When I was 10 years old, during the summer months when we were out of school, my friends and I used to walk to a local shopping center to buy packs of gum or candy bars—whatever we could get for 50 cents or so. I remember how hot the summers
Language, it seems, has become pretty casual in many customer service settings. I’ve had waiters refer to me as “man” and hear “no problem” from frontline employees, as well as their supervisors, in a variety of situations. We can all think of alternatives to referring to a customer as “man”
Have you ever missed an opportunity to provide a compliment? Perhaps viewing it as optional? I have. And when I do, it’s usually my wife who points it out. Maybe I’ve overlooked her new haircut or the way she keeps a household of six on track. It’s easy to become
I was reading the book Revolutionize Your Customer Experience by Colin Shaw and came across the following excerpt from Duane Francis, CEO, Mid-Columbia Medical Center, The Dalles, OR: “We want to create a non-institutional environment where patients can feel more like individuals and valued as a whole human being, rather
Here are two separate stories I received this week that share a common theme: restaurateurs who made meaning by expressing genuine interest, conveying authentic enthusiasm, and providing pleasant surprises. Those who practice these memorable customer service behaviors cannot help but succeed—even in a fragile economy. Lynn from Kansas writes: “When
I had worked a full day in Washington, D.C. and then flew to Detroit for a presentation the following morning. I arrived late at the airport in Detroit and as I exited the terminal with my bags at around midnight, was confronted by a number of aggressive limo drivers. I
Conveying authentic enthusiasm that adds a bit of a spark to an otherwise predictable transaction is an effective way for employees to express their uniqueness while making it memorable for customers. Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, says that, “Any job is twenty percent knowledge
Personal importance is often misunderstood at the frontline service provider level in the hospitality industry. I’ve had participants in customer service classes who challenge the notion that anyone should be treated any differently than anyone else. Some see acknowledging one’s personal importance or “Elite” status as favoritism. Others see it
I recall a Gallup statistic from a few years ago that 65% of American workers claim to have received no recognition in the workplace in the previous 12 months. If that’s true—as it apparently is for those workers—then ask yourself, “How might I be contributing to this perception by employees
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