Improving your game #1 – customer/client service skills

The services sector makes up the majority of Australia’s GDP so it is astounding to me whenever I see poor customer service in this country. I believe excellent client/customer service is one of my strongest skills and this is a very deliberate practise. When you are the face or voice of a company, you represent that company. If you work on the checkout at a grocery store, you represent that company. If you answer phone calls and handle customer complaints, you represent that company. If you wear a uniform with the company’s logo on it, guess what?… you represent that company.

There are a multitude of different businesses vying for your attention and money. Let’s use coffee shops as an example. There are many places that sell coffee (these are the businesses/companies) and many people who drink coffee (these are the customers/clients). What makes certain establishments more viable options to customers than others? Location would be one reason. Price would be another. Quality would be important too. There are a whole number of reasons why people choose one establishment over another.

While I’m not a coffee drinker, one of the most important parts of a transaction to me is the customer service – how the experience feels. It’s the pleasant greeting when you are welcomed, it’s the light banter during the exchange and even the farewell afterwards. This is applicable in online purchases too. We still want a transaction that is simple to process and where we know when we will be receiving what we have paid for. We still expect a good exchange and will go to retailers who can provide that experience. We want assurance that we’ve made the correct decision.

My mother-in-law would make the family attend a particular cafe each week for lunch. The food was poor to average at best, parking was a nightmare, and the venue was mundane but because the staff remembered our names and orders, she would always want to return to this place as it made her feel special. Great customer service doesn’t cost an organisation more than poor service. In fact, the opposite is true – poor customer service leads to a loss of clients and sales. A happy team will lead to happier clients/customers.

During a visit to Hawaii several years ago, I observed excellent customer service everywhere I visited. Staff in every establishment were welcoming, engaging and friendly. I had a wonderful experience no matter where we went (the Mai Tais and ocean temperature as warm as bath water didn’t hurt either). While some people may comment the great service was due to people working for tips, I don’t think that is entirely accurate. One of the benefits of possessing a friendly nature is people will often reciprocate the emotion your sending out back to you so a friendly greeting will often invite a friendly response, resulting in a positive experience for both the customer and the staff member. Positive encounters can revitalise our energy levels whereas negative encounters drain that same energy.

Another great practise is to remember peoples names whenever you can. It shows that the customer/client isn’t just another sale or number and it’s an easy way of demonstrating and feeling respected and valued. If you have a favourite coffee shop, have a think if the barista knows your name or order? A lot of good establishments get to know their clients and will make their customer’s order even before being asked which is excellent customer service by identifying and satisfying the customer’s needs.

Great customer/client service is invaluable in almost every industry so take a look at how you engage in your workplace and see what you can do to provide a little more value or get a few more smiles each day.

PDR