Whoever said: “let sleeping dogs lie” knew very little about delivering amazing customer service. Sleeping dogs (i.e., your customers) may be quiet, but that doesn’t mean they’re thrilled with your staffing firm – or even satisfied! Unhappy customers may never say a word to you because they: find confrontation stressful; worry that complaining will make… Continue reading
Pumpkin pie is good, but a dollop of whipped cream makes it irresistible. Turkey is tasty, but when it’s served with stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, it’s downright delicious. (Is it lunch time yet?) Most of us know how to make a Thanksgiving meal delightful. But when it comes to “wowing” staffing customers, what’s… Continue reading
Love a good story? I do – especially when it demonstrates a shareworthy service principle. I recently came across an article on the mental_floss site that presented 11 of the greatest customer service stories ever. I’ve chosen three of my favorites and summarized them below. If you need a quick break and want to smile,… Continue reading
I had a younger (than me) person tell me the other day, “Sometimes I think adults just don’t get the Internet.” I smiled and responded “Well, that’s interesting because we created it. Oh, and you’re welcome.” I will admit that there are many awesome things that my generation will go down in history for creating… Continue reading
This just in: Your staffing or recruiting firm’s success depends on the level of talent you attract. Ok, this isn’t news, really, but it’s important to remember! When we think about customer service, we logically focus on the client side of the equation. Clients place the orders; clients write the checks. But as the employment… Continue reading
Ever seen This is Spinal Tap? Admittedly, Nigel Tufnel is no poster child for customer service excellence. But I love the concept behind his Marshall amplifier that “goes to 11.” [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll7rWiY5obI?rel=0&w=420&h=315] In honor of this cult film classic “rockumentary,” here are some quick tips for taking customer loyalty to the next level, courtesy of… Continue reading
You don’t need an underground lair, a special security clearance or a thermonuclear laser-mabob to deliver shareworthy service. You need great listening skills! For those of you who weren’t paying attention the first time, I’ll say it again: “You need great listening skills!” Exceptional listening skills help you and your staff prevent misunderstandings, strengthen business… Continue reading
Are your employees equipped to resolve problems, leaving clients feeling positive and loyal? If one of your employees makes a service decision, does he know that you’ll back him up? If so, then enjoy the rest of your day – you already understand empowerment and obviously don’t need this post! Still reading? Most staffing and… Continue reading
“Silence is golden.” Really? Not from my perspective. In fact, when it comes to customer service, I think silence is dangerous. Here’s why: most unhappy customers will never say a word to you. They’ll just take their business elsewhere. According to consumer-complaint experts Nancy Stephens and Kevin P. Gwinner, co-authors of “Why Don’t Some People… Continue reading
Yes. Sure. Absolutely! Simply reading positive words like these makes us happy – which may explain why staffing and recruiting firms so often say “Yes” to customers when they should really say “No.” “But Victoria,” you ask, “Isn’t great customer service all about ‘going the extra mile’ to make clients happy?” Well, yes – and… Continue reading
When it comes to customer service, consumers are getting vocal. Spherion Staffing Services released the results of a survey showing that when consumers have a positive service experience, they are more likely than ever before to share their opinions – especially online. When consumers have a good service experience: 47% are likely to tell a… Continue reading
#3 – Thou shalt not take the name of thy customer in vain. #10 – Thou shalt not covet thy competitors’ service process. Okay, so these aren’t actually commandments of great customer service – I just thought they’d make for an interesting lead-in! But if you’re looking for a basic set of rules to help… Continue reading
When was the last time you received truly remarkable customer service? You know what I mean – the type of experience that was so exceptional, you felt compelled to talk, post or tweet about it? Now consider this: when is the last time a client received service from your company that was so special, they… Continue reading
My almost-one year old son Eli recently had a 4 night hospital stay. In one of his rooms at the hospital there was motivational sign with a picture of a sunny beach on it that said “Our goal is to provide very good service.” Now, our experience at the hospital was an excellent one, and… Continue reading
It starts off innocently enough. The client calls and requests something. “Of course we can do that for you, Mr. Client. We’ll try to get that back to you by Friday.” The call ends and the project begins. Oops – we forgot to ask all the people involved if they can meet that deadline. The problem is that Staff A is off on vacation, Staff B and C are fully booked since they have to cover Staff A’s work. And, Staff D cannot do the work required without assistance.
No problem. We’ll just call Mr. Client and let him know that it will be Monday instead. And here’s where the bottom falls out.
What you said is not the same as what was heard.
