Customer Service Videos with Roger Reece Seminars

Customer Service & Customer Expectations
We often say, "The customer is always right." They're not, of course - but they do have definite expectations; and it is up to us to set those expectations, or if necessary adjust them, to insure that they know what to expect and get what they need, even if they can't always get what they want. Any time you are not able to meet a customer's requests, it is particularly important that they understand and are satisfied with the reasons why - and that this happens right away, before their mistaken impressions lead them to drift to one or another of your competitors.

Customer Service Empathy
True empathy is a very powerful skill. Many people think that customer service is all about trying to act like you're concerned about the client. But acting like you care never really works: it's almost always clear to the other person, even if not on a conscious level, that you aren't really making a connection with them. There's no substitute for actually being concerned; and the only way to do this is to put yourself in the other person's shoes - what is known as the "Empathy Shift:" the transition from your position, as the person giving help, to that of the person who needs the help, and to really feel how it feels to have the problem they are dealing with. Being able to do this is a skill you can learn; and it's a skill you can use in all areas of your life. It helps you to connect with and relate to the other person - which in turn helps you to solve their problems and to gain more satisfaction from doing so as well. Conversely, if you are not able to make the empathy shift and solve your customers' problems, and you get one unhappy person after another whose experience you are not able to improve, what inevitably happens is that, by the time your shift is over, you find that you have just had a bad day.

Customer Service and the DISC Model
The DISC Model is made up of four primary behavioral styles. Whatever your style is, there are customers who will be a challenge to you, because of their own style and the way the two styles interact. Understand that communication is not just acting a certain way: what works very well with one customer may be a disaster with another. The effectiveness of your communication is measured by the response you get - and the DISC Model offers a veritable road-map to effective communication. Understanding your own style, and the differences inherent in the other styles, provides a wealth of clues to anticipate both your own likely problem areas, as well as what to look for and how to behave to ensure your interactions with every customer will be a success.

Increasing Customer Service Value
Increase perceived benefits to raise the value equation. The job of customer service is to deliver Value - which, in this case, stands for the measure of worth that your client places on your product or service. The Value Equation is a simple way to describe the way value is rated: Value is Perceived Benefits over Cost. The Value Equation says that there are two ways to deliver more value to your customer: by lowering cost, or by increasing perceived benefits. It also shows us that Value is not a fixed sum. Value is a bottom-line result determined by each individual customer's perception, and as a result, it can change dramatically from moment to moment.

What the Value Equation teaches us is that there are potentially any number of ways we can deliver a more valuable product to our customer without lowering prices. Every stage of the Customer Experience is an opportunity to deliver more convenience, to solve problems and bring positive results to interactions, and to demonstrate the quality of your service. Sometimes, even making your customer aware of the benefits they already receive is enough to increase your value to that customer.

Coaching to Combat 'Rude' Customer-Service Behavior
If a customer perceives an employee to be "rude," it is very important to separate behavior from intention. Rude is a value judgement, based on a perception. And in reality, much of the time a person who is seen as rude by another had no intention to be rude. If you are coaching an employee to correct or head off "rude" customer service, it is vital not to question their intentions. Assume a positive intention. At the same time, make it clear to the employee that what ultimately matters is what the customer perceives: if the customer perceives that they have been treated rudely... it's just like you meant to do it. Because from their point of view, they think you did. You wanted to hit the mark. You missed the mark. But there is a set of specific, objective behaviors that we can isolate that will prevent this from happening in the future.

DISC Styles, Customer Service & Personality Clashes
Understand the DISC Model to avoid personality clashes with customers. In the DISC Behavioral Styles Model, the biggest conflicts and disconnects are likely to come between opposing styles: in other words, between 'D' and 'S' and between 'I' and 'C'. Those oriented towards the 'Dominance Style' - task-oriented extroverts, in other words - will naturally have a difficult time relating to people of the 'Supportive Style,' who are characterized as people-oriented introverts. Likewise, the habits of the 'Influence Style' - those of people-oriented extroverts - will predictably conflict with the task-oriented introverts who exemplify the 'Compliance Style.' These are the most obvious personality clashes you are likely to encounter with customers (although personality clashes can occur between any or the same styles).

DISC isolates and outlines the differences in the way people process information and react to stimuli. The DISC profile does not measure intention - it is distinctly concerned only with observable behavior. The important lesson of the DISC Model, however, is the understanding that people really do think differently from one another. We have a tendency to assume that people think like we do - and because of that we may put a value-judgement on others' behavior. We confuse actions with intentions, because "we would never act that way." Understanding DISC gives us the tools to avoid this fatal obstacle to effective communication.

Customer Service: Resetting & Exceeding Expectations
Always meet or exceed your customer's expectations. When you commit to a deadline with a customer, be certain you are agreeing to a deadline that you can meet - or, ideally, beat. You want your customer to realize that you are diligent, that your team is good, and you are responsive to their needs. If your client has expectations that are impossible to meet, you have the responsibility to reset that client's expectations to a level you can meet or exceed. Never be tempted to say "I'll try" - like it or not, your customer takes this as a commitment. You should be able to accurately gauge what you and your team will be able to accomplish. And if your customer's demands are unreasonable, help the customer to understand what can be done. Focus on the details (such as high standards of quality or the complexity of the work your team provides) that will reorient their perspective favorably in line with what you know your team can do.

Improving Customer Meetings
Every person in the room is important. A customer measures value by much more than just your product or the service you provide. When you are involved in a meeting with a client (or prospective client), remember that every person in the room is important. You should do all you can to be sure you've addressed the concerns and won the approval of every individual you come in contact with who is associated with your client company. Every interaction with a member of an organization will influence the organization's perception of you as a vendor or service provider. Regardless of whether the person you engage with has any direct influence on your contract with a client, remember that, for every meeting you are lucky enough to be present for, there are many, many more meetings going on - from official planning committee sessions to informal hallway conversations - all involving you, that you will never take part in, or even be aware of. And that means you can never quite know whose support might be critical in securing your continuing business relationship with a customer.