The Customer Authority

Dear Readers,

Sorry for the lapse in post for the past few days. There was a family emergency and I had to go out of town suddenly last Wednesday. Not much computer access where I was, as well as no time to write. But I’m back home and all is well. Since I’m still catching up, the next post won’t go out until this Wednesday.

Stay tuned!

Michelle

I’m somewhat surprised I’m writing about Wal-Mart for this topic. Wal-Mart is on one of my top “I Dislike” stores. I don’t like how most stores are always over-crowded, very messy, and the service has never been good. I also don’t like the whole corporate side of it, but I’m not going to get into it here. Let’s just say I’ve never been a fan.

However, I found myself going to a new Wal-Mart that opened up down the road from me and discovered I actually liked this particular store. The layout was fresh and open. Management was obviously doing double-duty to keep aisles neat, tidy and eye-appealing. And while I haven’t really had to deal with much of the customer service, the people I did deal with were friendly and polite. As for the crowds, I’ve learned if I go during the day, they are at a bare minimum – which is perfect for me.

Which brings me to why I’m writing this. I ran across an article today on how Wal-Mart, who has drawn a lot of new customers in due to the recession, is now in a position of figuring out how to keep those customers once the recession ends.

The article discusses their goal is to do a “cosmetic upgrade” on hundreds of stores, as well in bring in more products and better brands. The idea is to make their stores not just more aesthetically appealing to their customers, but more convenient as well.

The key idea that I picked up on that I wanted to point out here is “convenience”. When you deliberately and specifially make things more convenient for your customers, they take notice. And then they enjoy their shopping experience more because it’s been enhanced just for them.

Customer service isn’t just about the people experience. It’s the entire package. So when you can make small or large changes to your store that is appealing to the customer – even if it’s simply widening the aisles – it’s an added bonus to what hopefully will be a great experience for the customer in your store.

That doesn’t mean you don’t still focus on your basic customer service – the people. This should always be at the top of your list no matter what. And I was disappointed to see that there wasn’t much mention of improving customer service in this article. But at least it’s a step in the right direction.

You can read the full story here:

The recession steered a new type of customer to Wal-Mart — deeper in the pockets and suddenly looking for bargains. Now the world’s largest retailer has to… (read more)

Have you ever had to complain about a service? Maybe you were upset enough you felt the need to vent a bit to the customer service representative. Unfortunately, that customer service rep probably could have cared less and either stared at you blankly, or possibly even told you the words you didn’t expect to hear, “There’s no need for you to be upset”.

If I were to hear those words, I’d probably have to stop myself from throttling that customer service rep. Because if there’s a problem and I’m upset, I have every right to feel that way. And the customer service rep should understand it.

Which takes us to the next item on the 25 Things You Should Do in Customer Service list: Validate the customer’s feelings.

Validate a customer’s feeling can actually go hand-in-hand with acknowledging there’s a problem, but as I mentioned in that post as well, you are not necessarily agreeing with the customer. You are simply showing an understanding.

For example, say a customer is upset because a service tech failed to show up for a scheduled appointment. The customer had already taken time off of work and was now going to have to be inconvenienced by having to reschedule again. They are venting to you how much an inconvenience is to them. Your response can be:

“I understand completely, Mr. Jones, you have every right to be upset. If I were in your shoes, I would be upset too. Let’s see what we can do to try to fix this for you.”

The validation part here is agreeing they have the right to be upset. You never, ever want to tell a customer they shouldn’t feel the way they feel. Even if you think they’re being irrational, no one wants to be told how they SHOULD feel. You’re only going to make things even worse for them and yourself if you do.

By validating a customer’s feelings, you’re not only going to calm them down, but you’ll have someone who’s more willing to listen to you and give you the opportunity to correct the situation without continuing to be upset and/or irrational. You’ll also (hopefully) move up a notch on their respect list, because you respected them by validated their feelings in the first place.

Any positive experience you can create with a customer is an important opportunity. Sometimes it’s easy to disregard or acknowledge a customer’s feelings when they are upset. But that is truly the BEST opportunity for you to show you what kind of employee/business you are.

If you’re anything like me, you may have a hard time asking for help. This has always been a problem of mine. I like to think I’m a pretty independent person. I try to figure things out and do the work myself.

Well, not for everything. Things I absolutely know I can’t do – fix a car, lift objects over 50 pounds – I do ask for help on. But the general stuff, I like to take care of on my own.

Part of it is the simple, possibly egotistic idea that I can get it done better and faster than other people. It kind of goes back to that impatient thing I mentioned I have.

The other reason is if it’s a simple problem, I really don’t want to have to ask and look like an idiot because I don’t know the answer. That doesn’t happen very often, but I do have an aversion to looking stupid in the eyes of people who I want to think of me as intelligent.

So of course I understand if you feel the same. But I’m here to tell you that we’re both being silly if we think those things. In customer service, it’s absolutely vital to ask for help if you don’t know what to do. Because if you don’t, how in the heck are you supposed to help the customer?

Back in my days as a manager at Coke, I saw this happen time and time again. A customer would call in, the associate would help them to a certain extent, and then they’d get to a point where they didn’t know the next step, or the answer to the next question. What followed shortly after that was usually a reply of “I don’t know”.

Admitting “I don’t know” is actually not a bad thing in customer service. There’s better ways of saying it sometimes, but it’s okay to tell the customer you don’t know something.

Unfortunately what typically followed that phrase was, “I can’t help you”. If there is any more cringe-worthy phrase I’ve heard in my life, it’s that one. This is false. I don’t care who you are, or what you know or don’t know. You are lying if you tell a customer you can’t help them. You can ALWAYS help a customer. It’s just knowing how to do it.

If you don’t know the answer to a question or what the next step should be, don’t feel stupid. Don’t feel like you’ve failed. And don’t hide behind a cover because you don’t want the customer to know. Or even if you don’t care if the customer knows you don’t know, you shouldn’t stop there.

The simple answer to this problem is to ASK. If you don’t know what to do, simply find the person who does and ASK THEM. It can be a manager, a colleague, or a resource you have in another department. Someone will always know the answer you are seeking and will tell you what needs to be done.

And don’t just leave the customer hanging either. Customers appreciate honesty. Yes, they may expect and want you to know everything so they don’t have to wait on you. But they also want you to be upfront with them.

If you tell them you don’t know the answer, but you will do what you can to find out, that’s all they want and can ask for. If you make no attempt to help them at all, it only devalues your service to them and you’ll lose their trust.

In the world of customer service, this is the one place I’m always willing to admit my faults, my mistakes, and my lack of knowledge when it’s there. Because I know I can still fix whatever the problem is. After all, we’re only human, and I know for a fact (and many people will tell me) I’m not perfect. So does the customer. And it’s actually okay. I promise.

I’m an impatient person. Most of my friends and family already know this about me. They try to be polite and not point it out too much, but I know they know. I’m not ashamed to admit it either.

I do try not to be impatient. I have my moments. Small children, the elderly (if I’m not behind them in my car), eggs – you can’t be impatient with eggs.

I don’t think it’s just me though. As the years go by, our society is becoming more and more impatient. Road rage is more common. Divorce is on the rise. Everything is getting faster, faster, FASTER! And all of it is due to our impatience.

Which is why I absolutely LOVE any store that has its self-service check-out stations. One of the best inventions ever in my opinion.

You go in, pick out your stuff and instead of waiting in that long line over there where they have to do a price check for the lady with 100 items, you can just move over to the scanner and do it yourself.

When I first heard of the idea years ago, I was a bit skeptical. Mainly because I didn’t like the idea of putting people out of jobs and making everything robotic. I like having employees around. I like being able to ask for help. I even like going through the check-out line and having someone else do it from time to time.

But the majority of the time, I’m in a hurry. Or at least I don’t want others slowing me down. And quite honestly, most people are slower than me. I walk fast, I talk fast, I drive fast… Ok, maybe I should slow down a little, but I have places to go, things to do!

I’ve even been a check-out girl in the past (way past). And I was good. I could check people out in a flash – and they appreciated it. Of course, the occasional price check would occur that would slow me down, but those things were out of my control.

So any time I have the opportunity to scan and bag my own items, I take it. Unfortunately, I’ve only been in a couple of stores where I’ve seen self check-outs. Kroger has them. Whole Foods has them too. I think several grocery stores are starting to convert, but I know Publix still hasn’t, which I’m disappointed by.

The only non-grocery store I know that does have self check-out is Home Depot. Which is even more exciting to me because there are ALWAYS long, slow lines in Home Depot with few cashiers. At least when I go there are. You better believe I’m going through self check-out when I’m there.

It’d be great if more stores would start doing this. I understand it’s not practical for all types of stores, to do this, particularly clothing stores, but places such as Target and other multiple-item stores should consider it. Anything that makes shopping more convenient for customers is an added bonus, both for them AND for your business.

Have you ever been in a situation where a company you are dealing with screws up your order? For most of us, this has happened once or twice. Maybe even a few times.

Usually it’s along the lines of shipping the wrong item, a part is missing, or maybe something got lost. For the unlucky ones, sometimes it’s worse. Something gets broken, or perhaps a contractor breaks a water pipe in your basement and floods your house.

Which is why, on my list of the Top 25 Things You Should Do for Customer Service, I mentioned you should listen and restate what the customer tells you so you’re clear on what’s needed.

I wish the company in the following article had been following my blog. If so, maybe they wouldn’t have made the horrible error they did.

Because this company made such a shocking mistake, they are going to be paying through the nose for it. And the poor home owner who lost everything will now only have the memories of his childhood home.

Obviously a tragic blunder of customer service that could have been prevented if the company had not only verified their information, but confirmed exact details with the original person they were in contact with.

This company is not only negligent for destroying property, but for using information that was incomplete and not going back to verify it. To me, that’s just unacceptable, particularly in the business they are in.

So next time you think you have the facts, or only have half the facts, go back and double-check them with your customer before moving forward. The two extra minutes you spend will save you that much more time, effort, and money in the long run.

In the meantime, here’s the article. Be sure to check out the related video that is attached. Hopefully this never happens to you!

Imagine driving up to a house you own only to find it’s not there anymore. That’s what happened to Al Byrd of Atlanta on Monday afternoon.

Byrd received a call from a neighbor on June 8 telling him that his childhood home in Carrollton, Ga., had been demolished. When Byrd arrived on the scene with a Carroll County Sheriff’s deputy… (read more here).

Do you ever have unexpected events happen in a world you really don’t expect it?

I’m like that with the healthcare. I always expect I’m going to have to wait. A lot. I always expect to have to pay. A lot. And I always expect there’s going to be a lot of time and inconvenience spent by me.

I guess that’s why I was so excited to tell you about my experience with Minute Clinic the other day. That was such a fantastic discovery for me, who would have thought I could find more?

But I did!

Yesterday I discovered yet ANOTHER healthcare miracle! No it wasn’t a cure for cancer (unfortunately). But it WAS a service I will definitely use again in the future.

To give you a little background, I have a thyroid condition I’ve had since I was twenty years old. I take daily medication for this which is regulated through annual blood exams. And while my condition really isn’t a big deal, I do really hate having to have my blood drawn every year. Even if it’s only once a year.

I recently went in to see my regular doctor and he said I was due for my blood work. Knowing my current choice of not having health insurance, he advised me to check around and find an independent lab to go to instead of their own. I love a doctor who will readily admit their own labs are more expensive. I also love a doctor who gives away 2 months worth of free pill samples to save me money.

I searched online for test labs in my area that I could go to. I quickly pulled up a website for AnyLabTest. The website looked professional and told me everything I needed to know: They tested for anything – including thyroid, no insurance was needed, and it was inexpensive. In fact – they told you right on the website exactly how much each test was.

Now that’s my kind of website!

I found the nearest location to me – a mere 8 miles away – and drove right over. A short time later I found the lab in a small medical strip mall location. I walked in to find myself the ONLY customer there. (Gotta love that!)

The place was simple, yet clean and professional-looking. The lady at the front desk was pleasant and welcomed me with a smile. (I always notice this – if there’s any place I want someone to smile and put me at ease, it’s at the place where I’m about to be stuck with a large metal needle).

I told the nurse/receptionist what I needed, and she had me fill out some paperwork. Not two minutes later I was sitting in a chair getting my blood drawn from the same nurse/receptionist who took my info.

Now mind you – I hate needles. No, let me rephrase that. I abhor needles. I hate them sticking me, and worse, I hate when they stay in me for longer than a fraction of a second. It’s even the reason I will admit to you here and now that I don’t give blood. The thought of a needle stuck in my arm for that length of time makes me ill. Literally.

But let me tell you, that was one of the least uncomfortable needle stickings I’ve ever had. Someone gave that nurse the gift of gentle hands, because I barely even felt the prick. She had it over and done with in less than a minute. If I could remember her name, I’d name my future children after her.

After my blood was drawn, she told me the lab results would be back within one day. One day! If they can get it back in one day, how come I’m always waiting for two weeks from my regular doctor? They even gave me the option to have the results be faxed, mailed, or I could pick them up myself.

So – all in all – another great healthcare service. It gave me everything I wanted again: Quick, easy, convenient, good service, and best of all – great price (only $71!). You really can’t beat that! (And if you CAN, I want to know about it!).

Today I wanted to write about a recent experience I had with great customer service. In a sense, it’s a review of a store I was at not too long ago when I was sick. I’ve been meaning to write about it for a few weeks now, but being a busy woman and focusing on other topics pushed things back. But now I can tell you about it and why I think it’s so great.

Some of you may recall I had mentioned my illness a few weeks ago. What started out as a sore throat and cough, turned into a nasty sinus virus along with bronchitis. Me, being the procrastinator that I am when it comes to taking care of myself, put off going to the doctor as long as possible until I couldn’t take it anymore.

One of the reasons I put it off – I don’t have health insurance. Any freelancers out there know that this is fairly common in our world. Healthcare is expensive – especially when you have to pay it yourself. I know I need it, but the thought of paying $400 a month isn’t very appealing to me. And since I rarely get sick, have no kids, and have a tendency to knock on wood every day, I continue to stall the inevitable of getting it.

Unfortunately when I got sick, it left me in the predicament of worrying about how much I’d have to pay for a trip to the doctor. I hate going to the doctor for regular appointments, let alone when I’m sick.

Here’s why I hate going to the doctor:

• I usually can’t get an appointment the day I want it.

• I always have to wait an hour or more to see the doctor.

• When I do see them, it’s for them to spend less than 5 minutes checking me out and tell me I have something I could have already told them I had myself.

• And then I get to pay a jacked up bill when all I wanted was a prescription for antibiotics.

So in my dilemma of feeling miserable and not knowing what to do about it, my friend suggested I try out the Minute Clinic. “The Minute Clinic”, I asked. “What’s that?”

My friend smiled at my naïveté and explained the Minute Clinic was a clinic sponsored by CVS Pharmacy in some of their select stores. They cater to people who want quick, convenient health care. People like ME.

I was stunned I’d never heard of this before and immediately went online to find out more. Upon reading their website, I was in heaven. Whoever came up with this concept was genius. I wanted to send them gifts!

Here’s what’s great about them:

• NO appointments necessary. You just walk right in!

• They tell you exactly what they treat online: Common Illnesses, Wellness & Prevention, Skin Conditions, Vaccines, and even stuff like ear wax removal. (Gross – but cool!)

• They tell you EXACTLY how much it will cost online. I LOVE that!

• They DO take most insurance, so those of you that have it, use it.

• You can get a FREE thermometer with a paid visit!

• Did I mention NO appointments?!

And it gets better. When I went in the very next morning, I signed right into a nifty little touch-screen computer. Didn’t even have to bother with a receptionist. The only person in front of me was a mother with 3 children – and this was at 8:30am!

My wait-time was around 15 minutes from the time the lady in front of me went in with her kids until the time she came out. Once I got in, all I did was tell the RN (they have nurse practitioners instead of doctors) exactly how I felt, she checked me out, and wrote me a prescription for my antibiotics. I was in and out within 10 minutes. Total time spent, less than 30 minutes. And only $62 for my troubles. MUCH better than $400 a month!

The RN even gave me a tip – the busiest hours are usually in the morning between 8am-11am. So if I want to miss any chance of a line, I know I can go later in the day and most likely not have to wait at all. Brilliant!

As you can see, I’m quite excited by my new discovery. So excited I wanted to share it with you. I think CVS got it exactly right when they came up with this idea. It’s quick, easy, extremely convenient, and truly affordable. The RN was very professional, attentive and nice. The space was tiny, but clean, and I didn’t have any concerns. All-in-all, it’s exactly the type of customer service I look for.

So next time you’re sick and don’t want to bother waiting in the long lines at your doctor’s office, give Minute Clinic a try. I promise you won’t regret it.

“Here is a simple but powerful rule – always give people more than what they expect to get.” – NELSON BOSWELL

Simple words that pack a whole lotta meaning. This quote ties in nicely with #15 of our countdown for The Top 25 Things You Should Do in Customer Service: Be proactive.

What does being proactive mean in the business world? Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines proactive as, “acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes”.

Why is this so important to a customer? Because when you are proactive, you are essentially either preventing problems that may occur – thus saving more grief by the customer – or you are helping them more than they ever expected. This in itself is like manna from heaven to a customer – the key point here being they don’t expect it.

When you give a customer more than they bargained for – in a positive and productive way – that type of action stands out. They remember you and the help you gave them. In turn, they remember your store, your business, your company, your service. They’ll tell their friends. And they’ll come back for more.

Simply reacting to a customer’s needs doesn’t cut it anymore. Of course, you may not always have the opportunity to do more than what is expected. But you need to look for those opportunities and take them.

It can be as simple as making a phone call on behalf of the customer instead of them having to do it. Or doing the legwork of finding a product for them they haven’t been able to find.

Back when I was an Account Coordinator at Coca-Cola, I had a local account where the customer was flipping out because a part they needed for their fountain installation hadn’t arrived. The part couldn’t be delivered until the next day, and there wasn’t a service tech available to get the part for them.

Since they needed it to pass an inspection, I told the customer I would go to the warehouse myself, pick up the part, and drive it to their store. Did I have to do this? No. Could I have found someone else or told the customer they had no choice but to wait? Sure.

But that would have left a very bad impression of the company in the customer’s mind. Plus, I felt bad for the customer, it was our problem to fix; I wanted to help. I didn’t mind if it took a few hours to get it all done. Just seeing the smile and relief on the customer’s face was worth it.

Even though the customer initially blamed us for the mistake, he was so impressed that I had taken the time and effort to get the part for him, he told me that was why he stayed with our company – because we could be relied on for our service.

Proactive customer service is what creates not just a satisfied customer, but a LOYAL customer. And loyal customers are sheer gold to your business.

So the next time you have the chance to do something for your customer, don’t just react – take charge and be proactive. Your customer will thank you with their business.

The following article from Asylum isn’t really focused on customer service, but I thought it was a funny story and, as you’ll see at the end, the writer had a sense of humor with it – taking a slight jab at the airline industry. Enjoy!

A swarm of 10,000 honeybees appeared out of nowhere on Sunday and landed on the wing of a parked airplane… (read article here).