Customer Service: Making a Difference
Customer service is critical to any business's success. However, when a business experiences tough times as some of us are now, effective and professional customer service can be the difference in a positive or negative bottom line.
The following are excerpts from SESCO's Customer Service Training Program which is designed to help employees put into practice concepts that are more likely to help them personally move up in the organization and gain recognition as a valued employee or even better, as a "Difference Maker." This provides long-term job security and certainly helps the business succeed. It creates a win-win for both business and the employee. So how can employees create value for themselves and their organization?
� Become a difference maker � Each of us has the power to decide if we are going to be an average employee just doing enough to get by or if we go to work each day with the goal of serving our customers and making a difference. Good employees choose to be a difference maker!
� Serve your fellow team members � You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.
� When no one is watching � Most employees are good at doing a good job when someone is watching, but the best team members are going to do the right thing even when no one is looking over their shoulder.
� Leave it at the door � Everyone should try to make it a practice to leave their personal issues and stories at the door, and only share personal issues in very selective conversation when it is not distracting from meeting your customers' needs.
� Service recovery � Those employees who view customer problems as a challenge to be conquered rather than an annoyance, interruption, or just that the customer is wrong are the ones who enjoy their jobs and become valuable employees within any organization.
� A sense of urgency � It is critical that every member of the team understand that delivering your service in a safe but quick manner is the key to pleasing your customers.
� Engage the customer � One of the skills or traits that separates an average employee from the best is learning to be sensitive to a customer's needs. Often this means anticipating what their customers want or need. Customers are less likely to get upset if you engage them rather than ignore them.
� Remember your grandma � For the next 30 days, make it a habit to find two people to help or compliment during your normal daily routine. If you treat people with kindness often enough, it will have an impact on your own attitude and behavior as you interact with your customers and co-workers.
SESCO Management Consultants is available to assist with your human resource issues. You may contact us by phone at 423-764-4127 or by email at sesco@sescomgt.com .