By Nancy Friedman, Customer Service Expert, President, Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training
Everyone talks about giving good customer service and you can imagine we’re all for that at Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training of course.
However, with the upcoming holiday season, nerves get frazzled, tempers get short and frustrations get big. Often for no reason or small reasons.
There are a few things we can do to GET better service. If you want to that is.
Use our C P R mentality.
C – – Stay Calm, Cool and Collected – You’ll get more respect.
P – – Be Prepared – Have your receipts ready.
R – – And Remember, the person you’re dealing with probably isn’t the person who caused the problem for you.
Rule Number one
Smile. Even if it’s a phony smile. When someone is trying to help you and you have this negative vibe coming from you or a down turned expression on your face, it will normally generate right back to you. Yes, it is “their” job to smile at you, but if you want to STAY IN CONTROL, you’ll keep your lips turned upwards. Not down turned. It works.
Rule Number Two
HUMOR works. When you get the person on the phone or in person and they ask if they can help you, try: “Yes, I need someone in a good mood.” Most of them say, “Well, that’s me” or laugh. It’s a positive experience. And now you have a promise from them. Sad that we need to do this. However, from experience, I can tell you it works. Yes, you get better service just from ASKING for them to be in a good mood.
Rule Number Three
Put your cell phone away when shopping, at least when checking out. Since we don’t like it when the staff or others use it when they’re helping us, why should they like it if we’re on the phone not paying attention to them. If you want to get good service, don’t be texting and don’t be on your cell phone when checking out. Give the salesperson the same courtesy you’d like to get. (Yea, yea – the golden rule thing.)
Rule Number Four
Salespeople need to handle hundreds of various types of personalities every day. And in most cases, they’re not professionally trained to do that. They’re just folks like you and me. Patience pays, though often wears us down, I admit.
Rule Number Five
If you’re that unhappy with the service, spank ‘em with your wallet and go somewhere else. It’s that easy. Outside of the paying our taxes we do have a choice.
Even many of the utilities are realizing we have a choice now. We can go from gas to electric and vice versa. And worse is even if there’s not a choice, is the ‘bad’ word of mouth they can get.
Unless you really, really want to stay with the vendor, go somewhere else. Don’t be a victim and stop complaining. You have a choice.
What’s your ‘rule’ to GET good service? Let’s hear from you.
