.png)
Topics: Being Attentive, Customer Lifecycle, Loyalty
(Originally posted on 11/5/13. Refreshed and enhanced in order to further capitalize on the popularity of the info.)
A key ingredient to creating a "wow" customer service experience is your ability to be attentive and to actively engage through the use of strong listening skills. We have to be attentive during every interaction with the customer, otherwise there will be a disconnect between what the customer is saying, both verbally and nonverbally, and what you are doing. We must give our customers our complete attention so we can truly understand what is being said; simply listening to and hearing what customers say is not enough. The words being spoken are just the beginning. You must pay attention to all of the extra, little things.
Topics: Memorable Interactions, Customer Service Skills, Customer Service Skills List, Being Attentive, Listening
Topics: Goals, Managing Stress, Job Satisfaction, Self Improvement, Growth
Not all questions are created equal. Learning how and when to utilize different types of questions and questioning techniques will mean the questions do the heavy lifting for you. You need to think: work smarter, not harder.
Topics: Communication, Discovery and Questioning Skills, Qualifying
In the last two months we had two very different hotel experiences in two different beach towns. The impressions that were left with us are so contrasting. I have now truly realized how my overall happiness, like many of today's travelers, is driven by the experience rather than the money I spend or save. There is much for every business to learn from this, which I will summarize after you first read the snapshots of our two hotel stays...
Topics: Memorable Interactions, Rapport, Customer Service, Customer Experience, First Impressions and Greetings
What is good leadership? It starts with leading by example. Don't expect your staff to do something if you're not doing it yourself. Absolutely every single thing you ask or require of your staff you must also be willing to do yourself. This doesn't mean you need to do their jobs, but it does mean you should know how to and you should be willing to pitch in when necessary. It also means you need to abide by all of the same rules, and you must be consistent. Many owners try to justify their bad behavior by telling me, "Yeah, but I am the boss." But all that their employees see is a boss who is lazy and two-faced. You can't exempt yourself just because you're in charge.
-Tabatha Coffey, Own It!
Topics: Business Skills, Culture, Honesty and Trust, Leadership and Management