Tag: customer service

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Do you participate in customer service surveys? Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t. Frankly I’m not sure if they actually serve to improve customer service, but I do know completing them makes me feel better when I’m upset.

Based on my experiences, here are some tips to obtaining better survey results, assuming that is your goal.

Don’t Over Survey Customers

My first encounter with a customer service survey gone awry was with an equipment vendor. (I think they’re out of business now – might there be a connection?) I called them often, attempting to resolve several ongoing problems. Each call generated a follow-up customer service survey via fax.

They irritated me even more by sending a survey after every call, even if I called multiple times the same day. Even so, I filled out each one, thinking I was doing my part to help them improve their processes and increase quality.

Protect the Identity of the Survey Respondents

I was fair in my evaluations of them, giving high marks when they had been earned and not so high ratings when warranted. Even so, I never gave them a below average grade. Imagine my surprise when I met their staff at a convention a few months later.

Over the course of the three-day event, no less than five people from that company, including the CEO, confronted me about my survey scores. They were all aware of the marks I had been giving them – and they were mad. It seems I was lowering the curve; each one claimed my “low” responses negatively affected them.

I thought I was helping, but they didn’t share my perspective. I was making them angry. This was certainly not improving my chances of receiving the help I needed when I called. After their repeated rebukes, I never filled out another one of their customer surveys.

Make Sure the Survey Is Evenly Distributed

Next is my Web hosting company. I don’t need to call them often – and when I do, they’re responsive and helpful, usually resolving my issue quickly and on the first call. Sometimes at the call’s completion, they ask if they can email me a customer survey.

Over the years, I’ve called enough to realize they generally make this offer when the call went exceptionally well but not when it was difficult or lengthy. By picking who to survey, they skew the results and garner only favorable feedback. Consequently, any conclusions are meaningless.

Be Careful With Post Call Surveys

The next series of surveys were set in motion by my decision to change cell phone providers. My carrier had been acquired and there were ongoing quality issues with the new one; it was time to switch. First, I needed to do a usage analysis to ensure that the new plans we considered would cost what we anticipated.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t log into my account to download the call detail report; it was my first attempt since my account had been migrated and something wasn’t working. By the time I found a number someone would answer and worked my way to the right department, I was less than pleased.

But after thirty minutes of effort, I had successfully logged in and downloaded the needed data. When given the opportunity to complete a post-call survey, I jumped at the chance so I could express my displeasure. On the question, “Would you recommend us?” I gave them a two on a ten-point scale.

Prohibit Survey Coaching

That night, with my analysis complete, my clan headed off to procure our new phones. As we left the store with product in hand, our accommodating salesman mentioned I would receive an automated customer service survey.

He asked me to respond with a five on every question – doing so would verify I was pleased with his service.

Interestingly, when selecting cell phones three years prior, I received the same plea by a different rep, at a different store, from a different carrier. Is this a common industry practice?

Only Follow Up When Appropriate

The next day, before my old number was ported over to my new phone, I received a call from my old carrier on my old phone. Not recognizing the number, I didn’t answer it, and they left a voicemail message. The call was in response to my reluctance to recommend them, as noted on my survey.

Call Back in the Manner Requested

In the rep’s message, she asked I call back with the best time and best number for them to reach me. I did, leaving my office number and asking for a return call on Monday.

Instead, they called my cell number on Sunday, causing me further irritation by ignoring the information they requested and I provided.

The agent made no attempt to win me back or leave the door open for my return, but he did condescendingly remark that had I gotten new phones from them, my quality issues would have been resolved.

Leave Understandable Messages

A week later I received a welcome call from my new carrier. It was not automated but a person. Curiously, she didn’t call my cell phone but my office number. I was out, and she left a message.

The fast-talking agent spewed forth her message, callback number, and an eleven-character identifier I was to provide them on my return call. I played the message four times before I could catch all the digits.

Make Sure Your Phone Numbers Work

I called the number. It rang a couple times, I received the typical “your call may be recorded” message, heard another ring, and then silence. Repeated calls produced the same result.

A few days later, my attempt was greeted with an announcement: “At this time we are unable to answer your call; please try your call again later.”

I’ll never know if they wanted me to take another survey or not, but if I do get that chance, I’ll be sure to remind them how important it is to make sure their phones are working when they ask me to call – and that they actually answer the phone.

If you’re surveying your customers, what is your goal? Is your methodology supporting that goal or thwarting it?

Customer Service Success Tip: Evaluate the need to conduct surveys, how your employees view them, and if the data produces reliable, actionable results.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer Service, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.

Training Customers to Abuse Staff

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Several years ago, a female associate and I traveled to a convention. At the hotel there were long lines at the registration desk. Eventually advancing to the front, we learned only my room was available; my co-worker’s reservation was cancelled. The hotel, by the way, was sold out.

“Can you share a room?”

“Sharing a room is unacceptable.” I repeated our confirmation numbers.

“Your confirmation was cancelled.”

“But I didn’t cancel it.” It was then I realized a confirmation number meant nothing if a hotel intended to not give you a room.

At three in the afternoon not everyone had checked in, so there were rooms available. Though it was possible all rooms were booked, at that moment they were not yet occupied. I knew with a bit of persistence, we could get our second room.

First, I politely insisted they provide our second room. Next, I tried an emotional plea, but the clerk remained unmoved. I was getting nowhere.

I knew what I needed to do. I gathered my resolve and voiced my request at a much louder volume. The area was full of other guests waiting in line, so I garnered a bit of attention. It wasn’t long before the clerk excused herself and summoned the manager.

With a broad smile, the manager greeted me by name and extended his hand. He seemed well schooled in problem-resolution techniques – but so was I. Giving him an icy stare, I didn’t budge. Once I adequately communicated my agitation, I cautiously extended my hand, while maintaining my penetrating stare. My ploy was working, so it was hard not to smile. “I understand there’s been a misunderstanding about your reservation,” he calmly stated.

“There’s been no misunderstanding. I want the room I reserved and you guaranteed.”

He began applying his conflict resolution skills to calm me down, skillfully maneuvering me out of the lobby. I acquiesced so he could sense he was prevailing. He guided me to a chair and said he would see what he could do. He returned a few minutes later with the second room. For the first time, I permitted my smile to appear and shook his hand, sincerely thanking him. The whole ordeal of checking in took about thirty minutes.

I knew they would eventually give us our second room. Why couldn’t the desk clerk have the authority to assess the problem and solve it, without me having to act mad or her needing to summon the manager?

All too often businesses do this with their customer service employees. Managers make their staff take the heat from irate customers – who’ve learned to be abusive to get their way – without granting them the authority to resolve the problem.

Just empower people to do the jobs they were hired for, and everyone will be better off.

Customer Service Success Tip: Ask your customer-facing staff how you can better empower them to do their jobs and meet customer expectations.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer Service, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) seems to be everywhere – and no one likes them! You call a company and get a recording. Who wants that? In response to frustration with infuriating IVR systems that give endless levels of options, many people seek to bypass the machine by pressing zero – often times, repeatedly – in an attempt to talk to a real person. Sometimes this works; other times it doesn’t.

If a company has no real regard for its customers, then they should tighten up their IVR system. Force callers to spend more time interacting with a machine so that their employees spend less time interacting with callers; do everything possible to block customers from talking to their staff; and hold down costs to make their department look good.

That’s fine if they have a captive customer base, operate a monopoly, or believe it’s easier to get a new customer than to keep an existing one. Otherwise, they need to listen, really listen, to what the buying public is saying, because, in this case, the customer is right.

IVR does have its place in business, but we need to not overstate what that place is. If IVR can truly speed up the call for the customer or gather information that actually can assist the call center agent in providing better, more effective service, then use an IVR.

However, when the primary goal of IVR becomes saving money, reducing the employee headcount, or limiting customer service options, then it needs to be put on the scrapheap of bad ideas.

If your company uses an IVR, I urge you to consider my IVR recommendations:

IVR Dos:

• Always, always provide the option for the caller to press 0 to talk to a person.
• Provide short and basic options that can be readily understood by someone from outside your company.
• Ask customers, and even friends, to call and test your IVR. Then fix the things that bug them.
• Set up your company’s IVR exactly as you would want one to work if you were calling someone else.

IVR Don’ts:

• Don’t block the digit 0. “The customer is always right” and if the customer wants to talk to a person, let them.
• Don’t prompt for an account number if the operator is going to ask for it again.
• Don’t have callers make a selection (such as for “billing”) and then not tell the call center agent which option they picked.
• Don’t route callers to a general-purpose call center agent after making the caller take the time to tell the IVR specifically why they’re calling. Skip the deception and just route the call.
• Don’t provide level after level of long menu options; keep the options short and simple.
• Don’t force a mildly irritated customer to go through a long and cumbersome IVR tree, because they will exit it highly irritated – and take it out on your staff.

The truth is that for most companies IVR is broken and needs to be fixed. What are you going to do about it?

Customer Service Success Tip: Evaluate your IVR system with an open mind and then fix its problems.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer Service, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.

A Saga of Shoe Shopping

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

When my daughter visits, we enjoy certain father-daughter activities. One of them is going for walks. Unfortunately, I’ve lately been skipping this, not due to a lack of interest, but because blisters would be the painful result.

When my daughter was in college and on break, we’d often go for walks. Though I enjoyed our father-daughter time, I began to decline her requests. This wasn’t due to a lack of interest but because blisters would result.

My daughter took the lead in finding a solution. “We’re going to need to get you a new pair of shoes—good walking shoes.”

She was right, but I groaned. I avoid shopping. If I can’t buy it online or talk my wife into picking it up, I often go without.

“Where will we go?” I dreaded the answer.

“The mall.”

That was precisely what I didn’t want to hear. I gathered my courage, and we headed off.

She selected the best entrance, designed to minimize my exposure to the hostile mall environment. Guiding me to the escalator, we descended into the belly of the beast. She led me through a maze of turns and corridors, deftly emerging at the entrance of a large shoe store.

What we encountered were three customer service lessons.

Store 1: Disingenuous Service

Overwhelmed, I took a deep breath and stepped into its bright lights and imposing displays. I had an impulse to flee, but my shopping-savvy daughter guided me to the men’s sneakers section in the back.

The two clerks both attended to other customers; we were on our own. As I tried on pair after pair, one concern permeated my thoughts: how would I know which choice would not cause blisters? I already owned two blister-inducing pairs and had no interest in a third. Eventually a clerk wandered over.

Looking past me, she addressed my daughter. “So, are ya still finding everything all right?” She said this in such a way that any response other than “Yes” would admit ineptitude.

Before I could ask for help in a way that didn’t sound too pathetic, she retreated to the safety of the register counter. From that bastion, she and her coworker resumed what seemed an all-important conversation.

Realizing the likelihood of buying shoes from either of them was low, my daughter suggested we try another store.

Store 2: No Service

A scant twenty seconds later we strode into the next shoe shop for another round of futility. Three staff members huddled around the register as though protecting it from outsiders.

Two uniformed clerks didn’t even pause their animated conversation to acknowledge our arrival. The third, a smartly dressed twenty-something female, looked up, flashed a broad smile, and demanded, “Hi ya! How ya doing?”

I responded as positively as possible, only to realize she wasn’t talking to me but my daughter. Apparently not hearing us, she repeated her greeting, this time, louder. We recoiled at her intensity and veered to the perimeter of the store.

There were only displays—no stock—so without the help of staff, we had no choice but to leave.

Store 3: Great Service

By now, I was more than ready to go home, but with no idea how to leave and find my car, I remained captive to the whims of my shopping buddy. Around the corner was a third shoe store.

It was the smallest of the three and crowded. Even so, the manager greeted us with a genuine smile. For the first time I wasn’t invisible.

Although the clerk made overly assertive recommendations and talked incessantly about all things footwear related, he at least helped us.

As soon as the goal of blister avoidance came up, he zeroed in on the problem. He offered an unexpected, yet convincing, explanation, along with a “guaranteed” solution.

Within minutes, we left with a shoebox in hand and smiles on our faces. The return trek to the car wasn’t as difficult as I imagined. Soon we were home, trying out my purchase.

Retail Reflections

Primarily configured for self-service, the first store offered only passing interaction.

The second one offered no help and barely acknowledged our presence, yet its configuration made self-service impossible.

No help meant no sale. The final shop gave useful input through staff that wanted to help.

The goal at all three companies was to sell shoes. Furthermore, they hired and paid employees to make that happen. And they trained their staff.

What was the difference? Quite simply, implementation.

A Parallel Scenario

I’ve seen these three situations played out many times. For the sake of illustration, let’s imagine three operations that sell widgets over the phone.

I call the first company. An automated system answers. After endlessly pressing options without any result, I hear an option to talk to a real person. I press zero but nothing happens. After more frustration, I hang up.

I call the toll-free number of the second company. An enthusiastic rep abruptly answers, but she can’t hear me. We may have a bad connection. Should I talk louder?

More likely, however, is that the idle conversation of her coworkers is either too noisy or too interesting for her to hear me. Regardless, she repeats her greeting, this time louder. She pauses for a second and hangs up. Then she probably complains to her coworkers about stupid callers.

Discouraged, I call the third company. A person answers. He listens. Once he knows what I want, he offers assurance. “Let me help you find the right widget for your situation.” He does—and I’m glad to place my order.

The goal of companies is to make money. Effective sales are the way to do this, with employees hired and trained for that goal. Don’t let ineffective automation, poor supervision, or negative work environments get in the way, whether retailing shoes, hawking widgets, or selling your own products or services.

Sales Success Tip

Pretend you’re a prospect at your company. Identify and correct the parts of your processes that drive customers away or thwart sales success.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer Service, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

I’d been using the same business forms printer for seventeen years—or what was essentially the same one. Our time together bridged many changes.

For me, it transcended two places of employment, with different office locations; on their part, it spanned three ownerships, a time of expansion and contraction, three name changes, and a merger. We stayed together through it all—until they messed things up.

I selected this printer because they were near my office, had competitive pricing, and were easy to work with. These are wise reasons: convenience, price, and service. So begins my story.

What struck me was their collective friendliness. It didn’t matter who I talked with, whether it was on the phone or in person, they were always friendly. The next step beyond friendliness is an acquaintance and finally relationship. I knew the staff and the owner—who never felt it condescending to wait on me.

We had a relationship. With relationship comes understanding, tolerance, and forgiveness. Let me explain.

Although they exemplified the adage to “under promise and over deliver” there were occasions when things didn’t go as expected. Sometimes this was my fault, sometimes theirs, but regardless we worked through these glitches for the common good of our long-term relationship.

I understood they were in business to make money, that ultimately I needed to be a profitable account; likewise, they understood I needed their product to be in an acceptable form. If we didn’t have a relationship, instead of seeking our mutual benefit, we would have sought our individual self-interest; we would have become adversarial.

Similarly, relationship begets tolerance. Tolerance overlooks the small stuff, the things that don’t really matter. If they made a mistake that didn’t affect its essential utility, tolerance accepted the error.

However, if a problem occurred that was integral to its function, then reprinting was in order. Our relationship prompted their desire to reprint, while tolerance gave me the desire to allow for extra time.

Last, is the relational benefit of forgiveness. If they missed a deadline, I wanted to forgive them because of our relationship. If I needed to move up a routine project to a rush job or needed to change something in mid-production, they chose to be accommodating and tolerant of my lack of planning.

One day I walked into their shop. In the time that it took me to stride from the door to the counter, three people stopped their work, glanced up, and greeted me by name. They were glad to see me and I was happy to be there.

Bob approached me. “We’re just like Cheers,” he beamed, “We’re the printer, where everybody knows your name!” He was right; they knew my name, making me feel welcomed and appreciated.

Bob and I got to know each other over the years. Our kids were both in marching band at their respective schools, giving us a commonality apart from business. Although I’m not a hunter, I enjoyed hearing of his adventures in the woods.

Likewise, he heard about my business trips, weekend plans, and home improvement projects. When Bob bought into the business, he was quick to share his news with me; now we had another area of connection.

I changed jobs and Bob’s downtown shop was no longer convenient for me, but I kept going anyway. When he relocated to manage a satellite store, I followed him there, glad that it was closer for me.

Later, when a downturn in the economy required the closure of his location, my loyalty followed him to a third. Though not as convenient, the extra drive was worth it to see my friend Bob.

Then they merged with another company. This resulted in yet another name change and a subsequent closing of Bob’s satellite office. Later, needing to have some envelopes printed, I returned to their original location.

I hoped to find Bob there and the other people I’d known for so long. I was dismayed to see no one I knew and no one who knew me. They didn’t understand my history with them that spanned decades and they made no effort to be friendly or to get to know me.

To them, I represented an order, not a relationship; I was an invoice, not a friend.

It’s not that these things are relevant to printing envelopes, but they are a pleasant bonus. Having a personal connection with my printer doesn’t improve the quality of the final product. In a hard-core business sense, these things don’t matter. Or do they?

When I picked up my order, I was shocked at the bill. Their rates had gone up a lot, but foolishly I hadn’t checked. I gave the new regime the trust earned by the old one, paying the price – quite literally – for my lapse.

When I began using the envelopes, I was again distressed. There were problems with two of the first twenty.

A 10 percent error rate is not the quality that I expected or paid for. Although the ratio has improved as I worked through the box, that initial impression stuck with me. In the old days, I would have called up Bob and we would have worked something out, but now I didn’t know who to contact.

There was no relationship anymore, so there was no real reason to maintain it. Mentally, I was already searching for another printer.

What I learned is that we need to get personal with those we do business with; build relationships. Then when an expectation is missed, you can work together to develop a mutually beneficial solution.

If a minor problem occurs, tolerance will win out and forgiveness can take place. If the business moves, the name changes, or new owners show up, it’s the personal relationships that holds customers close and keeps them from seeking out the competition.

So get personal; it’s good business.

Customer Service Success Tip: Move from a transaction mindset to a relationship perspective.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer Service, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

It was an emergency run to the eye doctor. Being far-sighted and using a computer all day makes glasses an indispensable tool—one that I treat with the utmost care.

Imagine my dismay when in the midst of my morning cleaning routine, I heard the frame snap and a lens landed in my hand. I was panic-stricken. How would I be able to get any work done?

I arrived at my optometrist’s office, practically as the doors opened, glad that they would take a “walk-in.” I explained the situation and although they treated my disaster with matter-of-fact routine, I was comforted that they were willing to help. “We’ll need to order new frames,” the man concluded.

“Can’t you simply fix them?” I inquired.

“We could,” he droned, “but there is no guarantee…it might hold a day, maybe a few months. Don’t worry,” he added, “we’ll get you some loaner frames to use while you wait for your new ones.” Trusting his advice, I assented.

He disappeared into a back room and returned several minutes later. The look on his face braced me for bad news. “Your frames have been discontinued. We’ll have to fix your old ones…they can be soldered.”

Now I have done my share of soldering over the years: in electronics to make an electrical connection and in plumbing to seal a joint.

I was highly skeptical that solder would repair my damaged frames for more than a few minutes. I began to voice my apprehension. He smiled assuredly and clarified. “Actually, it’s more like welding.”

Now I knew he was off base. During a stint working at a machine shop, I did more types of welding than most people know exist.

I didn’t see any of those methods successfully repairing my delicate wire-rims. But I was out of options and reluctantly consented. He quickly outlined the details: the broken frames would need to be sent out for repair…they’ll be back in a few days, maybe by Saturday…it would cost twenty dollars.

He then set about finding a loaner frame. After half an hour with no success, he finally uncovered one old demo pair that, although not the right dimensions, would at least hold my lenses in place and keep them approximately positioned in front of my eyes—the temple pieces were much too short, which tipped the lenses forward, throwing off the bifocals.

I would need to adapt. Grateful for a solution, albeit uncomfortable and less than ideal, I reminded myself that it was only for a few days and gratefully thanked him. His parting promise was clear; “We’ll call you when your frames come back—let’s hope for Saturday.”

As I left, I confirmed the plan at the front desk, “Yes,” she affirmed, “We’ll call you when they come in.” I believed her.

Saturday came but without a call. Monday they were closed. I called them on Tuesday. I got an answering machine. Dismayed that they did not answer their phone in the middle of the day, I left a message imploring them to call.

No one called. Wednesday I called again. “Sure, they’re here,” she said cheerfully. “You can stop in any time” as though getting my frames back and returning my life to normal was a trivial matter.

By now, the tops of my ears were inflamed and the bridge of my nose tender because of the ill-fitting frames. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” was my firm and somewhat terse reply.

The man greeted me soon after I arrived. “It will only take a few minutes to switch lenses,” he said with a smile. I reminded him that the screws holding my lenses in my frames have a tendency to loosen and fall out. “Don’t worry,” he assured, “I’ll put in special screws with ‘lock-tight’ on them.”

“No,” I responded firmly, “you’ve done that before and they fall out too. Last time you said that you ‘glued them’.” I was dismayed that this critical information was not in my file, as he had re-installed my lenses four times in the past three years.

He said nothing, but gave a slight look of comprehension, retreating into his work area. A few minutes later, he returned and I donned my restored glasses; what a great feeling, it was just like slipping into a comfortable pair of old shoes!

I thanked him and segued to my next goal. “Will you please put my old lenses in another frame—any frame,” I inquired, “so that I can have a back-up pair?”

“Your frames have been discontinued,” he said, telling me what I already knew.

“Surely someone makes a frame that will fit my lenses,” I prodded.

“I already looked, remember?” Now he was becoming irritated with me. “You’ll need to order new frames and get new lenses, and before we’ll do that, you’ll need an eye exam.”

“That will be almost five hundred dollars,” I said in dismay, recalling the cost of my initial introduction to glasses. I embellished my situation: “I can only afford to buy a second frame.”

“You really should have an eye exam every year,” he lectured. “And it’s been fourteen months for you.”

“I just want to buy a back-up frame,” I pleaded.

His reply was curt, “Sorry, we can’t help you.” He turned and walked away.

Later, I casually mentioned my ordeal—and desire for a backup pair of glasses—to my mother. Mom took this on as a personal challenge and the next day surprised me with a list of businesses willing to assist. Two days later, I visited the top one on her list. Their office was closer, easier to get to, and had free parking at the door.

I walked in, explained my plight to the receptionist, and shared my goal. I waited a few minutes and was greeted by an empathetic young lady. She listened to my tale of woe, acknowledging that it, too, would have been their preference for an exam, new frames, and new lenses.

Nevertheless, she said she would do her best to help me. She began to look for suitable frames and I realized her intent was to handle my request immediately. She came back with a frame that she thought would work with some adjustments or by grinding my lenses.

I had not expected an immediate resolution and since there were several other customers waiting at the time, I told her that I would be more than happy to come back later. She thanked me and promised to work on my glasses first thing the next day; I could stop by any time. I believed her.

I returned the next afternoon. She recognized me and immediately approached me, smiling broadly. “I have your glasses done,” she beamed with the pride of an artist. “I’m really pleased with how they turned out.”

Because of her sincerity, I knew I’d be pleased as well. She had not had to grind my lenses after all. I was only charged for the frames, there was no labor fee, and I got a free case and a discount, too. I thanked her profusely. She said that she was glad she was able to help.

On my prior visit, I had noticed a sign that gave their repair rates. To solder frames was only five dollars. My old optometrist had charged four times as much! I realized that five dollars would not even cover shipping, so I assumed repairs were done in-house; I suspected I wouldn’t have to wait eight days either.

I’d already decided that they would be my new optometrist, but took one more step to confirm my decision. “By the way,” I inquired, “how much is an eye exam?” It was fifty dollars less than what I had been paying. I promised her that I would be back.

By giving poor customer service, my eye doctor had lost a long-time customer; by going the extra mile, someone else gained one.

How to Lose Patients, Clients, or Callers

• Act apathetic toward their situation
• Make promises you don’t keep
• Don’t listen to them
• Lose credibility by making recommendations that are self-serving
• Fail to keep good records of previous interactions
• Give them a reason to check out your competition

How to Gain Patients, Clients, or Callers

• Be genuinely sympathetic, even if it is a routine matter for you
• Only make promises you can keep
• Take time to really listen to what they say
• Gain credibility by going the extra mile
• Make sure their interaction with you is pleasant and memorable
• Give them a reason to never return to their old provider

My old optometrist closed a couple years later. Given my experience with them, I’m not surprised.

It’s much easier to keep an existing customer than to gain a new one. Where do you place your emphasis?

Customer Service Success Tip: Treat your customers like gold—because they are even more valuable.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer Service, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Getting my annual income tax return done is one of my most dreaded tasks. Though I keep good records, plan ahead, and take a conservative approach, “tax season” is a source of personal anxiety and trepidation.

As I organized this year’s batch of requisite documents for my accountant, I stumbled upon two contradictory forms from the same company. Until I could determine which one to believe, my tax returns would be on hold.

Fearing the ordeal before me and unsure of the best approach to take, I happily noted that the forms displayed a toll-free number, with an extension.

This was a most customer-centric sign, and I began to imagine a quick resolution and a cogent explanation for my perplexing paperwork. With a sense of expectancy, I dialed the number and punched in the extension.

Though my call was quickly answered, the rep’s customer service skills were decidedly lacking. I explained my dilemma as concisely as possible and held my breath.

With a scant few seconds of conversation to make an assessment, my once optimistic outlook had been quickly reduced to a tiny glimmer of hope.

With a dismissive air, he asked for my account number. I gave him a number from the form. “That’s not one of our account numbers.” His irritation came through the phone. He sighed. “What’s your soc?”

His use of an abbreviation only heightened my perception that he was in a hurry, and I was in his way. Even though I view it as bad form to employ slang and internal abbreviations when communicating with customers, I gave him my social security number. Then I sighed.

“Can’t find that either. Are you sure you’re calling the right place?”

I reminded him that I had called the number on the form that his company had sent me.

“Must be your account’s been closed.”

I assured him that was not the case. He murmured some more, then placed me on hold.

After waiting too long, a woman picked up the line. He had done a blind transfer of my call. With similar abruptness but a slightly gentler disposition, she futilely requested the same information. “Let me check something,” she eventually said, and I was again on hold.

There was another long wait and another blind transfer. However, this time the lady who answered was as accomplished at customer service as the others were not.

Within a few seconds, I once again had hope for a positive outcome. Despite a five-minute interlude and two unacceptable agents, my initial optimism was restored.

She sincerely apologized when I shared the abject failure of her counterparts. I assured her that my bad experience was not her fault. By this time, she had retrieved my records and given me a thorough explanation of the information on both forms.

“Our department is our company’s best-kept secret,” she said with a polite laugh. “They don’t even know we exist.”

Sigh.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer Service, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.