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Customer Service Information |
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11 Ways to Get What You Want - Be a Clever Customer!
We all want great service, whether we are buying our weekly groceries from a store, or want a billing hitch resolved at our local utilities provider. Whether it's getting our car fixed, or a great meal in a restaurant. So we can holler and complain about how poor customer service and satisfaction has become - or we can do something about it ourselves, when we have those one-to-one opportunities with a real person. Busy sales staff are under pressure and they like to deal with people who are clear and know what they want - then they can get on with their next customer! So perk up, do your homework and have everything ready and clear. By adopting a positive demeanour, making eye contact and being friendly, you will be one in twenty who is. Don't try it too much, or that will irritate too, but just nice, friendly and a little smiley will work wonders! This will vary culturally. In the UK, sales people don't like to be called by their name at all. So be careful - if you know it fits wherever you live and shop, then fine - but observe and notice what is going to work and stick to it. Use the words 'I wonder if you can help me' and then be clear about what you want. This links in with their emotions - ('someone needs me'!) - which is very powerful relationship-building for you As you give clear information about what you need from them, make positive and supportive movements and sounds that encourage them onwards. This builds rapport and makes a relationship much more likely to happen. Because people like to help, the feedback indicates that is what they are doing and...they will like you - one more step forwards in getting what you want. When they are answering your questions, ask them, once or twice, a little more about what they have told you. This shows that you have been listening and value their information. This powerfully builds the bond even more between you! By asking some open (what, how, why, where, when, which) and some closed questions (those which only need a 'yes' or a 'no'), you will vary the pressure they feel under. Being able to say 'yes' or 'no', as well as giving you lots of information, means that they get a few breaks and don't feel quite so 'interrogated'. At the end of their answers, whether you have reached a satisfactory conclusion or not, thank them for their help - make them feel valued. It's great to invest time in spending a little time in 'chat' mode with your sales person. If they have time - you have to judge from their manner, whether they are in the mood to spend time with you. It varies from person to person, time of day and location. But it's worth being aware of. At the very end of the transaction, make sure that you add a smiley 'thank you' to the mix. Selling stuff all day is tough in itself, without all the extra clutter that sales people have to do for their organisation. So by 'making their day' you will be creating a relationship which will be valuable to you for years to come. Make sure that you are aware of their name, and write and tell their boss - better, their head office. This may or may not do you any financial benefit, but hey, it sure will make you feel great that you have 'made someone's day' by telling the rest of their organisation about them!Being smart as a customer can get you benefits that you never expected. Being an awkward, 'clever' or downright obnoxious customer will never help you. By using these tips, you will receive more than you might expect, not every time maybe, but sometimes - and that has got to be a win. Martin Haworth, for a long time was a retailer and now is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. For the advice Martin shares with businesses on Customer Service, checkout the 'Customer' pages. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - it would be good if you could include a live link)
MORE RESOURCES: Spirit Airlines Employees In Philly Take Customer Service To Another Level By Trading Insults Outkick Ada Supports $500B Customer Service Labor Market with AI Agent Powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service Morningstar Can artificial intelligence rescue customer service? The Economist Dialpad Unveils New Contact Center Solution Leveraging AI to Boost Customer Service Efficiency Telecom Reseller CMS to lower importance of ‘call center’ metric in Medicare Advantage star ratings - Healthcare Dive Better living through AI? WORLD News Group The Crappy Service Continues at Idaho grocery Stores News Radio 1310 KLIX Springfield CU needs to know what your water lines are made of. Here's how to find out - News-Leader Ryan Fisher honored for customer service Jamestown Sun Open Position: Customer Service Coordinator (Remote-Part Time) America's Charities Birmingham Water Works warns customers getting service but not a bill, disconnection could be coming WBRC Ada Supports $500B Customer Service Labor Market with AI Agent Powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service PR Newswire America's Best Customer Service 2025 Newsweek Entergy New Orleans’ commitment to proactive service Entergy Newsroom Using the power of AI to improve customer support Inside INdiana Business ServiceNow and Five9 Expand Partnership With Turnkey AI-Powered Solution for Unified Employee and Customer Experiences Business Wire Consumers embracing AI-powered customer support Retail Customer Experience Claims Processing Outsourcing Canada: Cynergy BPO – The Backbone of Canada’s Leading Insurance Companies Insurance Edge From the Web: ‘AI Giants Deploy Digital Customer Service Agents’ ACA International Westney customer service desk to be temporarily closed November 16-17 Durham Region Transit Generative AI’s Potential to Improve Customer Experience Bain & Company Senior Property Tax Freeze program offline until Monday due to overwhelming traffic - Spectrum News Tennessee theme park beats out Disneyland for favorite theme park, best customer service titles KTLA Los Angeles Duck Creek Establishes Center of Excellence in Poland to Enhance Global Support for Customers GlobeNewswire Updated Customer Service Hours - Several Departments Downtown Riley County Official Website CSPI & Nutrition Action Customer Service CSPI Newsroom My experience as a Customer Service and Sales Intern Toby Shapiro's Experience at A.D. Sutton and Sons Chapman University BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE Forbes Parking Customer Service Center: Temporary Relocation for Renovations City of Norfolk (.gov) Dallas Water Utilities customers receive notification letters about their service lines Dallas City News Fifth Third Private Bank Named Global Private Banking Award Winner, Honored as Best for Customer Service Business Wire Good customer service does exist Houston Herald Customer Service & Support Hillsborough County (.gov) Phone Tap: You Didn’t Say Goodbye MOViN 92.5 Dollywood beats Disney, Universal and other popular theme parks again! Here’s why Knoxville News Sentinel Charter Names Robyn Tolva Senior Vice President, Customer Service Reliability | Charter Charter Communications PHL Impression Makers - American Airlines Customer Service Agent Shatara Hester Philadelphia International Airport A faster Customer Service in Thailand Saint-Gobain President Biden Announces New Customer Service Actions, Targets Subscriptions and ‘Doom Loops’ CX Today Drycleaning Automation vs. Customer Service (Part 1) American Drycleaner Fulton County Recognizes National Customer Service Week Fulton County Government Welcome to Riverside Public Utilities City of Riverside (.gov) Southwest Airlines to offer buyouts at LAX, Burbank, Long Beach and John Wayne Los Angeles Daily News 8 strategies for using AI for customer service in 2024 Sprout Social Want better customer service when you travel? You must be joking Elliott Advocacy Banks with 24/7 Customer Service Business Insider |
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