Make your customers successful

Have you ever experienced going to a restaurant and had bad service? I have. Sometimes they have slip-ups or system mistakes, and most of the time it occurs during dry run and still have to get their system up in place. Still, most of the restaurants in this country treat their customers well.

Generally speaking though, servers are warm and friendly. It is inherent in our nature as humans. But then again there are those who work, but in terms of customer service leave so much more to be desired.

When work becomes routine, and every activity moves around with familiarity, too many people go into “autopilot.” “Just get on with the job and get it over with.” This becomes the norm. The problem with this is that it does not leave a mark on the customers. They may not complain, but the experience they have will not leave any impression at all.

What we need to do is to ask ourselves this: “What can I do to WOW my customer?” The term “WOW” simply means providing customer service that is beyond the customer’s expectations. This brings customers delight. When they are pleasantly surprised with service they did not expect, the expression “WOW” comes out of their lips and you know you have earned a customer who will stick with you.

IT engineers, service providers, sales people and service consultants may be very good with their skills and service, but when they go the extra mile, a pleasant disposition, an honest and sincere exhibit of empathy and care, then the service becomes above average and you can look forward to repeat business.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Make the customer successful. Customer delight begins with a mindset change. “Do you want to just do your job and get it over with, or do you want to establish a relationship?”

When we challenge ourselves to think differently, our actions will change. The quality of service goes many notches up when we put everything we do in terms of helping make our customers succeed.

It could be as simple as transferring a call. No job is too petty for us not to apply excellent customer service. Before transferring a call, get additional information, do not just transfer. Ask some more questions politely. Find the problem, find the right person, and make the connection and the solution easy for the customer to discover. And when you make the customer successful, you have indeed WOWed the customer.

2. Always anticipate customer’s needs.

We know our business. We have had so many experiences with other customers. We practically know the usual problems customers encounter. Our customers feel special when our actions and words indicate that we innately know or anticipate their needs. This demeanor displays both confidence and competence. Customers usually leave visual or verbal clues. All we need to do is to be alert and be attentive.

I was in my favorite deli where I would meet my clients and the servers know and anticipate what I need. One look at them and they know what I would most likely need.

One wink of an eye and they know my client attempts to pay for the bills and they would not allow them because the bill is on me. One move of my eyebrow and they know I need a refill for my coffee. They anticipate my needs and the question now is this, how can I go to another place and give them my business when these servers make me successful?

3. Delighting customers is the reward.

When we give great service and make the customers feel they are valued, that is a reward in itself. Here is the reality. Sometimes, praise and compliments are not given and that is all right. There is this inner joy within us that reminds us that we have spent the day well and that we have been able to help someone. Never be resentful.

Some people are constantly waiting for praise and compliments and they harbor resentment when that is not given. Resentment is a career killer. Most people who experience this simply give up and stop trying and lose in the end. Praise is temporary, while reputation is longer-lasting. When one focuses on taking the best actions, they are simply happy and are busy as well fishing for praises and compliments. That internal joy and delight would outlast external praise and compliments.

You are successful only when you make your customers successful as well. That is the only reason why they will give you the business time and time again.

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