Customer Service Secret

Do you play card games?

Typically a good card player has a strategy or approach to playing the game. After all, the purpose of the game is to come out a winner. The card player realizes that you can shape the odds of winning by playing the game wisely.

In Customer Service you too want to play to win!

If you are a winner you too want to play the trump card. A trump card is a surprise play that "trumps" or beats the other cards played. In business the trump card is "Customer Service."

Wise business leaders realize that all their investments in equipment, in partnerships, in distribution channels; all can fall apart when your employee fails to pay attention to the customer or worse, does not provide service.

Basically business is the consistent building of trust. Some think that trust is reliability. Reliability is different from trust. When you are reliable you can disappoint and perhaps your customer will not leave. But if your customer loses trust you lose the account. In my industry my sales staff love to appear when the potential customer is having a "bad day" receiving service from the competition. It is the moment when the customer is most likely to change providers.

Don't forget that you are the agent of your employer and your trump card is "Service"!

Government workers and customer service

Are there differences between the public and government job sectors? Yes, there is a big difference. On the tongue of government workers we constantly hear that working for the government sector is 'public service'. We hear that they are making a sacrifice. We hear that they could make more money in the 'private sector'. If indeed they are 'servants' would you not expect that customer service would be bright and visible at governmental entities?

You would think that a visit to a governmental service would be a happy customer focused event. In most cases your visit to the county or to your local city office involves waiting and when you do get to the desk the clerk is ready to give you an instruction about what you need to access their service. I am reminded of the Wizard of the Emerald City instructing 'Judy Garland' to go get the broom stick of the wicked witch in order to access governmental service.

The tax payer as the provider of the taxes that pay the wages of government servants is a forgotten person. Instead of being treated with appreciation and the source of gainful employment you are a number in a line.

It is interesting to note the above average membership of government employees in unions. It turns out that the union collects the dues and then bankrolls the campaign coffers of the politicians. It appears to be a vicious circle that encourages politicians to favor union causes, such as generous pension programs. In Illinois the bloated budgets of the state fails to meet the pension obligations and the unions call out for an increase in taxes. Again the tax payer is expected to pay the tab.

It appears that there is no respect for the tax payer as a customer and no respect for the tax payer as the source of livelihood for government workers.

Grumpy or Friendly ? Decide at the door.

Forty percent of the nation's workers respond that they are not happy at their present jobs. Twenty percent want to change jobs as soon as possible. Sounds like there is a high level of discontent among the work force as the second decade of the millenium dawns.

Whether you are content or not your customers want you to be friendly, not grumpy.

It is important to realize that you own your attitude. Sure you have lots of problems, but if you are a professional you learn to check your problems at the work place door and dedicate yourself to your duties while you are at work. This is especially true if you are a leader. Employees want to have a level of trust that they can count on you to be the same every day. If they must guess if you are running hot or cold you will not have the level of trust you need to keep open the doors of communication.

If you are an employee it is often tempting to "dump" or tell your problems to your customer.
Remember, they are not your arm chair psychiatrist. They want friendly service, not your litany of grief.

Choose to be friendly and focused on service. See those pillars in the picture? Stand tall and resolute on being a solid professional who puts the customer first.

If you stand on your customer service principles you will be admired.

Professional Understanding, A Layman's definition

Today's employee who is looking for a job knows what a good job means; a flow of income, benefits, a regular schedule, and an organized approach to providing a service. The reason for a layoff is typically that an organization is not reaping more revenues than expenses for its efforts.

So if you are working during these tough times you want to increase the value you provide to your company. If you are not working you want to be ready to present yourself during the interview as a person who communicates that you are ready to achieve the goals and objectives of the company.

This starts with a "Professional Understanding" of how important you are to the company. You would not be hired if there were not a role to be fulfilled on behalf of the company. If you want to be a success you will want to identify with the achievement of the objectives of your company. This means that you understand that you contribute more when you represent the needs of the company to yourself and to your work companions. The reason you are there is to meet the needs of the organization. Too often employees merely enter a company and look for what the company can do for me. Indeed the company does do a lot for you, but the "professional understanding" is that your relationship to the company is an exchange. You have a contribution to make. Your presence at work is to be the addition of value to the company.

You accept dollars in exchange for contributing to the organized company effort to increase revenues and decrease costs by performing your job with "professional understanding". Your role is not to merely perform an activity. Your role is to understand how your work group fits into the 'big picture' that delivers or meets the needs of your clients. Your clients are attracted to inter-act with the company and you are part of that relationship. It is important to consider that for many employees the clients are actually their fellow departments.

Avoid the big mistake. The mistake is to place the needs of your person or your department before the needs of your clients. You want to deliver service. What you do shapes the culture of your company.

Taking the Lead in your work group !

Have you ever thought how much the "culture" of your work group influences your work? The day to day interactions of the members of the work group do have an influence.

In academic circles we learn that the "top" students" are often categorized as nerds. Of course when they do well in their careers they are admired and lose the nerd tag.

Most work groups do a good job of "leveling", that is making every member of the group toe the line and imitate the "common value" of the group. This has a positive or negative affect, depending on the "outcomes".

You will not have a "Culture of Service" if it is not seen as a value. If other values take front seat, then the value of service will not shine.

Think about taking a lead position in your group. If, it helps, remember the story of "Rudolph" who was called names and laughed at; an example of leveling. As the story goes things are transformed when Rudolph uses his talent.

If you have knowledge, skills, and abilities be sure to optimize them ! Your concern for service will shine thru!

HOW CAN WORK PROVIDE SATISFACTION?

Believe it or not I had a free latte at Bloomingdale's this week, but it was the experience that I remember. As Christmas approached I was out shopping when the lady behind the coffee machine asked "Would I like a latte?"

I answered, that if she might be so kind, that I would be delighted. Her response: "Of course, that is my job."

What struck me about her response was her direct connection to her job. She understood that she had a purpose to fulfill and was happy to do it.

Today's worker can choose to identify with the purpose of their work and contribute to success or can choose to go through the motions and return home, after work, uninspired.

What I refer to here is the direct connection between working with a purpose and satisfaction.

When a worker identifies with the goal of the company there is synergy. You feel that you are part of something. You contribute to achieving the goal and lo and behold you have a better outlook on life.

Customer Service Hits the Skids

Have you noticed? Is there meaning within the world of work? Despite all the efforts to keep the customer as the center focus of employees; and the loss of jobs in a difficult economy, customer service is losing ground. Price is now king. Show me the discounts says the consumer. Mail me the coupons and perhaps I will shop at your establishment says the shopper. These are the concerns of today's consumer.

Customer service has been relegated to being a frill. It has been trivialized.

The experience of the customer is second to the vested self interest of the shop keeper. The vested self interest is to stay in business. Focus on moving the product. Keep up the cash flow. Offer the discounts.

If you are lucky to be a member of the work force, you are looking around and assessing if you are to be the next layoff victim. Times are tough.

When work force morale is low it effects the business. This tough scenario leads me to ask if there is not something more than the simple transaction, of the exchange of a product for a few dollars? Perhaps it is best to contemplate that when you are stripped of all the fluff, it does come down to who you are as a person. Is there satisfaction in service? Do you find meaning in giving of yourself?

Now is when you ask yourself if you are a professional. Now is when you ask yourself if the business transaction is really a human event and the money is secondary. Can life within the economic relationships have meaning? Can you enjoy going to work?

Providing service has its own rewards. A friendly disposition gives you a positive aura. The sun will come up tomorrow. Remember in the beginning and the end it is about who you are. Choose to relate and relate well. Being human is not a matter of economic well being.