Caution: Robots at Work

I stood in line at the grocery store behind a 5-year-old girl and her mother. As they approached the cashier, the little girl looked up at her mom and said, "Paper or plastic, Mommy?"

All the customers, including me, cracked up laughing. But when the laughter subsided, I overheard a number of side conversations taking place. People began chatting with one another about their awful customer service experiences. The more they shared, the more annoyed they sounded.

That little comment from an innocent child was a reflection of a big problem I call "robotism." Robotism occurs when customers are treated like numbers instead of human beings.

When evaluating the quality of your organization's customer service, it's important to focus considerable energy on the human side of the business. Look for ways to shift your service delivery from being task-oriented to relationship-oriented.

Task-oriented service focuses on getting the job done quickly and efficiently, "Thank you, have a nice day. Next!" But it does not add the human touch and does nothing to build positive, lasting relationships with your customers.

Because loyalty needs to be built one customer at a time, emphasis must to be placed on building rapport and trust through careful listening, empathy and personal touches such as using the customer's name. It is the customer's perception of his experience with your organization that can create or destroy loyalty. Evaluate the quality of service through the eyes of your customers.

Show Your Customers How They Can Save Money

The most important aspect of sales is going out and getting the customer. But getting customers is meaningless if you can't keep them. With each customer interaction you are either building or compromising your reputation and the reputation of your company. Due to tightening budgets and increased expenses, customers will greatly appreciate any effort you make that can help them to save money.

It's important to build trust with your customers by helping them to identify ways to get the most value when they make a purchase. When you show your customers how they can save money, you demonstrate that you have their best interest in mind. Customers are quickly turned off when they think all you care about is making the sale.

For example, I called Apple technical support to inquire why my son was unable to access the iTunes Store online. It had worked fine for two years, but lately he's been experiencing problems. The technical support representative who took the call looked up his serial number and said, "I'm sorry. His telephone technical support coverage has expired. You will need pay for additional coverage and I will be unable to assist you at this time."

I quickly replied, "Okay, but before I hang up, may I just ask you a quick question?"
"Sure." she said. Then she proceeded to spend twenty minutes on the phone helping me at no charge.

When I asked her why she decided to stick with me and waive the fee she said, "This was an unusual circumstance and, regardless of our policy, I just don't feel right brushing off a customer who has a legitimate complaint."

Was it worth it for her to waive the fee? You bet. I will be a loyal Apple customer for a long time to come just because she saved me time and money. She even went the extra mile when she followed up with an email that offered more suggestions on how to resolve this type of problem.

Here are some ways that you can create partnerships with your customers by helping them to save money:

• Bundle services or products and offer your customer a package discount.
• Show your customer time-saving ways to access your services.
• Teach your customers how they can handle their tasks more efficiently in order to save them money.
• Offer to use a less expensive shipping option.
• Pass along an annual "loyal customer" discount. Unexpectedly apply a 20% discount to an order just to thank your customer for doing business with you.
• Periodically waive a service or shipping fee.
• Give your customer more than he or she ordered. For example, I ordered workbooks from my printer for a seminar. The day I picked them up I received a call from my client saying there would be five additional participants. I asked the owner if she could quickly print five more books. She replied, "No problem, we already printed extra copies just in case something like this came up for you." She did not charge me for the extra workbooks.
• Throw in a surprise bonus for your regular customers, such as gift card, box of chocolates or a calendar.
• Be creative. A major client of mine mentioned that he was starting a remodeling project in his home. After I completed an on-site seminar for his company, I sent him a card thanking him for his business and enclosed a $25 Home Depot gift card to help him purchase supplies for his project.
• Offer discounts for large or pre-paid orders.
• Keep in mind that time is money for most people. Teach your customer time-saving tips. You can take it a step further by taking care of work they are normally asked to do, such as filling out paperwork.
• Don't nickel and dime your customers by tacking on small, insignificant service fees. For example, I do not charge my customers for mileage expenses when I present a program at a location within a 100 mile radius of my office.
• Ask your customers for suggestions on how you can provide more cost-effective services.
  Whatever you do, never come back to a customer and tell him or her that you need to charge more because you miscalculated the original quote. I worked with a vendor who was going to handle some editing for me. He quoted me a price of $65. When the job was completed, he sent me an invoice in the amount of $90. I called and said, "You made a mistake. You said it would cost $65."
• He replied, "Oh, yeah. I'm sorry, I misquoted and forgot to take into account your request for adding the sidebar quotes. It's actually $90 and that's a bargain." It didn't feel like a bargain to me and he was determined to stick to the invoiced amount. He got his $90, but at what price? I will never refer any customers to this gentleman and I now work with a different editor.

Your customers rely on you to be completely honest and they will love you when you can show them ways to save money.

Most businesses work in a vacuum. They spend their time just trying to keep up with day-to-day demands—rarely do they get a chance to observe what other businesses are doing and learn from them. From time to time, we need to pause, to step back from our routine, and look outside our walls. What’s going on “out there”? What are others doing in the business neighborhood? We should open a window and look out. We might all belong to different industries, but we share a single goal: to cement customer loyalty. What’s more, the principles that create customer loyalty cross industry lines. In that respect, we can all learn from each other, whether we bake pound cake for a living or operate an airline. You'll learn creative ways to exceed your customers' expectations when you order the instantly downloadable eBook, The Extra Mile-15 True Stories of Exceptional Customer Service.

Think Before You Speak

The package I dropped off at the post office had $3.00 too much postage on it. I had mistakenly used a flat-rate priority mail box, instead of the lower rate box. Since it weighed over a pound, I was required to hand it directly to one of the postal employees. After I turned in my package, I walked over to another area to pick up some envelopes.

The employee who had accepted my package apparently thought I had left. Holding my package up in the air, she yelled across the post office to a co-worker, "What an idiot. That woman put way too much postage on her package. She used the wrong box." Her embarrassed co-worker pointed out that I was standing less than 20 feet away and had heard her insult. So had all the other customers who were standing in line. Everyone was silent as they waited to see what would happen.

It was tempting to defend myself, but I was so angry that, rather than say anything, I just kept quiet. I smiled at the woman who had insulted me. Rather than apologizing, she started lecturing me by saying, "Well, you should have used the right box and weighed your package more carefully. You just wasted money."

Again, I didn't reply. Instead I headed for the door. Because I'm a regular customer, another employee ran after me to apologize on behalf of his co-worker. His explanation? "She doesn't always think before she speaks."

This was a blatant example of name calling, but less obvious examples of this problem take place in workplaces all the time. Your customers pick up on more than you think they do. If two employees are whispering to one another, customers may think they are the subject of the conversation.

When the offensive postal worker called on the next person in line, the customer responded, "No, thank you. I'll wait for a different window!" The other customers giggled and one gentleman applauded. I felt redeemed.

An employee who gossips or makes snide remarks about anyone in front of customers will quickly earn a reputation as unprofessional, immature and offensive. If at all possible, regular customers will go out of their way to avoid interactions with that employee. An employee who maintains a friendly, nonjudgmental demeanor, at all times, will earn the respect and appreciation of customers. He or she will also earn the positive attention of the boss. These types of employees are more likely to be promoted.

If your customer or a co-worker makes an obvious mistake, position yourself as a coach, rather than a critic. The postal employee could have earned huge points in my book if she had simply said, "Let me show you how you can save money on your future shipments."

You Are What You Sell

In my continuing quest to get in shape, or as my nephew says, "Get buff," I've taken up weight training...again. I was concerned about getting mangled because it's been awhile since I last used the equipment. So I signed up for a one-hour orientation with the "fitness trainer." I nearly popped a deltoid when she lumbered (not walked) in. She was at least fifty pounds overweight and looked like she had just rolled out of bed. I swear she was moving in slow motion. My trainer certainly wasn't the picture of fitness and my confidence in her credibility plummeted. Although she seemed to know what she was doing, it was hard for me to get motivated about training if she represented the final results.

Ironically, later that day I overheard a conversation between two people who were discussing the fact that they were looking for a new cardiologist. They didn't trust their doctor's advice because he was a chain-smoker who weighed in at about three hundred pounds.
You are what you sell.

For example:
I know a general manager of a radio station who never buys from vendors who drive messy cars. The visitor parking lot is right outside his office window. When a sales rep is calling on him, this manager checks to see if the rep's car is clean. After the meeting, he will even walk the rep out to his car so he can check the interior. If it's dirty and full of fast-food wrappers, he will not do business with that individual. He believes that if a sales rep doesn't care enough to maintain a professional image, he will be sloppy in his service delivery.

People who sell financial products are selling "hope." Their customers are hoping for financial security. That means the financial rep needs to present a picture of success. He or she must be well-dressed in tailored clothing, drive nice cars and carry a classy-looking briefcase.
In my role as The Loyalty Leader, I teach people how to build loyalty by delivering outstanding customer service. When people do business with me, they expect me to practice what I preach--the five keys to customer loyalty:

1. FAMILY
Use your customer's name at least three times in every conversation. Keep it natural sounding. -Remember personal details such as birthdays, children’s names and accomplishments.

2. FRIENDLY
Smile every time you are on the telephone. Demonstrate sincere enthusiasm when helping your customers.

3. FLEXIBLE
Think of yourself as your customer’s partner. Look for ways to bend the rules and remove service obstacles.

4. FOLLOW-UP
A follow-up phone call or handwritten note is a powerful loyalty-building tool. Thank your customers or co-workers sincerely and often.

5. FAST
Time is a person’s most precious commodity. Respect your customer's time and schedule. Regardless of what product or service your selling, your voice quality and personal image are the first thing your prospective customers will judge you on. You must convey enthusiasm, professionalism and clearly support your products through your actions. If you don't--you will not win your customer's trust or respect.

Debra J. Schmidt provides resources, sales training, customer service training and leadership training to help you keep more customers, sell more products and maximize employee performance.

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You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader®", helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. Learn more at: TheLoyaltyLeader.com

business
sales

Take Time To Praise Your Co-workers

Have you ever found yourself wishing for an occasional pat on the back? If so, you're not alone. It's only natural to want some credit for your hard work. One of the most common complaints in the workplace is about a lack of recognition or acknowledgment for a job well done.

Don't rely on your boss for recognition. Not all bosses are trained to be effective managers. Some are too busy or stressed out to take time to praise their employees. Recognition is a two-way street. It may be that the reason no one verbalizes their appreciation for the work that you do is because they feel unappreciated themselves. How easy it is to slip into the mindset that if nobody does anything for me, I'm certainly not going to do it for others!

That cycle has to stop somewhere, and it might as well be with you. When was the last time you gave any kind of positive recognition to your boss, your co-workers or the employees who report to you? Have you recently delivered a sincere, heart-felt compliment that had no strings attached to it? Employees need that kind of emotional support in their jobs in order to feel fulfilled in their work.

You need to take time to praise co-workers who have done a great job. I once worked at a company where we had business cards that read, "Great Job," "Outstanding Job," "Exceptionally Outstanding Job." There was a place to fill in the name of the employee and your name. We could hand them out to any employee who we felt deserved the praise. It was easy to observe the pride and happiness in the faces of the recipients of these cards. They felt honored that someone had recognized the fact that they had done their job well.

Sometimes employees get so competitive they feel that saying something nice about a co-worker would cause them to give up the edge they need in order to get ahead. Or, they only say something nice because they expect something in return.

Cooperation builds success. No employees today are independent of their co-workers. No one can succeed alone, no matter how great his or her ability. Business today is more than ever a question of cooperation. People will grant your requests if you appeal to their self-interest. Keep in mind that co-workers are your internal customers. They may be in some other department, employees in your own area, or your direct supervisor.

Maybe you've always thought of them as co-workers, or as people you work with rather than for, but make no mistake--these are your primary customers.

Get six special reports loaded with tips on how to improve your workplace and build positive co-worker relationships in the Workplace Improvement Special Report Bundle.

business

Patient Loyalty Begins With Doctors

Five years ago, the vice president of a large healthcare system called and said, "We're interested in hiring you to provide customer service training for the staff at all of our clinics."

A week later, I met with members of the executive team to discuss the company's training objectives. They described their goal of building patient loyalty in their outpatient clinics. They were ready to invest in a major training initiative to improve the customer service and communication skills of their clinical staff. I was excited about the prospect of acquiring a lucrative training contract with this prestigious firm.

Then I asked the fatal question, "Will the doctors be required to attend?"

The group let out a collective gasp and the CEO said, "Oh, no. This is just for the nurses and support staff. The doctors would never agree to attend customer service training. They're too busy."

I replied, "But the training will only be effective if it's a top-down initiative. Some doctors are weak in their customer service skills. Many don't set the tone for building patient loyalty because they don't treat their staff as internal customers."

The team was surprised when I told them I would need to decline the training contract unless the doctors were required to participate. I explained that I was concerned that employee morale would decline if doctors were not held accountable for delivering the same quality of customer service required by the rest of the staff.

After more discussion, the team asked me if I would be willing to present a keynote to a group of doctors as a sample of the longer training seminar. I agreed and, a few weeks later, the company offered me the training contract. I would be responsible for training all the clinical staff including the doctors.

Due to their hectic schedules, the training seminars for the doctors were held during evening hours. To my amazement, the majority of these individuals attended with an enthusiastic attitude and embraced the learning. Many admitted that they had not considered the impact of internal customer service on their own staff. They also did not realize how much their behavior toward their co-workers was a model for how the rest of the staff behaved toward the patients.

The doctors liked to poke fun at me and started calling my training seminars, "Deb Schmidt's Charm School." I didn't mind. I enjoyed their humor and was rewarded with scores of phone calls and emails from staff members thanking me for involving the doctors in the training. They indicated that there was a marked difference in the way co-workers were communicating with one another, resulting in an atmosphere of respect and consideration.

Recently, I was buying a cup of coffee when one of these physicians walked over and said, "I don't know if you remember me but I attended your customer service training a few years back. I just wanted to let you know, I'm still being nice!"

Today’s clinics are losing patients and employees in record numbers. Patient loyalty is on the decline, but many clinics are treating the symptoms instead of the causes of their patient retention problems. Set your goals to create loyal patients. But keep in mind that patient loyalty starts with the internal customers—employees and co-workers; and it’s a top-down initiative. It must start with the doctors.

In a June, 2006 Loyalty Leader Survey, 68% of respondents reported "a doctor who takes time to answer all their questions" is the most important aspect of service in a doctor's office or clinic.

Consider the following:

· If employees are unhappy, you’re probably losing patients as a result. On average, American companies lose half of their employees every four years and half of their customers every five years. This suggests that employee attrition may have a significant impact on patient loyalty.

· Workplace attitudes are significantly affected by the way employees are treated by their bosses. One of the most important aspects of improving patient retention is a total commitment by the doctors to building patient loyalty. This commitment must be demonstrated daily at all levels of the organization for the employees to clearly observe it.

· Patient loyalty is the responsibility of everyone within the organization. In order to create a loyalty-focused culture, customer service training needs to start at the top.

· Doctors also need to recognize that their employees are their primary customers. Employees deserve and expect the same caring service that is given to the patients.

· Patient loyalty is earned by consistently exceeding patient and employee expectations through outstanding service. This level of service can be achieved only when doctors are held accountable for their internal customer service skills--in other words, for how they deal with their employees and co-workers.

health
business

Old Fashioned Service Still Counts

The Walgreen's chain was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901. It started out as a drug store with a fanatically customer-oriented owner, Charles R. Walgreen, Sr.

There is a notable and often told story of how Mr. Walgreen would deliver the drugs to his customers in the early days of Walgreens. A customer would call the pharmacy and place an order for medication. Mr. Walgreen would repeat back the order loud enough so that his assistant could hear it. The assistant would then fill the prescription and deliver the order to the customer's home while Mr. Walgreen continued the phone conversation.

Often times, the customer would need to interrupt his phone conversation with Mr. Walgreen, saying, "Oh, someone's at the door. Could you excuse me for a moment?" When he answered the door, he was surprised by the assistant, who handed him the prescription he had ordered just minutes earlier. Customers started telling their family, friends and neighbors about this amazing service. Word-of-mouth spread quickly and Walgreens expanded throughout the United States.

The type of service outlined in the Walgreen's story seems old fashioned in this day and age. High volumes of orders, lack of time, cost and staffing limitations all present barriers. But even with these challenges, it is still possible to deliver amazing customer service. As a matter of fact, it's easier than ever to exceed customer expectations. In most instances, time-starved customers don't expect your undivided attention. They simply want good, old fashioned service that is delivered by a friendly person.

It doesn't matter how great a company's customer service philosophy looks on paper, exceptional customer service is only as good as the employees who are interacting with the customers. It's really quite simple. Just follow these old fashioned principles:

• Extend old fashioned courtesies. Say "please" and "thank you" to your customers.
• Wear an old fashioned smile, even when you're on the phone.
• Warm up the conversation by taking a few extra minutes to chat with your customers.
• Treat your customers with old fashioned respect. Honor their busy schedules by removing service obstacles that waste their time, such as voicemail systems that are difficult to navigate.
• Wear clothing that reflects good taste and send a message of old fashioned professionalism.
• Demonstrate old fashioned patience when listening to your customer's concerns.
• Remember that without these customers, you wouldn't have a good old fashioned job!

You'll learn down-to-earth, good old-fashioned customer service basics from our training DVD, Achieving Customer Loyalty--Boosting Profits Through Retention.

business

Disengaged Employees Don't Care

You can bet that quarterback Kyle Orton cared deeply about his team and was committed to winning when he lead the Chicago Bears to eight consecutive victories last year. You know he was motivated when he won 10 games as a starter in his first NFL season. The team rewarded his motivation by bumping him to the position of third string quarterback. Orton was benched last year in the middle of a game, because the team was "struggling." It'll be interesting to see if he continues to care enough to do his best for the team--that is, if he ever gets a chance to play again.

Now I'm no expert on football but I was struck by how similar Kyle Orton's situation is to loyal employees who have worked hard for a company for years, only to be bumped when a new "star" is hired. They look on from the sidelines and feel unappreciated for their loyalty to the company. There are many employees who show up on time every day, treat their co-workers with respect and deliver quality work, only to be taken for granted by their managers.

The Gallup Organization, famous for it's research, estimates that 70 percent of employees are "disengaged," meaning they're no longer committed to the company. It's evident in positions from executive officers to front-line employees. This "I don't care attitude" is hurting businesses in a big way. What's going on? Why all the apathy? It could be that the wrong employees are being rewarded.

Most organizations want to blame employee apathy on wages and benefits, but they actually do not play a big role in why people stop caring about their jobs. The overwhelming majority of employees stop caring because of the way they are treated every day. Surveys show that lack of appreciation, lack of teamwork and the perception that the company doesn't care about loyal employees are consistently the highest-ranked reasons for low job satisfaction.

Many managers are nice people who manage by negative reinforcement--demonstrated not by what they do but, rather, by what they don't do. Chances are, these same managers are focusing their energy and attention on those employees with behavioral problems. If loyal employees aren't recognized and appreciated for their contributions, they'll be far less motivated to care about the success of the company. Sometimes, even the best employees will go through rough spots but will bounce back with more energy and loyalty when the company stands behind them with clearly defined expectations, quality training and positive feedback.

Gallup estimates that actively disengaged workers in the United States miss 118.3 million more work days per year than their actively engaged counterparts. Harder to measure are their higher healthcare, workers’ compensation, and safety costs.

But disengaged employees who show up and simply go through the motions of work cause the biggest problem. It's reflected in everything they don’t do and their constant complaints. It’s the negative effect their attitudes have on their co-workers and customers. This problem has become so common as to create a new word, "presenteeism."

Gallup found that the cumulative effect of disengaged employees consistently reduces customer loyalty, sales and profit margins. An "I don't care" attitude by employees translates to an "I don't care to do business with you" attitude by customers.

You can learn how attitude affects your personal and career success in Special Report #10 How to Pave Your Road to Success With a Positive Attitude

business

Beating the Pricing Pressure Blues

The owner of a small business was complaining to me that her sales are down. She told me that her customers are continually asking, "Why don't you have more sales and discounted merchandise at your store?" To try to meet their demands, she held a two-week sale at the end of December where every item in the store was discounted. She offers her customers a 10% discount every Friday, and regularly sends emails to her approximately 5,000 customers to notify them of other special sale offers.

This woman is experiencing a bad case of the pricing pressure blues. She refers to it as the "Wal-Mart mentality," where customers expect everything to always be the lowest price possible. The pressure to keep lowering and defending prices can be draining and demoralizing to business owners, customer service support professionals and sales reps. This creates a downward spiral that causes burnout and frustration. It can even cause a business to close its doors permanently.

There is no such thing as a pricing problem--only a marketing problem. If you are experiencing the pricing pressure blues, it means that you have not differentiated your business sufficiently to make people more willing to buy from you. Differentiation is what makes people want to buy from you rather than buying from the guy down the street. When a business is properly differentiated, it will stand out with the customers and create a situation where customers are willing to pay the higher price. Employees rarely have to defend prices when their company successfully markets the value of its products and the expertise of its staff. Business owners and employees need to focus on differentiating their business from their competitors.

Customers are willing to pay premium prices for products and services when the perceived value is high. For example, take a look at how much people are willing to pay for a cup of coffee at Starbucks. They don't discount their products, they simply make sure each customer feels like they're getting something special for his or her money. How does Starbucks do it? They customize every cup of coffee. The employees learn and use the customers' names. They recognize that a customer's time is valuable, so the employees fly around at top speed to honor that priority. They market their coffee as the "finest," and they invite their customers to stick around and feel at home with fireplaces and wireless Internet services. When a customer walks into Starbucks, they are buying an "experience," not a cup of coffee.

Price is one of the most dangerous ways to differentiate a business. It's a lose-lose proposition because there will always be someone more desperate who will lower their price. Wal-mart does it successfully because it's huge and has access to considerable resources. Rather than fighting the Wal-mart mentality, you need to discover what makes your business, products or services unique.

Find out what matters most to your customers. Is it status, convenience, saving time, your expertise or measurable results? You need to find out how your customers are making their buying decisions for the types of products or services you offer. Ask your current customers these questions:

"What did you like about doing business with us?"
"What other companies, products or services did you research?"
"Why did you decide to buy from us?"
"How did we help you to meet your objectives?"
"What would you tell others about our company, products or services?"

Business success is all about being different in ways that provide greater value to customers. Every person and business has a WOW factor. In order to differentiate, you need to know your WOW. It's comprised of those unique characteristics that will set you apart from your competition. It gives your customers and prospects something to remember you by. When you discover and learn how to market your WOW, you can add real power to your marketing efforts, boost your sales and overcome the pricing pressure blues.

You can learn how to differentiate your business on the Teleseminar CD: What's Your WOW? How to Set Yourself Apart From the Competition.

business

Thank Your Customers Every Chance You Get

The words are simple enough to say--"thank you." Then why is it so rare for customers to hear them? What's even more rare is for customers to see those words in writing.

Consumers are starved for recognition. They want to be noticed, valued and appreciated by the people with whom they do business. A primary reason that customers stop doing business with a company is because they don't hear those words, or they're not communicated with sincerity.

Thanking your customers needs to be at the top of your daily "to do" list. When customers receive a handwritten "thank you" note with no strings attached, it is a powerful way to let them know they are truly valued.

It's easy and fun to send notes to your customers. Just set aside 10-15 minutes each day to write three notes. It's just that simple. By the end of the week, you'll have sent 15 "thank you" notes. Now, imagine if every employee in your company took the time to send three "thank you" notes each day. That's a lot of customer appreciation! Here are four ways that a handwritten "thank you" note builds customer loyalty:

1. It's unexpected.

Customers simply do not expect to feel appreciated. A simple thank you note will surprise your customers and give them something positive about your company to tell their friends. That's why it's so important to send a "thank you" with no strings attached. Don't enclose your business card or information about a "special offer." Keep the message pure.

2. It's personal.

Don't use a label for the envelope. A handwritten address and note is more likely to be opened and read by your customer. The fact that you were willing to take the extra time needed to write the message tells your customer that you are sincere.

3. It's classy.

Handwritten "thank you" notes are viewed as outdated. In the old days, it was considered a disgrace to forget to send a "thank you" note to someone who has done something nice for you. You can probably think of times when your kind deeds or gifts have gone unacknowledged. Every time a customer chooses to do business with you, he or she is giving you a gift. Employees that send handwritten "thank you" notes will stand out from the crowd because it is a classy thing to do.

4. It's contagious.

The more "thank you" notes you send, the more "seeds" of goodwill you plant. This will benefit you and the company for which you work. Your customers will recognize that you do value them. When customers feel appreciated, they are generally more pleasant and refer more business.

Thank your customers when:

-They refer a new customer. This one's important because word-of-mouth advertising is what keeps a company healthy.

-They suggest how you could improve service or other aspects of the business. When your customers feel they've been heard, they automatically feel valued.

-They reach milestone anniversaries as a loyal customer; one year, five years, ten years, etc. A little gift could be included with these "thank you" notes.

-They've been patient with service glitches such as a delayed shipping dates, long telephone hold times, web site problems, or other issues. This lets your customers know that you recognize the value of their time.

-They've made your day brighter due to their positive attitudes. It's a great way to guarantee more smiles in the future.

-They purchased a product or service based on your recommendation. Your customers haven taken some risk when they trust you enough to act on your advice.

-They compliment you, especially in front of another customer or better yet--your boss. Customers like to hear that their positive comments made a difference.

-They complain and give you the opportunity to resolve the problem. These customers care enough to give your company a second chance.

-They turn down your sales pitch because your product or service wasn't the right fit for them. Just because a customer or prospect says "no" doesn't mean there won't be another opportunity to do business with them in the future.

You can learn many more ways to thank your customers from the amazing stories in The Extra Mile: 15 True Stories of Exceptional Customer Service. This eBook is instantly downloadable so you can read it today!

business

Drain the Swamp Instead of Fighting the Alligators

My son needed a haircut so I took him to a local salon. After waiting only a few minutes, I said to the receptionist, "It's freezing in here."

She replied, "I know. Our customers are always complaining that it's too cold."

"Why don't you turn down the air conditioning?" I asked.

"The owner likes it this way."

I went to my bank to make a deposit. All the pens attached to the chains were out of ink. I had to wait several minutes to get an employee's attention so I could request a pen. I said, "All the pens are dry."

"I know." She said. "Our pens are always running out of ink."

The climate of the building needs to be set with the comfort of the customers in mind. If your customers complain about being too hot or cold, adjust the settings.

Banking customers need pens. When they're chained to the counter, it's a message to the customer that he or she cannot be trusted. Banks should put out a whole tray of pens with the company name, web address and phone number on them. That way, if a customer does take one along, it will provide that customer with easy access to important information about the bank.

Think about the times when you've complained about an inconvenience and an employee responded, " I know. Our customers complain about that all the time."

Your customer complaints are alligators. If several customers complain, you've got a swamp full of alligators. When a business hears the same complaint from more than one customer, it's time to drain the swamp. Get rid of the problem that's attracting the gators.

If you know that something is annoying your customers, change it. Otherwise, they will eventually go away. Customers are too valuable to ignore their feedback. There's no point in listening to your customer's complaint if nothing is going to be done to fix the problem. Dealing with the same complaints over and over wastes a considerable amount of employee time that could be better-spent building positive relationships with customers.

Dissatisfied customers are gold. It's not mistakes that drive customers away; it's the way the mistakes are handled. When customer complaints are handled properly, loyalty increases.

To learn how to actually build loyalty while handling customer complaints, you can order the Teleseminar CD: How to Build Loyalty With Angry Customers.

You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader®", helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. Learn more at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/

customer service

Increase Your Television Sponsorship Odds

When you approach a television station to request a media sponsorship for your event, you are in competition with hundreds of other organizations with equally worthy causes. Here are some ways to help your event stand out in the crowd.

Know Your Message.

Television stations are interested in airing messages that offer mass audience appeal, exciting images and revenue opportunities. Your event or message also needs to have at least one of the following elements:

• Uniqueness—the event offers something new, unusual or exciting to the attendees: an opportunity to meet a well-known celebrity, “behind the scene” tours, a chance to be a “star” for a day, etc.
• Relevance—the topic enhances public understanding of a pressing issue: cancer prevention, domestic abuse, hunger, etc.
• Human Interest—the message is of interest to many people because it evokes a strong emotional response: terminally ill child, family in need, response to a crisis, etc.
  

Do Your Homework.

View the television station you are interested in. Pay attention to its format, community focus and on-air talent. Most television stations have annual themes and “pet causes.” As you are watching, ask yourself, “Does our event and message fit with this station’s focus?”

Know the Gatekeepers.

Historically, the community affairs director has been the gatekeeper for determining which events to sponsor. However, this role is shifting. Sales managers look for events that can create revenue-producing opportunities. News directors are interested in events that will give high visibility to the talent and increase news ratings.

Two effective avenues for connecting with the gatekeepers include:

Meeting with the Editorial Board—A team of station managers who review proposals and story ideas.

Call the station and ask to be scheduled as a guest at an editorial board meeting.

• When you arrive for the meeting, bring no more than one other person with you.
• Come prepared.
• Present a proposal that is no more than two pages long—do not bombard them with tons of material about your organization.
• Get directly to the point and tell the board members specifically what you expect from the station

Cultivating Relationships—This does not mean wining and dining station personnel.

Instead, look for ways to cultivate relationships by:

• Providing them with newsworthy opportunities and support throughout the year. Friendship and networking go a long way in pursuing television sponsorships.
• Respecting their deadlines and high volume of calls.
• Understanding that they are media sponsors, not event planners.
• Not expecting a lot of expensive production time and assistance.
• Accepting their decision gracefully if your event is turned down.
• Sending thank-you notes to everyone at the station who has met with you or provided services to your organization.

Good planning will make your event fit the objectives of the television industry. Focus on forming a partnership with your local television station to offer an event that has clear-cut benefits for both organizations. By doing so, you will increase your odds of getting airtime.

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You have permission to reprint this article in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your e-zine. Please use the entire article, Debra Schmidt’s byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. The Loyalty Leader™, leads businesses to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. Subscribe to her free email newsletter at TheLoyaltyLeader.com

special events

event planning

publicity

Are You Delighting Your Customers?

You have the opportunity every day to build loyalty by exceeding the expectations of your internal and external customers. Caring, personalized service builds positive relationships, one customer at a time. Because this type of service is rare these days, customers are delighted when they receive it, and their loyalty to the company grows.

Take this short quiz as a self-assessment to see if you are delightingyour customers.

1. I understand that my co-workers are also my customers and that we are all part of a customer service chain.

True False

2. I take ownership of my customers' problems and do everything possible to avoid having to transfer their call to another area.

True False

3. I use my customers' name at least three times in every conversation.

True False

4. I listen very carefully to what my customers are telling me, so that I can clearly understand their needs and feelings.

True False

5. When my customers are upset, I sincerely try to empathize with their concerns and try to put myself in their place.

True False

6. I always assume that my customers are being honest.

True False

7. I try to be flexible in order to meet the needs of my customers.

True False

8. I try to do what is best for my customers, not what is easiest for me.

True False

9. I smile a lot, even when I am on the telephone, because I know that my customers can "hear" a smile.

True False

10. I look for ways to build loyalty even when I can't provide the service that my customer has requested.

True False

If you had 7-10 'True' responses, CONGRATULATIONS! You are consistently delighting your customers and building customer loyalty.

If you had 4-6 'True' responses, you're on your way to building loyalty but there's more opportunity to improve your service skills

If you had less than three 'True' responses, you will benefit from customer service skill training.

You can order Special Report #11 to print the complete 25-question, customer loyalty test that includes a loyalty building tip for eachquestion, at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/special-reports.html

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You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader®", helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. Learn more at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/

customer care

Loyalty Is Built Through C.A.R.I.N.G. Service

Voicemail, automated phone systems, email and other technology have replaced the personal touch when it comes to customer service. Customer frustrations are on the rise. Their number one complaint?--no one really seems to care anymore.

Your customer can tell the difference between satisfactory service and caring service. Satisfactory service is what most customers expect. This type of service focuses on completing a task rather than building a relationship with the customer.

The market often talks of customer satisfaction, a deceptive phrase because it sounds better than it is. Would you have wanted a grade of satisfactory in school? Probably not. Satisfactory implies adequate, good enough, acceptable. Customers who are merely satisfied with your business can be wooed away by others who offer something better.

Customers are discouraged by poor service and expectations are low. The simple gesture of showing your customers that you care about them will be a welcome surprise compared to the apathy they experience elsewhere.

Building customer loyalty boils down to one simple concept—C.A.R.I.N.G.:

C = Consistent

Customer loyalty is earned. Commit to delivering exceptional service with every customer interaction, every day. Show your customers that you value their business by taking ownership of their concerns. Provide each of your customers with respect, friendliness and knowledge. Maintain a positive attitude. Deliver consistent quality and sign your work with excellence.

A = Attentive

Take time to listen carefully to your customers. Don’t rush through service or view your customer as an interruption of your work. Your customer is the reason you are there. Focus on what he or she needs and avoid distractions so you can give your customer 100% of your attention.

R = Reliable

When you make a promise to a customer—keep it. Take responsibility for meeting your customers’ needs. Project a professional image through the way you dress. Return phone calls and respond to email messages promptly. Maintain order in your workspace. Be completely honest with your customers. Build your reputation of reliability through clear communications, accuracy and consistent follow-through. The way you interact with customers and do your work speaks volumes about the type of person you are.

I = Individualized

No two customers are alike. Each customer has individual needs and concerns. Pay attention to your customer’s tone of voice and actions. Learn how to respond to your customer based on their particular style. A dominant customer may seem impatient and will want to control the situation to get his or her desired results. A shy customer may need assurance and guarantees. An outgoing customer may require more “chat” time. You can build rapport quickly by learning to respond appropriately with each type of customer.

N = Notable

Word-of-mouth is the most powerful marketing campaign of all. Give your customers quality service that they can brag about. Greet each customer as you would a friend—someone you are glad to speak with. Surprise and delight your customers with unexpected service such as a follow-up phone call or handwritten “thank you” note. A warm, friendly response to a complaint will exceed most customers’ expectations.

G = Generous

Look for opportunities to go the extra mile for your customers. Congratulate your customers on their achievements—when they’ve been appointed to a board, won an award, received a promotion, etc. Reward your loyal customers with a surprise “thank you” gift—a box of chocolates, gift card, calendar, etc. Be generous with your compliments about the way they’re dressed or their pleasant attitude. Learn their names and ask about their families. If you don’t have the item your customer wants, offer to find one at another location before he or she asks.

People are loyal to a business when they feel they’ve been treated well and received good value for their money. Customer service goes a long way toward pleasing customers on both counts.

C.A.R.I.N.G customer service means going out of your way for customers, doing everything possible to meet their needs, and sometimes making decisions that benefit customers, even at the expense of the company.

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You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader®", helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. To subscribe to Debra's free email newsletter visit: www.TheLoyaltyLeader.com

customer service

Are You a Possibility Thinker?

My first management position started out as a nightmare. I was a brand new employee for a mid-sized corporation and I inherited a team of eight talented employees who reported directly to me. They were pleasant enough but after two weeks on the job, I began to be filled with dread. Each day was full of interruptions as I dealt with a steady parade of employees marching into my office and complaining about some issue. Their complaints included the personality problems of other employees, technical problems, communication problems, computer failures and mail delivery. You name it...I heard about it.

It was driving me nuts. I started making inquiries about my predecessor in order to learn more about her management style. Other managers shared their impressions of her. "Very nice," they said. "Always willing to listen and always taking care of everyone."

The more I learned about her, the more I discovered that she had viewed her management role as that of a parent and psychotherapist for her employees. There was almost an atmosphere of co-dependency. Everybody was blaming everything and everyone else for their problems at work.

I needed to put a stop to the complaining and help my employees become a team of possibility thinkers. So I established a "solution only"policy. No employee was allowed to enter my office to complain about anything unless they had written down at least three possible solutions to the problem.

At first they were a little angry. Most of them had acquired the habit of dumping the problem on their manager's shoulder and letting the boss figure out the solution. But after awhile, everyone started to get the hang of it--including me.

My days became more productive because there were less interruptions. Before an employee strolled in to discuss a concern, they had to carefully think through the possible solutions and write them down. More often than not, they didn't even need to talk to me about it because once they came up with a solution, they also realized that they were able to implement it themselves.

Our staff meetings also became more dynamic. They were no longer boring reporting sessions. At each meeting, the team would identify a key issue that they wanted to get resolved. Then we would brainstorm all the possible solutions to that issue. Each employee took turns at facilitating the meetings. Creative ideas abounded.

When you have a whole team of possibility thinkers, there is a greater sense of ownership. Everyone becomes part of the solution. It creates a far more pleasant environment and reduces stress. Be patient, because possibility thinking does not come naturally to everyone but it can be learned.

Take this quick quiz to find out if you're a possibility thinker:

--Are you willing to begin a new project without being absolutely guaranteed of its success? --Will you start working on a new idea before you have every single fact?

--Do you concentrate on the ways something can be done instead of looking for reasons why it won't work?

--Are you inclined to accept a solution to a problem, even when you can't visualize it?

--Do you immediately point out the advantages of an idea before you point out the disadvantages?

--Are you open to doing old tasks in new ways?

--Do you ever accept a new idea even if you have already made other plans?

If you answered "yes" to these questions, congratulations--you are a possibility thinker and the sky's the limit.

If you answered "no" to these questions, you may be limiting your opportunity for personal success or the success of your team. You may also be making yourself unnecessarily unhappy.

Whether you're the boss or working for him or her, possibility thinking will enhance self-esteem, foster better work relations and improvec ommunication. Possibility thinkers resolve problems faster and make everyone's day more productive and enjoyable.

You'll find other tips related to possibility thinking in these special reports:

#3 "Workplace Dynamics: Co-Workers--Cooperation Builds Success"
#15 "How to Plan and Facilitate Productive Meetings"
#10 "How to Pave Your Road to Success With a Positive Attitude"
http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/special-reports.html

employee retention

Do You Work For A Loyalty-Focused Company?

How does the company for which you work measure up when it comes to building customer loyalty? Find out if your company is loyalty focused with this Loyalty Scorecard.

Give your company 5 points for every "True" answer.

1. Our company has clearly defined customer standards and they are frequently communicated to employees.

True or False

2. Our employees are empowered to take ownership and resolve customer problems by offering creative solutions.

True or False

3. Our employees understand that co-workers are their primary customers and that we are all part of a customer service chain.

True or False

4. The top managers in our company are required to participate in customer service training.

True or False

5. Employees in every department are held accountable for the same quality of customer service that is expected of front-line employees.

True or False

6. Employees are allowed to bend the rules whenever possible in order to meet the needs of our customers.

True or False

7. Employees are encouraged to follow up with every customer who had been angry, upset or had a complex service problem resolved.

True or False

8. Our employees can recommend a competitor when our company cannot provide the service or product that a customer has requested.

True or False

9. On performance reviews, employees are rewarded for excellent customer service skills.

True or False

10. Employees in our organization feel valued and appreciated.

True or False

11. Employees with positive attitudes are more likely to be recognized and promoted.

True or False

12. Rude or unpleasant employees are terminated after disciplinary measures fail to change their negative behavior towards customers and co-workers.

True or False

13. Employees are given frequent opportunities to grow professionally and personally through training programs offered in our organization.

True or False

14. Our CEO or president is visible and takes time to get to know employees at all levels of the company.

True or False

15. Great employee ideas on how to improve customer service are heard and implemented.

True or False

Scorecard Results--If your company scored:

55-75 Points--Congratulations, you work for a loyalty-focused company.

30-50 Points--The company is on its way to being loyalty focused, but there is significant opportunity for improvement.

0-25 Points--Your company may need to assess its service standards, offer additional training and review customer service accountabilityat all levels of the organization.

Customer loyalty is the responsibility of every employee within anorganization. It is earned by building positive relationships, one customer and co-worker at a time. It is a well-known fact that loyalty-focused companies outperform their competitors. Loyal customers are more pleasant to deal with. They purchase more products, refer new customers and are more forgiving when problems occur.

[Customer Loyalty]

Achieving customer loyalty is easy when you understand customerexpectations and how you can surprise and delight them through friendly,fast and flexible service. You will learn how in "Achieving CustomerLoyalty." It is now available in video and DVD formats at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/customer-loyalty-box-seminar.html

You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper,magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All Iask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifierparagraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader," helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. You can subscribe to Debra's free email newsletter packed with loyalty building tips at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/

customer loyalty

What Do People Really Want From Their Jobs?

Managers and employees are often not in agreement about what they believe are the most important aspects of a job, especially as they relate to employee morale and satisfaction.

Rank the following based on which items you believe contribute most to good employee morale. Rank the items from 1-10, assigning 1 to the most important item, 2 to the second most important, etc. Use all 10 numbers.

-High Wages

-Job Security

-Promotion in the Company

-Good Working Conditions

-Interesting Work

-Personal Loyalty of Manager

-Tactful Discipline

-Full Appreciation of Work Done

-Help with Personal Problems

-Feeling of Being in on Things

You can compare your responses to the national average based on thousands of workers around the country.

When managers were asked to rank the importance of these items as they relate to employee responses, they ranked the items in this order:

1. High wages
2. Job security
3. Promotion in the company
4. Good working conditions
5. Interesting work
6. Personal loyalty of supervisor
7. Tactful discipline
8. Full appreciation of work done
9. Help with personal problems
10. Feeling of being in on things

When employees were given the same exercise and asked what affects their morale the most, their answers followed this pattern:

1. Full appreciation of work done
2. Feeling of being in on things
3. Help with personal problems
4. Job security
5. High wages
6. Interesting work
7. Promotion in the company
8. Personal loyalty of supervisor
9. Good working conditions
10. Tactful discipline

Note that the top three items marked by employees are the last three felt to be important by their managers!

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You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader®," helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. You can subscribe to Debra's free email newsletter packed with loyalty tips at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/

No Email Fridays

Email is a great productivity tool, right? Wrong! Email use is out of control. Employee relationships are breaking down because co-workers are avoiding face to face conversations and even phone conversations. They're hiding behind email.

The more email you send, the more you get. Employees everywhere are reporting that they are spending two hours per day dealing with email. Managers at one company in Liverpool, England estimates that its 6,000 employees send each other 40,000 messages a day.

Here are just a few of the negative consequences when co-workers send email instead of talking to one another:

-There is increased gossip and mistrust.

-Issues are not addressed and resolved quickly.

-Silos are formed creating an "us vs. them" work environment.

-Co-worker empathy decreases because employees are simply not getting to know each other.

-There is frequent miscommunication and misunderstanding.

Business leaders all over the world are concerned about email over-use and abuse and are taking a stand. "Never on Friday" is becoming a common theme where all internal email is banned every Friday.

You can establish a "no email" policy one day a week, even if your company doesn't establish an email ban.

-Meet with your co-workers face to face.

-Pick up the phone and call someone--a customer, co-worker or vendor.

-Get up and walk to another department to chat with members of the team with whom you deal.

-In sales? Get out to the field and meet with your customers.

Ironically, one executive sent an email to employees announcing the Friday email ban. He said he looked forward to not hearing from his employees but encouraged them to "stop by as often as they like!"

You could take the idea a step farther by introducing other "no technology" days such as no cell phones on Monday, no PDAs on Tuesday, no web surfing on Wednesdays and no memos on Thursday.

Imagine...people might actually start talking to each other again!

###

You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader"®, helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. You can subscribe to Debra's free email newsletter packed with loyalty tips at: www.TheLoyaltyLeader.com

For more ideas on workplace manners, etiquette and building positive co-worker relationships, check out these special reports:

#3 "Workplace Dynamics: Co-Workers--Cooperation Builds Success"

#7 "Do's and Don'ts of Workplace Communications"#10 "How to Pave Your Road to Success With a Positive Attitude"

#14 "Email Etiquette for Business"

#15 "How to Plan and Facilitate Productive Meetings"

All are available at: http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/special-reports.html

Manners In The Workplace

Lack of manners are affecting employee morale, lowering productivity and generally making the workplace a less pleasant environment. This can have major implications when you consider how much time you spend at work. We owe it to our co-workers to treat them with respect and dignity.

Here are a few of the more common occurrences of bad manners in the workplace:

--Self-righteous or rude behavior toward co-workers who smoke. If someone's smoking is bothering you in a shared space such as a lunchroom, be honest and ask them politely to put out their cigarette. If it is the only area where employees are permitted to smoke, you may need to find an alternative place to eat your lunch.

Of course, smokers need to be considerate, too. If you know that your smoking is bothering someone or the smell of smoke on your clothes may be offensive to a co-worker, take steps to do your part in resolving those issues.

--Borrowing pens, staplers, tape and other items from a co-worker's desk without permission is bad manners. Taking items home is theft.

--Hugging, touching, nudging and backslapping are generally considered to be gestures that imply too much familiarity or intimacy. Many people consider them offensive.

--Addressing co-workers as "honey," "doll," "dear," "dude," or "buddy" send a message of condescension because these words are perceived by many as derogatory terms.

Here's what you can do to demonstrate good manners and create a more respectful environment:

--Say "please" and "thank you" frequently.

--Contribute your fair share to housekeeping duties, coffee funds, treats and gifts.

--Be respectful of your co-workers' time and personal space by not interrupting them while they are working.

--Don't discuss topics such as religion, health, politics or personal issues that have the potential for creating tension or making others feel uncomfortable.

--Don't view legitimate co-worker questions as interruptions but rather, view them as opportunities to be helpful and professional.

###

You have permission to reprint any of my articles in your newspaper, magazine, trade publication, at your Web site or in your ezine. All I ask is that you use the entire article, my byline and this identifier paragraph:

Debra J. Schmidt, a.k.a. "The Loyalty Leader"®, helps companies boost their profits by leading them to greater customer, employee and brand loyalty. You can subscribe to Debra's free email newsletter packed with loyalty tips at: www.TheLoyaltyLeader.com

For more ideas on workplace manners, etiquette and building positiveco-worker relationships, check out these special reports:

#3 "Workplace Dynamics: Co-Workers--Cooperation Builds Success"

#7 "Do's and Don'ts of Workplace Communications"#10 "How to Pave Your Road to Success With a Positive Attitude"

#14 "Email Etiquette for Business"

#15 "How to Plan and Facilitate Productive Meetings"

All are available at:http://www.theloyaltyleader.com/special-reports.html