We’re all customers.
I am a customer of our local bank, our not-so-local mortgage company. As a parent, I am a customer of our daughter’s school. I’m a customer of our utility companies, our insurance company, our waste removal company, our phone/cable/internet provider, and the U.S. Postal Service. I’m a customer, in any given week, at various local stores and restaurants.
As customers, we know what we want, don’t we? We want what we want, we want it now, and we want it with a smile.
A bad customer service experience can send us packing. I’ll never – eat there, shop there, call them, choose that provider – again.
A great customer service experience, on the other hand, can transform us from passive consumers to engaged and loyal allies.
What can an organization do to excel in customer service? How can leaders in the organization encourage employees to maintain focus on customers?
I think the Golden Rule is a great place to start.
Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
Put systems into place within your organization to ensure that customers are treated the way you would like to be treated. Set an example. Make fantastic customer service your organization’s goal and make the people who provide it your organization’s heroes. Put caring for customers at the center of your organization’s story.
Extraordinary customer focus starts with remembering and recognizing that we’re all customers and following the Golden Rule.
Join the conversation!
What customers do you interact with daily?
What can you do to improve customer service within your organization?
This was originally posted at Mountain State University LeaderTalk and is reposted with permission.
I am the founder/CEO of the Weaving Influence team, the author of Reach: Creating the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and the host of the Book Marketing Action Podcast. I’m a wife and mom of three kids, and I enjoy running, reading, writing, coffee, and dark chocolate.
I work with our online students, primarily in Texas. Being so far away, some of our students may feel removed from campus and not really a part of the MSU family.
I’m proud of the support we’re able to provide despite the distance. Hearing students say how ‘this person’ in X department really went above and beyond just makes my day!
It makes me even more proud when ‘the big cheese’ encourages us to continue ‘doing what you’re doing,’ as far as being ‘the face’ of MSU. We get to show how teams work as we work together. (Hmmm….this also supports the courses we teach in the leadership programs! ;])
We’re All Customers
My customers are students, on-line students. This makes customer service a bit tricky, but can create a lasting respect between myself and the student. My keys to good customer service are:
• I love what I do and it is reflected in my contact with everyone I meet. It is all about attitude and respect for others.
• I am able to adjust my perception of folks so that I do not fall into the trap of a narrow belief system. It is all about change and the ability to see the good in everyone.
• I establish rapport with my students from the first email. I recognize them as individuals; call them by their first name, identify mutual interests, answer their questions honestly, and create an environment of trust within the class room.
• I pride myself on being a credible person who will admit a mistake, oh yes I admit my mistakes to students. I care about the student, not just their class work, but the student as a person.
For me it is all about relationships and the ability to meet folks on a common ground to help them succeed.
Dr. Wayne A Oppel, Adjunct Faculty, MSSL
In addition to the above comments, I feel customer service can be pretty simple. Treat customers like you would want to be treated and the relationship will be successful. One of the worst feelings as an online student is when you feel forgotten.
Chris, I concur. I have been that forgotten online student in the past. And I do not ever want one of my students to feel left out or forgotten. Cheers, Wayne
Wow, I am thrilled to see the conversation developing here. Dr. Oppel,Chris, and Andra, thank you for sharing your thoughts about customer service. Your contributions add value to the learning here. I am extremely grateful and hope you will continue to add to the discussion here on future posts!