Kevin Stirtz’s Amazing Customer Service Rule #47

Don’t multi-task when you’re helping a customer

I know I’ll get some feedback on this.

“I have to multi-task” people will say. “Otherwise I can’t get all my work done.”

Another common response: “I can do other things while I listen and still provide good service.”

Yeah right. Maybe that’s true. But probably not.

Some people are

Here is the first installment for the Amazing Service Podcast. Eventually this will be a weekly program. But for now look for a new podcast about twice a month.

In part one of this program we talk about the importance of being flexible as we serve our customers and help them get what we want. Part two helps us remember the most important part of our jobs: helping our customers get what they want.

Kevin Stirtz’s Amazing Customer Service Rule #11

Be Flexible

In customer service, as with most things there is no one right answer. There is almost always more than one way to accomplish something. But we don’t always admit it. Too often we focus on one way to do something. Maybe it’s the only way we know. Maybe it’s the fastest, cheapest or easiest route to helping our customer. But that doesn’t make

Bad customer service experiences are so common they’re cliché. They’re like bad breath in the morning. We all have them and they stink. But they are a fact of life. I believe most of us have far more bad customer service experiences than good.

My mission is to change that. Which is why I talk and write about how to improve customer service.

This week I am hosting the Customer Service Carnivale so my friend Maria Palma can take a well-deserved break.

The idea behind a blog “carnival” is to show appreciation for other bloggers who write on a certain topic. It’s an aggregate of clips (and links) that point to other posts around the web that are all tied together by their topic: customer service.

Recently my book, “More Loyal Customers: 21 Real World Lessons to Keep Your Customers Coming Back” was featured in the summer 2008 issue of “YourBusiness” magazine.

This magazine is directed toward small business owners and has a distribution of 150,00 copies.

In each issue they feature two recent business books. I was flattered to have my book included in the same issue as Chip and Dan Heath’s wonderful “Made to Stick”.

This morning I read a surprising story in my hometown newspaper, the Minneapolis StarTribune. A Target store manager threatens to call the police on a 79 year old customer, has her hauled away to a hospital for a mental evaluation and then files a trespass order barring her from returning to the store.

All this happened because she wanted to return a product and get her money back.

Kevin Stirtz’s Amazing Customer Service Rule #1:

“Remember why you’re here.”

We all get busy in our jobs. It seems there are always more things to do than any one person could possibly get done. From meetings to special projects to covering for co-workers. The list never ends.

It’s a wonder we get anything done at all!

This is why we need to remember

This summer I’ve had fun. My newest client happens to be the host organization for one of the largest events in the USA: The 2008 Republican National Convention (RNC).

The RNC is expected to draw 45,000 visitors to the Minneapolis St. Paul metro area. To make sure those guests have the best experience possible, the people putting on the event have recruited over 10,000 volunteers.

That’s where I come in.

At some level we’re all grateful for our customers. Because we know without them we would not have a business.

And, with busy schedules and hectic lives, it’s easy to forget how important our customers are. It’s even easier to forget to show it. And it’s easy to discount or disregard any one customer. Because most customers, by themselves, are not going to make or break our business.

Just today I learned my latest book “More Loyal Customers” has been selected by Customer Service Manager to be on their Recommended Reading List.

Wow! This is cool.

Customer Service Manager is an e-magazine for customer service professionals and anyone interested in providing top notch customer service. They are a leading customer Service website with over 40,000 visitors every month.

Carve out an hour of your time and learn some new ways to get more customers coming back.

On August 21, I will be conducting a free teleseminar in partnership with the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce. The seminar is 60 minutes long and starts at 7:00 PM Central.

The teleseminar will offer a ton of ideas and tips you can use to keep your customers coming back. It’s a great way to learn some new tips and you never have to leave your house or office.