Respond to your customer's opening statement with an assurance that you can help.  Say something like, "Absolutely.  I can help you with that."  Even if you are going to refer the customer to another department or employee, you can give an assurance.  Say, "I'm going to transfer you to the department that can take care of this for you, but I will stay on the line until someone answers."

- Renee Evenson, Customer Service Training 101

Quick reactions and timely responses should be a part of every company's core standards because these two actions help support a positive customer experience. Customer service doesn't just happen to someone else; it's a very personal and intentional action that happens to each one of us daily. We have a personal connection to the service we are providing as well as receiving.

We have built our world around speed, and because of this, any amount of waiting seems like a complete waste of time and an enormous frustration. We have drive-thru opportunities everywhere- banks, coffee shops, cleaners, and even restaurants will run your take-out to your car. With a quick search on google, just about any question has an instant answer. The responsibility and understanding this brings to all customer service providers is that asking customers to needlessly wait may be the difference between a positive or negative experience.

If your best solution is not suitable for the customer, try to find something that will work.  If you are at a loss to know how to resolve a problem, ask the customer what she would do to solve the problem if this were her business.  Asking that question will help the customer walk in your shoes.  Work together to come up with a realistic solution that is mutually acceptable.

- Renee Evenson, Customer Service Training 101

Outstanding customer service is what drives success since it is what keeps your customers, and who they tell about you, coming back time and time again.  I know- you have heard this before from us, but we don't think you can hear it enough as having strong customer service skills can make or break you, and we want to keep your business thriving. You can't have enough tips and tricks in your customer service tool box, so we want to fill your box with more.

Said by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, "The Rule of expectations uses expectations to influence reality and create results." The problems that are encountered are when people fulfill these expectations negatively. Why is this? We all make decisions based on what others expect of us. If you are a clear and precise communicator, disciplined to the point of ensuring your expectations are completely understood both in principle and delivery, then this blog is probably not going to highlight much for you. However, for the many of us in the customer service world, both as a provider and/or a consumer, there seems to be lots of room for improvement.