People To People Service: Customer Service Blog, Customer Service Tips

Is Every Employee Responsible For Customer Service?

2012-05-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

Becky Carroll, author of "The Hidden Power of Your Customers", posted this on Twitter today:

I agree wholeheartedly. We are all in the business of service. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your position is. Even if you have an information technology degree and work by yourself in a corner cubicle, you eventually have to deal with other people. You could be taking CFA prep classes and work from home. It doesn’t matter because what you will be doing is offering some type of service. This means that you will be interacting with people at one point or another - whether it’s on the phone, via email, or through social networking.

I’ve always said that there should be more customer service classes taught in universities or it should be mandatory that students take a psychology class. In many business classes we are often taught about business being a numbers game and how to market a business, but we are never thought about the human side of business, like how to make that personal connection. I believe that when you see people for who they are versus being just another customers, that’s when a business can truly be successful.

When I was a manager for a national retail chain, I remember constantly stressing over our sales goals. I was also bombarded with projects, making sure my sales people were following the company’s “10 steps to customer service”, and all those other managerial responsibilities. Despite all of these duties, I still went above and beyond the call of duty and never used the “It’s not in my job description” excuse to get out of doing something. I wanted the business to be successful and I wanted the sales people to have the support so that they could have fun at work and be successful too.

Forget about what your “job description” says. Remain open to the opportunities to help in any way that you can - whether it’s being of service to a fellow co-worker or helping a customer solve a problem or find the answer to a question. Even if you can’t help a customer directly, you could be a guide to helping them discover the resolution or answer. So when it’s time for you to get some help, then it will be someone else’s turn to return the favor.

Should it be the responsibility of every employee to take care of customers in some way? What do you think?

Reducing Offshore Call Center Costs

2012-04-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

Source: google.com.br via Beatriz on Pinterest

Lauren Carlson of the Software Advice has written an interesting post about alternatives to offshore call centers, which in the economy we’re facing now could be important considerations for companies. Lauren also addresses the U.S. Call Center and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 3596), which would refuse federal grant and loan programs to companies who outsource their call centers overseas.

This notion of outsourcing customer service calls has brought up many debates about effectiveness and “not taking care of our own”. Are you doing a disservice to customers by routing calls to a center where there may be a communication breakdown? Is it right to help others overseas instead of addressing the thousands - if not millions - of people who are unemployed here in the United States?

To be honest, for me it doesn’t really matter either way. If you want to outsource your customer service overseas and it makes sense financially, then go ahead - as long as it doesn’t compromise the quality of care. That’s all that matters.

What do you think about this bill that denies federal money to companies that outsource to offshore call centers?

Why Is Customer Loyalty Important? (Infographic)

2012-02-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

The following infographic takes a look at customer loyalty and why it's important. In my opinion, I think it's the single most important thing about a business. If you're an Apple fanatic, you know what I'm talking about!

What can your business do to inspire loyalty from your customers?

A Rant on Banks and Their "Customer Service"

2011-12-18T13:36:00.000-08:00

I have a bone to pick with many of the banks in the U.S. (Who doesn’t, right?!) Although I’m sure there are a few really good banks out there with great customer service, my rant is targeted at those big banks that say customer service is their thing, but come to find out it’s all just lip service.

I’m tired of hearing about banks taking away homes from people who work so hard to pay their mortgage on time. I recently heard about a man who had been paying his mortgage for 20+ years, but because he got laid off and was unable to pay for a couple months, the bank foreclosed on the home. 20+ years of paying on time and the bank has no compassion for this man. Now he has to start all over and his good credit score is ruined.

The Occupy Wall Street movement has shed some light on the unscrupulous actions of the banks, but it’s up to each and every one of us to take some action to demand better service from the financial industry - like refusing to do business with them because of bad service. The only reason why these banks stay in business because people continue to do business with them.

I could sit here and rant all day about how the big banks have done us wrong, but that really will not get us anywhere. It's time for people to take action and send a message by choosing to do business with financial institutions that truly value customer service.

Photo Credit: David Shankbone

Win and Retain New Clients

2011-12-06T09:44:00.001-08:00

Clients form the core of many businesses, making them very important to the success of a company. There are two main components of your business relationship with clients: winning them and retaining them. CRM systems can help you to do both of these things; just remember that gaining the trust and business of new customers can be time-consuming, even with the best systems in the world. However, if you are dealing with a potentially lucrative client, the effort should more than pay off in the end…

Market effectively
If you want to win new clients, they need to know about your services. Are you utilising all the marketing channels that you can? Do you have a coordinated marketing strategy? You might like to consider using CRM software to help manage your marketing activities, so everyone involved can keep up to date with what’s been done and follow up on any leads you generate.

Offer impeccable service
It almost goes without saying, but if you want to win clients, you need to offer them great service. After all, even if you operate in a niche area, they probably have the pick of businesses to choose from. Why should they pick your business over your competitors? Make sure your service can’t be beaten and share great CRM solutions with your colleagues so everyone is briefed on best practice.

Competitive pricing
Price also matters; with price comparison sites becoming increasingly common and clients becoming savvier, you need to keep things competitive. This means knowing your market. This doesn’t just make sense when it comes to winning business, it also shows that you are aware of current pricing trends.

Open up communication
So, once you’ve won your new clients, you need to retain them. One way to help this is to open up communication channels. Make it as easy for your clients to contact you as possible, always answer their queries in good time and communicate with them regularly. A good CRM system will help with this, such as by reminding you to send out newsletters and providing you with communications templates you can make use of.

Work with their needs
Finally, never forget that your clients are people, not just business. Get to understand them and make a note of all your communications with them so you’re always up to date with what’s going on. CRM software can help you record things like this. Encouraging feedback is also a good move: even if some of it is negative, it shows you’re willing to listen, which clients appreciate.

Red-Carpet Service Tip #77

2011-11-22T14:55:00.001-08:00

Donna Cutting has been an inspiration to me ever since I read her book, The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red Carpet Customer Service.

Today Donna shared a customer service tip on her Facebook page that I wanted to pass along...

Want more Red-Carpet service tips? Connect with Donna on Facebook!

Using CRM to Improve Customer Satisfaction and Increase Profit

2011-11-17T06:30:00.000-08:00

As anyone who owns, runs, or works for a business will know, customer satisfaction is really important. No matter what your company does, if your customers aren’t happy, you’ll find it very difficult to increase your profit. You’ll also find it hard to make your business sustainable, as poor customer satisfaction can often lead to a dearth of repeat business as your customers take their business – and their money – elsewhere.

So customer satisfaction is important. But how can you improve satisfaction in order to increase your profit?

There are quite a few things you can do, both on the front line of your business and behind the scenes. Also, everything you do needs to integrate properly so you can feel the true benefits of it. Otherwise, an improvement in one area of your business will struggle to really take hold if it doesn’t find support from elsewhere. This suggests that unity of the company is important: the customer needs to feel that you know what you are doing, rather than operating as a series of fragmented departments.

Organising your company operations through CRM software can help here, as it allows you to keep information relating to all your customers and other contacts in one central location. It also helps to draw together different aspects of your business that have an impact on customer satisfaction, helping to make sure everyone stays up to date with what is going on in the business as a whole as well as with individual customers.

Communication is also a really important part of improving customer satisfaction; customers are much more likely to buy things from you if they trust you and feel that their questions are adequately answered when they contact you with a query. A good CRM system can help you set up templates that will be useful when you are dealing with customers. Even simple things such as a standard company letterhead and keeping a note on your CRM systems of all your correspondence with them can make a big difference to satisfaction.

Also, if you want to increase your profits, you need to be monitoring your sales processes. Again, good CRM solutions will be able to help you here, enabling you to track the development of sales from start to finish so you can identify customer trends and ensure that your service is of a high standard at all times. Keeping all of these things in mind and never forgetting that your customers are people, not just a money-making opportunity, should help you to drive up satisfaction – and, with any luck, your profits.

Lessons Learned From Netflix

2011-11-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: _tar0_ on Flickr

Larry Kahaner of The McGowan Blog shares his thoughts about why Netflix lost their customers.

I can see the big picture in that Netflix wants to keep up with technology and how people are gravitating towards streaming movies, but the company broke one of my cardinal rules of customer service: Make it easy for customers to do business with you. Separating into two different departments (one providing DVD's and one providing movie streaming) creates confusion for customers. Now customers have two separate accounts and will have to deal with two different service departments.

I personally don't mind paying more for a service if the service is better, but having to deal with two different service departments does not make life easy for me.

Transactions Fade and Relationships Last: Building Enduring Service Brands

2011-11-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

The following is a guest post from Joseph Michelli. Enjoy!

Zappos, the online product provider known for its playful and somewhat wacky workplace is definitely garnering the attention of business leaders and the media. Recently, for example the company's CEO, Tony Hsieh, was featured on the television program 20/20 as Barbara Walter's profiled self-made billionaires. But how does an upstart dot.com era company defy the odds and achieve such positive attention and success? In a nutshell, by creating an unorthodox service culture that connects with employees, customers, and all stakeholders. In my recently released book The Zappos Experience, I highlight 5 key principles that have catapulted Zappos to greatness:

Serve a Perfect Fit – Most businesses fail to differentiate themselves from the competition because they never take the time to understand what they uniquely value or possess. Rather than emulating the core values of other businesses leaders, Zappos leadership asked their people “what does it take to be a success here?”. After securing that honest assessment, leaders used those core values (things like create fun and a little weirdness) to guide all decisions for the company including the selection of applicants who possess those qualities.

Make it Effortlessly Swift – Before a company can build an emotional relationship with its customers it has to get the basics right. In today’s world that involves making it easy and quick for customer to get their needs met. This principle focuses on a concept I refer to a “service velocity.” It is not just service speed (because you can have service that is so quick that it is inaccurate) but rather service speed in the direction of desired customer outcomes.

Step Into the Personal – Once your company can “get it right” and “make it right” for customers you are satisfying consumers. But satisfaction is just a coupon away from your customer trying a competitor. This business principle emphasizes the importance of leaders developing personal relationships with their staff and in turn inspiring their staff to do the same with customers.

S T R E T C H – Many great leaders and companies become irrelevant because they stop growing. They, in essence, lose their entrepreneurial restlessness. This principle examines the need to grow people, products, and service delivery strategies while maintaining a health respect for the processes that led to greatness in the first place.

Play to Win – Work and play should not be antithetical. Play without purpose is not a sustainable business approach but a workplace devoid of play is not likely to fuel innovation and collaboration. This leadership principle shows how productivity can be increased through play and through a mirthful work environment.

Looking across your business, where might you sprinkle on a little dash of The Zappos Experience?

"The Zappos Experience" Book Review

2011-11-01T10:35:00.000-07:00

Much has been written about Zappos. Do a simple internet search and you’ll find thousands of articles and blog posts. The company certainly has made a significant impact in the world of business with its legendary service. But what exactly does Zappos do to create wow experiences for people? What makes this company so special? That’s what Joseph A. Michelli uncovers in his book, “The Zappos Experience”.

The book is based on 5 principles that the author believes are the keys to “inspire, engage, and wow”:

1) Serve a Perfect Fit
2) Make It Effortlessly Swift
3) Step in the Personal
4) Stretch
5) Play to Win

In the beginning of the book Michelli takes us on a journey through Zappos history. We also learn through the author’s interviews with employees what life is like as a “Zapponian” and what it takes to even be part of this company. It’s definitely not just a regular job. I was reminded of the Zappos Headquarters tour that I took a few years ago and how all the employees looked like they were genuinely having fun at work.

The book is filled with examples of Zapponians working their magic to surprise and excite each customer, but to make it even more interactive, the author includes QR codes throughout the book if you want even more resources. At the end of each chapter, the reader gets “Ideas to Run With” that offer the main points or things that should be given further thought. You’ll also be questioned in the “Try These On For Size” sections of the book which will help you reevaluate your own level of service.

Not only is this a book that gives you all the juicy details of how Zappos creates wow service, I also think of it as a manifesto or template for other businesses to follow. If you’re truly serious about taking your service to the next level, this is the book to read. I can just imagine...What if every business owner in the world read this book and was inspired by these principles? Would we finally reach Utopia?

The big takeaway that I got from reading “The Zappos Experience” is that there is no “bottom line”. The Zappos philosophies and culture extend beyond business. It’s about creating happiness and making positive change in the world. If I had known back in college that my future self would be reading this book, I don’t think I would have taken all those business classes. Everything I needed to know about creating a successful business is in this book. Well, I probably still would have taken accounting classes.

Stay tuned Thursday for a guest post from the author of "The Zappos Experience"!

Purchase "The Zappos Experience" at Amazon.

Taking Care of Employees Is Part of Your Service Culture

2011-10-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Zappos employees having fun

Developing a service culture is a key step to providing exceptional customer service. Everyone in your organization is part of your service culture. From your managers to payroll department and even your janitor should align with the values of your business. This means customer service should be at the forefront of every idea and interaction, whether it be with co-workers or customers.

For example, many of us don’t think that people who handle payroll and employee benefits are not integral to customer service. But think about it. If employees are not paid on time or are unhappy with their benefits, this affects them. Who wants to perform their best or offer great service when their employer doesn’t take care of them?

Perhaps I’m preaching to the choir, but you’d be surprised how many businesses disregard the well-being of their employees. If you study companies like Nordstrom or Zappos, you’ll start to understand why they’ve been so successful. Their owners and executives have established a service culture which consists of values that everyone in the organization supports such as honesty, integrity, and compassion for other people. They live by these values not only in their business life, but in their personal life as well.

Now is the time to reevaluate your customer service initiative. Start with taking care of your employees and everything else should take care of itself.

Your Online Reputation Can Lead to More Sales

2011-10-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

Many business owners wonder what their social media or internet marketing ROI is and whether or not what people say about them online has an affect on sales and revenue.

Well, wonder no more.

More and more studies are coming out about the impact of social media on business sales. The Hubspot Blog talks about one research study which revealed that an increase in positive reviews on Yelp led to an increase in revenue.

Over the past several years I've spoken with quite a few local businesses in my area and I'm surprised at how many of these business owners don't monitor what is being said about them online.

Sure, there are customers who just want to rant, which could lead to a negative perception of your business, but if you're committed to providing the best possible service, there will be even more customers who will feel inspired and compelled to share positive reviews.

If you're not managing or responding to online reviews of your company, what will you do today to change that?

Customer Service Carnivale: The Business Ideas Edition

2011-10-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

As we head into the fall season and changes take place (Well, not quite fall in Southern California yet!), I believe it's always good to reevaluate your business to see if there are any changes that you can make to improve customer service. Maybe you can improve communication, improve employee appearance and attitude, or incorporate new systems that allow you to better assess customer needs. Whatever it is, you'll find many tips and ideas to ponder in this edition of the Customer Service Carnivale....

Communication is a key component when interacting with clients. One of the chief complaints that people have when doing business is the lack of communication. Charles Chua shares 12 Effective Ways to Communicate Productively

Are your employees representing your brand or business to the best of their ability? Seth Brink shares his story in Employee Appearance and Attitude Make a Difference

Have you thought about improving customer service through workshifting? Find out 7 Reasons to Embrace Workshifting.

Are you surveying your customers to find out more about them or if they're satisfied with your service? Get a closer look at how survey software can improve your customer service by reading Customer Service Survey Software.

You could have "The Best" product in the world or be "The Best" at what you do, but as you'll learn in this next article, Being Skilled is Not Enough.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of customer service carnivale using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Three Steps to Successfully Convert to Remote-Based Business Operations

2011-09-27T22:18:00.000-07:00

One of the most cost-effective solutions small businesses are pursuing while economic recovery continues to straggle is the switch to remote-based operations, which can include customer service operations. Instead of having a brick and mortar office building to house employees, data, and execute functions, these elements exist remotely and remain organized through digital means. The savings can be spectacular depending on your business. More importantly, it's forward-thinking: economic tough times or not, any business can take advantage of modern technology to avoid the hefty costs of centralized service and management.

But where does the small business owner begin in their attempt to dismantle the costly overhead of an office and everything therein? The following are three steps any business can take to get started on the road to remote business practice:

1. Sync up to the cloud: Local data centers and in-house servers manned by an IT team are a thing of the past. Small businesses especially have no problem finding adequate data storage and servers through remote services. Virtually any function you and your employees perform via computer can be done so through subscribed services, therefore eliminating the costly worries of doing it yourself. These subscriptions can cost several thousand dollars less than traditional IT means over the course of a year.

2. Send your workers home: Surveys indicate that the majority of workers feel more productive and are in fact more likely to do more work when at home. That makes obvious sense. JetBlue airlines is an example of a company who uses remote-based reservation and customer service agents. With a little investment in adequate contract management any company can confidently let their employees manage their tasks from home. It allows for lowered negotiated pay (by subtracting the cost of the commute) and saves your company on the costs of maintaining a centralized workforce.

3. Invest in mobile technology: In exchange for not having to face the drudgery of an office routine, your employees should be expected to be accessible virtually anytime throughout the day. Enforce this through providing them with state-of-the-art mobile technology. Whether it's a new company iPhone or iPad, or just a high-end laptop, you want to give them a cool gadget that will be their portal to their profession. It'll motivate them to do the work plus ensure that they do it. Mobile technology is a big up-front investment that will pay off in an even bigger way over time.

These three steps can apply to the overwhelming majority of small businesses looking to cut costs. Commit to them and you're sure to be taking part in a forward-thinking business solution.

Photo Credit: Charles Hutchins

Customer Service Carnivale: Fall Edition 2011

2011-09-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Fall Edition of the Customer Service Carnivale! This is your bi-monthly dose of customer service-related articles, business tips, and resources to inspire you do your best towards the people you serve...

If you have a position in customer service, there may come a time when you just can no longer deal with your job or the people you service. Here's How to Know When to Leave Your Job.

So, what if you do like your job? Get some inspiration from 5 Positive Ways to Take Pride in What You Do

Are you thinking of using Twitter as a way to communicate with customers? Here are 10 Common Twitter Terms and What They Mean. You may also want to read 10 Tips for Using Twitter For Business

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of customer service carnivale using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Customer Service Carnivale: The Labor Day Edition

2011-09-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

In the U.S., today is the day that we honor and pay tribute to all of you who work tirelessly to serve your customers. I thank all the businesses and people who have provided great service throughout the year. You know who you are!

The Labor Day edition of the Customer Service Carnivale is chock full of tips that will inspire you to take your customer service to the next level...

It's interesting how many companies still spend exorbitant amounts of money to advertise and attract new customers (Hello, AT&T!) when they could spend that money in training their employees to offer better service. Here is a great article posted at AnotherWay.org that offers tips around this topic: Customer Satisfaction is the Cheapest Marketing.

One of the most important characteristics anyone in business can have is a positive attitude. Here are 10 Positive Attitudes to Get Things Done Productively.

There are many internet service providers to choose from these days, but very few that offer exceptional service. Here are 10 Ways Internet Service Providers Could Improve Their Service.

This next article is for everyone to read, not just people working in IT: Why Do IT People Suck? A Lesson In Customer Service

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of customer service carnivale using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

The Best Way To Advertise

2011-08-31T13:44:00.000-07:00

Guest post by Cory Russum...

Online advertising alone is a multi billion dollar industry, yet I still believe that if you could somehow globalize word of mouth, it would be prove to be much more valuable. I run a moving business in Southern California and I still receive referrals from customers that My Crew and I relocated 3-5 years back. All from word of mouth.

I previously relied solely on the web resource Craigslist for leads. Craigslist is the American Version of Ad Trader Scotland where you can acquire services, buy goods, offer services, etc.. I rarely advertise because I now have the luxury of knowing that clients will be referred to me due to the level of customer service that My Team and I extended to the original clients who are now referring the new clients to us. I stress the words My Team and I because running a business is never a one man show.

Respect the people who assist in making your vision a reality, and in turn they will perform at a high level. Do the aforementioned and your employees will almost assuredly provide great customer service to your clients on your behalf.

Paying for professional advertising services is never a bad idea, but a better idea is to predicate the success of your business on providing Unparalleled Customer Service. Great person to person/persons relations will never fail to produce goodwill and loyalty between the parties. Keep in mind that your customers are paying you for the level of service that they expect in return.

How to Measure Customer Satisfaction

2011-08-31T02:13:00.000-07:00

by Cory Russum

I believe that the concept of customer satisfaction must be measured over an extended period of time before an accurate assessment can be made. If you notice that your employees are familiar with many of the patrons who visit your establishment, then that is a good sign that your customers are satisfied with your products or services.

If you sell a product(s), you can make a pretty accurate determination of how satisfied your customers are by the number of returns that are processed each quarter. If returns are low then customers are satisfied and vice versa. If you happen to sell a service, the demand for your service directly correlates with how satisfied your customers are.

In the modern marketplace, customer satisfaction is measured by a quantifiable method called KPI. For those who are not familiar with the KPI definition, it is an acronym for Key Performance Indicators. These indicators are part of a business success model that measures not only customer satisfaction, but also employee satisfaction, which is just as important. Having a viable measuring tool such as KPI allows employers to effectively access statistical information and adjust to market conditions as necessary.

What are your thoughts about measuring customer satisfaction?

Why Salespeople Should NOT Have Quotas

2011-08-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

When I worked as a salesperson I absolutely hated to have a sales quota. It was alot of pressure to have to sell a certain amount each day or each week. The manager would threaten us with a "write up" if we didn't meet that quota.

Sure, there are some people who were motivated by fear and were able to meet their sales goals, but as for me, I just couldn't work well under that kind of stress. All I could think about is what would happen if I didn't meet my quota. I would then approach customers with an air of desperation, pleading with them in my mind to buy something...anything! Little did I know back then that customers could sense when a sales person is desperate for a sale. It's a big turn-off.

When it comes to sales training, I think the focus should solely be on teaching sales people how to make a connection with the customer. Take out the pressure of meeting quotas and make it all about communicating and listening well. Oftentimes sales people are so focused on "making the sale" that they are not even listening to the customer's needs or wants.

According to a study published by RainToday.com, 74% of 200 purchasers surveyed said they would be “much more likely” to buy from a sales person if the seller would simply listen to the buyer.

So think about taking away those sales quotas and start focusing on teaching salespeople the power of listening to customers. Having sales goals is fine, but don't put so much stress on the numbers or the "bottom line".

Customer Service Carnivale Postponed

2011-08-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to let you know that I've postponed the Customer Service Carnivale until next Monday, so there's time to submit an article to be included in the next edition!

Customer Service Carnivale: The Good Mix Edition

2011-08-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Customer Service Carnivale, a bimonthly newsletter featuring articles about customer service. This edition contains a good mix of customer service tips and customer service stories that will help you become even more of a superstar business person!

Henry Stern shares a story about Sirius satellite radio that customer service agents for cable and wireless cell phone companies should read.

The folks over at ProBest remind us that in this day and age of the internet, Reputation is EVERYTHING.

Impact Learning Systems reminds us that companies like Rackspace truly understand how to differentiate yourself with customer service.

Kathy C. presents Work Completion Checklists – 6 Reasons to Use Work Completion Checklists saying, "Using work checklists ensures consistency in practice which translates into predictable processes for the customer."

Anna Farmery says that social media can be the "free trial" for your your business.

Jim Logan shares Don’t overlook the power of testimonials in growing your business saying, "Testimonials and creative guarantees are often overlooked marketing and sales tools available to all businesses. Of all sales tools, I believe testimonials to be most overlooked."

When you're more productive and stress-free, you're more likely to offer better customer service. Here are 10 Stress-Free Ways to Work Productively.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of customer service carnivale using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Customer Service Basics: Say My Name, Say My Name

2011-08-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

During my two week vacation a couple months ago I did quite a bit of flying on United Airlines. In general, the airline industry has received a bad rep in the last ten years - raising fares, charging for carry-on baggage, and just plain bad attitudes among airline employees.

I was flying first class from Honolulu to San Francisco not really expecting anything special in terms of service -- well, nothing other than complimentary alcohol and food. So, just as I was getting settled in, the flight attendant walks over and asks:

"Ms. Palma, would you like something to drink?"

Now that question in and of itself doesn't sound like anything out of the ordinary, but as you can see, the flight attendant actually addressed me by name. I was so taken off guard that all I could do was just stare at her for a moment to allow my mind to wrap around the fact that she had used my name. Just that simple gesture alone gave her brownie points and put that warm and fuzzy feeling inside me.

If you work in business, ask yourself when was the last time you addressed a customer by name. Don't worry, I'll wait...*tapping fingers*

Remember that by nature, humans are somewhat narcissistic. We like to hear our names. We are more likely to buy from you and connect with you on a more personal level when you address us by name. Any time you're given the chance to use a customer's name, do so. This should be easy for customer service agents in call centers who bring up customer's information on the computer. It only takes 2 seconds to look at a customer's account and to take notice of their name.

What are your thoughts about addressing customers by name?

Customer Service Carnivale: The Almost End of Summer Edition

2011-08-01T11:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a great summer here in Southern California so far. Hope yours is going good!

Well, after a long hiatus, I'm back and ready to rock and roll with the Customer Service Carnivale. I've received over 80 submissions, but unfortunately I can only include the ones that pertain to customer service. Take some time this week to read these customer service tips, stories, news, and more...

First off, let's start your week with a few good chuckles...Here are 10 reasons why customer service reps aren't so bad.

How do you know if your business is thriving? "Delighted customers" is part of this top 10 list!

Coffee shop customers do love their free wifi, right? Here are 10 reasons why a coffee shop would not have wifi. FYI: If you don't have free wifi, I'm not going into your shop. Just sayin'.

Customer Service Tips

Oh, how I wish more companies would realize this: Customer Satisfaction is the Cheapest Marketing

In order to increase productivity and create a pleasant work environment, it's important to harness the power of your employees. Remember that happy employees make for happy customers!

If you want to improve service through your call center, read How Much Do You Know?

Every business has their "moment of truth", but what if your moment of truth is not what it should be?

Do you work in telemarketing or are you on the phone with customers frequently? Here are 10 Secrets to Cold Calling Customers.

Have you ever stopped to think that you may have rude customers because you have a bad attitude? Seth reminds us of this in Rude A** Customers.

Speaking of attitudes, here are 10 negative attitudes to avoid. Do any of these sound like your coworkers?

There are times when someone at work will criticize you; then you end up taking it out on the customer. Here are some tips on taking criticism.

If you ever have to deal with an unsatisfied customer, you may want to use the "wow gift" to change your customer's outlook.

We all need a refresher every now and then on what customer service is. Jake Thomas shares his 7 tips for amazing customer service. These tips should be in every business' policy book!

Part of offering great customer service is being a productive person. Here are 10 tips on how to be more productive.

How would you describe your company to customers? Jim Logan shares popular marketing-speak that doesn't mean anything.

It's one thing to say that you want a great business where everyone is on the same page, but it's another thing to actually do it. Here's a great article about how to cultivate a successful organizational culture.

Customer Service Stories

Here's a customer service story about Chick-fil-A that will have you also thinking that "perfect" is the only acceptable business performance target.

Don't think that convenience stores offer great service? Think again. Here are some things we can learn from QuickTrip.

Customer Service Tools

There are all kinds of technology these days to keep track of customers and communication channels. Jimson Lee of CRMHelpDeskSoftware.com offers up his dream of the perfect CRM system.

For a long time businesses have lived by the philosophy: "The customer is always right". Well, here are 5 reasons why that philosophy is wrong. What do you think?

If you're looking for a new phone system to communicate with customers, here are 10 online sites for managing your business phones.

Tips and Stories For and About Consumers

Jim A. shares with us a few tips on how to deal with the world of 800 numbers in his post, Navigating the Customer Service Jungle.

I think we can all probably agree that dealing with big cable companies are a huge hassle. Here are 10 Complaints About Qwest's DSL Internet Service.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of customer service carnivale using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Update on Customer Service Carnivale

2011-07-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

Hope you're having a great summer so far. I'm back from my vacation and ready to rock and roll with stories and musings about customer service! I've learned so much while visiting Hawaii and Miami, and I'm excited to share my experiences with you.

Meanwhile, I've completely forgotten about posting the July 11th edition of the Customer Service Carnivale, so I've decided to postpone it until next Monday, August 1st. If you would like to include an article in this next edition, visit: http://blogcarnival.com/bc/eprof_43587.html.

What Can the Mortgage Industry Do to Provide the Best Service?

2011-07-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a neighbor the other day about the real estate market in San Diego and how things are starting to look up. I’ve been out of the loop for awhile since I decided to let my real estate license expire and follow my real dreams (writing) instead. However, the real estate/mortgage industry debacle of a few years ago still lingers in the back of my mind since many of my friends were affected by it - especially those who were talked into taking out mortgages they couldn’t afford. It makes you a little leery of who you do business with.

A quick Google keyword tool search shows me that the phrase “refinancing home loan” is receiving 27,000+ searches monthly, which means that people are still looking for help with their home loans. Hope and trust in the banking industry still remains despite all the drama we’ve been through. We like to think that there are still people and companies in the industry who are honest and looking out for our best interests.

Trust has become a big factor when doing business nowadays. Flashy web design, fast talkers, and the promise of riches and security just won’t cut it anymore. When it comes to the mortgage industry, people want to know that you understand them. They want to know that you genuinely care about them. They also want to know that if there is a mistake, you are going to own up to it. Going above and beyond is now a standard and expectation.

What are your thoughts about the mortgage/banking industry? What can businesses do to provide the best service?