and they “stay in that lane.” Ace Hardware. Nordstrom. Zappos. What none of these companies are known for is being the low price leader. It’s not that they are high priced either. They are competitively priced and have chosen to compete by delivering value with their customer service. That’s their lane: customer service.
Agency personnel have typically taken one of three approaches to agency claims handling - a hands-off approach – “It’s between you and the insurer”; an overly involved approach, focused on obtaining coverage no matter what; or a balanced, collegial approach where everyone wins. This article will focus on the last approach. Building relationships with adjusters and taking a consultative approach to client management can allow you to help your clients settle their claims and keep business on your books.
The Big “I” Technical Affairs Committee (TAC) is one of the least publicized committees among the groups that work to improve agency operations and solve many types of insurance issues. TAC met with Insurance Services Office (ISO) in 2022 with a full agenda of suggested coverage wording enhancements and changes. Read on to see how the Big “I” Technical Affairs Committee helps agents deliver improved consumer-oriented coverage.
The Big “I” Technical Affairs Committee (TAC) is one of the least publicized committees among the groups that work to improve agency operations and solve many types of insurance issues. TAC met with Verisk/Insurance Services Office (ISO) in 2023 with a full agenda of suggested coverage wording enhancements and changes. Read on to see how the Big “I” Technical Affairs Committee helps agents deliver improved consumer-oriented coverage. Your input can help.
Upset customers can be unnerving. But with the right attitude and techniques, many of these people can be turned into satisfied, loyal customers. It's not always easy, but it's worth it. In this article, I'll present 14 tips that you can use to calm upset customers...half deal with general principles and half target specific behaviors and responses that you can learn and control.
While Twitter and Facebook are getting most of the attention, there are some 'old fashioned' ways of relationship building and 'customer romancing' that still work very well. Phone calls, birthday and anniversary cards, and one of my favorite romance tools - the picture postcard.
These days, most people appreciate their customers, especially the customers that have stuck with them through thick and thin in this daunting economic time. While there are still some consultants that speak out against the 'myth' of loyalty, this consultant still thinks the benefits of strategically developing loyalty are vast.
Here are five great customer service tips that will give any company an advantage over the competition, and more value for their customers.
Customer Care should be part of everyone’s job description. But in every organization there are those people – the customer facing people – whose primary responsibility it is to take care of the customer. It’s to them I am speaking today, so be sure to make sure that everyone in your organization has a chance to read this tip. Here are 7 things that I think every customer service person needs to know....
If you are looking to remain competitive (and who isn't?), it's more important than ever to differentiate your company from all the others. It's critical to make sure that your whole value proposition is clear and is consistently delivered in a way that delights and even surprises your customers.
The customer experience makes or breaks customer loyalty. With so many choices today, it's the quality of the experience -- how you repeatedly make your customers feel at each and every touchpoint -- that will determine whether or not they'll come back, purchase more, and refer their colleagues and friends to you.
Are your employees engaged in their work, or are they estranged from your agency's mission and their role in making it happen? Mounting evidence suggests that the more engaged employees are in what they do, the better their performance and the higher the rewards for everyone. The key is to have managers who are skilled at creating employee engagement.
Most companies claim to be service oriented. Everyone 'says' that their people are their greatest resource. Everyone 'claims' that their customers are king. But how often do we, as consumers, realize that the service and quality initiatives that are publicized by a company are only lip service... another marketing tool to make customers believe that they're special? So, how to we make service more than lip service? Read on...
I received a renewal billing on my Business Owners Policy from my insurance company. Examining the billing, I found four very surprising things: (1) I had a new agent, (2) the policy period had been changed from 3 years to 1 year, (3) the deductible had doubled, and (4) the annual premium had risen by 25%. Here's the full story....
Think about ethics for a moment. A seminar on the topic might be expected fare for lawyers or politicians [or insurance agents? - Ed.]. But wouldn’t you find it unusual as the topic of a three-day conference for real estate agents? I did, yet I observed 1,500 people listen attentively and respond enthusiastically at Neil Jenman’s ninth annual conference recently. Here's why....
Last week on my way home from a meeting with a client, I stopped into a new, conveniently located 'big box' office supply store to pick up some paper. I'd never been there before. I walked in and almost directly ahead of me were two employees chatting with each other. Since they were standing in the 'greeter' position I made the mistaken assumption that they were there to greet ME and perhaps direct me to the items I wanted....
Ask yourself some “Where is my focus?” questions just for fun. You may be amazed at what you see when you look at a different points of reference. For example, are you so focused on creating profit that you forget to create value? Are you looking so closely at what’s wrong that you forget to acknowledge what’s right?
I just had a problem with my computer monitor. It intermittently was creating all kinds of interesting colors. As cool as it looked, it wasn't good for reading what was on the screen. I called the manufacturer, who is known for customer service. After an hour of being transferred from one person to another, the screen on the monitor had returned to normal. We were forced to call back when the monitor began acting up again. To our surprise, the second experience was totally different than the first....
Does your agency provide good service? Do your companies provide good service? How do you know? One way of finding out is to put yourself in your customer's place. You may be surprised (and saddened) by what you find.
Are your people laughing, smiling, and leaning into each other when they talk? Do they make eye contact and enthusiastically engage each other in discussion? Are they expressive, energetic? Do they eagerly participate in team meetings and events? What are YOU doing to encourage that kind of participative behavior? Do people like working there? Do people LOVE working there?
When I looked at my calendar today to leave my daily voicemail message, I realized it's almost 'April Fool's Day' and I remembered an email message I had sent a few years ago making the suggestion that we might 'reframe' the day and have some fun with it. So I looked it up, added a few more items to it and I'm republishing it with the reminder that we all need to 'lighten up' and enjoy ourselves, and our customers, a little more.
People who are happy at work perform better and so do the people that work with them. Gallup reports that 9 out of 10 people say they are more productive when they are around positive people. We took a poll recently and asked two questions about happiness: (1) 'To what extent does 'how good you feel at work' impact your performance on the job?' and (2) 'To what extent does 'how good you feel at work' impact your productivity?' Here are the results....
Do you hunt or do you fish? Fishing for opportunities to create value may no longer be enough. Take charge of looking for ways that your company can be outstanding.
What kind of crazy airline would board a plane like a bus? An assigned seat has value, right? It gives us the security we need, knowing there actually is a seat on the plane for us. If that value (the window seat in aisle 14, for instance) doesn't exist, they must then do other things pretty well that are valuable for their customers in order to be successful.
Does your reputation for good service keep you from listening to what the customer needs and is asking for today? After all, reputations are based on past behaviors. Sitting on your laurels, rather than rising to today’s quickly moving customer challenges, can dull your competitive edge, and fast. Want to create a sharper edge and KEEP the customers happy? Trying delivering more CARE than service. Customer CARE is Proactive. It’s based on building authentic and mutually beneficial relationships.
The holidays are coming. As I’m thinking ahead to this Thanksgiving, I’m also thinking back to holidays past and a smile crossed my face while remembering a funny occurrence a few years ago. It made me think about how often we take things for granted. Are we taking the relationships we have with good customers for granted as we perhaps struggle with building relationships with the “difficult” ones?
In another article, I shared with you my all time favorite question (You remember, don't you? It's 'How have I created value today?'). Now I want to talk a little more about asking questions since it's such an integral part of how we teach here at the Customer Care Coach®. I love questions because of how they focus our attention. Did you know that the human brain will always search for the answer to a question? It's how we are programmed. That's why it's so important to ask empowering questions.
Defining what is great customer service can be difficult. However, before we can provide, or even define, great customers service, it's probably more important that we recognize bad customer service. Recently, we heard from a consumer who had a bad insurance experience. Perhaps we can all learn something from it.
Do you or your company have rules and policies that customers might think of as dumb, ridiculous, or inconvenient? Do the people you work with understand the concept of the rules and policies, or can they be misunderstood to the point of ruining a customer’s experience? Put another way…what have you done to get in the way of success?
In Part 1 of this article, I wrote about bad rules. Sometimes management creates rules that get in the way of taking care of customers. This is a follow-up. This is a little longer article than usual, but get through it. It will be worth it. There is an old saying that says, “Rules are made to be broken.” There are some management people out there that would say this doesn’t work in business. They’re right – up to a point.
I'm talking to lots of people these days who are cutting their budgets. That's necessary and expected in times like these. But, I'm also hearing that some are afraid to invest money (or even time) into training and motivating employees to maintain the kinds of positive attitudes that will keep them healthy and keep the remaining customers loyal. Uh-oh.
Summer is baseball season. Baseball is a game of percentages, where the smallest difference can mean a lucrative major league career or years languishing in the minor leagues. Customer service is also a 'game' of percentages that can mean the difference between agency success and failure.
One of my clients told me how he takes care of his customers. He asks them, “Do you want me to be good TO you, or good FOR you?” Think about that question for a moment. Being good “to” the customer means you take care of them, give them great service, etc. But being good “for” the customer is different. It is helping them or enhancing their experience.
Want a more positive workplace where you and your co-workers feel happy and motivated? Want to make customers happier so that their loyalty - and your profits - grow? Want to work more efficiently and effectively and improve your health?
Happiness is a choice we make—over and over again in the course of the day. It's a choice we make to listen with a sense of curiosity rather than judgment, and a choice to intervene in our habitual thought patterns that often lead us right down the rabbit hole to negativity. We can make the choice to be happy—or at least happier—in most situations by changing what we put our focus on and how we talk to ourselves.
We, as an industry, have gotten some pretty rotten publicity regarding service. The bad news is that much of it is well earned. Uncaring employees finding reasons why claims should be declined have justified most of the horror stories that we've heard. The good news is that this picture of expected service problems makes 'thrilling' the customers that much easier for those of us who care to change the image.
In one of the issues of our Customer Care Coach®, I tell the story about the first time I ever broke through a wooden board with my bare hand (think martial artist doing a karate chop). It's a technique sometimes used in workshops to help people break through blocks, fears and limiting beliefs. Think about a time when you were so focused on a goal that you could see it, feel it, touch it, taste it, and hear it. Emotion fuels our dreams (as well as making for better customer experiences).
The other day I ran across some notes I’d made for an executive of a large company that I was coaching. He was working on a speech with the goal of convincing the rest of the team that the 'Customer Experience' was so critical to their business that they should be making a large investment in training everyone who touched the customer to go above and beyond, to add discretionary effort, to go the extra mile. Here are some talking points....
Studies have shown that it is much more expensive to attract a new customer to a business than to keep an existing one. So, what can we do to build customer loyalty...to get that customer to come back again and again? Here are six universal points that will apply to any type of business....
What would you do if you had a customer care coach? What if you had someone who would help you understand the things you and your whole team could do to create consistently rewarding and positive customer experiences? You do!
Why can Southwest do what other airlines can't? There are dozens of reasons why one company does a better job than another in delivering delightful experiences to their customers. Some of those reasons have to do with culture, with vision, with intent, with working conditions, with attitude. And with training. When companies understand how truly valuable the customer is to their overall success, they make sure to train people in such a way that they deal with them appropriately under all circumstances.
It's expensive to keep getting customers who leave because you haven't delivered and delighted. In the business to business marketplace it is estimated that it may be costing you 30 times more to get a new customer to replace one that has left. Hmm. If you keep more of your customers you could save quite a bit on money. Yes?
As a child, from the time I could write, whenever I received a nice gift, Mom would say, “Write a thank you note.” That simple request was really more than simply writing a note. It was my parents’ philosophy about doing what was right. Here are six things my parents taught me about customer service....
For years I've been preaching that a lot of customer service is common sense that, unfortunately, isn't so common. It is the great companies that consistently deliver an experience that meets, if not exceeds, expectations. And, much of this experience is common sense. Jon Osborn, research director at J.D. Power and Associates backs this up in a recent study of the automotive industry.....
The process of service center can work. But it can only do so if the insurance company and the insurance agency form an allegiance that is extremely difficult for either of them to break. The 'bad actors' must be culled from both the company and the agency ranks. The carriers committed to marketing through insurance agencies and the agencies committed to working with a carrier would find this process quite profitable...
When a company meets some or all of our expectations we usually say we are 'satisfied.' When a company goes a few steps farther and exceeds our expectations by creating more value than we expected, we might then be 'very satisfied' or even, 'delighted.' Research shows that it is only the customers in the group above the 'satisfied' category that remain loyal over time....
It is easy to work with people you like, and it is even easier to work with people who like you. But that's not always the case. Sooner or later, you'll have to deal with a difficult customer. Fortunately, there is a process I call 'Cracking the Egg' that you can use to deal with difficult customers.
One hotel comes out with a better bed. It gives them a competitive edge for a while, but eventually other hotels catch on and compete head to head. Eventually these amenities don’t make the difference anymore. At a certain point, it comes down to the people making the difference. The staff can make or break it for the hotel.
Given their options, most sane human beings would choose to do business with someone who is pleasant, courteous, warm, friendly, hospitable and dare I say, fun. Yes, of course it's critical to be dependable, reliable, credible, responsive and intelligent, but given that, isn't it great to also have an experience that is enjoyable?
I believe that many businesses have been negatively focused. And, that as time goes on, more and more people are coming to the relatively common sense notion that we'd all get more done at work if we were a little bit happier about being there. Research is proving that so. Gallup reports that nine out of ten people are more productive when they are around positive people.
Good customer service is not enough! Customer satisfactionis not enough! Success in business requires an integratedmarketing and communication approach that will result inthe cultivation of nexus. This article explains the conceptof a 'nexus' and how it applies to your effective deliveryof customer service.
If you shifted your focus from creating profit to creating value, odds are that you would create more profit than you are creating now. A radical notion? Not really. Companies that create value for customers, employees and others, create above average profits for themselves. Just think about how your business might be different if you put all your energy into creating value....
Mary Sandro helps companies and professionals achieve results through effective presentations, exceptional customer service, and innovative hiring techniques. She is available to speak on these topics. For more information visit her web site at:http://www.ProEdgeSkills.com or call 800-731-0601.
For eons (it seems), the persons directly servicing clients in the agency have been referred to as 'Customer Service Representatives' (CSRs), or sometimes 'Customer Service Agents (CSAs). Based on feedback we're getting, there seems to be a movement towards job titles more reflective of the responsibility and critical role that 'CSRs' make.
We know the value of developing long term, loyal relationships with our customers. They buy more and refer more, help us develop the next generation of products and services, and they even help us keep our advertising costs in reason. But are our customers the only people we should be building long term relationships with? No. The relationship strategy applies internally and externally as well.
Like it or not the Digital world is here to stay. Customers are letting us know that, in many cases, they prefer self-service! Many are fed up with the poor service they have received in the past and now take charge of the service themselves - a trend that portends danger if we don't discover how we can understand these customers and give them what they want before our competitors do. And, then, keep them engaged and loyal. It's a tall order.
In Part 1 of this article, I began to tell you about some of the ways to deliver customer caring in this age of technology. I put forth my opinion that technology, used well, broadens our ability to get closer, stay closer and build loyalty with customers. It gives us the opportunity to build a bridge of knowledge and understanding. But, when we use it poorly it can build walls that push our customers right into the arms of our competitors.
I'd love to say that every organization out there understands what customer-focused really is, but I can't. In fact, in some ways we're further from it than we were 20 years ago. So in honor of the last 20 years of learning, I've started this list of what customer-focused really means.
In Part 1, we explored what 'Customer-focused' really means. If you missed it, I suggest you read it HERE. Part 1 covered 16 different ways you can bring the Customer (and their needs) into focus. Since you get more of what you focus on, it's a good idea to focus your attention on what makes your Customers happy and coming back (with money and friends).
The term, 'Profiling' has assumed a poor connotation due to the actions of several police departments around the country. However, 'profiling' as a tool has also been given a bad 'rap.' Profiling involves identifying and studying the characteristics of individuals and groups in order to provide goods and services tailored to the buyer. Here's how....
Questions, questions, questions: 'Is customer retention important? How do you know? How do we measure it? Is there any measurement that we can perform that tells us if we’re getting better or worse in customer retention? How do we make those numbers grow? How do we know if our efforts are working?'
How do managers know how customers are being treated? When you aren't around or within earshot, how do your really know how your people are responding to your customers? You don't. You can only rely on your example of customer service to live on through your staff's communication with customers. It is critical that you instill customer service concepts in your staff.
Whether you know that your business needs a great deal of improvement or whether you think that you are the best in the business, the Customer Satisfaction Survey (sometimes in conjunction with focus group sessions) will give you a great deal of worthwhile information. We urge you to consider it as one of the tools that you use in analyzing the future direction of your business.
What makes a company successful over the long, long term? What characterizes the service relationship between companies and customers who do business together for decades, even centuries? How can your company stay close to your customers even as times change, technologies change and expectations keep steadily rising? What can you do to ensure that your company's future offers are relevant and valuable in the market?
Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based professional speaker on the subjects of Change, Teamwork, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Speaking Skills. She is the author of Get What You Want and Past President of the National Speakers Association. She can be contacted via email at PFripp@aol.com or by phone at 800/634-3035...visit her web site at www.fripp.com.
Almost every company I deal with claims to give better service than their competition. Interestingly, if you talk to the competition, they also claim to give better service! So who is right? From my experience - generally neither one. Here's the problem. Nobody seems to be able to clearly define what 'better service' really means. And since the definition is so fuzzy, it's easy to claim to do it better. The starting point then, is to define what 'better service' really means. And the best way to do that is to ask the customer.
Are companies really committed to delivering great customer service? Will consumers pay more for better service? Will customers really stop doing business with companies who provide poor customer services? Here is what the statistics say....
Customer service is critical to agency profitability and growth. Outstanding customer service leads to customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction leads to customer loyalty. Customer loyalty leads to retention and referrals...retention is the key to profitability and referrals are the key to cost-effective growth. We all know that, don't we?
Companies who make customer service one of their priorities not only delight their customers; they also delight their investors. The stock market has been crushed, as of late. I'm not an economist, but I recently found some interesting information that may give an investor an edge, and it is all because of customer service.
I’m sure you’ve gone to a restaurant and had a wonderful experience, not just a meal. You may have even used the words, “I had a great experience.” Anybody can cook food. Combine culinary expertise with great service and personality and you create an experience for the customer. So, what are you doing to create an experience for your customers? First, we have to define what the experience is for your customers....
Customers want customization whether they're ordering cars, pizzas, or sub sandwiches. Subway, the successful food chain, is now advertising that because of so many choices they offer, they don’t make the sandwiches – you do. Choice is great, but even better is when someone can anticipate your choices. Even if it is based on past experience, it is appreciated and in many cases impressive.
Customizing your marketing and sales promotions may fall under sales or marketing, but I think it also belongs in service. Anytime you can increase value and make the buying experience better for a customer, you are delivering a better level of service.
Have you ever escaped McDonalds without being asked of you wanted fries or a drink with your purchase? 'Would you like a hot apple pie with that?' Why do you think they do that? Perhaps they're concerned with their patrons' nutritional needs? More likely, management realized that they can make more money by helping their customers identify additional needs and then satisfying them.
Hallmark (the folks you trust “When you care enough to send the very best”) initiated a follow-up to a national study to examine how four variables – caring, trust, length of patronage, and overall satisfaction – help predict customer loyalty. Caring was found to be twice as important as any of the other three variables. So, how do you get from short-term satisfaction to long-term loyalty? Caring is the bridge. And, as Hallmark discovered, Emotion Marketing is the means of delivery....
Some people just work for a paycheck. Others work for their company and personal fulfillment. Who would you rather be with at work...someone who hates what they are doing, or someone who loves what they are doing? Enthusiasm is contagious; however, if what you have is not enthusiasm, that is also contagious!
Customer standards tell your employees and your customers what you expect of your staff, how your staff is expected to perform, and what your customers should expect from their interaction with your agency. The focus and clarification of standards can be a strong, positive statement that differentiates you from the 'normal' insurance agency. All agencies say that they provide excellent service - few are committed enough to actually write it down and give their standards to their clients.
Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based professional speaker on the subjects of Change, Teamwork, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Speaking Skills. She is the author of Get What You Want and Past President of the National Speakers Association. She can be contacted via email at PFripp@aol.com or by phone at 800/634-3035...visit her web site at www.fripp.com.
When asked, “What is your greatest strength?”, 90% of insurance agents will claim “Excellent Service” as the answer. Yet if all of the agents who claim excellent service actually provided excellent service, there would be many fewer losses of accounts with reasons like, ‘went elsewhere’, ‘lost to price’, and, the old stand-by, ‘non-pay – no reason’. Do 90% of the agents you know provide service you would term excellent?
There’s no doubt about it; customer loyalty is key to profitability. A mere five percent increase in your customer retention could as much as double your bottom line profits! On the flip side, it costs anywhere from 6-30 times more to get new customers than it does to keep the ones you have – that is, if they’ll stay! The key to customer loyalty? Creating consistently positive experiences time and time again. Here's how....
I was recently seated near a chronic complainer at a restaurant. Fortunately, I was able to move to an empty table far from earshot of the young man. I sat quietly at my new table and started to wonder. I was able to move myself physically from this situation – what can you do when you are faced with negativity that you can’t run away from or choose not to confront (as I did)?
The owner of a beauty salon was worried. He had a large and happy clientele who willingly paid his $30/haircut fee, but noticed an obvious decline in customers when another shop opened less than a block away. The draw? A big sign in the shop window offering $12 hair cuts. What to do? After giving it a lot of thought, he put a sign in his own window: 'We fix $12 haircuts.'
I've never met an agent who does not claim to concentrate on the customers' needs. However, most agents have tried to define the customers' needs without input from the customer. This process no longer works. As evidenced by the decreasing customer retention rates in many agencies, customers no longer seem to agree with their agents on the importance of the agents services...
When discussing customer service, I don't like to pick on the airlines. Their shortcomings are obvious. Yet while I may encounter that curmudgeon at the ticket counter or that crusty flight attendant, when it comes to the people side, the airlines usually deliver acceptable levels of service. Here are four simple lessons that the airlines teach us.
Mary Sandro helps companies and professionals achieve results through effective presentations, exceptional customer service, and innovative hiring techniques. She is available to speak on these topics. For more information visit her web site at:http://www.ProEdgeSkills.com or call 800-731-0601.
Organizations would be much nicer to work for if they gave people the freedom to fail. Places that set up safe emotional environments by building trust and respecting people simply get more from their people - more ideas, more effort more brilliance. Using one of our foundation principles (#8) at the Customer Care Coach®, I'd like to share an example of how this works in the real world....
I think that when a server in a restaurant presents the bill there should be two things on the bill - the first a percentage chart so it's easy to calculate the tip. The second, a guideline for that chart that clearly indicates the patron's happiness with the service by the amount left. We can also use this idea ourselves.
One of the nice things about being a business owner is that, if a client is abusive and undesirable, you can usually send them packing. There is no legal mandate in most (but not all) states for renewing accounts; however, be sure to check any statutory or legal requirements that might govern in your state. Now, as to HOW you get rid of them....
The holidays can be a time of both joy and stress. I encourage business leaders to create a regular 'practice' of creating feelings of joy that reduce stress - both for their overall well-being, and for the increased success of their businesses. I assure you that a 'practice' of gratitude and happiness can create positive changes in a person that can lead to positive changes throughout a business all year 'round. Want to get happy? Here are seven tips for developing a practice of gratitude and happiness....
My paper piles are particularly large because like most writers, I save every little thing just knowing that it will be useful. After all these years I can tell you with certainty that I will use about one third of everything I save. The thing is, I have no idea until months after collecting it all which one third will be useful! This makes for quite a bit of clutter. And then there's my email...Yikes!
This time of the year can be as hectic for insurance agencies as retailers as you prepare 1/1 renewals. Throw in the trappings and commitments of the holiday season and it's easy to see that providing customer service with a genuine smile on your face can be a challenge when you're stressed! Relax, there are a few things you can do as manager, producer, or CSR to make the season a little jollier, even if it's your busiest one.
Do you routinely encourage creativity on your team? Let them know they're safe to question the norm, suggest the unusual? Do you set aside time to work on your challenges and tap the brainpower of all your team members? Do you honor ideas?
We occasionally get 'Ask an Expert' questions from agency owners interested in improving the customer service skills of their CSRs, producers and others. In this short article, I'll take a look at some of the resources on the internet, in print, or in the classroom to improve your staff's knowledge in this critical skill area.
Often customers come to you with an annoyance or irritation. Depending upon how you and your staff interact with them, you can either de-escalate their ire, or you can send it sky high. In this article, I'll identify some areas for you to watch to make sure you're doing everything you can to keep upset customers from going through the roof.
Everyone wants to improve customer service. But exactly what is 'customer service' and how do you go about improving it? In this article, guest columnist and customer service expert Doug Howardell provides a useable definition of customer service. He then identifies the focus areas that lead to improved customers service and shows you how to assess your performance and develop an improvement plan.
Why do some people communicate so effortlessly, easily getting what they need and want? Why is it that some people consistently get results? Why is it that there's always one person in a company who can calm down an angry customer - and even turn the person into an advocate? What do these people have that others don't? A high level of skill in communicating.
This first tip of the new year is a reminder about delivering WHOLE experiences. Today's customer, who has dozens of places she can spend her hundreds or thousands of dollars wants the whole of the experience to be good, if not great. And if you want that customer to return to your place of business bringing money and friends, you'd better be looking at all that it takes, every step of the way to make sure the customer is always saying 'Yes' about that experience.
How do you get customers to think of you in a new way? How do you breathe some personality into the office? How can you go beyond the verbal “thank you”—as important as that is—to something more meaningful? This is not that complicated. A few days ago I went to the dentist where I learned a lesson in customer service you can probably use in your agency.
Most would agree that most people know what good customer service is. People know when they get it. They even know how to give it. Then why is it so hard to get people to do it. There are technical aspects to service, and sometimes there is training for a specific job on how to handle complaints, resolve problems, refer to the right people, etc. All of these are skills that are taught. But, from the beginning, good customer service has nothing to do with skill....
With more intense competition from banks, direct writers and the internet, agencies are going to lose customers. This is not a bad thing. Let them have the low margin customers and make sure you do whatever is necessary to keep the high margin customers, the customers that will pay extra for the professional advice provided by an agency that represents multiple companies and works for the customer!
Do you respond to reduced revenue by cutting expenses, usually in the form of payroll? Or, do you respond by eliminating unprofitable customers and establishing priorities for serving the balance? In another thought-provoking article, agency management guru Al Diamond uses a real-life example to illustrate the long-term damage that can result from the practice of 'downsizing.'
Investing in customer relationships is insuring your bottom line. If you can save just 5% of the customers you currently lose, you can yield from 25% to 100% increase on your bottom line. No one can afford to ignore the evidence that exists regarding customer loyalty. Stated another way: You can double your net profit by keeping 5% more of your customers!
It has been my good fortune to have been hired to speak to hundreds of clients with many, many different types of audiences. Most of these clients understand that customer service is not a department you call when you have a complaint. It is a philosophy. Customer service throughout an entire organization is the way of the future.
When a company meets some or all of our expectations we usually say we are 'satisfied.' When a company goes a few steps farther and exceeds our expectations by creating more value than we expected, we might then be 'very satisfied' or even, 'delighted.' Research shows that it is only the customers in the group above the 'satisfied' category that remain loyal over time....
Want a more positive workplace where you and your co-workers feel happy and motivated? Want to make customers happier so that their loyalty -- and your profits -- grow? Want to work more efficiently and effectively and improve your health? Happiness creates resilient employees who, in turn, create resilient, thriving companies.
When I consult with agencies, I spend a lot of time with CSRs, claims personnel, marketing personnel, and the accounting and/or bookkeeping staff. I always ask one question: 'Who do you spend more time with, the good customer or the bad/problem customer?' The answer is always, 'The bad/problem customer.' Why is that? There are several reasons....
Judy’s entire staff is female. It can be a challenging environment at times. One thing she has noticed is that her mood, as the leader, is profoundly contagious. If she allows herself the luxury of slipping into the office in a bad mood, the day goes down hill from there. After years of running a successful design firm she’s learned a few things about making sure the office runs well, so the clients have a smooth ride. Her attitude, she’s discovered, is pivotal.
Steven Slater became a folk hero overnight when he jumped ship on his airline attendant job and career by popping open the emergency exit slide on his JetBlue plane, grabbing two beers and sliding into the spotlight as an employee who was 'mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.' Here's the customer service lesson....
Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based professional speaker on the subjects of Change, Teamwork, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Speaking Skills. She is the author of Get What You Want and Past President of the National Speakers Association. She can be contacted via email at PFripp@aol.com or by phone at 800/634-3035...visit her web site at www.fripp.com.
Recently I came upon a sandpile next to a large hole on the beach that quickly became a learning experience for several people. I'd like to share that story and its lessons with you. Think about these lessons from the sandpile and be bold. Do what you CAN do to change things and you will get the support you need.
The responsiveness and ease of communication made possible with e-mail is changing and continues to change how and when we communicate with clients. There are times to use letters, times to use e-mail, and times to speak in person. But e-mail is tremendous and it is becoming appropriate in more and more situations.
'There's no magic to magic,' Walt Disney once said, 'it's all in the details.' Sometimes those details are small, seemingly insignificant things, little extras that add up to a strong positive impression. I'd like to share a little something that happened to me last week.
Happy New Year! We begin 2005 with the intention of putting the abundant learnings with which we were blessed last year to good use this year. With that in mind, in this article, we'll explore some of the customer service lessons of the past year and how we can apply them in the coming year.
Love, love, love. It's still February, so I figure I can still talk about love, even if this is business. Have you considered the idea of love as a management style? (Is that just too far out for you? Read on, you may change your mind.) Do you understand the value of fostering both IQ and EQ on your team? Did you check your 'love levels' to determine how engaged you and your team are in your work?
Customers expect more than ever before. Simply satisfying your customer doesn't cut it these days. You have to go beyond average levels of basic satisfaction. By managing a few of your customers' expectations, you will reap the benefits of a customer who is loyal and truly enjoys doing business with you. This article addresses four major expectations that you cannot just meet, but you must exceed.
These days many customers don't have the money to spend and so the natural tendency is to want to go out and look for new ones who do. It's a great strategy, it's necessary, but it's really only half the story. Here's what you want to know about your customers....
Jan Carlzon, who turned SAS Airlines around in one year, coined the term 'Moments of Truth.' Moments of Truth occur THOUSANDS of times a day in every business. He believed that the relationship with the customer was recreated (in 15 second increments) in every Moment of Truth. He believed the company, SAS Airlines, in fact, was 'recreated' 50 MILLION times, 15 seconds at a time, every year! He taught the people who worked with him that those 50 million Moments of Truth were the moments that would determine whether or not they succeeded or failed.
This is the first in a series of articles contributed by noted customer service and customer relations expert, speaker and author, Shep Hyken, CSP.
Good leaders today don't need to have all the answers, but they do need to have some darn insightful questions. I have file folders full of questions that I have collected through the years. Once, when asked me what my favorite question was, I responded that it's the one question that you should be asking yourself and every member of your team on a regular basis. Here's the question....
Employees suffer from the stress of the worry and of the extra workloads they carry. That stress affects their relationships with each other and, of course, the experience they provide to their customers. And we all know how negative experiences can erode the bottom line. The great news is, there are simple, no-cost techniques managers can implement to maintain ongoing training even as employees are behind their desks. They’re known as ‘Teachable Moments.’
How do you sell the importance of customer loyalty to executives? Easy. Talk numbers. Not the kinds they're used to seeing which are based on accounting principles, but the numbers that fuel the economics of loyalty. After all, only a small percentage increase - 5% - in the number of profitable customers you have can yield anywhere from 25% - 100% on your bottom line. There's a lot of leverage in customer love.
As I think about my friends and colleagues who are successful, I see some commonalities about them. They are approachable and available. They have a bond with their customers as well as the people they work with. They create positive impact on others. They are “real.” Here's what being 'real' really means....
At any given time, even when we don't suspect it, we might be creating an impression about our company, or even ourselves. And whenever it comes to dealing with the customer, we must always be on – even when we are supposed to be off. From that perspective, being a CSR is more than a 9-5, M-F job. Wherever you are, whatever you do, your actions may reflect on you and your agency.
Just last month, STELLAService released a study which concluded that great online customer service is worth a staggering $17.3 billion in the United States. Click Shep's photo to visit his web site.
Creating a truly customer focused and driven environment is not easy. It takes time and training. Employees need to trust that management will stand behind them and not fault them for making a wrong decision. Here are some tips for accomplishing that....
I hate to generalize, but I am beginning to think that service givers are suffering from a disease I call E.D.S. – Empathy Deficiency Syndrome. Some of the symptoms of this annoying disease include apathy and an amazing ability to look right at a customer and not see a thing. In this article, I'll give you some techniques to fight customer service apathy by bringing the customer to life...most are inexpensive, if not free, and will do wonders to boost service and morale.
This tip was originally written after I received a phone call from a writer who was doing an article on customer contact staff training and called to ask me what I thought created long term ROI from training and what made the training 'stick.' Hmmm, interesting questions! What emerged as I thought about it, was a useful acronym. And whether you are using an outside trainer, or doing your training internally, or even using our Customer Care Coach® training program, in order to make training 'stick,' it must be PROACTIVE.
In this excerpt from his book 'Creating Customer Connections: How To Make Customer Service A Profit Center For Your Company,' Jack Burke points out that, while many agents pride themselves on great service, they don't 'market' that fact. That leaves customers, and especially prospects, only with price to make purchasing decisions.
No, CARRE is not a typo...it is an acronym for five attributes that any business must foster to retain customers. Several years ago I read a book entitled, 'How To Win Customers and Keep Them For Life,' by Michael LeBoeuf. He stated that, by providing these five attributes, you could keep customers coming back for life. If your agency will adopt this program of Customer CARRE, I know that you will find that you will Win Customers, and Keep Them For Life.
If you've ever stayed at a Ritz-Carlton hotel, I'm betting that the experience was outstanding. How can they do it so much better than most hotel chains? Yes, you do pay a premium for their services, but largely The Ritz does it by creating a corporate culture almost solely devoted to serving the customer....
We know trust is a key element in customer satisfaction. Is there anything CSRs can do to re-gain trust from a customer once it has been damaged or completely lost? Trust is not only an element in satisfaction, it's critical for a relationship to survive. To regain trust after it has been broken takes time, patience and deliberate action. There are five things you must focus on to build trust whether with a customer or co-worker....
In the 21st century, a customer service representative will have to be much more than a paper pusher or order taker. Marketing responsibility will be integrated throughout the organization. And soon, relationship marketing will be the norm and we will intelligently use the information we have on customers to make offers that are timely, relevant and don't disturb their privacy (as they define it).
Our articles are usually focused on sales and practical techniques for producing new business. However, a critical component of the process is actually keeping what has been produced. In a changing market, existing accounts are vulnerable. Although our job is to relieve the competition from the burden of their accounts, it is also our job to keep clients from “dating” competitors.
As the current economy wreaks havoc on the business world, various companies and organizations recognize that the most effective strategy that works in any economy is customer service. And to get competitive, rather than lowering prices, companies are finding new ways to deliver service that they may not have done before.
Relationship marketing includes caring that your client's claim is handled properly -- and that the 'other party' is properly taken care of as well. You aren't the insurance company, you are the expert risk manager who accesses company coverages to protect your clients. Are you treating claims as problems to be processed, or opportunities to be explored? Are you defaulting your role to the company, or becoming an active participant in the delivery of your product?
Companies that have strong values, a sense of purpose and pride, a sense of humor and where people work together, can create an environment where people feel cared about. When people feel cared about, they in turn will create the kind of environment that breeds Customer Caring, the first step towards loyalty. Customer Service in these companies is often considered a profit center rather then a cost center since the activities done there create profit.
Do you routinely encourage absurdity? Let people know they're safe to question the norm, suggest the unusual? Do you set aside time to work on your challenges and tap the brainpower of all your team members? Do you honor ideas? If you don't, you could be developing “hardening of the categories” – and in danger of losing your competitive edge.
I hate to generalize, but I am beginning to think that service givers are suffering from a disease I call E.D.S. – Empathy Deficiency Syndrome. Some of the symptoms of this annoying disease include apathy and an amazing ability to look right at a customer and not see a thing. In this article, I'll give you some techniques to fight customer service apathy by bringing the customer to life...most are inexpensive, if not free, and will do wonders to boost service and morale.
Most customer service reps do not like to sell. However, I find that CSRs love to help, they love to be useful. If you ask them if they would feel good if they could provide their customers with more ease, more convenience, more peace of mind, or more value, they will enthusiastically respond, 'Yes!' Here are several steps you can take to create the right environment for maximum selling results....
The problem with many businesses today is that they strive to satisfy customers. What’s wrong with that? Well, customers expect satisfaction, so satisfaction is now a basic requirement for doing business and keeping customers. Companies ready to advance beyond the basics look for ways to really WOW customers and to be different. But not “wow” or “different” in the sense of a one-time magic trick or gimmick....
This was just a little thing, and by itself is nothing significant. But if enough of these little things are good, they add up and eventually get noticed. Conversely, so do the bad ones. And once you have even a small, seemingly insignificant bad experience take place, it becomes magnified when another one happens.
For a moment I was angry (not to mention hungry) and then I realized what a gift I had in my hands. What a perfect way to talk about well intentioned service that goes bad - what a perfect metaphor for what happens when we promise a customer something special (thereby raising their expectation) and then don't deliver.
Some organizations exemplify a 'scarcity' model - fear-based, stingy, always looking to slash, cut or squeeze something to wring every possible cent to the bottom line. Meanwhile, the company invests nothing in the health and well-being of the people who take care of the customers.
Earlier this year I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Verizon Wireless in their call centers. Their goal is to answer the phone within a surprisingly short period of time, and they usually do. That strategy, along with a focus on 'one call resolution' helps create loyal customers. Why? Because, they create a consistent positive experience (the key word is consistent), which creates confidence, that ultimately can lead to customer loyalty.
Speed has become a differentiator between great service and even greater service. Speed and quick response need to somehow be integrated into virtually every business. People want things fast.
By evaluating and improving five relationship qualities, an organization can make great strides towards good health. And, as luck would have it have, they form an acronym my clients are familiar with - TRACK. It stands for trust, respect, appreciation, communication, and kindness. When all these qualities are practiced well relationships thrive and prosper.
You may remember the 1975 movie 'The Stepford Wives,' which was remade in 2004. It was about wives that were basically programmed to take care of their husbands. They did everything around the house; cooked, cleaned, chores, etc. The trade-off was that these 'perfect' wives became devoid of personality. So, what does this movie have to do with customer service? Keep reading....
As we strive toward greatness in the area of customer service and relations, here are a few more simple strategies to deliver an even higher level of service. It all goes back to managing your Moments of Truth -- each and every contact you have with a customer — and creating Moments of Magic.
No matter what your company does, you are in the business of providing customer service. If you take a look at companies that are not doing well or have gone under, one of their common threads is the failure to deliver superior customer service. Look at today's successful companies and you will find that they all understand and deliver what their customers want and are believers in the value of customer service training for management and front-line employees. When it comes to customer service, companies fall into one of the following five categories....
As Valentine's Day approaches, it's the perfect time to look at the quality of your customer communications. Do you say a lot of 'sweet nothings' that ultimately mean nothing to customers, or do you communicate in ways that build customer relationships? 'Sweet nothings' - using wishy-washy language, making insincere promises - can backfire on you, causing you to dilute the power of the customer experience, lose customers and, ultimately, profits.
The worst thing about stress is that it can accumulate and cause a good deal of damage to the body, mind, and emotions. Can we have more control over the way we deal with it? By understanding the physical responses to stress, you can get better control of your stress level. If you're not taking care of yourself, you can't care for your customers and the manifestation of your stress with negatively affect your relationships with customers.
What can you, as a business owner, do to insure that even in the most uncertain times, you maintain and even improve your profitability? Develop better relationships with your existing customers. No, not just give better customer service, but deliver experience after experience that sends a consistent message to the customers that you sincerely care about them, appreciate their business and are concerned with giving them the value they deserve, and, that you are in it for the long run.
It's hard to listen to an upset customer and not have the primal 'fight or flight' response kick in. Our bodies are hard wired to respond to the sound of an angry voice with defensiveness. Good managers make sure to deliver training on 'recovery' skills that enable CSRs to respond thoughtfully to a frustrated or upset customer.
I love lists, especially when it comes to learning. The list in this article was the result of a quick brainstorming session about the advantages of delivering a great customer service experience. I came up with many more, but wanted to create the “Top Ten List” for you.
Have you ever noticed that Thanksgiving dinner is the ultimate in service experiences? From the strategic planning of the “operation” right down to “delivery and implementation,” each step is carefully thought out with the “customers’” satisfaction being the primary goal. Here's how to apply the principles you learned in executing a successful Thanksgiving dinner to your service operations....
Below is a reprint of one of Al Diamond's most popular articles. Nothing else needs to be said...just read and obey!
Put your 'customer hat' on for a moment and think about the last five to ten interactions you had with someone you buy from. How many of these encounters left you feeling like the company had made an effort to build a long-term relationship with you? Did you get the feeling that the company really cared about you and your business success?
When I can imagine all the positive benefits of working out, walking and eating a lot of vegetables, it's easier for me to do those things. When I lose sight of the 'why' of doing them, I am less motivated to go out of my way for them and more inclined to do what ever feels good in the moment. What motivates us to take good care of customers? It's the why.
Studies show that customers respond more positively when their names are used. Here's an example from a recent business trip that will give you an idea of the impact this simple gesture can have.
There are four basic components of a good customer service strategy. These simple yet powerful tools are the key to success in customer service and will create many MOMENTS OF MAGIC!
We tend to rate ourselves by Sales, Service, and Satisfaction (the three 'S’s'). However, today the “S’s” need to make room for the big “E”: Expectations. To be successful over the long haul, you must meet or exceed your clients' expectations. Initial reaction tends to lay the blame of unmet expectations at the feet of sales. After all, doesn’t the sales department set the cornerstone of client expectations at the time of sale? Maybe not. Let's take a look at the competitive aspect of customer service....
Most of us cringe at the complaining customer. However, business organizations should love them. A complaining customer tells you where you can improve. Unlike the vast majority of dissatisfied customers, the complaining customer has the moxie to show us our mistakes and perhaps how we might correct them.
CSR’s primarily deal with claims, policy updates, additions/deletions, and etc. Truth be told, they’re more administrative functionaries than “service providers.” Clients are often intrusions on the flow of their clerical duties. Here are seven steps you can take to solve this conundrum....
Every so often, there is a breath of fresh air in a marketing or customer service technique. Every so often, someone somewhere does something unique that provides them with a marketing edge in their community. Every so often, we see a unique and memorable piece of marketing. “Every so often” became a reality in Clarksville, Tennessee during the winter of ‘93....
Recently I was surprised to read about what the city of Seattle, WA calls their customer bill of rights. It was outstanding, and we can learn quite a bit from a city government that is focused on their customers, who happen to be their citizens and guests of the city.
A 'dangerous' customer isn't one that's physically threatening (that's a dangerous person), nor is a 'dangerous' customer one who has a complaint about you and tells everyone he/she knows. No, a 'dangerous' customer is most often a 'satisfied' customer!
Recognize that your business might be a commodity. Are you shopped by price? That is a strong indication that you are caught in the commodity trap. Does your service strategy help to reduce or even eliminate the commodity trap? If so, you are on the right track. Now, what can you do to make it better? Like the fancy turn-down amenities the hotels offer, what can you do to dazzle your customers, beyond just giving them great service? It is adding what I call the 'Experience Strategy.'
Some of my clients ask me if there is one simple thing they can share with their employees that will make the biggest impact for better customer service. This is not easy, as there is no quick fix for problem service or some miracle elixir that by magic will transform an organization into a first class customer driven company. It is a combination of many things put together. But there is a simple concept....
You need to keep motivated and stay motivated if you are going to deal with customers. I adore this Zig Ziglar quote that says it all: “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.” So let’s start at the beginning and get a good understanding of motivation – really – and how we create it, over and over again.
Business is kind of like dating. The first time you do business with someone is like a date. You hope they want to go out – or do business with you - again. You finally, as some say, close the deal. To me, that is like getting married and going on the honeymoon. This is really the start of the long-term relationship.
I recently tried a little experiment. Two agencies that I encountered expressed a great deal of pride in the degree of service provided by their staff to clients and prospects. Both of the agency owners assumed that they provided great service because of three things (see below). Neither owner had surveyed clients or tested the agency to determine the real level of service. I was called in as a consultant and here's what I found....
I didn't sleep well last night. For moments like that, I keep a notebook next to my bed just in case some brilliant thoughts show up. So in the middle of the night I wrote down these three words: Intention, Insight and Implementation.
While taking a walk over the weekend I discovered a mermaid down the beach a bit. Some extraordinarily talented person sculpted a ten-foot mermaid lying on her side, head resting back on her arm, staring out to sea (somewhat wistfully as if she had lovely memories there.) I wonder if the mermaid-maker had any idea at all of how much joy s/he had left behind on the beach that day....
Recently I was asked, 'How does one create loyalty?' At first I thought the answer would be a long one. But, what came out was as simple as it gets. There is a formula for loyalty....
As it pertains to customer service, and ultimately customer loyalty, a recent study conducted by the consulting firm Accenture reveals some very important information that we should consider. While the study focuses on high-tech companies and the numbers may not necessarily correlate with your specific business, the general concept of the study surely does.
Some people don't understand what they DO want until first they articulate what they DON'T want. So while looking through some of my older customer care tips , I ran across one entitled, 'I Hate It When.' Immediately I judged it 'too negative' and then I re-read it...and found good learning here and so today I am sharing this one again in hopes that the negative slant will cause some positive thinking to result.
One of the most powerful customer service (and sales) tools is a sincere 'Thank you,' yet so often we neglect to do this. Feeling appreciated is a motivational human emotion and it's an emotion we can trigger in customers and employees alike. In this article, customer service expert JoAnna Brandi gives advice on how to most effectively thank the people important to your success.
It was late morning and I was in my hotel room getting ready to speak and then to travel on to my next engagement. It was a long flight and wanted to be able to change into my travel clothes before getting on the plane. Knowing what a hassle that can be without having the convenience of a hotel room, I called down to the front desk to ask a favor....
In The Odyssey, Homer tells the famous story of the three Sirens leading sailors astray. Insurance agencies have their own insidious Sirens leading them astray and one of the most treacherous is retention rates. Much has been written about retention rates...and much of it is as of mythical proportions as Homer's writings.
Psychologists studying stress in the workplace have done over 400 studies on “Resilience” and what keeps individuals in a company healthy despite adversity. Here is a summary of their findings you can use as a checklist to get through a projected business downturn or recession....
Transitioning service staff to sales positions is an up-hill battle at best. There have been many more failures than successes. However, there are some situations where this transition is appropriate and possible, although it will almost certainly be unnatural to the CSR. In this article, I'll give you the 'Do's' and 'Don'ts' in moving from service to sales.
Have you ever thought about the financial value of your customer? Let me give you an example. Let's say you own a grocery store. The average customer spends $50 each visit and they visit the store twice a week for 50 weeks each year. In a year, the customer is worth $5,000. Now consider that value extrapolated for a lifetime. Are you starting to get the picture of the true value of that customer?
What's the best thing you can do to make your customers happy? Screw up! Yep, that's right, make a mistake...then fix it. According to one study, customers who had experienced a problem that was then quickly resolved to their satisfaction were happier than customers who never experienced a problem. Here's how you can capitalize on this premise....
The 'Wow!' factor boils down to one thing: exceeding the expectations of the customer. It goes past great customer service. In short, the basic idea is to bring the element of surprise into your business.
Think like the buyer, not like the supplier. What I mean by this short phrase is that sometimes we think we know what our customers want, but what they want is something completely different. So we need to get inside our customers' heads and give them what it is that they want versus what it is that we think that they want.
We've all heard this phrase as we call various companies and need to talk to sales or customer service reps. This is a great training strategy. After the call, let the rep hear the conversation he or she had and find ways to improve. Recently, the tables were turned when an AOL customer decided to record his call.
This year I had the honor and pleasure to present my newest workshop, 'Power UP Performance: Linking Employee Happiness to Customer Happiness' at the North American Conference on Customer Management. That was fun, and I love teaching it, but the real treat for me was going to the other sessions and learning from some of my idols. Here is what I learned from three presenters....
The Golden Rule, 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you,' may seem self-evident in the way we try to conduct our personal lives. Yet this axiom is assuming new importance as a guiding principle in the world of business. When prices were high, customers blithely traded away high-quality service in exchange for price reductions or convenience. Those days are no more. Instead, customers are demanding service again.
An earlier article by Shep sparked a number of calls/emails from readers who wanted to discuss doing business in tough economic times. The discussions centered around 'fear based' issues as a result of the economy, such as how to keep customers loyal, avoid price reductions, manage employee morale during layoffs, and more. What follows is his overall response to some of these conversations.
In my 20 years of conducting customer service training, I've observed many 'sins' of customer contact personnel. Most of the time the problems I've seen are easily corrected once the staff is aware they're doing something wrong. However, managers or owners may not even be aware of what is being said to the customers, so don't know what needs to be corrected...
This article is not just for the front line people who deal directly with customers. All of this information is applicable to everyone, from a receptionist to a CSR to a CEO. Having good telephone skills helps build stronger relationships with everyone! Whether the call is incoming or outbound, these techniques can be applied to virtually every call.
If you’ve read any of my books, you know there has always been an emphasis on internal service. The Employee Golden Rule, as I call it, is to treat employees the way you want the customer treated, maybe even better. Herb Kelleher and Southwest Airlines are model examples of that rule in action.
In this excerpt from his book 'Creating Customer Connections: How To Make Customer Service A Profit Center For Your Company,' Jack Burke identifies the critical aspects of establishing a corporate culture and how any 'branding' initiative starts at this level.
Do we know who are customers really are? Do we know why they really buy from us? Do we know what their needs and desires are? Do we know what keeps them up at night? Do we have Customer Care standards that everyone -- including the customer -- understand? Do we have a way of measuring our success in the areas that count? In this follow up article to 'Setting the Stage for Customer Care,' JoAnna provides some specifics on how to implement a strategy for outstanding customer service.
In this six-part series, we're going to explore how technology can and should be used to enhance your ability to provide high levels of quality customer service. We'll look at two areas: traditional technologies such as the telephone, voice mail and fax, then emerging technologies such as email and internet web sites. This article is an introduction to the topic.
In this six-part series, we're going to explore how technology can and should be used to enhance your ability to provide high levels of quality customer service. We'll look at two areas: traditional technologies such as the telephone, voice mail and fax, then emerging technologies such as email and internet web sites. This article examines the telephone.
In this six-part series, we're going to explore how technology can and should be used to enhance your ability to provide high levels of quality customer service. We'll look at two areas: traditional technologies such as the telephone, voice mail and fax, then emerging technologies such as email and internet web sites. This article examines voice mail.
In this six-part series, we're going to explore how technology can and should be used to enhance your ability to provide high levels of quality customer service. We'll look at two areas: traditional technologies such as the telephone, voice mail and fax, then emerging technologies such as email and internet web sites. This article examines faxing.
In this six-part series, we're going to explore how technology can and should be used to enhance your ability to provide high levels of quality customer service. We'll look at two areas: traditional technologies such as the telephone, voice mail and fax, then emerging technologies such as email and internet web sites. This article examines email.
In this six-part series, we're going to explore how technology can and should be used to enhance your ability to provide high levels of quality customer service. We'll look at two areas: traditional technologies such as the telephone, voice mail and fax, then emerging technologies such as email and internet web sites. This article examines your web site.
If you've had a tough day, can you act 'as if' you haven't? If you have a heavy load to carry, can you walk like a dancer? Keep reading to find out how these concepts can help you deal with the trials and tribulations of being a CSR....
I have never met an agent who said, 'We give mediocre service to our customers.' Every agent prides himself on operating a high-quality servicing agency. There may be no basis for this beyond the comments of the employees themselves, or the laudatory comments of a few customers each year.
Plan a celebration. October 6-10 is this year's customer service week and it's a great time to honor the two groups of people who have the power to make your business thrive: your customers and anyone who touches them. Without customers there is no business and without HAPPY customers there is no positive word of mouth marketing out there. There are some things you can do to make the week memorable and special.
Have you ever considered what just one customer is worth to your business over a five- to ten-year period or longer? Carl Sewell is one of the nation's leading Cadillac dealers. In his book, Customers for Life, Sewell calculates the amount of revenue an auto dealer could realize from an average buyer if the the dealership could keep the customer for life. Would you believe $332,000? And that's just one customer! In this article, you'll learn the top 10 reasons for creating customer loyalty.
The other day a friend of mine ordered a grilled sandwich. When it came out it was burnt. He pointed out to the server that it was burnt and she replied, 'I know. I didn't think you would want it like that. I can't believe the chef would let it come out like that.' Are you allowing burnt sandwiches to be served to your customers?
We are all learning anew what it takes to do business in the world today. I do believe the basics still apply - although they may need to show up in different combinations and different ways. For instance - more than ever we need to be listening to our customers...and we need to make sure that every one in the company is listening - with their ears and their eyes.
Maslow's 'Hierarchy of Needs' gives us an excellent framework for identifying customer value needs. I think of them as the 7 'R's,' the 7 Root Customer Needs. Perhaps they can help you further understand how customers decide to buy from you and when and where you might add value to their experience. It's a great time to be identifying how your customer is thinking, what they need and want, now, and when they can afford to buy again.
Ken Blanchard calls it creating 'Raving Fans.' Ron Zemke calls it 'Knock Your Socks Off.' Jerry Fritz calls it 'The Power to Wow' I call it 'Exquisite Customer Care.' What do you call it? The 'it' I'm talking about is the 'flavor' of service you deliver, the 'brand' of caring and consideration you dish up to your customers. Haven't defined it? Maybe it's time.
How often are you taking the pulse on your customer relationships? Could you be using the time to really understand your customer's needs and what they value? How might you find innovative ways to get involved in a dialog with your customers?
There is a difference between relationships that are 'transactional' in nature and those that are 'transformational.' The latter are those that last for a long time and create value for all the parties involved. As you might suspect, transformational relationships are a little more difficult to achieve, but the payoff is higher.
People are motivated by all kinds of things, some crazy, some understandable, and some just downright weird. For our purposes I've compiled a list (along with my good friend Bill Doerr) of the 'usual' things that motivate people in business. Use this exercise first to understand your motivators. If you have other motivators, add them to the list, then use the list to encourage the people that work with you to share what motivates them.
No one wants to say 'no' to a customer. In general, people also hate to be told 'no.' But sometimes saying 'no' is unavoidable. In this article, we'll address some legitimate reasons why we should say 'no,' and HOW we should do it.
Finding out what your employees think should be ongoing, just as it is for the outside customer. What methods of employee feedback work best and how often should feedback be sought?
In all my years of teaching (almost 20), I am continually amazed by the term 'creating value.' It's what every company says it does and wants and can do better than everybody else. YET - when I talk to employees and ask them how they create value, they look at me quizzically and wonder if they are going to lose their job if they give me the wrong answer.
Wherever I go lately, I find myself talking about value. The equation. The whole thing. Not just the 'Is-it-a fair-price-for-the-quality?' value. Enduring value, the kind that builds loyalty. The more I speak, the more I study, the more I learn from working with clients, the more I am convinced that future success lies in the art of creating strong emotional ties in customer relationships - getting customers involved, engaged, and in love with what you do for them.
This is a follow-up to the article, 'Establishing Customer Standards.' In this article, I'd like to explore how you can test your ability to deliver the service you believe you're providing. More importantly, how can you test your service levels to ensure that you are providing your clients with the level of service you've led THEM believe they can expect from your staff? There are at least two things you can test to gauge performance....
...all the right steps could have been taken, but failure resulted none the less because the goals given to the employee groups were not the real goals of the owners. In this example (and in many insurance agencies), the real goals are financial, not customer service. These owners are willing to accommodate any change that will improve service as long as it concurrently increases profits (or, at least doesn't cost more money).
Part 1 of 5: Why Telephone Manners are ImportantThere's no doubt that more business has been lost because of poor service and poor treatment than because of poor product. Yet, it doesn't take any extra time or money to treat people with grace and courtesy, and in many industries, especially insurance, quality of service is one of the few variables that can distinguish a business from its competition. This first of five articles explains why good manners make good business.
Part 2 of 5: Don't Undervalue Your ReceptionistThere's no doubt that more business has been lost because of poor service and poor treatment than because of poor product. Yet, it doesn't take any extra time or money to treat people with grace and courtesy, and in many industries, especially insurance, quality of service is one of the few variables that can distinguish a business from its competition. Part 2 of 5 explains why your receptionist is the most important PR person in the agency.
Part 3 of 5: 13 Telephone Rules for EveryoneThere's no doubt that more business has been lost because of poor service and poor treatment than because of poor product. Yet, it doesn't take any extra time or money to treat people with grace and courtesy, and in many industries, especially insurance, quality of service is one of the few variables that can distinguish a business from its competition. This article provides important telephone rules for everyone in the agency.
Part 4 of 5: The Right Way and The Wrong WayThere's no doubt that more business has been lost because of poor service and poor treatment than because of poor product. Yet, it doesn't take any extra time or money to treat people with grace and courtesy, and in many industries, especially insurance, quality of service is one of the few variables that can distinguish a business from its competition. Part 4 of 5 in this series provides a real life example of right/wrong manners.
Part 5 of 5: Voice Mail EtiquetteThere's no doubt that more business has been lost because of poor service and poor treatment than because of poor product. Yet, it doesn't take any extra time or money to treat people with grace and courtesy, and in many industries, especially insurance, quality of service is one of the few variables that can distinguish a business from its competition. Part 5 of 5 focuses on useful tips to make voice mail more effective.
I really hate to generalize, but I am beginning to think that many service givers are suffering from a disease I call E.D.S. - Empathy Deficiency Syndrome. Some of the symptoms include apathy, boredom, and an amazing ability to look right at a customer and not see a thing. Does your organization suffer from E.D.S.? Can you identify a customer struggling with your system, your forms, your processes, your website, your policies?
More and more I see that companies don't tap into the real genius of their employees. They don't use their ideas and feedback for review panels, boards of advisory, 'postmortem' project feedback, or opinion polls. Some employees are afraid to express real opinions, afraid they will bruise the delicate egos of bosses. Maybe what you need is something like Apple's 'Genius Bar.'
Every agency loses customers from time to time, for many reasons. Sometimes they're gone forever, for many reasons. However, in most cases, you can get them back IF you know for sure why they left, if you know for sure that you want them back, and if you have a standardized process for recapturing defecting customers.
A prospect becomes a customer. They moved their account to you with high expectations – created during the sales process – and they anticipate great things from the new relationship. Time goes by and nothing happens; no contact, no policy, nothing. This can and will affect your bottom line. Here's how to avoid this....
Ask anyone to relate an excellent experience he or she has had recently as a customer. Only a handful will be able to offer an example. In his book 'The Loyalty Effect', Frederick Reichert contends this is the main reason businesses still lose half of their customers within five years; half their employees within four years; and half their investors within a year. Like most other problems that at first appear complex, there are only a few fundamental reasons for the service crisis. Our focus here is on lack of training, and one aspect of that problem in particular: handling customer complaints.
How much would it cost for somebody to buy you out of your job? Well, this is exactly what Zappos.com does. Haven't heard of Zappos? They are an Internet retailer that sells shoes. They are known for their customer service. Zappos offers $1,500 to anyone who wants to quit. They actually offer to buy their new employees out of their jobs!
Companies love it when they receive appreciation letters about their employees, their products and the customer service they deliver. If you love what a company or individual has done, write the CEO or president a letter. Then, share that letter with your own employees.
Recently I had a disagreement with my insurance company about how a claim was being handled. I felt the woman I was talking to might be seeing my side of things, almost agreeing with me, but she seemed to be in a quandary about what to do. She was concerned about 'company policy.' As a result, she was a bit confrontational. Finally, I said, 'You have an awesome responsibility.'
Here is a question. Can you give me ten reasons I should do business with you (or your company)? I'm talking about good reasons. Reasons that would make me take notice. Reasons that would make YOU stand out. Recently I went through an exercise in my business that helped me focus on why people should do business with me, and you need to know about it....
This may seem like a rant, because it is. The other night I was out with my wife and some friends for dinner. It was taking a very long time to get our food. At one point we wanted to talk to our server, but she was nowhere in sight. After ten minutes I finally saw a server from another table. I motioned him over and he said he would be just a moment. Several minutes later he came back. I nicely asked him if there was something wrong in the kitchen, as it had been a long time since we had ordered. His response….
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