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Customer service is critical in any organization. In the third episode of the Leader Fluent Podcast, I’ll share my family’s #1 customer service experience along with four keys to create service that wow’s your customers. Regardless of what kind of organization you lead (business, non-profit, church, school), you’ll find these four steps practical and applicable to any setting.

Check out this episode of the podcast today on iTunes, Stitcher, Android, iHeart Radio, or your favorite podcasting platform. And after you listen, be sure to subscribe to Leader Fluent and leave a rating or review.

SHOW NOTES

We’ve all experienced the two extremes of customer service. On one end, we’ve been wowed by over-the-top service that generates loyalty to a company or organization. At the other extreme, we’ve all experienced a failed product, bad attitude, or horrendous experience that caused us never to return again. So, how do you elevate your service to create a consistently positive experience? It doesn’t happen by accident, and these four steps are a great place to start.

1. Create a Customer Friendly System

In their book, Be Our Guest, Disney describes an Integration Matrix that looks at two things: SERVICE STANDARDS and DELIVERY SYSTEMS. They’ve identified the service standards that they want to consistently deliver to their customers (safety, courtesy, efficiency, etc.), and they’ve implemented those service standards in three delivery systems: their cast (employees), setting, and processes.

2. Recruit People Who Love People

Retail Consultant Liz Tahir once said, “There is no way that the quality of customer service can exceed the quality of the people who provide it.” Lee Cockrell says that when it comes to customer satisfaction, the single most effective strategy is to hire people who have what he calls, “The Triple Crown.” The Triple Crown consists of:

• Great Skill
• An “I can do whatever is needed” Attitude
• Tremendous Passion for their Work

When you combine those three ingredients, they add up to the most indispensable element of great customer service: COMMITMENT. 

3. Engage Your Customers

• Build Relationships Not Just Sales – The companies where you feel the greatest sense of loyalty are the ones that are most interested in you. They don’t just want your money, they want to build a relationship with you. In his book, The Customer Service Revolution, John DiJulius shares a simple strategy to build relationships with customers. He calls the strategy FORD (Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams). When you can discuss at least two of these four things with a customer, you begin to deepen the relationship.

• Create WOW Experiences

4. Practice Team Huddles

One of the most effective practices employed by the Ritz Carlton hotels is their daily line-up before each shift. Employees gather for a brief huddle where they always review one of their service values.