About Customer Service and saying HOLD ON

Business Owners and Leaders, when it comes to customer service do you know what your staff are saying to your customers?

Are they telling people to "HOLD ON" instead of saying, "One moment, please."

Are they coming across as rude and crude every time there is a customer interaction?

If they are doing and saying that to your customers are you OK with that?

You better not be.

Trust me, that is no way to treat a customer, client, or anyone.

Anyone and everyone that calls or visits your organization wants to be treated like a VIP.

Let me re-phrase that: This is 2014 and everyone must be treated like a VIP and you and your organization must do everything they can to make it happen.

Failing to do that, people will leave you, your staff, and your organization faster than you can attempt to apologize.

See, just apologizing doesn't cut it any more. What does cut it is doing something above and beyond "just apologizing" and working hard to ensure the situation never re-occurs.

Get up, get in touch and in tune with what your staff are doing and saying on your behalf. It was about a year ago that I wrote a blog post about Company Vehicles and what the employees that are driving those autos are doing to your company's name and reputation.

When your staff is not having appropriate communications with your customers and external stakeholders they might as well be driving the company vehicle recklessly up and down the main street  are doing the exact same thing when they are answering the phone or dealing with someone who has walked up to the front counter.

If you do not hold them accountable they will drive your business to the ground. Yes, it is that simple.
Now go do something about it.


Thank you,
David Guerra

I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra • visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

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About Cutting Corners

In anything and everything we do, whether its in Business or our Personal life, we like to see where we can cut corners. You know streamlining the process, saving a few bucks, and most of all saving time.

However, cutting corners does come at a price. Can you or your organization afford to pay that price?

Think about this: A process has a corner cut here and there because 99.999% of the customers do not need that corner, in the first place, to deliver them exceptional customer service.

Everyone is happy!

The employees are happy that they do not need to do something “needless” or extra. The manager is happy because it is one less thing she has to hold her staff accountable for. The owner is happy because the cost per customer ratio is low and that means saving money and more money in the company coffers is excellent. The customer is happy as their time spent interacting with the company representative was reduced because of cutting that corner.

However, is the customer truly happy? Yes, 99.999% of them are happy.

Why not 100%?

It is going to be the 00.001% that is going to want that cut corner returned. It is whatever was cut that will be the one thing the 00.001% will NEED (not want) to achieve a successful transaction with the organization.

Guess what? No, Happy Customer here!

Also, that customer will make the loudest noise. Trust me on this, when a customer is NOT happy she will let everyone within shouting distance know.

Does the corner really need to be cut?
If so, are you prepared to deal with the repercussions of being unable to address those that need that item that was cut from the process?

Here is where a manager might say, “We will deal with that when it happens.”

Great answer but what about when the 00.001% customer that is a once in a three or four year customer? Will you or your organization remember how deal with the missing corner then?

Cutting corners can be good for the organization and most of its customers. But remember in a large pond a pebble dropped in the center will create ripples that will take a while to reach the shoreline. Therefore, think long-term before you go around cutting corners for the sake of cutting corners.


Thank you,
David Guerra

I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra • visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

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The MIDDAY NUGGET: A word or two about Customer Service (again)

Hello and Welcome to the MIDDAY NUGGET.

This morning, I had the pleasure of a client giving my organization and I a compliment. He complimented me on the level of customer service my organization offers the customer.

After thanking him, I told him that it really is nothing; it is just what we do. He went on to add that since moving to the area, he has been frustrated with the lack of customer service and organizational follow through from the majority of the companies he has dealt with since arriving. He went on to explain that he has dealt with roofing contractors that are eager for the contract but take too long to complete the project. He added that they would show up one day and then disappear for several days with no notification (not even a text).

I could only imagine just how much of a half-assed job they do when they do show up.  Seriously, that is as far as I will go badmouthing the no-name roofing contractor. However, I feel confident that many of the homeowners reading this blog post know of or heard of a not-so scrupulous roofing contractor.

Enough about roofing contractors and back to the issue at hand: customer service.

During our conversation, we both came to the agreement that it is EXTREMELY easy and simple to offer all the organization's stakeholders.

It really is.

I know that I have instructed my staff they are NOT to behave in a manner that is less that courteous.  When they are face-to-face with a stakeholder, they are to give 100% attention and follow through. They are to own the interaction from beginning to end.  If they hand off the transaction to a co-worker they are still expected to do the follow-up (i.e., did everything get resolved?)

It is that simple.

However, it is when organizations and their managers refuse to acknowledge and expect from their employees nothing less than EXCELLENCE that problems start to come to the surface. The next thing anyone knows, that manager or business owner is reacting to something that a smile, a thank you, or a simple phone call would have prevented.

Yes, It Is That Simple.



Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Pay Attention • Follow Through • Customer Service • Customer Excellence Now • Be Courteous • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

Never Short-change Your Customers

On Friday, October 24, 2013 I stopped off at a locally owned business (a mom and pop restaurant) and ordered some lunch to go. My order was filled relatively quickly (there was NO ONE else in the restaurant during the lunch hour on a Friday (now why didn't I see that red flag)). I paid for my order with a $20 bill, which I handed over to the guy taking my order. My change from the $20 was supposed to be $14.28, at least that's what the little display window on top of the cash register said.

The guy behind the counter plopped on the counter one $10 bill, four $1 bills, and one $0.25 coin (a quarter). I looked at the guy, he looked at me, pointed to the money on the counter and said, "There's your change."

I just looked at him and slid my change off the counter. As I was making my way out of the restaurant I found out that the guy that shortchanged me was the owner for this "fine" dining establishment.

As I was heading home to enjoy my lunch I got to thinking about what happened. As I replayed it in my head I started feeling bothered and a little upset about the whole situation.

It is not the fact that I was shorted $0.03 that bothered me.

What bothered me the most is the business owner saw absolutely NOTHING WRONG with shorting me.

He offered no apology nor explanation as to why he was not giving me exact change. Heck, I could understand running out of pennies but I got nothing.

This really got me thinking:

1. Has he done this before? Yes, as he did to me with such impunity.
2. Is he doing it to others, now? More than likely yes, as he doesn't know me from the next guy.

Then I started to peel back the layers on the situation and asked myself:

3. What else is he short changing his customers on? (food quality, cleanliness (on the surface it looked clean), or something that is not visible to us?)
4. What about his employees, is he short-changing them?
5. Are his employees in on the short-changing of the customers (or stakeholders)?
6. Is this his standard business practice? (affecting internal and external stakeholders)
7. What other "questionable" business practices is he getting away with or being allowed to get away with?
8. Why is he a "cash only" business? That's right this long time business takes cash only and the note on the front door lets everyone know.


I have said it before and I will say it again: This is not the right economy to be playing games with customers. Short-changing a customer $0.03 or $300.00 it does not matter, what matters is that when push comes to shove people will remember when they get short-changed and who did it to them. They will remember, the next time they want what you sell. They won't think twice going someplace else. Personally, I already found their replacement.

Such a shame that this Mom and Pop operation chose to give up quality and service all in the name of whatever the owner is doing.

A word or two of advice: I refer to you to my May 7, 2012 posting "About Mom and Pop Stores (small business) vs. Big Box Stores" and the last paragraph:
"Remember, people are not going to give you their hard earned money just because you are a Mom and Pop operation. You are going to have to take it from them in exchange for a quality product, a quality service, and above all a quality attitude."


Thank you and Good Luck,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

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Don't Forget The Front of the Boat

A few weeks ago, my daughter and I went on one of those Saltwater Fishing excursions out on the Gulf of Mexico. These fishing trips have become an annual event for her and me. Whether we catch fish or a cold or neither we always have a Great Time! We do some serious Daughter-Daddy bonding and this year was NO EXCEPTION.

However, isn't there always a HOWEVER when it comes to my posts?

I was left a little disappointed by the Customer Service/Business Side of the operation. The issue is that the Boat is a 50foot vessel. It has two decks but no one goes up there as all the fishing happens on first deck. The Wheel House is also on the second deck and it is big enough to hold the Captain and about three adults maximum.

Our first trip of the day was to take four (4) hours and it was going to be bay fishing at the Laguna Madre. Well we set sail at 8AM sharp and by 8:30 the hooks were in the water and the day was on. So Far So Good? Right?

Yes and No.

Yes, in that the day of fishing had begun. No in that there was a group of about eight individuals who were tying up the Captain and his crew at the back of the boat. Over the course of the next four hours, the Captain never once set foot to see how his passengers/customers/guests were doing at the front of the boat or the BOW in nautical terms. Yep, all the action was at the Stern and that's where they stayed. We did get a visit from the First Mate the ship's version of Gilligan or Little Buddy. He could not walk past us fast enough to get to the stern once again.

Seriously, Captain Lou (let's just call him Captain Lou) couldn't take five minutes from his busy schedule to ensure that everyone was SAFE, having a good time, or to do or say what he could to make certain we returned for more fun and fishing. For all we know Isaac the ship's bartender called in sick and Captain Lou was mixing Mai Tais on the Lido Deck while Gopher and Doc baited the hooks.


Aside from driving the boat to our next anchor point this guy must have spent more than 90% of his time and attention at the back of the boat. If memory serves me correct there were ten (10) of us on the Bow and there were about eight (8) fishing off the stern. I can't begin to stress enough just how much this guy was preoccupied with the back of the boat.

The time our Four Hour Tour had come to an end we managed to snag two trout, one catfish, and one complete Rod and Reel set  and that was sweet. My daughter somehow managed to snag it off the bottom of the bay and that was a good thing (see accompanying image).

As we made our way to get off the boat we had to go to the stern, there we finally got to see why Captain Lou and Gilligan were as giddy as little girls that they neglected their duties to their guests and possible paying customers. There was one individual, back there, who had one of those orange home improvement buckets FULL of fish. There were others who had stringers of fish. Well no wonder their experience was AWESOME! They were catching the fish.

I know, I know, some days you catch fish and some days you catch a cold. However, Captain Lou and his "little buddy" could have taken some time to talk to us and share their experiences on their waters and who knows we might not have had to stop, on the way home, for some "McFish."  Don't get me wrong we had a GREAT TIME!!! It was the customer attention that was lacking and that made my business interaction experience as EH....OK?

Let's break this down:

ONE BOAT + ONE CAPTAIN + ONE FIRST MATE + ALL PAID THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THE TRIP = TWO DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES WERE RECEIVED
==========
!!!FOR PETE'S SAKE,  IT SHOULD NEVER EQUAL TWO DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES!!!


Less than half of the passengers got a Stellar Experience and will most certainly be returning for more fun with the Skipper and Little Buddy.

MORE THAN HALF got near bottom of the barrel experience and are most certainly entertaining the idea of finding a different boat and captain for any future fishing excursions. I know I will

Folks, it breaks down to this: When you have a captive audience you have to the your very best to that 100% get the Stellar Experience because short of being stuck up in a Ferris wheel all these people paid GOOD MONEY to spend time out on the water. For the feeling at the end of the morning, over 50% might as well have been stuck up in the Ferris wheel. So don't forget that aside from an engine and wheel house, a boat has a Bow, a Stern, a Port, Starboard side and sometime people have business to conduct on that boat. Take care of everyone and not just the ones that are making you look good.

Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

Here are some Technorati Tags: • 100 Ways • A Fish Tale • Customer Service • Stem to Stern • Watch out for the Customer • and the Customer Experience • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

Time to Pull The Plug (on CompUSA)

CNN.com, last night (12/07/07), reported that CompUSA will be closing ALL its stores. It seems that the company has been struggling to stay afloat for almost the past 10 years, so this comes as no surprise. The report stated that CompUSA has already closed "more than half its stores this spring and got a cash infusion of $440 million to restructure" obviously this was not enough.

I take it that the company realized that the $440 million for restructuring was not enough. It is good that the company realized that things were not going the way they were expected and decided to bring things to a halt as opposed to dragging it out until it would eventually die off, all the while the internal stakeholders would start to get apathetic and it would create greater customer service problems, which would make the fall even that much more uglier.

While it might be more valiant to stick it out and fight through the problem and "hopefully" come out a big winner. However, at close to 10 years of trying, I would say bringing this to a close and declaring CompUSA "DOA" is a good thing for all concerned.

tags used here: Dave Guerra, CompUSA, store closure, Stakeholders, Customer Service