The effects of really good listening can be dramatic. These effects include the satisfied customer who will come back, the contented employee who will stay with the company, the manager who has the trust of his staff, and the salesman who tops his quota. -John L. DiGaetani
listening
Customer Service Quote for October 6, 2009
by Kevin Stirtz on October 6, 2009
Give customers your complete attention
by Kevin Stirtz on August 21, 2009 · 2 comments
Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service: Give customers your complete attention. And here are some additional thoughts on this topic… Customers consistently tell us they hate dealing with employees who don’t listen or pay attention. It’s a common and yet preventable complaint. When you begin talking with a customer, stop whatever else you are doing and focus on them. Make appropriate eye contact, listen, nod and show them you are paying attention. As you listen to your customers, don’t pre-judge what they’re saying. Keep your mind open so you hear everything. And remember, listening is a full-time job! [...]
Let Your Customer Talk
by Kevin Stirtz on August 11, 2009
When a customer is speaking it’s not just an opportunity for them to explain something. They might also be venting. Interrupt that and you could make a bad situation much worse. We all think and speak at our own pace. One of the best ways to connect with your customer, and give them a positive experience is to match their pace. If they talk slower then you normally do, then SLOW DOWN. Don’t expect them to speed up to your pace. They won’t. Or if they do they’ll feel uncomfortable and pressured. The opportunity to speak and be heard without [...]
For Better Customer Service, Face the Person You’re Speaking With
by Kevin Stirtz on May 29, 2009
Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service: Face the person you’re speaking with And here are some additional thoughts on this topic… How often have you been in a retail store, restaurant, hotel or other business (as a customer) and the employee helping you doesn’t even look at you? Sadly this has become all too common. While I won’t speculate about why it happens, I will suggest that it stinks. Customers consistently tell us they want to be listened to. They want to be acknowledged. All other things being equal, if your employees fail at this you will lose [...]
Target Stung by Customer Service Mishap
by Kevin Stirtz on August 14, 2008 · 1 comment
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. Of course, when you tell it this way, Target sounds like an evil monster. At the very least the store manager who handled the situation sounds like he needs more customer service [...]
Be an Amazing Listener
by Kevin Stirtz on June 10, 2008
Kevin’s Amazing Customer Service rule# 14: Be an Amazing Listener In a survey my company did recently, the number one thing customers said they wanted more of was better listening by the people they deal with. This survey reflects a major weakness in how most organizations treat their customers. Listening skills are not a high priority for many people or their employers. But they should be. Better listening means better communication. Better communication means better relationships and a better ability to know what your customers want. This helps you serve them better. Here is a tool that can help you [...]
Ask Open-Ended Questions
by Kevin Stirtz on May 28, 2008
Amazing Service Rule# 13: “Ask open-ended questions.” One of the most important ways we serve our customers is to help them get what they want, even if they don’t know exactly what that is. They rely on us for knowledge about our product or service. They come to us for expertise they cannot get anywhere else. A great way to learn what your customers are trying to accomplish is by asking questions that get them talking. These open-ended questions require more than a “yes” or “no” answer so they help you and your customer have a useful conversation. Conversations like [...]
Are You Listening?
by Kevin Stirtz on June 26, 2007
About a month ago, I posted the results of a customer service survey I did last year. The number one thing customers said they wanted more of was better listening by the people they deal with. This survey reflects a major weakness in how most organizations treat their customers. Listening skills are not a high priority for many people or their employers. But they should be. Better listening means better communicaiton. Better communication means better relationships and a better ability to know what your customers want. This helps you serve them better. So, to help spread the gospel of better [...]
