Turn Job Loss Into Customer Service

In the business world of today cost cutting is the mantra. Managers across America are told to trim and trim again. Unfortunately human lives may be directly affected by a lay off.

If you have ever been laid off you know the hurt that comes with that decision. It is one of the high stress periods of life. If you are between jobs, and that is the best way to describe what is your circumstance is after a lay off, be encouraged.

Rather than dwelling on the negatives that come from being the victim of a downsizing, recognize that being the victim does not lead to positive outcomes. Think positive. Think "I will be a success."

Rather than dwelling on feeling ashamed because you suffer the loss of identity that comes from not having a job, grieve, and move on. While you think that it is a shame to tell people that you are looking for a job, that is precisely the proper thing to do. You are the customer and you need to promote customer service. The customer needs a job.

Be good to yourself. Take time to exercise. Direct yourself towards others.

To find a job is a job in itself. You need to maintain the discipline that came with reporting to your job. Get up every day. Keep a schedule. Make a plan. Work the plan.

Part of your plan is to network. If you are interested in a particular company you will want to network to get close to someone who knows the company. These people are out there and you can find them. Use 'Linked In' to find that person who knows the people in the company where you want to work. Use your customer service skills to positively state your skills and aptitudes. Know your own story. Practice telling it so that you have five impressive sentences in a row that accurately describe you. Emphasize and build on the positive. Work to put yourself in the presence of someone who is with the company and to whom you can impress with your self description. Remember, you are only between jobs.

The Inconsolable Customer

Today's blog is for the boss, but employees are welcome to read along. Part of being an employee is understanding that you work for the goals and objectives of your company and that you have a boss. Well, my dear bosses, you too have a responsibility in the area of customer service to your employees.

It may be a little known fact, but up to 2% of your customers may have unrealistic expectations of your company and despite the best customer recovery measures of your representatives these customers are inconsolable. How do you assist your employees to deal with the inconsolable? The key to this dilemma is knowing your own limits, because what is happening is a test of the limits of your company.

If you are in business for yourself, you certainly realize that there is only so much that you can do and when you reach that point; you have exhausted your resources. When you work for a larger organization it is a tad more difficult to know when you have run out of resources.

The first confidence you must extend your employees is the opportunity to delegate to a higher level in the organization without fear of retribution, the unreasonable and inconsolable customer.

Give your employees key words to use such as: "Mr. Customer, I have intervened in the following ways for you and lament that my efforts are insufficient. Our company believes in excellent customer service and I have not found that satisfaction for you. When this happens we are instructed to move your concern to a higher level in the organization. I will connect you with my manager."

Note: Often times the demeanor of the inconsolable customer changes when a person of higher authority is made available. There is a certain satisfaction obtained in being able to be attended to by management. This may be a sign of the dysfunction of the inconsolable customer, but it may make the needed difference to move the customer to a higher level of satisfaction.

If, at the managerial level, the customer is indeed inconsolable, consider then the example of the Santa Claus from Macy's Department Store from the "Miracle on 34th Street". "I am sorry that we don't have the toy you seek to purchase, you can find it at Gimbels."

This is the ultimate stand, for in effect you are indicating that it is not within your ability to provide the needed service and you, in the interests of your customer, provide a referral to the competition. The beauty of this approach is that the customer may realize that limits do exist. The period of time spent with your employees and then with management is an investment that they may not drop and decide instead that enough is enough. They decide to remain as customers. In effect, with this method, you are not firing your customer. You leave the customer the option to seek service elsewhere without telling him to leave. What you also learn is where, after seeking to please, you rest. The other 98% of your customers are awaiting your service.

Meet the customer's need and your need too!

Certainly in today's environment of financial concerns it is important to stay employed and continue a crucial income stream. In other words you need the money. It is time to reflect and think about the "value added" item that you bring to your employer. Certainly you are not bringing money to your employer. You bring your talent and your aptitude and your willingness to serve others. Your employer depends on you to build relationships to build customer loyalty so that as a result of your actions there is revenue to share with you as a pay check.

Consider how you can improve the quality of the service you provide to that important element, the customer, who purchases your service or product and keeps you employed. You can start with your "positive attitude". It is what differentiates you from the average employee.

When you pay attention to customer needs, before your own personal needs, you demonstrate an attitude that displays an employee who understands the goals and objectives of your employer. When you understand the cycle of exchanging service for dollars you perform your duties with pride.

Customers need service. You would not work if you did not have a need to work, so seek to fulfill the needs of your customer. Ask yourself, what does my customer need? Then seek to do first what the customer needs and you will make a connection. When you do this you will receive customer appreciation.

Remember to appreciate your employer and work on fulfilling your individual employee responsibility by praising the customer for making the good choice of choosing your employer. Remember your employer needs you. You too need your employer. Thank your boss for your paycheck.

Simple Secret of Customer Recovery

What is the proper response to the customer that vocalizes disgust with your service?

Life has many crucial moments and what you have in your favor is that you control yourself. While you may judge that the customer is out of line or inappropriate your task is to find something to build on. The secret that you need to understand is that if you respond in kind with a negative response the negativity will increase.

To handle this situation you need to create for yourself an image that is positive. Think to yourself, what can I use as a base to build upon to transform the situation? In effect you are placing a foundation that will serve as the basis for your solution. This is called Solution Based Thinking.

Typically it is good to express empathy with the customer so as to display your acknowledgment that the concern of the customer is shared by you. Immediately proceed to options that are available to you to ameliorate what is perceived as lacking by the customer.

Think of you as the person who is intervening on behalf of the customer and state "I can do this for you."