Middle Managers Make or Break Customer Service

It is easy to supply training to line employees. You may be suffering from customer service 'impasse', that is you have done the training and you don't see consistent results.
If this is the case you need to go back and work again with the most important group of individuals in your company. They are the middle managers.

Middle managers are caught in the middle, between the line employee and upper management. When a middle manager believes in customer service you have a winner. However, most often middle managers yield what I call the 'Presidential Veto'. In effect they are the President of their specific areas and when they don't own customer service, all your training is for naught.

A good way to become an owner is to become a teacher. When you have to teach, you really do learn the subject matter. Until you become a teacher you can be a passive learner, providing assent but doing nothing with your new found knowledge.

After middle management becomes active in teaching it then needs to be active in executing.
This is where most programs fall on their face. After an exciting training program the desired behavior is not displayed beyond an initial period of enthusiasm. The middle manager needs to manage the post training situation. The first step is to model the desired behavior. The next step is to "script" the words that work and ask the employee to display the words that they use. Then an active period of reward and recognition and reinforcement of employee behaviors starts. This action is commonly known as taking ownership. Owners know that just one activity does not bring success. Multiple repetitions and multiple approaches are required to make customer service a reality. Owners are hands on and involved. Owners are able to state the reason why the company believes in customer service. The owner connects the employee to the purpose of customer service.

The employee needs to know from the middle manager that she is making a difference. Then the employee begins to realize that customer service is meant to elicit a response from the customer.
When the customer connects good feelings with your company personnel you are a winner in customer service. Work with middle managers and let them act like an owner!

Is the Customer a Sounding Board?

In an effort to stay fit I splurged on a membership in a local fitness center. It turns out that the fee covers locker room services where there is a shower with more water pressure than what I have at home. I consider this to be a luxury and after a nice work out look forward to the opportunity to clean up prior to returning home.
On three separate occasions I was dismayed to find that the soap dispenser was empty. Knowing that most businesses do not hear about what is out of order because most people do not tell the manager but do tell their friends, I decided to inform management.
First it was a chore to find the manager. I went to the front desk and was informed that indeed there was a manager and that she would be summoned. The manager did not appear. A shift supervisor did come to the desk.
I informed the supervisor that the soap dispensers were not filled. He informed me that he was short of staff.
While I found that interesting I thought that it was a lame excuse. I asked the supervisor if he felt better now that he had told me his difficulties. I had come to the desk seeking a remedy, not seeking to be his unpaid counselor.
The supervisor had lost his bearings. His role is to care for the customer, not to make the customer the recipient of his problems in management. When you are on the job, don't forget your reason for being there; service. Thank your customer for informing you about the quality of your service. Take action to participate in customer recovery. Your customer is your partner, not your counselor.

You are always new and improved !

Part of being ready to serve the customer is taking care of yourself. Many people involved in the social service sector or the customer service sector are constantly giving and forgetting about themselves. While deep satisfaction comes from achieving high levels of service, a constant pouring out can lead to "burnout".

In new employee orientation I always invite employees to display "Commitment". My caveat is that if you are dedicated and committed to going the extra mile you must also display compassion for self and care for your personal needs. You need to seek balance.

In today's world of advertising we are all bombarded with messages saying "New and improved". Stop and consider that you are what is new and improved. After all you are quite different from the person you were a year ago. Think about all that you have learned and the decisions that you have made that have impacted your life. Even though you are going back to the same job, your experience is now a new experience. It is new because you are new. You are ready to make a difference.

When you are about to open the door at work to start a new day, stop and consider for just a moment the following sentence. "I am here today and I will find a way to do good for others."
When you do this you are starting the day with a good attitude and you are refreshing your human spirit.

It Starts With Working On Yourself

Lots of people like to play the "Blame Game". Many employees are like soldiers and they gripe about work.

While it is not strange to hear employees complain about their customers it is not good for them to "act out" and display an inappropriate emotion to the customer.

I learned on a visit to a hospital that employees are capable of delivering good customer service, despite the fact that they may be frustrated with the patient.

On one occasion I accompanied my Mother for an outpatient test that was scheduled to last for 45 minutes. I was not allowed to be in the room so I went to the waiting area and began to read an out of date magazine of the sort often left for those who must wait for health care personnel.

It turned out that my seat was directly in front of the workers' station. Since I was quiet, their conversations were audible; and to my surprise the technician was complaining about my Mother! I decided to maintain silence, but wondered if my Mother would tell me about this employee.

It turned out that she had a wonderful experience with this employee. My Mother had been asking many questions and she told me that the technician had answered all her questions with great interest. Again, I kept silent. The lesson for me was, you don't have to like every part of your work, but if you want to help your customer you stick to the rules of good customer service. You need to be attentive to the needs of your customer. You listen and you act with courtesy. The employee has been complaining that my Mother asked too many questions. This good employee understood that you may not like certain work circumstances, but you are capable of meeting the needs of your customer. On the other hand, despite the fact that she was off stage, she was not really off stage and what she thought was private was not private.

In order to perform good customer service, you must work on yourself first. It is the quality of your response, despite your personal opinion of the actions of the customer that counts. If you want to have discipline, so that you have the strength to respond with empathy and interest, you need to take time for you. Build your internal strength and character first! It will pay dividends. You have more control over your own response than you do of anything else.

Service on Stage

An excellent stage play is well written and the actors identify with the role they are assigned.

Customer service is similar. If you are an employee you need to know your role. When you identify with your role you become a master of the role.

Many employees mistakenly fail to play the role. Rather than fulfilling the duty of customer service you hear the refrain "That's not me." or you will hear, "I have to be authentic to myself."

Actually that employee is not being authentic to the basic agreement between employee and the employer. At work the employee agrees to supply a service, and in exchange the employer agrees to offer payment.

The employee accepts that payment and in the cylce of life provides for the well being of self and the well being of the family. In other words if you provide a service you can provide for others. When you do this good things happen. You buy a car. You educate a child.

In the stage play, the actor performs what is written in the script. The role is enhanced by the investment of the actor in the part. Customer service is the same. The interaction between the customer and the employee is typically scripted. The wise employee realizes that investment in customer service; and the use of words that are effective, produces an outcome known as customer satisfaction.

When you achieve customer satisfaction, via your personal investment in your role; as a by-product , you achieve personal satisfaction because you are an achiever! Know your role and don't be afraid to perform it!

Not the Ordinary Rules

Employees active in a culture of service quickly learn that they must learn rules that are distinct from their ordinary rules of human interaction.

When you are in a work setting, the rules are different. You are in a different context from the social context outside of work. The wise employee reflects on the importance of "expectations" of the customer and the importance of "context".

The rules of a culture of service demand that the employee understand that the rules are different when you provide service. If the customer is demanding and disrespectful you, the employee, are not permitted to "cue" on the wrongfulness of the act and return the same behavior you witness. You might do that if you are not at work. When at work you must seek an avenue that will permit you to "manage" the episode.

Consider for a moment if health care workers, who deal with sick individuals all through their shift of work, treated the sick as if all was ordinary. The reality is that the sick are not at their best and tend to display moments of distress. If the health care worker decides to treat the sick person just as she is treated by the sick she errors profoundly. The context requires a distinct approach.

The patient expects service and kindness. The patient may not realize that her display of "personality" is a tad sullen. If the health care worker echoes that back in his behavior he is not meeting the expectations of service. Thus, despite the lack of the ordinary feedback mechanism, the health care worker must decide to maintain a positive approach and exercise courtesy and respect.

Perhaps the most blatant difference in rules is the way the genders must treat one another at work. Employees are surprised to learn that the joking and the repartee that playfully occurs between the genders outside of work is not acceptable. The signals about "attractions", that are repeatedly aired on television, are out of bounds. The rules that govern what is and what is not "harassment" are more strict at work and are demanding of "professional" distance. The societal comfort that accepts overt displays of attraction is strictly governed by governmental mandates at work. The "expectation" is different and behaviors of employees must conform.

The rules are different at work than the ordinary every day rules. Be courageous and respond to poor manners with a positive attitude. Manage the experience. Display the needed courtesy and demonstrate respect for the customer beyond what is required. This is your opportunity to build a culture of service.

The Curve of a Culture of Service

When we think of curves we think of hour glass figures, of sculpted abs, of a good fitting article of clothing.

The curve you need to be excellent in customer service is the curve that you inscribe on your face. It is your smile.

Smiling is part of communication that is known as non-verbal communication. Social scientists indicate that only 15% of communication is verbal and 85% is non-verbal.

If you want to signal a warm welcome, if you want to acknowledge your pleasure, that you are in the company of a good client, be sure to smile.

When you are on the phone, smile. Your voice will sound different.

The curve on your face signals that you are approachable. Most of us want to be friendly. Send the universal signal, your smile.

Employees Act Like You Own It

If your attitude about a culture of service at your company is pay me my eight hours and let me go home, you are missing the boat.

In fairness you are accepting pay for your work. If you act like the employer owes you for showing up, and not for sharing your talents, your human spirit will diminish.

Connect with your own spiritual depth and take pride in what you do. If every day, prior to walking though the door you consider, What great things will I do today for others? Your day at work will be different. You will be other directed. Service will be a key that opens your own door of happiness.

After all it is your life and no one has a ball and chain on you. Make it your day and act like you own the place and pay attention to how you can make a difference. A culture of service will be part of you and others will notice. It will set you apart.

Business Goals and the Employee

Culture is a term that many business persons like to discuss and potential employees also like to ask in their first interview, What is the culture of this company?

Culture is a repetition of visible behaviors based on a basic business stance.  In the case of a culture of service the basic business stance is that of respect and appreciation for what drives the business.  Two basic human elements drive the essence of business, the customer and the employee.

The employee has a basic obligation to represent the employer in business transactions.  If you are that employee, you want to distinguish yourself from other employees so that when the next person to be promoted is called, that will be you.  To do this you need to identify with the goals and objectives of your business.  Your goal should be to make sure that the business purposes of your company are served by your actions.  This means that everything you do on the job should help make your employer the business of choice for the customer.  Choose always to represent the interests of your employer.

To do this it may be helpful to think of the role of a diplomat of government.  The diplomat realizes that she serves the interests of the government and takes great care to align what she says and does to reflect appropriately on the government sponsor.  This may mean exercising greater patience that she might in personal relationships.  The diplomat is always aware that the rules are different in diplomatic circles than at home and strives to learn what these rules are so as to be able to thrive in diplomatic circles.

As an employee you need to be aware of what the customer expects.  The customer is self interested.  The customer wants something.  The customer believes that an exchange of money should result in value.  Thus just as the diplomat, you need to learn the rules of customer engagement.  

When we realize the rules are different when we are at work, the better we understand that the principles of good customer service should guide our actions on the job.  Watch this blog for interesting tips on your participation in a culture of service.

Manage the Irate Customer

A culture of service trains employees to recognize that the customer that complains has something to say and wants to say it.  The tendency of the recipient of the caller is to defend the company position and needs to know that the skill that is required is active listening.

However, the recipient of the call may feel under personal attack.  Good training helps the employee to "manage the experience".  The proper technique is to thank the caller for providing the company information about its service or product and request that the caller elaborate. When required the caller should be asked  to explain more.  The listener should let the caller speak.  It is also appropriate to ask the caller if there is anything more that the caller wants to relate.

The company representative should identify what options are available to resolve the difficulty.  After a review of the options the company representative should indicate what shall be done and identify when it will be done.  As always in good customer relations and in building a culture of service the company representative should thank the caller.

Gratitude is Grandiose

The short phrase "Thank You" carries much meaning. It is the phrase that carries a sentiment expressing gratitude. In many cultures the measure of a good education is not how many books you have read, but the courtesy you extend. Thank you is the phrase that shows respect. Thank you is the phrase that parents teach to their children and constantly quiz their children saying, "Did you say thank you?" Good customer service never forgets this basic building block of good relationships.

As you may have already read in this blog you want to make sure that you introduce yourself to your client and after providing your service state: Thank you for using our service!

A good thank you connects you and your service/product to your client. If your service is just like the same service down the street; you have not connected your personality to the service. There is always a human dimension to a transaction. When you say "Thank You" the message to your client is: I am grateful that you are here and choosing my service.

Make it a habit

A culture of service needs to be visible.  If you started to introduce yourself and started to use the names of your clients and then stopped doing it you need to start again.  Any time you begin a new practice you need to recognize that it needs to become a habit.

Think for a moment about your habits.  If you have a habit, it is due to your many repetitions.   You don't think about it.  It has become an internal script.  When you set out to create a culture of service your initial efforts will fade if your are not intent on repeating the effort.   

Think for a moment how you might use the concept of a "script".   A script is a common tool of media moguls.  What you hear on television is typically not off the cuff.  It is carefully prepared and scripted.  The actor practices the lines that will be recited.

In effect you are the "Director" of your Culture of Service.  Do not be afraid to have employees repeat again and again the practice of making a good introduction and using the names of your customers.  When your customers hear their names they will know that your company is different.

Be Different!

The worse thing you can do at work is to be indifferent.

What you want to do is stand out and be recognized. How can you do that?

It is really simple. Imitate the news media and you will learn the first step.

Have you ever noticed how much time is spent on the newscasts telling you the name of who is telling you the news?  The secret is using your name.

Every reporter tells you their name. The start of the major newscasts start out telling you, for example, that Brian Williams is in New York and only after that comes the news. When Brian sends the report to the scene he tells you who is reporting. When the reporter closes the story, you again hear the name of the reporter signing off.

Your parents gave you a name and when you hear your name you perk up. So start introducing yourself to your clients. Use your name. Then learn their name and use it.

Within your work setting, start using the name of people. Suddenly you will be thought of as person of good culture and upbringing.