What’s in a name?
Beth Honshell
Mar15th
Topics: Customer Service
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I did some riding one summer from a stable that owned a horse with no name. The group responsible for naming horses never could agree on a name for him — and he was forever called Nameless. Interestingly, he’s the only horse I can remember!

While it might be memorable for a HORSE to remain nameless, I find that not many people respond positively to this same treatment. Using names can:

  • personalize what you’re saying
  • make a more permanent connection
  • give a sense of belonging

Over the years, I’ve tried to practically apply this concept.

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Promotion That Doesn’t Work
Leighton Taylor
Feb1st
Topics: Customer Service, Industry Trends
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Lately I’ve noticed countless examples of advertising and branding that completely fail to entice me as a potential customer. The main problem: the company is focused on itself rather than the customer. I see this problem often with small mom-and-pop businesses (probably because they don’t spend much on marketing) and also in large corporations (they really have no excuse).

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A Recipe for Service Success
Beth Honshell
Jan20th
Topics: Customer Service
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I am a rebellious cook at my best, and a bomb as a baker. I attribute that to my “expressive social style of preferring not to be limited by rules and procedures!” Truthfully, to me a recipe is tantamount to being told what to do, not at the top of my how to have a good day list. However, while baking without following the directions mostly results in inedible yucky stuff, cooking can be successful when I look at lists of standard ingredients but allow myself to customize to my personal preferences for the end result. Case in point: my family’s favorite recipe…some ingredients, no set amounts.recipecrop

Creating good customer service experiences is a lot like cooking.

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Need inspiration? Take a field trip.
Beth Honshell
Dec16th
Topics: Customer Service
2 Comments »

I’ve been on lots of great field trips. Oldsmobile. Kelloggs. Commodities Exchange. CNN. NY Stock Exchange. I’ve been on a dozen University tours looking at receiving docks, cold storage rooms, student centers and computer labs. Field trips open my eyes to the fact that people everywhere use the knowledge and tools they have to provide not just good, but great customer service.

The most inspiring field trip I ever took was years ago to the Wando Plant, part of the Port Authority of Charleston, SC. You read that right, a shipping port full of containers, cranes and ships — and inspired employees.

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Specialists are…special
Mike McCurdy
Nov27th
Topics: Customer Service, Software Development, Web Design
1 Comment »

I had some car troubles last week – battery related issues. The car was getting worse as I drove day after day, and as usual I waited until the last minute to get it fixed. I went to a well known auto parts store to get a new battery on my way to work. I think it was out of convenience that I chose this place, I knew where it was and I’ve been a customer several times in the past. battery

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