Dear Guy who Works at the COBS Bread in Westhills,
Do you know that I am in complete awe of you? I go out of my way to buy my bread from this one specific location because of you.
You speak to every customer with such kindness and authenticity. Your professionalism is always maintained, and your smile is unwavering and welcoming. You embody all that it is to provide exceptional customer service.
Love always,
Your besotted customer
Customer Service is always a hot topic. We want good customer service, enjoy complaining about bad customer service, and want to provide our staff with the tools they need to deliver outstanding customer service. So how is it that in all of the infinite customer service based professional positions that a man working for COBS Bread just gets it?
Customer Service is much more than a financial transaction. Often times we confuse the concept of customer service with giving the person what they asked for; the act of completing a transaction or a sale. Many years ago, organizations realized that in order to be successful they needed to provide their customers with an experience that showed they cared. Organizations started to look at other companies to see what they were doing well and did their best to then standardize these practices. A common customer service ‘fail’ that we see so often is the scripted greeting: greet customer, smile, ask what you can do for them, and thank them once transaction is complete. So, what is the problem with this script? Once recited there is silence.
Professionals who succeed in customer service roles understand the need to provide customers with an emotional experience. And no matter how hard we try, this experience cannot be standardized. There is a fantastic definition of customer service outlined by Toma Kulbyte. He says “Customer experience is your customers’ perception of how the company treats them. These perceptions affect their behaviors and build memories and feelings and…drive their loyalty”. In almost every transaction we make, the customer wants to know that they are being treated fairly and that they are appreciated and valued.
I could buy my bread anywhere – but time and time again I will choose to buy it from a location where I genuinely like going, where I value the kindness I am met with, and where I feel appreciated.
How can an organization achieve this level of customer service greatness?
- Hire people who genuinely like interacting with other people. Intrinsic motivation plays a huge role in fostering an environment that is dedicated to providing excellent customer service. Many professionals choose to work in a customer service-based position because they genuinely like working with people and enjoy that interaction.
- Encourage staff to share stories about their positive experiences with customers
- Share positive feedback and acknowledge good behaviour
- Understand the importance of fostering a happy work environment – it has actually been proven that we are more successful when we are happier and positive. Happiness is a choice. Choose to cultivate a happy workplace and your team will be more productive, engaged, innovative and efficient.
“Act as if what you do makes a difference, because it does”
~ William James
Need help finding employees that embody emotional and genuine customer service abilities? Contact us! We have many professional HR experts at Salopek & Associates that are trained to help find the right people for your organization!