| "Every company's greatest assets are its
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| | customer service decisions. In my
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| customers, because without customers
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| | business, it is my policy that an
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| there is no company," --Erwin Frand
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| | employee can act without concern for
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| During our recent weakened economy, many
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| | repercussion, as long as they are meeting
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| businesses have seen declining revenues
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| | a customer's need. I have found this
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| and declining budgets. Declining budgets
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| | creates a greater willingness to serve
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| often lead to reduced staff levels and
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| | the customer.
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| diminished services. To me, this does
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| | - Often times you could say "no" to a
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| not make sense. I believe that it is
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| | customer, however, "no" can have huge
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| during the down times, when service
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| | implications on your business. Ask
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| should be at the forefront and retention
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| | yourself, "Am I willing to potentially
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| of loyal customers even more of a focus.
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| | lose 10 customers as result of this
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| When price wars fail to drive revenues,
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| | interaction?"
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| businesses often look to service to give
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| | 6. Offer a solution
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| them a competitive advantage. Many big
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| | - Shift from the problem to the process
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| business marketers are returning to a
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| | for resolution.
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| "service sells" mentality, however, many
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| | - Offer a choice between several options.
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| sell great customer service and few
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| | - Put yourself in their place.
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| deliver. The problem is that few
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| | - Involve the customer in determining the
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| marketers have ever truly served a
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| | solution.
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| customer.
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| | - Clearly explain any limitations that
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| Throughout my years in business, I have
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| | exist.
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| had the opportunity to interact and
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| | 7. Recognize your staff members for
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| develop a customer service philosophy.
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| | outstanding service
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| It is inherent that when you are in a
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| | - Implement a customer service awards
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| service-based business, there will be
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| | program that recognizes employees for
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| times when your customer is compelled to
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| | exceptional customer service. Maybe you
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| offer you their feedback. It is what you
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| | have tried these without success and do
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| do with this feedback that will shape the
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| | not believe that they work. I would tend
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| future and their impression of your
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| | to agree if the program were like most I
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| business.
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| | have seen. Try something different;
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| Upon reflection, most all of my
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| | break the mold. One of my most
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| interactions with displeased customers
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| | successful clients offers spa treatments
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| were not the result of a poor product,
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| | for his female employees if a customer
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| but rather a disappointing customer
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| | goes out of their way to recognize them
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| experience. Why is that? Because,
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| | for great service. Another client
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| product is not personal, customer service
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| | provides his employees with a "day off
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| is. Briefly, I would like to share with
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| | with pay" incentive for every five
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| you eight critical steps to establish a
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| | unsolicited, positive customer comments
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| customer service culture.
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| | that he receives. These are just a few
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| 1. Customers are the reason for work, not
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| | examples that are "outside the box." Be
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| an interruption of work
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| | creative and generate a little excitement
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| This sounds really obvious doesn't it?
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| | in your staff for customer service.
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| How many times have you gone into a
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| | - Take the time to acknowledge employees
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| business only to wait while someone is on
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| | at staff meetings. People want to leave
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| the telephone or busy doing some
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| | their mark and feel that they matter.
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| "non-service" task? Employees often lose
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| | Taking the time to recognize them in
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| sight of the importance of the customer
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| | front of their peers can make a real
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| and get consumed in lesser day to day
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| | difference.
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| tasks. Sure, there are tasks that need
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| | 8. Ask your customers what they think of
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| to be accomplished, but you cannot afford
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| | your service
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| to sacrifice service to get them done.
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| | The best way to find out if you are
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| Good customer service must be a priority
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| | satisfying customers is to ask them.
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| for you and your team. Without your
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| | Formal efforts could include customer
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| customers, you have no company!
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| | surveys, questionnaires, interviews or
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| 2. Train, train, and continue to train.
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| | comment/suggestion cards. Informally,
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| - Cross train your entire staff to be
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| | get out and talk with your customers and
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| able to assist a customer regardless of
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| | your staff. Ask them how they feel about
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| their department. When a customer
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| | service you are providing. Ideally, use
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| becomes upset they want their problem
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| | a combination of both methods.
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| solved not to be shuffled between
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| | You may be thinking, "Why should I go ask
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| employees that are not empowered or
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| | for trouble? Who knows what I might hear
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| enable to assist them.
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| | if I ask?" That is the point. As you
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| - Offer continuous customer service
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| | will see in the statistics below, most
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| training for your staff and once they are
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| | customers will not voice their
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| providing good service, continue to train
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| | disappointment with your service levels.
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| them.
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| | They will simply leave and never return.
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| - Utilize role play situations to assist
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| | If you do not ask about the quality of
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| your staff in recognizing and
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| | your service, you might make the wrong
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| experiencing both easy and difficult
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| | assumptions and feel that you can reduce
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| service opportunities. If an employee
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| | service levels because you get few
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| has a level of comfort with a difficult
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| | complaints and lead your organization
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| situation, they will be able to better
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| | into areas that turn off your customers
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| handle it.
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| | or cause problems that you never
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| 3. Empower your staff to serve
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| | intended.
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| - Establish a system of resources for
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| | On the other hand, asking your customers
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| your staff to serve the customer. Allow
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| | about their satisfaction sends a message
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| them latitude to take the necessary
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| | to them that you care about your business
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| action to provide exceptional service and
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| | and about them. While you might hear
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| resolve any issues should a customer
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| | some criticisms, you might also learn
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| become disgruntled. Create a structured
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| | what you are doing right and see what you
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| system to allow your staff to serve
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| | should modify.
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| customers.
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| | In addition to the information, you will
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| - Establish a discretionary budget that
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| | benefit from the interaction. Every
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| an employee may access to recover a
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| | interaction is a customer service
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| customer before you lose them. I
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| | opportunity. Make the most of each and
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| recently learned that a major hotel chain
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| | every one.
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| has a monetary fund available per year
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| | Most of us continue doing business with
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| and per employee enabling them to go
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| | people and businesses who give good
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| above and beyond to ensure exceptional
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| | service. We might not say anything, but
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| service. This empowers the employee to
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| | we reward good service providers by
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| right a wrong or create a "memorable"
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| | continuing to do business with them. If
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| customer experience. I am not advocating
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| | the service is outstanding, we will
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| large sums of money, but with regards to
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| | probably tell our friends and colleagues
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| customer service, a small gesture can go
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| | about it. Likewise, when we receive poor
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| a long way.
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| | service most of us vote, not with our
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| - Ask your staff what tools would enable
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| | voice, but with our feet-we just leave.
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| them to provide better service. You
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| | In the 1980's the White House Office of
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| would not send a fireman into a burning
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| | Consumer Affairs commissioned a report
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| building without the proper equipment.
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| | called the TARP study. The report
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| Failing to empower and enable your staff
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| | revealed the following facts about
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| with the necessary tools to serve you
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| | unhappy customers:
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| customer leaves you with few options
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| | 96% of dissatisfied customers do not
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| other than poor service.
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| | complain directly.
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| 4. Make service personal
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| | 90% will not return.
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| - Greet repeat customers by name, if
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| | One unhappy customer will tell nine
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| possible.
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| | others.
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| - Offer a handshake and introduce
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| | 13% will tell at least 20 other people
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| yourself. Creating service that is
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| | Superior customer service is one of the
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| personal will not only retain customers,
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| | most difficult deliverables facing the
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| but help diffuse difficult situations
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| | business world today. Selling service is
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| should they arise.
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| | the easy part, delivering on that promise
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| - Thank your customers for their
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| | offers a tremendous challenge. So I ask
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| patronage. It really does make a
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| | you, what can you do to improve the
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| difference.
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| | service you provide? Implement these
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| 5. It is ok to say "Yes", even when you
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| | eight steps and begin to excel at
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| should say "No"
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| | providing a superior customer culture
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| - Support your staff when they make
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| | today!
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