Care About Your Customer Or Else
Many of our customer service successes or problems are the result of caring, or not. It seems simple to most. Which is precisely why so many take customer service behaviors for granted. Do you care about your customer?
I’m missing a shirt from my dry cleaning drop off.
Sorry, we accidentally gave it to another customer. He will bring it back soon.
Do you mean soon, as in an hour, or soon as in days?
We don’t know, soon. He usually comes in on Saturday.
I needed that shirt for a trip. I’m headed out of town.
Sorry.
Lack of Caring
Why do fast food drive through lines leave the bag open when there is warm food inside? Why does the garage move your car seat or mirrors and then leave them in that position?
The root cause of any or all of the problems is the same. They don’t care about how it makes it you feel or how it affects what happens next for you.
Sometimes it is about chance. The customer called saying he had a shirt that was not his. The thought is, oh darn; bring it back when you can please. More thinking, the customer has nine other clean shirts, this one doesn’t matter. Hope he doesn’t come in before the shirt gets back.
Sometimes it is about protection. The bag is likely open because the last thing they do is look inside, being sure they haven’t made an error. The thought is, keep the bag open so we can spot check and the customer can too.
Sometimes it is about convenience. The seat and mirrors were obnoxious in that position they are better now. The thought, how can someone drive with those positions, I can’t.
Care About Your Customer
Rules, policies, procedures, or even ignorance to the outcomes are often to blame for a lack of caring. Not caring feels wrong in a world that measures the service experience by advancing the needle on the gauge related to how good the customer feels.
What is worse than the customer not feeling good? The customer will tell others how it made them feel.
When you decide to make a difference, you will stop saying that you care about your customer and start showing them.
– DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
