Posted by Deborah Chaddock Brown on June 21, 2010 under Connecting Moments, making a difference | 
It is the first day of summer. The longest day of the year. As the long, warm days of summer lay before you – what will you do differently this year; in business and at home?
When my children were little, I worked in corporate America and so needed to rely on summer camps as a way of keeping my children off the streets. Each year in February we’d start looking at the options and with a nod to those camps loved from years past, the kids would plan their summer.
At the end of each summer camp week the kids had to rate the week – 1-10. 1 = camp was close to child abuse and 10 = they wanted to live there for the rest of their lives.
They used that information to CHANGE what they did from year to year. But guess what? I never changed my own behavior or experiences.
I realized that this past weekend as I was driving home from taking my daughter for a week of girl scout camp (receives a rating of 10 each year!). I drove home a different way – the long way – which took me past a lovely lake with camping.
I thought “how peaceful.” I want to be there! I realized that although the kids do something different each year – I always do the same thing – pretty much treat each week as if it were any other time of the year. I do spend as much time at the Chautauqua Institute as possible but I don’t do anything else.
This morning I decided – why not do something different? The possibilities are endless.
It is all a matter of looking at things with fresh eyes and a renewed spirit.
The same is true for our business and our relationship with our customers. How can we do things differently to make it more valuable and more interesting for everyone involved?
- Can we start a blog?
- Attend a new networking event?
- Add a new service or product?
- Change our hours?
- Reach out to a new audience?
If there isn’t anything you would DO differently – is there a new way to LOOK at your business or your customers that might make a difference?
Enjoy the extra minutes of sun today on this summer solstice and perhaps use them to think of one thing you might do differently in your life this summer.
Posted by Deborah Chaddock Brown on January 7, 2010 under Connecting Moments, Customer Moments, making a difference |
What is the cost of a lost customer?
I have often theorized the importance of building relationships with customers and now a recent survey puts dollars to the sense of that theory. I learned today from CustServ that the cost of lost customers equals 338.5 BILLION a year! Further investigation from CustServ’s blog led me to the article from Genesys that shares the details of the customer service survey of 16 countries. The article details the survey particulars (about 500 people per country surveyed), the worst hit industries, what ticked customers off and what set businesses apart.
My eye zeroed in on the key misses by companies. What causes customers to walk and take their business to the competition?
Consumers feel the most significant root causes of poor service are:
- Being trapped in automated self-service
- Being forced to wait too long for service
- Repeating themselves
- Representatives that lack the skills to answer their inquiry
If we look at that list we see consumers who want to interact with another human being but more importantly – the interaction should be one in which the consumer feels like they have been HEARD and are being helped by someone who UNDERSTANDS THEIR NEEDS and has the skills and knowledge to MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Further, the survey participants listed what improvements they would like to see in customer service:
When asked what they would most like to see companies deploy to improve service, 40% chose human service, but more than half of consumers chose at least one new communication channel among their top choices. In other words, “Treat my interactions as a conversation.”
Again, we are back to human interaction and BUILDING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS. Forty percent wanted to deal with another person rather than an automated system.
So what do customers value?
According to the data, consumer satisfaction increases when companies meet four key needs:
- Competency
- Convenience
- Proactive engagement
- Personalization
Proactive outreach emerged as an area in which consumers want greater engagement. More than 86 per cent of consumers defined proactive engagement as a “strong benefit” or would “welcome proactive assistance” when stuck on the Web or in some form of self-service.
Three out of four of those items involve the RELATIONSHIP between the consumer and the sales associate or customer service representative.
If the prospects that leave your business without purchasing were surveyed, what would be the reason they walked? How much is that costing you? What can you do to turn prospects into customers.
It all starts with the relationship!
For a complete copy of “The Cost of Poor Customer Service: The Economic Impact of the Customer Experience and Engagement” survey, please send a request to: press@genesyslab.com
Posted by Deborah Chaddock Brown on March 3, 2009 under Connecting Moments, empathy |
Have you missed me?
I received a call on February 13th that my father was suddenly very ill and I left my home, children and business without a backward glance. A lover of technology, I hung up the phone and immediately went to my computer to find the first available flight out but it was the Friday of Valentines Weekend and every flight was booked. I pleaded with one airline customer service representative after another but none could help me.
Desperate, I called a friend who recommended I call Jean at Will Travel in Akron for help. Jean found a Frontier flight to Phoenix connecting in Denver with a long layover. She informed me there was an earlier Denver/Phoenix flight and suggested I go to the ticket counter and ask to be put on stand by. Jean was wonderfully supportive. I went to the airport and explained my situation to the agent.
I pride myself in professionalism at all costs, but I couldn’t help the tears that fell as I begged Merl Lynn to please get me to my father in time. Just like Santa, she went to work without saying a word. She worked her magic and printed out my boarding pass. And then she leaned across the counter and took my hand. She didn’t say a thing. But she squeezed my hand and made eye contact. While holding my hand, she gave a little nod and one more squeeze.
I knew that she was sending me on my way with prayers and hopes that my Dad would hang on until I could get there.
That single squeeze and the tenderness in her eyes let me know she understood the urgency. She understood my fear. She understood the importance of my journey.
It was that single squeeze that held me together until I arrived at the hospital. My Dad had stablized and I had a few wonderful days to hold and squeeze his hand, to make eye contact and to share words of love.
He passed away on February 19. I miss him terribly. But I am so grateful for the tiny gesture that Merl Lynn offered, the assistance and advice from Jean and the prayers and well wishes and comforting thoughts that so many people along the way offered to me and my entire family.
We never know when a tiny gesture may be the difference between life and death. We just never know how our actions, or inactions, impact those we encounter.
I would encourage you to make every gesture count.
It is the first day of summer. The longest day of the year. As the long, warm days of summer lay before you – what will you do differently this year; in business and at home?
