By now, I’m sure all of you have seen, or at least heard of “Stranger Things.” If not, it is an awesome sci-fi story about friendship and a coming-of-age that takes place in the ‘80s. There are monsters, teenage heartbreak, and puns that would give John Hughes a run for his money. Although the show is completely fictional, there are so many lessons to be learned from the story and its characters.
Friends Don’t Lie
Eleven, the story’s main antagonist, famously said “Friends don’t lie.” In customer service, this is such an important lesson. It is essential to be upfront with your customers and give them the truth. This sometimes means telling your customer the answer to their request is not possible at this time or it’s not something that has been investigated. This can also mean owning up to mistakes or letting the customer know of a problem before they have noticed. In the end, your customers will be grateful for your honesty, and it will help you both come to a great solution to whatever it is they need.
It’s Okay to Be Unique
The group of kids that lead the story are considered outcasts at school, and even more so when Eleven joins them. In customer service, it is okay to take an unconventional approach. At the end of the day, customer satisfaction is the driving factor. Don’t be afraid to suggest what your customer didn’t originally think of, or something that has not been done before. This also ties into how you interact with your customers. Have you ever interacted with someone that seems a little robotic? It doesn’t make your experience very memorable. Make your customer feel like you are relatable, which will help you both feel comfortable with one another and lead to a great interaction.
See Things “Upside Down”
The “Upside Down” is the new and undiscovered place our heroes in the story must encounter to save the day. Sometimes, the answer to a customer’s question is not so obvious. Many times, our own Client Success team must think outside the box to solve a technical problem. We also have a lot of questions that require us to put on our consulting hats, and when it comes to strategy, there is never an answer that is in black and white! It may take more time to think this way, but the result is always something that goes above and beyond customer expectation.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
This story is all about the incredible things you can accomplish as a team. The group of kids that lead the story always have one another’s backs, even in tough times. You should treat your customers like a team, and don’t be afraid to turn to your internal team for help. No one can do it all, and more things get accomplished when we put our heads together. You and your customer have diverse backgrounds and experiences, and it’s highly likely you have different perspectives. When solving a problem with your customer, don’t be afraid to listen to what they have to say, even though you are the one doing the troubleshooting.