Customer Service in a Diverse World

Have you ever experienced a situation in which you were in a place of business and either had a service provider make a derogatory statement to you about another customer or group of customers or overheard two employees sharing negative comments about other customers? In many instances comments or off-the-cuff statements about based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, disabilities or other diversity factors are not only hurtful but potentially discriminatory. In some instances, such remarks may be grounded in the employee’s deep-seated beliefs or personal values based on their own experiences or education. In others, they may be a result of simple ignorance related to individual customers or groups. Whatever the reason, making comments to or in the presence of other customers is unacceptable and is likely to have negative personal and business results.

I recently experienced an instance in which a small business owner of the barbershop that I’ve patronized for years made a comment that I felt was totally uncalled for and based on personal prejudice. I had commented about a newspaper article regarding a local Hindu group that had recently built a temple in the local area. I commented that I’d be interested in going over to visit the facility and learn more about the religion. My barber remarked, “Why would you want to do that? In my opinion, we should burn all those ragheads and keep them out of our country.” I was shocked since he is obviously ignorant of the topic on which he was commenting and had no concern for how his remarks might be received by others. I shared my feelings with him about what he had said and explained that he seemed to be confusing religions and ethnic groups and that in either case, his remarks were out of line and potentially offensive. His response was, “I fought in Viet Nam and I don’t trust any of these radicals.” The result of this conversation is that I now patronize a different hairstylist and have shared this story dozens of times with others.

In today’s world where people are so mobile, the economy is globally intertwined and information about other groups is so readily available through various channels, it is hard to believe that there are people who have not taken the time to discover the benefits of embracing diversity and still harbor such prejudice. Service providers who remain content to take actions such as the one I experienced not only guarantee lost business for their organization but also jeopardize their personal and professional reputation.

As I discuss in my latest book (Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Service Across Cultures), “Not only do today’s service providers have to be concerned with job knowledge, skills, and professional standards, but they also have to be cognizant of the values, beliefs, social mores, expectations, needs, and preferences of customers…They are the “face” of the organization and need all the knowledge and skills they get in the order to provide stellar customer service.”

For ideas and strategies on effectively serving customers in a multicultural and otherwise diverse world, check out the books Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures and Customer Service Skills for Success.

Customer Relations is Directly Tied to Keeping Your Word

by Robert W. Lucas

Customer Relations is Directly Tied to Keeping Your Word

Customer service training for employees must cover basic customer service skills (i.e. verbal and nonverbal communication, how to build and maintain customer relationships that can lead to customer and brand loyalty and overall customer satisfaction). It must also emphasize how to handle situations when something goes wrong and teach how to implement sound service recovery strategies. This last topic is crucial since some customer situations can quickly escalate when people perceive that they have been lied to or that a service provider failed to meet a commitment to them.

An example of the importance and severity of what might happen if employees fail to meet commitments to a customer was provided in an article in USA Today newspaper on February 28, 2014. Four people were shot in a tax preparation business when a customer became disgruntled when her tax return was not ready as promised. Read more at http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/01/detroit-shooting-tax-refund/5919971/.

For more ideas and strategies on building better customer relationships and implementing service recovery strategies when customers are dissatisfied, get a copy of Customer Service Skills for Success.

About Robert W. Lucas

Bob Lucas has been a trainer, presenter, customer service expert, and adult educator for over four decades. He has written hundreds of articles on training, writing, self-publishing, and workplace learning skills and issues. He is also an award-winning author who has written thirty-seven books on topics such as, writing, relationships, customer service, brain-based learning, and creative training strategies, interpersonal communication, diversity, and supervisory skills. Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Handling Angry Customers

by Robert W. Lucas

Handling Angry Customers

There seem to be a number of issues that are driving the anger that many customers display when dealing with customer service representatives these days. Contributing factors might include the economy, displeasure with government, unemployment, perceived poor service in general and many other challenges facing society. The reality is that, as a customer service representative, you cannot solve these problems or resolve all of your customer’s concerns. However, what you can do is to control the approach that you take when handling angry customers.

Dealing with disgruntled people requires a certain amount of caution, especially in a time when so many people are becoming violent in response to what they perceive as issues beyond their control. For effectively handling angry customers, you must first help the customer move beyond the emotions of the moment. You can then potentially discover the reason for their anger or frustration.

Before dealing with customers in general, check with your supervisor to find out what your organization’s policies are. Also, determine your level of authority for making decisions related to problem resolution. Having this information before a customer encounter provides the tools and knowledge you need to better handle your customers effectively and professionally.

The following are customer service skills and strategies that you can use when handling angry customers during service breakdowns.

Be positive. Tell the customer what you can do rather than what you cannot do.
Remain objective. Remember, angry customers, are usually frustrated with the organization, product, or service that you represent, not at you.
Acknowledge the customer’s feelings of anger. By taking this approach, you’ve acknowledged the customer’s feelings, demonstrated a willingness to assist, and asked the customer to participate in solving the problem.
Reassure the customer. Indicate that you understand why he or she is angry and that you will work with them to resolve the issues.
Listen actively to determine the cause of their anger. Who is “right” or “wrong” makes no difference when handling angry customers. Actively listening and trying to discover the true issue will assure the customer that you are trying to take care of it for him or her.
Avoid language that might inflame the situation. Negative words such as problem, no, can’t and you (directed at the person and indicating that they did or did not do something they should have) can be like throwing gasoline on the fire when dealing with an emotionally charged person.
Negotiate an acceptable solution. Elicit ideas or negotiate an alternative with your customer. Ask open-ended questions that make the customer feel that they are in charge of the situation and have some power. For example, “What do you feel would be an acceptable solution to this matter?” Remember that, with some exceptions, most people are typically reasonable and not out to take advantage of the situation when they feel that you are truly acting in their best interest. They just want to be “made whole” again. In other words, they want what they were promised or paid for and to be compensated for their inconvenience.
Conduct a follow-up. If possible, follow-up as soon as you can with the customer. Don’t assume that the organization’s system will work as designed or that the customer was completely satisfied. By taking this extra step, you are recognizing the customer as an important person to you and the organization and letting them know that you really are working with them to resolve their issue(s). This can go a long way towards getting the customer to generate positive word-of-mouth publicity.

There is no guarantee that these strategies will always work when handling angry customers. However, they provide some basic communication skills and service strategies for helping customer service representatives create a positive outcome in a negative situation. This can ultimately contribute to enhanced customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

Three Proven Strategies that Build Customer Loyalty

by Robert W. Lucas

Three Proven Strategies that Build Customer Loyalty

Most organizations struggle to find ways in which they can build customer loyalty and reduce customer churn. Many of these companies spend large amounts of money and time creating costly reward programs, sending out expensive marketing materials, and investing in expensive customer relationship management systems. While each of these components has value and contribute to customer satisfaction; the following are three proven strategies that build customer loyalty can be used by customer service representatives.

1. Become a trusted customer resource. Customers often encounter life challenges that require expertise beyond their capabilities. For example, an electrical light switch stops working, a toilet starts leaning, their computer starts giving error messages, or they start experiencing problems with their car. In each of these instances, people will often turn to a reputable source for assistance to help resolve the issue. If you are that source, take the time to listen empathetically and then demonstrate that you have the knowledge and expertise to assist them. By effectively and efficiently helping navigate the problem and coming to a speedy and cost-effective resolution, you can show value for the products and services that you and your organization provide. You can also increase customer satisfaction and help ensure that they will return to you again in the future.

2. Demonstrate integrity. In a world where stories of unethical or illegal behavior from businesses and service providers are commonplace, you have an opportunity to excel in demonstrating your own integrity. You can do so by:

Keeping your word and meeting agreed to timeframes and commitments.
Being honest.
Being consistent and reliable in your service delivery.
Providing quality products competitive warranties and guarantees.

3. Address service breakdowns professionally.

Things do not always go the way you plan. An unexpected delay may necessitate a schedule modification or a product may fail to perform as expected or promised. When such glitches occur, take the opportunity to listen to your customer and immediately take the appropriate action(s) to address the situation. Work professionally to identify the issue and cause, and then negotiate an acceptable remedy. By showing that you are committed to resolving the issue to the customer’s satisfaction in a timely manner, you can retain their trust and confidence that you are working in their best interest.

By taking these three simple steps as a customer service representative, you can assure your customers that you are interested in meeting their needs, wants and expectations. You also show that you will put forth the effort to ensure that they are satisfied.

What are other customer loyalty strategies that you use, or have experienced, related to building customer loyalty?

In addition to the three proven strategies that build customer loyalty listed above, you can find many additional ideas for building and maintaining strong customer relationships in these resources – Customer Service Skills for Success, Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures and How to Be a Great Call Center Representative.

POSITIVE Global Customer Service Model

by Robert W. Lucas

POSITIVE Global Customer Service Model – Serving Diverse Customers

The following acronym (POSITIVE) provides some strategies for creating or contributing to a positive global service environment and building strong relationships with your customers. It provides a model to move you from good customer service to the best customer service possible.

Put your best foot forward. Maintain a positive approach to situations involving customers, smile frequently, and have a “can-do” attitude. When dealing with customers and potential customers, never forget that they are your reason for employment.

Offer whatever level of assistance possible. In addressing customer needs and wants, go out of your way to uncover and resolve problems and to build a strong customer-provider relationship.

Stay abreast of current industry trends and strategies for delivering quality customer service. By upgrading your knowledge and skills regularly, you will be prepared to address any type of customer situation.

Identify true customer needs by listening to proactively. You have two ears and one mouth. Use them accordingly.

Take the time to get to know more about your customers. The more you know, the better you can provide quality service.

Invite your customers to open up and share information. Ask open-ended questions (e.g. Who, What, When, How, Why, and To What Extent) that typically lead to more detailed responses from others.

Verify understanding. When a customer provides information, ensure that you heard and understood it correctly before responding. Use closed-ended (typically start with an action verb) to gather this information.

Engage in relationship-building strategies immediately. Use strong interpersonal communication skills. Start with a smile (on your face and in your voice and words) and a professional greeting when meeting customers face-to-face, over the telephone or in an email. If something goes wrong, immediately start on a course of service recovery with a sincere apology and taking steps to “make the customer whole” again with any appropriate compensation.

Source: Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service across Cultures, Lucas. R.W., McGraw-Hill Professional, New York, NY (2011).
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Bob Lucas B.S., M.A., M.A, CPLP is principal in Robert W. Lucas Enterprises, Inc and an internationally-known author and learning and performance professional. He has written and contributed to thirty-one books and compilations. He regularly conducts creative training, train-the-trainer, customer service, interpersonal communication and management, and supervisory skills workshops. Learn more about Bob and his organization at www.robertwlucas.com and follow his blogs at www.robertwlucas.com/wordpress, www.customerserviceskillsbook.com, and www.thecreativetrainer.com. Like Bob at www.facebook.com/robertwlucasenterprises

Customer Perceptions Have An Impact On Customer Relations

by Robert W. Lucas

Customer Perceptions Have An Impact On Customer Relations

Most customer service representatives go to work with the determination to deliver excellent customer service and achieve customer satisfaction. They typically have the customer service skills and knowledge needed to address their customer’s needs, wants and expectations. Even so, some things occasionally go wrong during the customer service transaction.

What the customer service representative does from that moment on will often impact customer retention and what their customer tells others about their experience. This is why it is so crucial for anyone dealing with current or potential customers to learn and use strong service recovery strategies and use them immediately when things start to go wrong with a customer.

For ideas and strategies on building strong customer service relationships and successfully recover when service breaks down, get a copy of Customer Service Skills for Success.

Appropriate Service Recovery Strategies Can Lead To Customer Satisfaction and Retention

by Robert W. Lucas

Appropriate Service Recovery Strategies

Can Lead To Customer Satisfaction and Retention

Delivering excellent customer service should be the goal of every customer service representative and organization. Unfortunately, when things do not go as planned and customer service breakdowns occur, customer needs wants and expectations are often not met. Obviously, this is when customer satisfaction and customer retention become an issue to be addressed immediately and in a positive manner.

The following is a personal experience that my wife and I encountered yesterday when we went to a movie theatre that we visit frequently.

We went to see a movie yesterday and within 30 minutes of the start of the film it was dragging – the sound and picture were not synced. On the positive side, an employee (not the manager) came in three times to update the packed theatre. On the downside though, he explained that they had been having trouble like this all day with this movie. To that comment, someone yelled, “Then why do you keep selling tickets to other groups?” A valid question to which the employee responded that “We thought it would stop.”

They finally canceled the show and gave rainchecks. The employee even went on to tell us the next showing was at 7:15…as if we would stick around to try again.

Of course, as a customer service author, trainer, and consultant, all of this did not sit with me since my wife and I had already consumed $14.00 in snacks and drove 20 minutes to get there. So, I went to see the manager. Unfortunately, he was busy in the projection booth trying to fix the computer, so I gave his supervisor my card and told who I was and what I do. I then explained that this incident and the way it had been handled was contrary to service recovery strategies offered by excellent organizations. I further pointed out that by giving us a rain check, they only gave us an opportunity to return and spend even more time and money for snacks (an obvious win for them). I suggested that true service recovery is designed to “make the customer whole” and compensate them for their inconvenience.

Since the supervisor had just arrived at work and was not sure what exactly happened, I explained the situation. He then asked for our original ticket stubs and in exchange gave us our money back. He also and let us keep the rainchecks. Finally, service recovery had occurred. Too bad it took me asking for it to get satisfaction. That was good for us, but all the other people in a packed theatre did not get this and some probably left dissatisfied.

I suggested that he give the manager my business card and tell him what I’d shared about service recovery. Hopefully, I will not have to test their system again and the staff will receive training on effective service recovery should they ever need it in the future.

If you are looking for ideas on effective service and how to provide service recovery when things go wrong with your customers, get a copy of my book, Customer Service Skills for Success.

About Robert C. Lucas

Target Unauthorized Access to Credit Card Data Will Impact Customer Trust

by Robert W. Lucas

Target Unauthorized Access to Credit Card Data Will Impact Customer Trust

While no one died (as when someone tampered with Tylenol tablets in the 80s) and the environment was not destroyed (as with the Exxon Valez in the 80s or BP oil spill in 2010), millions of loyal customers and potential Target customers have been impacted by their latest corporate PR nightmare as millions of credit card customers had their personal data inappropriately accessed. During some of the busiest shopping times of the year (November 27-December 15, 2013) someone gained unauthorized access to over 40 million credit files for Target customers who used credit cards to shop in their stores.

Even though no fraud cases have yet to be determined, Target is struggling to get ahead of this potential massive loss. Customers have complained that they are not able to access their online Target accounts or get through on crowded chat and phone lines. Losses could add up significantly for Target as they make their final holiday shopping season push. Like the huge T.J. Maxx lawsuits that followed a similar breach in the past, Target will likely be the focus of a class-action suit that might cost them large payouts. Couple that with potential lost shopping revenue, canceled Target Red credit accounts and a massive hit on trust from customers and potential customers and the company is not likely to have a very merry holiday season…or a good end of the year financial report. In addition, brand and customer loyalty will likely take a big hit into the foreseeable future, depending on how the company manages this situation.

An article on The Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch blog has more details about this incident.

Since trust is the key element of any customer-provider relationship, frontline customer service representatives have to be prepared to handle service breakdowns and customer complaints. To get ideas of how you might deal with such situations if your company encounters a crash and you need to initiate service recovery initiatives, get a copy of Customer Service Skills for Success.

About Robert C. Lucas

Make Money Writing Books: Proven Profit Making Strategies for Authors by Robert W. Lucas at Amazon.com.

The key to successfully making money as an author and/or self-publisher is to brand yourself and your company and to make yourself and your book(s) a household name. Part of this is face-to-face interaction with people at trade shows, library events, book readings, book store signings, blogging or guest blogging on a topic related to their book(s). Another strategy involves writing articles and other materials that show up online and are found when people search for a given topic related to a topic about which the author has written.

If you need help building an author platform, branding yourself and your book(s) or generating recognition for what you do, Make Money Writing Books will help. Bob’s popular book addresses a multitude of ideas and strategies that you can use to help sell more books and create residual and passive income streams. The tips outlined in the book are focused to help authors but apply to virtually any professional trying to increase personal and product recognition and visibility.

Customer Satisfaction Quote – Donald Porter

by Robert W. Lucas

Customer Satisfaction Quote – Donald Porter

Loyal customers are the most valuable asset of an organization that an organization can have. By identifying and meeting their needs, wants and expectations, customer service representatives and other employees can help ensure that they not only demonstrate customer and brand loyalty but also tell others about their positive service experiences.

“Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They expect you to fix things when they go wrong.” Donald Porter

As Donald Porter, a V.P. at British Airways once said:

For strategies and techniques on how to build effective customer and brand loyalty in your organization, get a copy of Customer Service Skills for Success by Robert W. Lucas.

Here are a few more cool quotes from Donald Porter…

“No matter how great the reputation, all organisations are only as good as today’s performance.” – Donald Porter
“legions of disappointed customers have taken the opportunity to vent their frustration online”

Learn about the Customer Service Blogger – Robert C. Lucas who is a big fan of Donald Porter

Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

Bob Lucas B.S., M.A., M.A, CPLP is the principal in Robert W. Lucas Enterprises, Inc and an internationally-known author; learning and performance professionals. He has written and contributed to numerous books on the subject of customer service skill training.

He regularly conducts workshops on creative training, train-the-trainer, customer service, interpersonal communication, and management,
and supervisory skills.

Learn more about Bob and his organization at www.robertwlucas.com and follow his blogs at www.robertwlucas.com/wordpress,
www.customerserviceskillsbook.com, and www.thecreativetrainer.com. Like Bob at www.facebook.com/robertwlucasenterprises

Customer Service Quote – Kate Zabriskie

by Robert W. Lucas

Customer Service Quote – Kate Zabriskie

All customer service representatives and others in their organization play an integral part in ensuring that they deliver the best possible customer service. Each person is responsible for having current product and service knowledge and skills in order to answer questions and resolve customer related issues as they surface. When they and their organization skimp on training or time for effective service delivery, the inevitable result will be dissatisfied customers who tell others of their negative encounter and desert to a competing organization.

“Although your customers won’t love you if you give bad service your competitors will.” Kate Zabriskie

A quote by Kate Zabriskie sums up the importance of providing quality customer service in order to retain customers.

Another amazing quote by Kate Zabriskie is: “If you want to go out and buy on your own, you have to be prepared to absorb the cost.”

For ideas and strategies on how to create a positive customer service environment where employees work cohesively to identify customer needs, wants and expectations and then set about satisfying them, get a copy of Customer Service Skills for Success, How to Be A Great Call Center Representative and Please Every Customer: Delivering Stellar Customer Service Across Cultures.

About Robert C. Lucas – A customer service fan of Kate Zabriskie

Additionally, he has contributed articles, chapters, and activities to eighteen compilation books. Bob retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1991 after twenty-two years of active and reserve service.

He regularly conducts workshops on creative training, train-the-trainer, customer service, interpersonal communication, and management,
and supervisory skills.