Businesses and organizations spend incredible amounts of time,
energy and dollars to attract potential customers and supporters, yet
often neglect training their front line people sufficiently to have the
skills and the abilities to deal effectively with people in often very
trying circumstances. In business, we refer to these individuals
generally as Customer Service Representatives, while in organizations
they are generally paid staff and volunteer leadership. In over thirty
years of training people in professional interpersonal business
relations, I have come to realize that the best way to effectively deal
with upset people is to listen to them, and let them know that someone
is listening and someone cares.
Then, if the representative knows the answer, he should calmly and thoroughly explain it so that the other person understands as well. If, on the other hand, the representative is uncertain of the information, the best thing to do is to calmly state that he is uncertain, but will get the information, and get back to the person within a specified period of time. It is then urgent that the customer representative indeed get back to the concerned party, and provide them with the information. It is always better to be open and honest, even if the answer is not what the other person may want to hear, than to fabricate an answer or avoid an answer. In addition, cliches and empty rhetoric must be avoided at all costs! Below I am going to provide a couple of examples that indicate what all too often is done, as well as try to explain what should have been done instead.
Consider this, also, from the perspective of how independent contractors, in both product - oriented, as well as service - centric industries, should utilize these same principles. Think about this from the perspective of what a client or customer seeks from his real estate professional, financial adviser, etc.
1. Several years ago, I was on a Yugoslavian Air (JAT) flight that was scheduled to fly from Athens to New York, with a short stopover in Zagreb. When the plane landed in Zagreb, we were told to deplane while the plane was to be serviced, and we would be informed when to re-board. About an hour later, we were informed that the plane needed a part, and that they were waiting for it to arrive shortly. In this extremely hot crowded terminal, no additional information was provided for hours. We continued to be told, "Soon." Finally, after about three hours (remember our original stopover was supposed to be less than an hour), I went up to a Customer Service counter, and the representative starting giving me the same rhetoric. I interrupted and said we both know that's not true, and finally said, "No more rhetoric and party lines. What's the story?"
Only then did the representative admit that the part and the mechanic both had to be flown in and their flight was not scheduled for hours, and that she did not know how long the repair would take. At that point, I suggested that passengers deserved some sort of consideration, if only a meal voucher, and that they deserved to know the truth. Miraculously, within about fifteen minutes, they came around and distributed meal vouchers (although you don't really want to eat the food at Zagreb airport), and made an announcement explaining the facts, and that they would make hourly announcements. A great start, but then when an hour passed without any further announcement, I reminded the nice customer service people that they needed to make the announcement. The lesson to be learned is that proper and competent customer service would have been to communicate openly and fully from the start, not make any promises that they could not keep, and always keep the promises made.
2. A power outage in my area (which lasted nearly a week) was also a customer service fiasco. There was very limited communication of any sort, and most of what had been communicated has either been contradictory or inaccurate. We were never given a straight answer by the Long Island Power Authority, as to what to expect and when! Is that effective customer service?
Most people get somewhat upset when something goes wrong, but almost all handle it far better when they are provided accurate and caring customer service, than when the service is spotty at best. This is an essential lesson for all businesses, and all organizations to learn from!
3. Think about this if you have either bought or sold a home! Wouldn't you want your real estate professional to do, what I have created as my trademarked slogan, I'll tell you what you need to know, NOT just what you want to hear! TM
Then, if the representative knows the answer, he should calmly and thoroughly explain it so that the other person understands as well. If, on the other hand, the representative is uncertain of the information, the best thing to do is to calmly state that he is uncertain, but will get the information, and get back to the person within a specified period of time. It is then urgent that the customer representative indeed get back to the concerned party, and provide them with the information. It is always better to be open and honest, even if the answer is not what the other person may want to hear, than to fabricate an answer or avoid an answer. In addition, cliches and empty rhetoric must be avoided at all costs! Below I am going to provide a couple of examples that indicate what all too often is done, as well as try to explain what should have been done instead.
Consider this, also, from the perspective of how independent contractors, in both product - oriented, as well as service - centric industries, should utilize these same principles. Think about this from the perspective of what a client or customer seeks from his real estate professional, financial adviser, etc.
1. Several years ago, I was on a Yugoslavian Air (JAT) flight that was scheduled to fly from Athens to New York, with a short stopover in Zagreb. When the plane landed in Zagreb, we were told to deplane while the plane was to be serviced, and we would be informed when to re-board. About an hour later, we were informed that the plane needed a part, and that they were waiting for it to arrive shortly. In this extremely hot crowded terminal, no additional information was provided for hours. We continued to be told, "Soon." Finally, after about three hours (remember our original stopover was supposed to be less than an hour), I went up to a Customer Service counter, and the representative starting giving me the same rhetoric. I interrupted and said we both know that's not true, and finally said, "No more rhetoric and party lines. What's the story?"
Only then did the representative admit that the part and the mechanic both had to be flown in and their flight was not scheduled for hours, and that she did not know how long the repair would take. At that point, I suggested that passengers deserved some sort of consideration, if only a meal voucher, and that they deserved to know the truth. Miraculously, within about fifteen minutes, they came around and distributed meal vouchers (although you don't really want to eat the food at Zagreb airport), and made an announcement explaining the facts, and that they would make hourly announcements. A great start, but then when an hour passed without any further announcement, I reminded the nice customer service people that they needed to make the announcement. The lesson to be learned is that proper and competent customer service would have been to communicate openly and fully from the start, not make any promises that they could not keep, and always keep the promises made.
2. A power outage in my area (which lasted nearly a week) was also a customer service fiasco. There was very limited communication of any sort, and most of what had been communicated has either been contradictory or inaccurate. We were never given a straight answer by the Long Island Power Authority, as to what to expect and when! Is that effective customer service?
Most people get somewhat upset when something goes wrong, but almost all handle it far better when they are provided accurate and caring customer service, than when the service is spotty at best. This is an essential lesson for all businesses, and all organizations to learn from!
3. Think about this if you have either bought or sold a home! Wouldn't you want your real estate professional to do, what I have created as my trademarked slogan, I'll tell you what you need to know, NOT just what you want to hear! TM
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