Customer Service

Here’s how 7 words (or less) can thrill your customers

Quick, can you convey your mission in seven words or less? How about your #1 work-related goal – can you rattle it off in a quick phrase? Most of us can’t, but Mukesh Thaker certainly can. He provides IT support in a big organization – the kind of organization where mission statements and goals can be wordy and remote. Mukesh operates with his own down-to-earth mission, which he’ll tell anyone who asks: “My goal is to make people happy.” Critics might say it’s too touchy-feely or too pie in the sky. Others might say it’s too vague and inherently unmeasurable. But for Mukesh and his customers, “happy” is what matters most. He visits with people when they’re having problems with their computers, or connections, or software, or a combination of the above. When Mukesh solves problems, he makes his customers happy. He hears it in their words (thank you) and sees it on their faces (smile). Goal achieved. We can all take a page from the Mukesh playbook. Start by phrasing your mission in seven (or fewer) meaningful words. Enshrine your words on a sticky note. Keep it front and center for a full work week. Revisit at week’s end. Fine-tune as needed. Keep it visible until it becomes second nature. And what if you can’t come up with a suitable phrase that informs and inspires? Easy. Take the “make people happy” mantra and make it your own. Turn it into your daily imperative. Mukesh will be thrilled, and so will the people you serve. By Tom Terez •...

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The inefficient extra that’s entirely worth it

When you break your wrist and have to undergo surgery to get it fixed, the last thing you want is another surprise — unless it’s overwhelmingly positive. That’s what happened to my sister. Three days after her surgery, she received a hand-addressed envelope from the outpatient group that fixed her wrist. Surprise! Inside was a “thank you for selecting us” card signed by six staff members. Is it a big deal? It was to my sister. After the pain of a broken bone, compounded by all the worry that precedes and follows surgery, the card and those first-name signatures provided just the right personal touch. There’s no rule that says an organization has to send thank-you cards to its customers. There’s no compelling financial reason. There’s no likely therapeutic benefit. You could even argue that it’s an inefficient way to use time and resources. Perhaps that’s why cards like these are so rare — and so appreciated. By Tom Terez •...

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Humanizing the workplace can be this easy

Can customer engagement be as simple as a few lines on a piece of paper? In the case of a branch office where I do my banking, the answer is a big yes. Positioned at each teller station is the associate’s photo — and below that are a few lines of personal bio information. So when I stepped up to Michael Day’s station one day, I learned from the sign beneath his photo that he has two dogs. I asked about them, since I’m a devoted dog owner. “They’re spaniels,” he said. That caught my attention, because our mixed-breed dog is mostly spaniel. Michael and I spent the next couple minutes talking about dogs while he processed my transaction. He was as professional as can be, but the dog talk somehow made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. On another visit to the same branch, I was served by a different teller. Her bio mentioned that she wanted to visit Ireland. That sparked a quick conversation about Dublin. I asked Michael how the bio idea came about. It wasn’t a big deal, he said. Someone at the branch suggested it and they gave it a try. Some customers don’t notice, or they notice but don’t comment. Many others (like me) get curious, ask, and enjoy the resulting conversation. It’s a great reminder that humanizing the workplace can be this easy. By Tom Terez •...

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