Blog

A customer service conundrum

Who should you service first?  The customer who’s phoning or the one standing right in front of you?  There’s a real double standard here among customers.  When you’re the one calling, you expect the employee to answer promptly and assist you right away without being put on hold.  However, when

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Deliver service heroics

Some employees have a penchant for delivering service heroics that become the subjects of many positive customer testimonials and even company lore. This is an effective way for these employees to express their uniqueness while making it memorable for customers. For our tenth year wedding anniversary, I bought my wife

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Convey authentic enthusiasm

Conveying authentic enthusiasm that adds a bit of a spark to an otherwise predictable transaction is an effective way to express one’s uniqueness while making it memorable for customers. Three years ago, I ordered an omelet from an omelet maker at a Marriott hotel in Atlanta, GA.  He was wearing

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Offer a sincere and specific compliment

Offering a sincere and specific compliment is an effective way to recognize customers and make the service experience memorable. For example, you might say, “That’s a gorgeous watch. Is it a Tag Heuer?” And then, assuming you have a genuine interest in and knowledge of watches, demonstrate your enthusiasm by

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Express genuine interest

Expressing genuine interest in the customer that exceeds the functional requirements to complete the transaction is an effective way to express one’s uniqueness while making it memorable for customers. For instance, a bilingual employee who speaks Spanish may say, “Bienvenido. ¿Cómo está usted?” to a customer she overheard speaking Spanish

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Use appropriate humor

Customer service reps who make me laugh create positive memories for me—of them, the service experience, and the company or brand they represent. Using appropriate humor is an authentic way for employees to express their uniqueness while making it memorable for customers. Here’s an example from my local Starbucks drive-thru.

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Share unique knowledge

Sharing unique knowledge that goes beyond the common, mundane, and expected information (i.e., job knowledge) is an effective way to express one’s uniqueness while making it memorable for customers. Unique knowledge is not the same as job knowledge. Job knowledge is necessary for an employee to be proficient in his

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Provide pleasant surprises

Providing a pleasant surprise that adds an unexpected perk to an otherwise ordinary experience, is an effective way to express one’s uniqueness while making it memorable for customers. Have you ever received an unexpected upgrade, a complimentary appetizer, or some other pleasant surprise when you were not expecting it? How

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J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Study

The results are in from the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study. According to the study, hotels are feeling the double economic pinch of less leisure travel and higher operating expenses costs. They are trying to manage their costs at the same time they meet

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