Simple Isn’t Easy…It’s Just Simple

Posted by Deborah Chaddock Brown on August 17, 2009 under Customer Moments, Training | Be the First to Comment

I had the pleasure of taking a class “The Anatomy of a TV Script” from Emmy nominated television writer/co-executive producer, Ellen Sandler.  Ellen worked on such popular shows as Taxi, Coach and Everybody Loves Raymond.

The two-day class covered a brief overview of the key components of a successful script, using the script entitled No Fat from “Raymond” for which Ellen was nominated for an Emmy.  During the class, Ellen had many quotable comments, but the one that really hit me between the eyes is this:

“Simple isn’t easy…it’s just simple.”

Ellen was talking about writing scripts but it also relates to customer service.  We point to examples of excellent service and we’ve even offered excellent service ourselves, but why aren’t we consist? 

Great customer service is so simple.  It’s about building relationships, effective listening skills and matching needs to solutions.  It doesn’t get any simpler than that. 

Yet, why do so few businesses offer great service?

In the words of Ellen:  simple isn’t easy.

So how do we make the simple ideas behind great customer service become easy?

• Clearly identify what great service looks like to your customer
• Practice makes perfect
• Reinforce great service when you see it happen – right when it happens
• Encourage and evaluate less than great service right after the customer leaves (what went well, what could you have done differently?)
• Keep the lines of communication open with your customer to stay on top of their changing needs
• Re-evaluate your service components – those things you will ALWAYS do for your customer

So simple isn’t easy but that doesn’t mean that simple is impossible.