There’s a reason no one raves about their amazing experience at the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Social Security office. At those places, you truly are a “number”. Government agencies can get by with poor customer service because there’s no place else we can go to get those particular issues addressed. Yet in real world business, there are choices. Many choices as to where we go to solve our problems and spend our money.
People don’t want to feel like a number. They want to be acknowledged for the person they are. Remember the TV show “Cheers”? It was set in a Boston bar. But the show wasn’t about alcohol. It was about relationships. As the theme song said, “Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name.” Good customer service appreciates people for who they are.
One of my all-time favorite places to eat is The Blue Fin in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. A very small building as restaurants go, it’s always packed. And for good reason. Their Teriyaki Chicken bowl is the best on the planet. Yet what makes the experience enjoyable is the elderly Japanese couple who own and operate this fine establishment. Whether it’s your first visit or you’re a daily customer, they welcome you like it’s your first time. They go out of their way to make you feel like you’ve made their day by walking through their door. The food is superb and reason enough to come back. Yet they honor you as their customer with gratitude and kindness. Who doesn’t want to patronize a business like that? New customers are expensive to attain. Good customer service retains them and converts them into repeat customers. Growing up on an Iowa farm, I learned it early and often. Say what you mean, mean what you say and do what you say you’re going to do. And do it to the best of your ability. Imagine if every business operated by these common sense principles?
Some tips for developing good customer service?
Be honest. Be honest about what your product will and won’t do. Be honest about your pricing. Be honest about your warranty. No one likes feeling they’ve been lied to. Honesty really is the best policy.
Be excellent. When you are excellent at what you do, you are a blessing to others. Be excellent in your problem solving. Be excellent in your communication. Be excellent in your service. People love to be associated with the best. It gives your customers pride to tell their friends that they’ve made a wise decision in choosing you.
Be kind. It’s been said and it’s true, “People may forget what you say. But they’ll never forget your kindness.” Service with a smile may be cliché, but it’s proven it’s truth over the decades.
Be reliable. Can your customers count on you? If you schedule them for 8 AM, are you there knocking at their door at 8 AM? And if you’re late, do you call and let them know? Can your customers count on you to be consistent in your skills and service?
Call us today at 806-749-COOL(2665). We’re here for you!