The Customer Service Geek

About 10 years ago there were probably at least 50% less complaints against businesses? Why? It wasn’t because the businesses then were any better, but more so the fact that it wasn’t so easy to complain.  Complaints were for the big things, now if you fold a napkin wrong or if you had a corner of dirt in your store you will lose a star or get a strongly worded complaint on tripadvisor etc.   It isn’t fair, it isn’t right but what can we do about it?

Well the one positive thing to note is that the public are becoming more aware of the fact that nearly all tripadvisor ratings will be negative.  People seem to like to focus on the negative which puts companies at a disadvantage.  What can we do to help ease the pain? Let’s brainstorm for a minute and please feel free to let me know if you have any more ideas.

The first thing I always recommend is to give a link to tripadvisor or another rating site out to customers that have a really great time or love your products.  Ask them to help you, they are loyal to your establishment, so chances are they will.  You could also do a promotion that if your patrons rate your business, they will get a discount of some kind.  This unfortunately will cost a bit out of pocket, but it is also a very cheap way to advertise.   Why? Because it is a great way to mass counteract any negativity that comes.  Your business can’t always be perfect for every human that walks the earth, so it is better to be prepared.

Next make sure to reply to all complaints.  This may seem hard and the complaint could be completely ridiculous and not valid but showing that you are responding to complaints and trying to rectify situations shows not only the customer you are actively trying to solve their problem, but it also shows all other patrons that your business cares and is trying to fix this problem.

Everyone knows that no one is perfect, and no one really expects it.  The key is your follow up to the situation and your confidence to stand up and say you’re not perfect, but you are actively going to try and be better. This is usually all people need to see, to either restore confidence or if it’s the first time, taking a leap of faith and trying.

Next Time we will be talking about Courage-  to catch a complaint before it happens.

Thanks for reading!

Let’s keep it classy out there!

-Laura

It happens to the best of the best

Now let’s talk about what to do about it.

On the spot complaints:

The best thing you can do is solve the issue in the moment, so the customer doesn’t leave angry, so let’s talk about some strategies on how we can accomplish this.

First, showing appreciation can go a long way.   Appreciate the customer for bringing this to your attention – why? Because this allows you the opportunity to fix it in the moment without them going home to complain later (which will mean twice the work to fix the issue and get them to return)

Apologize – A sincere apology.  Take a breath, look them in the eye and apologize. Sometimes this is all they need with the guarantee you will do better next time.

Ease their mind – Listen to them and assure the customer you have their complete attention with the issue and work with them to develop a solution.

Do not get defensive!!! At the end of the day this is not about you, it is about them.

Take a minute and look at the situation, what happened? How would you feel if the same thing happened to you?  is this person just being irate because of a bad day they are having?  Look at the person, who are they? Are they making this into a bigger situation than it is? Taking a moment to gather information and looking at it objectively is the best thing you can do before entering the situation.  Being understanding, kind and patient with their issue can deescalate a situation quickly.

Looking at who the person is, is a great way of knowing how to approach the situation.  Is this an older person who may not have a lot going in their life currently and plenty of time to complain? Or is this someone who is quickly to get irate but easily quelled with the simple of gestures as they are busy with no time.  It may seem a bit unkind to make assumptions but sometimes it is the best way to come at the problem.  If the person is retired and has a lot of time on their hands a longer personal conversation would help deescalate the problem, they want to be seen, heard and made to feel special.  A busier person who must rush to work, would most likely just like the product replaced or the problem rectified as quickly as possible. When you take this moment to gauge the needs of a person it makes it a lot easier to satisfy them on the first try.

What should we offer?

Well you tried your apology and it didn’t work so what do you offer? I never like to suggest throwing money at the problem.  Even though it is the easiest solution it is the least sincere and the most expensive.  Sometimes a customer just wants to be heard so offering them the opportunity to really address their concerns makes them feel heard and that they are taking steps of making real change is important to them. Other times you may need to offer the customer a take away; can you replace the product? Or offer them a new one next time? Could you offer them something in addition to what they are purchasing (like a small token of appreciation)? Doing this would be cheaper than a gift card for the store as it can be marked out instead.

No one likes to have unhappy customers, the key to it is to not take it personally.  Be empathetic to the situation but do not take it into your core being.  Protecting yourself is the first step in helping others.  Always remember that at the end of the day you are a good person with a good heart and if you have tried all the strategies and truthfully done everything you could, and they are still unhappy, that is on them. Solidly know there was nothing else you could have done, they made the choice to remain angry and carry it and its not yours to carry as well.

Stay Strong during the Holiday Season!

Next week we will talk about faceless complaints, the online beast.

When a customer enters a store there is one thing that is of the upmost importance, they need to be greeted by someone! It doesn’t need to be anything special, just a genuine hello to show you noticed I’m in the store. It makes me feel welcome and sets up the experience in a positive way and also drastically reduces the amount of theft.

Now that there is a customer what’s next? Offer your assistance, but if they refuse give them their space and let them know you are there if they need you. This is not your cue to go to the back and hide or sit on our phone. This is the time to continue with any front of house duties you have and to be present. It is important to keep your demeanour friendly and upbeat with other customers coming in. Joke around with coworkers and enjoy yourself but also stay away from personal conversations.

When you keep a light upbeat atmosphere, you make people feel at ease, this makes them more apt to ask questions and open to suggestions. Since you are out on the floor this is a good time to read subtle cues. Is a customer looking at the pastry case or is a customer carrying around clothes and looking around? This is your time to re approach and ask if you can suggest something or if they are looking for an item or a change room. Reading body language is one of the best ways to help your customers without constantly being in their face and asking them questions which can seem pushy and overbearing.
Once a customer has finished their shopping, it is time to shift gears and go from a relaxed to a quick pace. This is the time to ring things through and process the transaction as quickly as possible. Why? Because you never know if the customer is just being polite or if they want to chat. Completing the transaction allows you both to end the interaction and no one feels like they are being held hostage once the transaction is complete. Most of customer service dissatisfaction happens during two key times: the greeting and the cash handling process. Keep focused on these moments and you should guarantee a pleasant shopping experience for your customer and for your team! Nothing is worse for staff than an unhappy customer and always remember negativity breeds negativity.
Let’s talk about when it’s busy and everyone seems to forget everything they have learned about customer service. Keeping your head up and noticing what’s happening around you is probably the best thing you can do during a busy rush. Doing this will allow you to anticipate what’s coming up. Do you have a regular that you should give a quick wave to? If you are in a food service establishment could you be preparing your regulars order to cut down on time and do some quick multitasking? This not only saves you time it also makes that regular feel special!

What else can you do if it’s really busy? Breathe. Take a moment. Reorganize. Slow down. If things seem to be falling apart and you can’t seem to catch up. Take this moment to stop, take a breath. Look around. Do you need to restock? Can you ask one of your colleagues to help you restock any low items. Take a moment to clean your area and take a sip of water. Breathe. AGAIN! Take a sip of water, SMILE, then attack your next task. One customer at a time. Taking this simple 60 seconds is nothing in the long run but it will clear your head and give you a fresh start. This means so much in how effective you are and will reset your mood when taking care of customers.
These are the basics to good customer service. If you struggle with any of these things’ customer service may not be for you. Customer service is all about a certain personality, a personality that is naturally empathetic and excited by being around people and helping them. It is about being genuine and feeling a sense of reward by providing a fantastic customer service experience.

Top 5 Recap For Customer Service Basics!
1. Say Hello! TO EVERYONE
2. Keep Conversations light and don’t overshare
3. Read subtle cues
4. Be genuine
5. Make the cash transaction go quickly
*Bonus! BREATHE and ENJOY yourself!

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