My husband, Brent, loves pecan pie. His obsession extends to sampling it in every restaurant, as well as requesting it special made every time he visits his mother. Then, we found IT in Pawley’s Island, SC at Kudzu’s. This pie we fight over who gets the crust crumbs – even 4 days later. The nuts [...]]]>

My husband, Brent, loves pecan pie. His obsession extends to sampling it in every restaurant, as well as requesting it special made every time he visits his mother. Then, we found IT in Pawley’s Island, SC at Kudzu’s. This pie we fight over who gets the crust crumbs – even 4 days later. The nuts are fresh, it’s sweet but not overly sweet. It seems to get better with age – have you ever had a pie that got better with age? This is THE PIE that real pie lovers search for their entire lives.

It isn’t just “a pecan pie.” This is the BEST pecan pie anyone in our family has ever tasted. It’s become a staple of our diet when we go to the beach. Brent has Kudzus’ phone number on speed dial, and when our GPS says 50 miles ’till we get there, he calls and orders a pie for pickup the minute we get to town. That’s the first pie of the week. We usually have more than one!

Interestingly, Kudzu doesn’t make a big deal about the pie. They are a bakery with a super diverse line of products. Bread, pastries, cakes, cookies, sandwiches – and if you arrive late, there might not be anything left. They also have items ranging from gourmet cooking implements to local jams and salsas. We quite often buy homemade, frozen meals for two like chicken potpie or coconut rolled Tilapia when we pick up our pie. But, we have to get there quick because Kudzu closes early on Saturday and isn’t open on Sunday or holidays. They aren’t catering to the vacation crowd. The staff is courteous, but not overly friendly. They are there to say “Hi,” bag your items and check you out. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a staff member in front of the counter. There aren’t samples or taste-tests or any of the customer-hype activities you find in other places with the quality of goods that Kudzu has.

What keeps us coming back? It’s all about the pie. There’s no need for freebies, gimmicks or over-the-top service. Kudzu’s customer experience starts with a product that represents the quality of the company so strongly that everyone can just get down to business and not have to spend a lot of time hyping how great they are.

Customer Service has been my passion for many years. I work hard on all of the “customer-friendly” actions that keep relationships with clients alive. These include an experience for them based on honesty, friendliness, helpfulness and timeliness. But none of these great qualities of customer care matter without a product or service to stand behind that transcends the team that supports it. A true Customer Experience not only covers traditional customer service points including setting, engagement and etiquette for a warm and fuzzy relationship, but also involves your company’s competency and ability to prepare and deliver a great product.

Where are you putting your company’s energies? Into a service team whose main role is putting out fires and holding up a faltering product? Or into a complete experience with a product or service that’s been so clearly designed from the client’s viewpoint that its quality supports your service team’s efforts and WOW!!s your customers?

How does your company’s “pie” stack up to Kudzu’s?

Problem True to form, I managed to find the slow line while checking out at Publix. Not only slow, but stalled. I was behind a mega-coupon queen. By the time I realized my predicament I had already unloaded my cart. So, I just resigned myself to a long, hopefully patient wait. Honestly — as a [...]]]>

Problem

True to form, I managed to find the slow line while checking out at Publix. Not only slow, but stalled. I was behind a mega-coupon queen. By the time I realized my predicament I had already unloaded my cart. So, I just resigned myself to a long, hopefully patient wait. Honestly — as a customer service leader, I have learned to temper my waiting impatience. I’m trying to work on remembering how I like to be treated when I’m the one giving service.

All of a sudden, the cowbells appeared. My cashier didn’t pause in her service to the customer in front of her, but she picked up a cowbell and rang it. Then I noticed her glancing at the Service Desk Agent. That person looked up from their customer transaction and rang a cowbell in return…whoa! What was going on here? Was it time for the cows to come home?!

Problem solved

Within a few minutes no fewer than 3 Publix employees were hovering around me — opening a new lane, moving my cart to the newly opened lane, and carrying my items from one lane to the other. Everyone was smiling and acting like this was all they had to do, including the cashier waiting on the mega-coupon queen. And me — I was the recipient of exceptional customer service, along with the customer in front of me who could take as much time as she needed to check out without hampering anyone else.

Publix customer service is built on a philosophy, one that sees service as an opportunity not a duty or policy. Their philosophy talks about investing in others, giving, preparing, and doing the right thing. Well, I sure experienced that firsthand!

You can solve problems too

Linda Ireland wrote recently about keeping customer experience alive through giving things that bring the most value to your customer including doing what you said you would do, empowering employees, smiling, and keeping it simple.

How simple are cowbells? While it might not work for you — what areas of bringing exceptional service to your customers are you stumbling in, waiting for a new system, or more people, or more policies to come along and back you up.

Sometimes the solution for exceptional service is as simple as ringing a cowbell. So, what are you waiting for? Or, as the plaque on Publix founder George Jenkins wall states: “Begin, the rest is easy.”

I was delighted yesterday by outstanding customer service from a “big-box” company. Not just delighted — actually blown away. It’s reinforced for me the concept that every company can give good customer service if it’s really important to them. In other words, service is not dead, but very much alive and well. It started with [...]]]>

I was delighted yesterday by outstanding customer service from a “big-box” company. Not just delighted — actually blown away. It’s reinforced for me the concept that every company can give good customer service if it’s really important to them. In other words, service is not dead, but very much alive and well.

It started with my mistake. I missed paying a Staples invoice 11 months ago. I had no idea about my oversight until I got a phone call from a collections agency. Yikes! Of course, digging up paperwork and an account manager’s id after 11 months was a struggle. I logged into my corporate account, but couldn’t find any missed payments. So, I did what any baffled customer does — I emailed Staples Customer Service. In fact, I found 2 different ways to email them. That’s when the magic started happening…

Within a few hours, Staples had reached out to me 6 times. That’s SIX times! Instead of being annoying, it was obvious that it was a coordinated effort. They provided my account manager’s name, accurate reporting of what had happened, and a way to take care of my account and clear up the problem. Three different Staples departments worked together to give me a fast resolution to a problem I didn’t even know existed just a short time earlier.

Not only were they fast and accurate, they were also courteous and friendly. The emails from the customer service departments were personal. My account manager, Chris Pappas, had me laughing and at ease in about 2 minutes — yep, he picked up the phone and personally called me. I was given a convenient way to pay my bill, and sent on my way — account cleared.

My take-away. Customer service is considered a core value for Staples, and they’ve put their money where their mouth is. Customer service departments have been trained in a process that coordinates accounts, responses, and problem-solving. My small unpaid invoice was a BIG DEAL to them — not because it wasn’t paid, but because it gave them a way to go above and beyond in providing great service.  That service left the customer — me — blown away with awe.

What elements of this kind of  service do you see missing from your process? What can you do better that will leave your customers awe-struck? If Staples can do it, you can too.

The beginning of the tale Eight of us spent a long weekend at the beach with our kids several years ago. We were enthralled by a new personality-typing tool one of us had run into — and we spent a lot of time comparing ourselves to animals. Specifically, we were otters, lions, beavers and golden [...]]]>

The beginning of the tale

Eight of us spent a long weekend at the beach with our kids several years ago. We were enthralled by a new personality-typing tool one of us had run into — and we spent a lot of time comparing ourselves to animals. Specifically, we were otters, lions, beavers and golden retrievers. Every action we took was instantly labeled by one of the group as being “animal-like” to one of those particular species.

As funny as it was to catch people behaving like animals — the dad who gathered up all the loose flip flops and carried 10 chairs back from the beach each day while the kids danced blithely around him is forever known to us as “the golden retriever” — I think type-casting good customer service attributes to dog characteristics is even easier than to animal species.

Dogs dig relationships

Relationship building is an important business buzzword today. Company websites, advertisements and brochures all announce that it’s definitely not about them — it’s all about you. This sounds good, but at the end of the day, who’s responsibility is relationship building? Whether it’s you, your front line people, or everyone in your organization, what practical applications can your pooch teach about providing good customer service that leads to long relationships?

1. Engagement. When is the last time a dog let you walk by him without greeting you? Even the tiredest dog will lift his head and thump his tail. If he’s doing his favorite activity, it is dropped in his excitement to be with you.
2. Interest. You are INTERESTING to them, they want to know what they can do to make you happier. Dogs spend their time giving as much attention as you want — it’s not about them.
3. Loyalty. A dog isn’t called your best friend for nothing. You don’t find him sending scathing emails or ignoring phone calls. Your dog will stick with you through thick and thin, and trust you to do your best job of taking care of her.
4. Memory. Dogs remember — well, their smeller remembers. It’s so important that they remember that a whole sense is devoted to this task. No “oh, I forgot” dropping the ball on their part.

Chew on it some more

Do you need to train yourself in one of these areas to go above and beyond in your relationship building? What other habits have you picked up that help you build better relationships? We’d love to know.

Massive research was accomplished in the writing of this post:

Check out Dogology. Vicki & Sarah have written a whole book devoted to the subject of what your relationship with your dog reveals about you.

Take the “What Breed are You” quiz at Dogster.com.  Send me a note and I’ll share my results with you.

Disclaimer: Beth has never owned a dog.

Recently I found myself on the other end of the line — making phone calls instead of answering them. I called 30 businesses. In the morning. Before lunch. My results: 2 were answered with a directory assistance message 5 were answered just with “Hello” 20 were answered only with a business name AND, ding-ding-ding! 3 [...]]]>

Recently I found myself on the other end of the line — making phone calls instead of answering them. I called 30 businesses. In the morning. Before lunch. My results:

• 2 were answered with a directory assistance message
• 5 were answered just with “Hello”
• 20 were answered only with a business name

AND, ding-ding-ding!

• 3 were answered by someone who told me their name along with their business name = instant connection!

The most shocking fact,  I called the main number of these businesses. No direct dials to an office extension. To add it all up, of the businesses I called I had 27 completely impersonal conversations. That’s over 90% disconnect.  So much for being concerned about knowing your customer.

If you have a company with a phone, there are several key characteristics to good phone etiquette.  These companies forgot one of the most important principles.

You are the face of your company.

To put it bluntly, give your name and your business name when you answer the phone. What does your company lose if you don’t follow this principle?

• Trust — who are these people?
• Relationship building — what if I call again, who will I get?
• Moving the conversation (and potential business) forward — do they care about what I need?

One company puts it this way:

“The human factor in all communications makes the difference. Customers need to feel taken care of, well informed and motivated. When you answer the phone, it’s that ‘human moment’ when customers can actually experience what it would be like working with you and your people. It’s the opportunity to create relationships for the future.”

So, try it. What happens when your phone rings? Should you do anything differently? What training or tools have helped you capitalize on the opportunity to engage everyone who calls your company? Call me, I’d love to talk to you…

“Thank you for calling The Worthwhile Company! This is Beth.”

I’m a protector. It’s part of my job description. Especially of my co-worker’s time. Telemarketers and sales people call — I scout them out and evaluate whether our company needs their services before I transfer them on. Yep, it’s a touchy area. We don’t need them. They need us. I’m in the way. But, they [...]]]>

I’m a protector. It’s part of my job description. Especially of my co-worker’s time. Telemarketers and sales people call — I scout them out and evaluate whether our company needs their services before I transfer them on.

Yep, it’s a touchy area. We don’t need them. They need us. I’m in the way. But, they deserve customer service too.

This morning I received another one. This one about paper and copiers. We chitchatted pleasantly about being glad it was Friday. Then, the conversation got pointed. “Well, part of the reason I’m glad it’s Friday,” she said, “is that it’s been a long week to be a telemarketer.”  And, she gave me her opening pitch.

I politely responded that we were mostly a paperless office, and that I really didn’t foresee needing any of her products.

Suddenly, there was sunshine, even though I had said no. “I’m so thankful you didn’t slam the phone down, or yell at me,” she said. “You have been really pleasant -  to me and to talk to.”

“Well, my title IS First Impressions,” I replied. “I take it seriously.”

“I so enjoyed talking with you,” she responded. “Have a great weekend!”

What are your experiences — as a telemarketer or a protector? Do you see evidence of customer service that runs deep?

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 [...]]]>

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.

An important aspect of my Customer Service role for The Worthwhile Company is to identify people I come in contact with by name. My opportunities are many throughout a day — phone calls, correspondence, other employees and guests who come through the front door. My whole team helps me in practical ways to add that personal touch. Contact information is kept up-to-date, surprise visitors are met by employees who know them, and meeting appointments include guests’ names so that I can quickly glance at the calendar and greet people by name.

In business,  there are a lot of decisions and strategies that have to be worked through for goals to be reached. A simple approach for connections that build relationships and trust is to make the effort to leave no one “nameless.”

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 [...]]]>

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.

Creating good customer service experiences is a lot like cooking.

Some aspects of good service are standard, and can never be left out of any customer interactions: friendliness, empathy, listening, repeating and solving the problem. I wrote earlier on the importance of always giving this kind of service. It’s the way you mix it all together that makes each service opportunity special. Knowing your clients personally, researching their particular use of your products, and being sensitive to possible problems before they have to contact you, are all ingredients that can be added in different amounts to each service experience to create successful results.

Want to create a successful customer service experience? Follow the rules of cooking — not baking. Don’t limit yourself to exactly what’s written in the recipe, instead take all the best ingredients and personalize it for a great result. Your clients will keep coming back for more!

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 [...]]]>

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.

I was standing on the dock tower watching a container being loaded onto a ship at the Wando Plant. I could see acres of rows of containers, 2 high. The grounds were immaculate. Our guide proudly told us that each container was trackable by content, date of departure, and location on the ground. That the Port of Charleston is one of the most automated ports in the U.S. with its computer system being the key to allowing accurate information exchange while controlling freight movements and speeding up cargo flows.

Today, the Charleston port continues to be ranked in the top 5 shipping ports in the world because of their efficiency and accuracy, and use of advanced EDI technology. At the same time, the World Trade magazine reports they rank first in customer satisfaction across North America.

The Charleston Port Authority’s website includes a weekly press release. Plans for future growth are made public along with customer satisfaction surveys.  Attention is given to their leadership team, and to the fact that success during rapid growth has been possible because of this team’s response.

Customer satisfaction surveys. Leadership teams. Efficiency, productivity, accuracy. Advanced technology. Pride evident in employees actions and words. The Charleston Port Authority’s legacy.

What is your legacy? Are you using your knowledge and the tools you have to provide not just good, but great customer service? Are you researching new technologies and investing in the future? If someone needed inspiration, would they take a field trip to see you?

We’ve used a lot of concepts from Disney University and Ritz-Carlton Hotels. But, to be honest, the best of what we’ve accomplished comes from our customers. Listening to what they say and asking for feedback leads to most of our best practices for better customer service. The surprising source of this advice? A Vice President [...]]]>

We’ve used a lot of concepts from Disney University and Ritz-Carlton Hotels. But, to be honest, the best of what we’ve accomplished comes from our customers. Listening to what they say and asking for feedback leads to most of our best practices for better customer service.

The surprising source of this advice? A Vice President on his university campus as he was giving me a tour of their facilities and student gathering areas.

Highpoint University, in Highpoint, NC has received a lot of national recognition over the past year because of their passion for WOWing their customers. Their strict definition of their customer — college students on their campus. How do they know what their students want? They spend a lot of time talking with them, gathering where they gather, and asking questions about what more the University can do that will enhance life today.

They know they can’t stop there, the real test is to implement. And, that is where Highpoint has excelled. The most visible examples are in the brand new buildings, the outdoor sitting spaces, the valet parking, and the names of visiting prospective students on digital signs in reserved parking spaces. The not so visible message is that each concept enhances a stated value of the University, so everything is tied to who they say they are.

Take a few minutes to reflect on your customer service best practices.  How often do you hear enough of what your clients say to be able to put feet to your ears? Is your culture open to listening with the motive of implementing, of living out your values in practice? What did you hear yesterday that you can start doing today?