Customer Experience Tip #1529

Don’t make your prospects and customers have to dig around to find your phone number. A ringing phone is often cash calling and/or an opportunity to WOW someone. Place your phone number prominently … everywhere (e.g. business cards, stationary, every page of your website, social media pages, handouts, etc.). And be sure to answer — with a smile — when it rings.

Customer Experience Tip #1528

If you are in a service position, you want your headshot photo to “communicate” that you’re professional, open, and friendly. What does your current headshot photo say about you? (Don’t answer that … ask someone who will be honest with you.)

Customer Experience Tip #1527

No matter how you deliver it, saying, “I know what I heard.” to a customer or client can land in a way that feels combative, rigid, and unfriendly. And you certainly want to welcome resolution while demonstrating humility. Jack Quarles, author of Expensive Sentences, recommends one of the following alternatives:

“Gosh I’m sure that’s what I heard, but maybe I was filtering somehow.”

“We experienced that clearly, but someone else may have taken it a different way.”

“This may be one of those situations where I’m sure I’m right, but I’m not. It’s happened before!”

Customer Experience Tip #1526

“One thing I love about customers is that they are divinely discontent. Their expectations are never static — they go up. It’s human nature.” —Jeff Bezos

Customer Experience Tip #1525

When someone is expressing disappointment with the service they’ve received, they are looking at — and sensing — your reactions. Are you concerned, disappointed, annoyed, frustrated, angry, empathetic, etc. And are you demonstrating any of these things for them (the customer) … or for your own team? Choose empathy … for the customer. That’s what is needed most in that moment.

Customer Experience Tip #1524

Your customer should not know more about your product or service than you. Be their expert, so you can be their guide.

Customer Experience Tip #1523

Your customer will feel anything but complete if you’ve only said, “I don’t know.” It cannot end there. While it’s OK to not know something, it’s not OK to leave it at that. Offer to find their answer, or at least offer to warmly guide them to someone who is likely to possess the answer.

Customer Experience Tip #1522

There are so many (seemingly) little things you do for your customers and clients that can serve to prove your integrity. Honor your word on the small stuff and eventually they’ll trust you on the big stuff.

Customer Experience Tip #1521

“Stop interrupting your customers & start interacting with them instead.” –Ghergich&Co.

Customer Experience Tip #1520

If you’re not a lover of people and providing service, then you don’t belong in a role that is based on serving people. It really is that simple. And it’s OK. This isn’t for everyone. There’s a much better fit for you doing something else, perhaps even within your current company. Challenge yourself to go and find it.