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ProTip: Your Product May Not Be What You Think

Michelle Nitchie | Nov 20, 2014 8:00:00 AM

Emotions_Happy_SadAs soon as you start to see your business as a reaction-making machine, you begin to make decisions very differently.  Think of it this way: A chef isn't preparing an entrée: he is, in fact, preparing a guest reaction.  The entrée is the vehicle, not the product.  The product is the customer reaction.

- Jon Taffer, Raise the Bar

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Topics: Memorable Interactions, Exceeding Expectations, Customer Experience

ProTip: Some Customers Don't Want to Be Hugged

Michelle Nitchie | Oct 9, 2014 8:00:00 AM

Hug_Me_Candy_HeartWe learned pretty fast that hugging a customer doesn’t always result in great customer satisfaction. It really comes down to aligning your service with the specific expectations and aspirations of the people you serve.

-Rob Hibbard, VP with Enterprise Holdings [Enterprise Rent-a-Car]

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Topics: Memorable Interactions, Customer Service Skills, Business Skills, Customer Experience

4 Levels Of Service Awareness

Jana Love | Oct 7, 2014 10:00:00 AM

In the service industry, awareness is a must. You have to be fully aware and fully present to give the level of service that makes people take notice and want more.  Walt Disney ~ "Do what you do SO WELL that they will want to see it again and BRING THEIR FRIENDS." Chances are your customers are doing business with some of the world's finest service organizations, and because of that, your company's service experiences will be compared. So you need to ask yourself, how do we measure up in comparison?

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Topics: Memorable Interactions, Being Attentive, Training, Customer Experience, Leadership and Management

6 Steps To A Better Customer Experience

Jana Love | Sep 9, 2014 10:00:00 AM

Business-Customer-Sweet-Spot-620x477We have all heard the saying, “Customer Service isn't a department, it's an attitude." When you treat this concept as a business discipline, the customer experience will lead to profits. So if you believe in the business benefits of the customer experience leading to profits, then what are the best methods for achieving this? The mistake made by many is thinking that just because the company slogan says "we focus on the customer" or initiatives are in place that communicate to the staff to be warm and fuzzy with the customer, those methods will somehow be enough. Many companies "think" they know what the customers want, but the companies who "know" what they want are the companies that will lead the customer experience to a level that matters both in customer loyalty and profits.
(Image and concept adapted from Success Academy.)

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Topics: Memorable Interactions, Customer Service, Customer Experience

REACT: Handling Customer Problems

Jana Love | Aug 26, 2014 10:00:00 AM

REACT_Resolution_Steps

Mistakes are to be expected, but knowing how to recover an angry or frustrated customer into a loyal customer is a learned art. A Customer Focused Attitude is critical for successful service recovery. Employees need to be trained to anticipate and identify potential problems, as well as have the experience to make decisions and to deliver skillful solutions to customer problems. 

All customer problems are opportunities to win over their loyalty. This weekend I was in a large home improvement store looking for a certain product. When I went to checkout, I asked the associate who was scanning my purchases if they carried this particular product. There were two additional associates standing around as I asked my question. Two of the associates told me what isle to look on to see "if" they had the product at all. I then asked if they could look in their system and verify whether or not the store carried this item. The same two associates quickly said no, they couldn't do that, and I would need to go look down the isle. The 3rd associate interrupted them both and said that she could check the system and let me know if they had the product. She left the register, took both of the associates with her, looked up the product and came back to me and told me they did not carry what I was looking for. She apologized and thanked me for waiting. I sure hope the two associates with her learned something about customer focused service. Attention and awareness can eliminate most issues. 

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Topics: Memorable Interactions, Being Attentive, Customer Experience, Problem Resolution, Communication

10 Important Customer Service Phrases

Jana Love | Aug 12, 2014 10:00:00 AM

imagesGD0J3NVF“Customer Service is not a department…it’s an attitude.”  How true is this phrase? As much as we try to complicate what great service is…it can be pretty simple. Customer Love, by Mac Anderson, is a great book that highlights unforgettable true stories about individuals and companies who have created extraordinary service experiences for their customers. WOW's! Companies like Nordstrom, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, and others. What makes this little book so good is that the stories collectively inspire and remind us of what great service can look like and that it doesn't have to be complicated. 

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Topics: Memorable Interactions, Customer Service Skills, Exceeding Expectations, Customer Service, Customer Experience, Culture

Tips and resources on how to be a master of customer service and sales; to improve yourself personally, as an employee, and as a leader; and much more.

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