Customer Service Horror: "I didn't know you did that."

How many times have you heard a customer say "I didn't know you did that?

The statement should strike horror in the minds and hearts of every front line Customer Service operative.

Translated, "I didn't know you did that?" usually means three things:

1. You just lost a potential sale.
2. You may have opened the door to a competitor.
3. You have not educated your customer.

A key Customer Service role is in educating customer about all the services you can provide?

Education leads to cross selling opportunities.

Financial institutions, as they have with many market techniques, led the way with this one. Successful consumer banks are masters at cross selling. Look at all the products they sell: checking accounts, savings accounts, CDs, credit cards, mortgages, safe deposit boxes, personal loans of all types, cashier's check ... and the list goes on.

And bank cross selling emphasis is based on the well established fact that customers with multiple services are 1) more profitable and 2) stay customers longer. Two VERY good things.

Let's take another page out of the bank marketing book: CONTINUALLY PROMOTE all your services.

Look at your bank's statement inserts, the walls of bank and branch offices, drive in teller stations, brochure racks and table toppers. Banks continually promote all of their products and services.

Okay, you're not a bank, but you still can actively promote ALL you can do for customers:

• Consider a list of services at the bottom of each email (instead of all that legal mumbo jumbo that no one reads anyway).
• List services on statements and invoices.
• List services on delivery boxes.
• Send a "Did You Know" service reminder email once a month to all customers (and prospects).
• Learn selling CUES
• Look for logical connections and extensions of work you already do
• Ask customers about your unused services

There no magic to Customer Service cross selling ... just a steady drum beat of activity that leads to increased sales and more opportunities to DELIGHT CUSTOMERS!

Customer Service: Customers Are Smarter Than We Think

Customers Usually Are Smarter Than We Think.

And why would we not think a customer is smart?

Sometimes it has to do with technical information which we possess and 1) don't share or 2) the customer has decided not to deal with.

Perhaps it is because we haven't taken the time to understand the full scope of the customer's marketing and operations.

Often small mistakes made by the customer (we all make them) become favorite stories in the account's oral history. "Do you remember the time ..."

With the information availabe today -- some of it supplied by competitors -- any customer has access to all information needed.

Given today's economy, if you have a job in Customer Service ... and your customer has a job ... it is fairly safe to assume you BOTH are pretty smart people

So the REAL questions may be: How do you stay ahead of your customer? How do you become more valueable to your customer?

For starters:

• Do you have Google Alerts set for your customer and your customer's line of business (a Google Alert simply for Customer Service also can yield interesting insights.)


• If your customer's company is publicly held, have your requested an Annual Report?


• Do you listen to your customer's quarterly financial calls?


• Do you have copies of the latest collateral?


• Have you visited your customer's front lines ... seen or experienced their Customer Service?


• Have you signed up for their loyalty programs?


• Do you follow your customer (and other company contacts) on Twitter?


• Does your customer have a Blog you can read?

Do these things (and more) and you'll find that your customers are pretty smart ... and you'll be better prepared to DELIGHT CUSTOMERS!

Customer Service Reminder: Ask Customers to Rate Your Service

Asking Customers to Rate Your Service Makes for Longer Lasting Relationships.

This is NOT your Annual Customer Satisfaction Survey ... you DO have one, right?

This is less formal, and in some ways, more meaningful.

Ask for the Rating at least once a quarter. Timeliness is part of the advantage.

You can create your own individual rating categories, based on what each customer values most (Hint: Ask them).

Suggestions include:

• Responsiveness
• Timeliness
• Quality
• Flexibility
• Recommendations
• Communications
• Service Team
• Price
• Overall Value

Use a simple rating scale of 1 through 5 with 5 being the highest (best) score. And include a space for "Comments".

It's that simple and holds the potential to DELIGHT CUSTOMERS!

PS. Really smart customers will ask you to rate them too!

Customer Service: A Sign for the Times

Years ago we produced a very simple tent card that was placed on every desk and counter top in the building.

The message on one side was the statement:

Customers are the most important people in this building

whether in person or represented by the work we perform for them.

The charge on the other side is by now a familiar one:

Delight Customers!

Perhaps this would be, once again, a good Sign for the Times.

Customer Service in a Challenging Economy

Challenging economic periods provide us with opportunity to create positive Customer Service Experiences.

In these times, companies and individuals have both the opportunity and the obligation to be true service partners to customers.

Customers are more open today than ever to positive recommendations for efficiency, productivity and profitability.

So how can you make the most of opportunities in difficult market conditions?

Some suggestions:

• Embrace change -- it will continue as companies adjust to economic realities
• Remain flexible -- gain new experiences which can add to professional growth
• Stay focused -- be goal oriented for your customers, your company and yourself
• Be proactive -- with suggestions and support
• Be positive -- attitude will be remembered long after the economy improves

Each of these can tangibly contribute to your objective to DELIGHT CUSTOMERS!

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