I was speaking to a lawyer about my recent appearances on CNBC, addressing customer service issues, and satisfaction guarantees came up as a topic.
I mentioned Costco, which used to offer an astounding guarantee enabling shoppers to return just about anything at any time for a complete refund.
(Recently, it curtailed its generosity. Electronics, for instance, can now be returned within 90 days of purchase.)
The attorney volunteered a story about a very successful guy who exchanged his TV’s at
Costco penalty-free every six months as improved models and better values hit the store.
The solon asked this guy about his motivation.
“You’re a successful guy, you’re no Bill Gates, I get that, but how can this be worth your time?”
The con man lit up like a kid who awoke to catch Santa coming down the chimney.
With a glint in his eye and a surge of barely contained enthusiasm, he confided:
“I enjoy the process!”
There are customers who, without a doubt, “game the system.”
They bend or exploit the rules to get the most they can get, even if their actions seem immoral or raise prices for everyone else.
Just the other day a story in The New York Times described airline frequent flyer freaks
that do nearly anything to amass miles. Their favorite ruse is to take the most indirect routes possible to their destinations.
So, a Seattle to San Antonio itinerary might involve stops in three or four airports in far-flung places. These airline gamers make sure to travel on those days or flights that contain the most bonus points.
There is a truism in psychology: “You get what you reward.”
Companies that reward people for returning items long after purchase dates will
get people to do that, and airlines will also attract hobbyists who will take off from their jobs at the mention of a triple-miles award.
The key question is whether these policies are effective, producing more profits than losses.
Are the costs worth the benefits?
In most cases the answer is, yes.
But it does hurt a bit when that con-man snatches the last available seat on a sold-out flight, the same flight you were hoping to catch!
Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books and more than a thousand articles. A frequent expert commentator on radio and TV, (See: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=417455932#
) he is quoted often in prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Business Week. President of Clientrelations.com and Customersatisfaction.com, his seminars and training programs are sponsored internationally and he is a top-rated faculty member at more than 40 universities. Dynamic and fun, Gary brings over two decades of management and consulting experience to the table, with the best academic credentials in the speaking and training industry. Holder of a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School For Communication at USC, an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management, and a J.D. degree from Loyola, his clients include several Fortune 1000 companies and successful family owned and operated firms. More than a “talking head,” Gary is a top mind that you’ll enjoy working with. He can be reached at gary@customersatisfaction.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Gary_S._Goodman
When a customer service representative can be the only personal face for an entire company, it is important to make sure that the person reflects well on the values of the employer. Most large businesses may seem like a nebulous, faceless entity, but one interaction with a customer service person can make or break a client’s relationship with the business entity. This article details six skills that a customer representative should have in order to make a great impression on clients.
Patience. The virtue of patience cannot be stressed enough for a customer service rep. If you think about it, it is usually confused or upset customers that contact customer service to fix their problems. Thus, these employees must have a great deal of patience dealing with frustrated or clueless customers. Losing your patience can mean losing a valued customer.
Flexibility. A person who specializes in interacting with people outside of a business must be flexible. Clients may call in with a variety of questions or requests, and a rep should be able to go with the flow and handle everything that they possibly can for the client. This also reflects well on the business in that they are shown as efficient and adept.
Control. Like patience, keeping your own emotions in check can help you successfully deal with a disgruntled customer. If a person contacts a customer service representative, yelling and screaming and complaining, a representative may feel like this is a direct attack on himself. However, it is usually just an outpouring of frustration. Yelling back at the unhappy client will get you nowhere.
Persuasion. Even if a person in this position is not directly involved in sales, having the power of persuasion can still come in handy. When a frustrated client contacts a rep, threatening to terminate his business with the company, a rep should be able to persuade the person otherwise.
Problem Solving. Everyone knows how it goes: you call in to a company, and after waiting on hold for hours, you get transferred from person to person as each claims that they can’t help you. For customer service jobs, being able to problem solve on your own can help you keep your clients happy. Try to either directly connect a client to who they need only if you cannot solve the problem yourself.
Communication. This skill is basically the key component of a customer service representative job. Communication involves both listening to the person’s problems as well as effectively advising them about solving the issue. Now, customer servicemen and women should be familiar with a variety of methods of contact, like written letters, emails, phone calls, in-person meetings, and even instant messaging.
Yes, instant messaging, also called live chat, is making its way into customer service as more and more businesses are turning to this beneficial way to help potential clients. For more information on live chat services, check out Ngage Live
today.
Joseph Devine
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine
As a cutting edge Service Framework Company, The Art of Service is leading the way in providing high end, client focused Books, Toolkits and online and classroom Education Programs.
We've served over 800 corporate clients and 500,000 individual clients and students in 87% of the world's countries.
A recognized leader in the Service Management community, The Art of Service has quickly become the Specialist- and Manager’s Educator of Choice.
6 Skills For Customer Service Success
I was speaking to a lawyer about my recent appearances on CNBC, addressing customer service issues, and satisfaction guarantees came up as a topic.
I mentioned Costco, which used to offer an astounding guarantee enabling shoppers to return just about anything at any time for a complete refund.
(Recently, it curtailed its generosity. Electronics, for instance, can now be returned within 90 days of purchase.)
The attorney volunteered a story about a very successful guy who exchanged his TV’s at
Costco penalty-free every six months as improved models and better values hit the store.
The solon asked this guy about his motivation.
“You’re a successful guy, you’re no Bill Gates, I get that, but how can this be worth your time?”
The con man lit up like a kid who awoke to catch Santa coming down the chimney.
With a glint in his eye and a surge of barely contained enthusiasm, he confided:
“I enjoy the process!”
There are customers who, without a doubt, “game the system.”
They bend or exploit the rules to get the most they can get, even if their actions seem immoral or raise prices for everyone else.
Just the other day a story in The New York Times described airline frequent flyer freaks
that do nearly anything to amass miles. Their favorite ruse is to take the most indirect routes possible to their destinations.
So, a Seattle to San Antonio itinerary might involve stops in three or four airports in far-flung places. These airline gamers make sure to travel on those days or flights that contain the most bonus points.
There is a truism in psychology: “You get what you reward.”
Companies that reward people for returning items long after purchase dates will
get people to do that, and airlines will also attract hobbyists who will take off from their jobs at the mention of a triple-miles award.
The key question is whether these policies are effective, producing more profits than losses.
Are the costs worth the benefits?
In most cases the answer is, yes.
But it does hurt a bit when that con-man snatches the last available seat on a sold-out flight, the same flight you were hoping to catch!
Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books and more than a thousand articles. A frequent expert commentator on radio and TV, (See: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=417455932#
) he is quoted often in prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Business Week. President of Clientrelations.com and Customersatisfaction.com, his seminars and training programs are sponsored internationally and he is a top-rated faculty member at more than 40 universities. Dynamic and fun, Gary brings over two decades of management and consulting experience to the table, with the best academic credentials in the speaking and training industry. Holder of a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School For Communication at USC, an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management, and a J.D. degree from Loyola, his clients include several Fortune 1000 companies and successful family owned and operated firms. More than a “talking head,” Gary is a top mind that you’ll enjoy working with. He can be reached at gary@customersatisfaction.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Gary_S._Goodman
When a customer service representative can be the only personal face for an entire company, it is important to make sure that the person reflects well on the values of the employer. Most large businesses may seem like a nebulous, faceless entity, but one interaction with a customer service person can make or break a client’s relationship with the business entity. This article details six skills that a customer representative should have in order to make a great impression on clients.
Patience. The virtue of patience cannot be stressed enough for a customer service rep. If you think about it, it is usually confused or upset customers that contact customer service to fix their problems. Thus, these employees must have a great deal of patience dealing with frustrated or clueless customers. Losing your patience can mean losing a valued customer.
Flexibility. A person who specializes in interacting with people outside of a business must be flexible. Clients may call in with a variety of questions or requests, and a rep should be able to go with the flow and handle everything that they possibly can for the client. This also reflects well on the business in that they are shown as efficient and adept.
Control. Like patience, keeping your own emotions in check can help you successfully deal with a disgruntled customer. If a person contacts a customer service representative, yelling and screaming and complaining, a representative may feel like this is a direct attack on himself. However, it is usually just an outpouring of frustration. Yelling back at the unhappy client will get you nowhere.
Persuasion. Even if a person in this position is not directly involved in sales, having the power of persuasion can still come in handy. When a frustrated client contacts a rep, threatening to terminate his business with the company, a rep should be able to persuade the person otherwise.
Problem Solving. Everyone knows how it goes: you call in to a company, and after waiting on hold for hours, you get transferred from person to person as each claims that they can’t help you. For customer service jobs, being able to problem solve on your own can help you keep your clients happy. Try to either directly connect a client to who they need only if you cannot solve the problem yourself.
Communication. This skill is basically the key component of a customer service representative job. Communication involves both listening to the person’s problems as well as effectively advising them about solving the issue. Now, customer servicemen and women should be familiar with a variety of methods of contact, like written letters, emails, phone calls, in-person meetings, and even instant messaging.
Yes, instant messaging, also called live chat, is making its way into customer service as more and more businesses are turning to this beneficial way to help potential clients. For more information on live chat services, check out Ngage Live
today.
Joseph Devine
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine