Everyone hears the phrase “good customer service”, but that can mean a plethora of things to different people. Some view good customer service as a company doing their job as expected without any major issues or time delays. And yet others don’t expect good customer service, they just will settle for not bad service.
Define what customer service means to your company and to your customers, and then make sure you exceed that expectation.

Myth #2: Customer service means “the customer is always right”.

Almost everyone has heard the infamous saying “the customer is always right!” In fact, most customer service training sessions start with these phrases. This concept is constantly drilled into employees’ minds day in and day out.
‘The customer is always right’ way of thinking has provided excellent rewards for corporate trainers, but done little to help organizations and small businesses develop really great customer service.
In fact, the customer is often wrong. To say otherwise would be a lie. Customers don’t read instructions, don’t read Web site information, misread instructions, they break things, and they’re often confused.
But regardless of the customer being right or wrong, they are still the customer, and you want to keep their business. The focus should be on recognizing and understanding your customers’ needs, wants and expectations, and then on meeting and exceeding those expectations with your performance. Focus on winning the customer, not on winning an argument with the customer over being right or wrong.

Myth #3: If you learn how to “put up with customers,” business can be great!

You are serving customers, not a life sentence. No one wants to buy or do business with a grump, and most people can sense insincerity a mile away.
Just “putting up with customers” is not acceptable. Learn to love your job, and enjoy serving others in the process.

Myth #4: If customers aren’t complaining, they must be happy.

Just because you aren’t getting angry phone calls or emails from your customers doesn’t necessarily mean everyone is happy.
The truth is it’s easier for most customers to walk than talk. In other words, they’d rather just give their business to your competitors than spend time complaining and asking for a resolution.
Going the extra mile to provide customers with a good experience and service can really do more than you would think. Impressing the customers and creating a memorable experience will go a long way. A truly remarkable experience will stand out in the customer’s mind and help to create truly loyal customers.

Myth #5: Great prices are always satisfying.

Simply slashing your prices isn’t enough to win over customers. The truth is customers are more willing to pay a higher price for a product if it’s of better quality and comes with greater customer service. Just take a look at the average person’s grocery cart. It’s typically filled with name brand products rather than generic ones.
When people pay for their products and services, they are paying for an experience and for a certain quality. The lowest price doesn’t necessarily always win.

Works Cited

If you want to gain customers’ loyalty, you must show that you are genuine and sincere. Use language that not only persuades, but also improves your trustworthiness and real concern.

Remember that every time your company and its employees make contact with a customer, whether it’s by email, phone, in writing, or a face-to-face meeting, the interaction leaves an impression. Use phrases such as “Thanks for your business,” “Sorry to keep you waiting,” “You’re welcome,” and “It’s been a pleasure helping you” to demonstrate not only your commitment to customer satisfaction but your dedication to courtesy.

Most people, especially upset ones, can spot insincerity a mile away. That’s why it’s important to make sure that the sincerity in your voice, body language and actions match the sincerity of your words. Be genuine.

This is the key to running a successful business. Follow through on your commitments and exceed what you promise.

If you don’t follow through with your promises, customers will be angry. If you over deliver and go above and beyond their expectations, you will inevitably build a loyal customer base.
Always be honest and make commitments that you know you can meet — and, if you can, beat.

If you want to solve customer service problems, you’ve got to give your employees the authority to fix problems and corrections.

Everyone in the company must be committed to creating a positive experience for the customer. If you’re the only one who can make the big decisions like giving a customer some kind of break, you’re setting your customer service efforts up for failure.

Your employees are often the first people to encounter an unhappy customer, and if they can’t address the issue on the spot by themselves, your business might not get another chance. There’s nothing more frustrating to a customer than encountering a company representative with no authority to help solve a problem.

Gaining and retaining business customers takes a strong focus on showing them you care, exceeding customer expectations, and putting their needs first. By following these tips you will harvest a loyal customer base that will then in turn refer others to your company.
 
Works Cited

“America Tonight” is a nationally syndicated radio show, and covers everything from breaking news to contemporary lifestyle issues. With diversity issues like the Trayvon Martin going on, our own Royalyn Reid was asked to weigh in with her expert advice because of the diversity training work CMI does with companies and organizations from coast to coast. See what Royalyn has to say about personal biases, jumping to conclusions, and admitting mistakes.

Make customers feel important. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust. The old saying is true: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Help customers understand your systems. Your organization may have the world’s best way to get things done, but if customers don’t understand them, they can get confused, impatient and angry. Take time to explain how your systems work and how they simplify transactions.

Appreciate the power of “Yes”. Always look for ways to help your customers. As long as their request is reasonable, tell them that you’ll get right on it. Then figure out how afterwards.

Know how to apologize. When something goes wrong, apologize. It’s easy and customers like it. The customer may not always be right, but the customer must always win. Deal with problems immediately and let customers know what you have done.

Give more than expected. Never do the minimum. The best way to turn your customers into raving fans is to over deliver. You want your customers to go out and bring you new customers. Think about ways to rise above the competition.

Treat employees well. Southwest Airlines founder Herb Kelleher was once asked who was more important: the customers, the employees or the shareholders? He answered simply, “The employees always come first. If employees are treated well, they’ll treat the customers well. If the customers are treated well, they’ll come back, and the shareholders will be happy.”

This year, Medrano Middle School’s students rose to the challenge of writing more than 4,000 holiday letters to service men and women who were not able to come home and spend the holidays with their families. The students not only met their school-wide goal, they exceeded it by writing more than the desired 4,000 letters.

It is so important to give back to the community, and it is tremendously encouraging to see these students excited about giving to others and making a difference.

Accenture PLC reported a study in the Wall Street Journal, which surveyed ,1088 employed and unemployed workers, found 55% polled feel pressure to add new skills to be successful in their current careers.  From this study, 68% believe it is their responsibility to update their skills in order for future advancement.  Employees rank new technology as the most important training initiative.  In addition to new technology training, updated problem-solving skills and management development skills follow a close second and third.

 “Our study shows that workers are prepared to improve and expand their skills, but they’re not receiving sufficient support to develop those skills, said David Smith, managing director for Accenture Talent & Organization.

CMI is dedicated to providing companies with training programs available for their employees to grow professionally and personally while improving the profitability of a company and the productivity of their resources.  Providing the support to a company’s resource – its employees – drives market growth for a “Win-Win” solution.

What are some of the factors leading to this? According to the study, 47% of customers felt their complaints went unnoticed. Is this the norm? Is this what we should expect as consumers?

Absolutely not!

Royalyn Reid, President & CEO of CMI, would encourage everyone to fight back, stand up and confront the problem head on. According to Reid, “There’s power in numbers,” don’t forget that. In a recent study from Society for New Communication Research, 59% of the customers surveyed use social media to communicate their rage about their customer service experience.

Reid advises you to “work your way up the ladder if you have to.” Organize a social media campaign targeting your customers for their ideas and comments to drive the change in your company to be more focused on the customer. “If it’s truly a company which cares, when you rise up the ladder to a supervisor/manager, the perspective is different than the front-line person. They usually know the value of the customer.”

Medrano PRIDE Kick-Off Rally

In keeping in the spirit and generosity of the holiday season, CMI has teamed with Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano and Medrano Middle School to celebrate the 2^nd Annual Medrano PRIDE Community Service Program, which kicked-off on November 28, 2011.

The Medrano PRIDE Community Service Program is a CMI-sponsored, three-year initiative-driven program encouraging all Medrano Middle School students to think outside of themselves and give to others. Last year, more than 125 students participated in the program and demonstrated pride in their school by completing acts of service throughout the community. These students were inspired by the legacy of Francisco “Pancho” Medrano and the CMI team to give back!

Join the CMI team and Medrano Middle School by making a difference in your community this holiday season!

While a consultation with an event management professional should be your first stop in determining what type of event will garner the best outcome, here are some brief definitions of common meeting types which can help you narrow your focus when considering what type of event to hold.

• Conferences – Conferences are designed to gather a group of individuals to learn about and discuss a set of pre-determined topics.

• Tradeshow – A tradeshow is an event that includes a trade show floor or exhibits by suppliers.

• Sales Meetings and Rallies – Serve as a link between the company and the sales team while providing a critical opportunity to inspire, encourage and reward sales staff.

• Workshops– A workshop is an informal educational session where attendees are encouraged to network with one another and are designed to facilitate engaged learning; attendees can actively participate in the learning process through exercises such as role play or hands-on interaction.

• Seminar – A seminar is an informal discussion on a certain topic.

• Town Halls and Community Forums – An informal public meeting to gather input on a particular subject or issue.

• Vendor and Strategic Partner Meetings – A program implemented to bring accountability, consolidation, collaboration and cost consciousness to business processes.

Marketing research is a way for companies to better understand their target audience, the demand and level of interest of their product or service. It is a good way to determine how existing customers as well as potential customers perceive a product or service.

Marketing research not only identifies your current target audience and provides their perception of a product or service, but can also gather information regarding your competitors. “Do not fear competition; rather seek it and learn from it.” Luigi Salvaneschi, “Location, Location, Location: How to Select the Best Site for Your Business.”

There are two types of marketing research designs. The first one is qualitative research which provides an in-depth understanding of customer behavior. Research results are exploratory and include methods such as focus groups, one-on-one interviews and surveys. The second design is quantitative research which provides viewpoints of a population, providing estimates of percentages or averages. This design includes methods such as online, telephone and mail surveys.

The data from the research allows companies to make informed decisions about their product or service.  Research can help determine the most effective methods of marketing and advertising for the company.