MORE LESSONS FROM THE ROAD
by Emily Huling
The wait staff in a restaurant treats you so poorly that you fume. You vow never to return. Then you wonder if any of your clients have ever felt the same way about the service your firm provides. This document by Emily Huling offers examples of customer service, and the lessons you should learn from them.
SCENE 1: SHERATON HOTEL
'Hello, Front Desk.'
'Hello, this is Emily Huling in room 308. I just found my room receipt under the door.'
'Then you’re ready to go!'
'No, I’m not. This isn’t my bill.'
'Does it have your name and room number on it?'
'Yes, it does.'
'Then it’s your bill.'
'Well, I stayed two nights and this receipt shows only one. These aren’t my phone calls, and I didn’t get room service.'
'Those have to be your phone calls. They were made from that room.'
I did not make this up. Our conversation went downhill from there — if that’s possible. The woman at the front desk told me she’d tell someone else and they’d get back to me. 'Someone else' didn’t get to work until 7:30 a.m. and I had to leave at 6:30 to get to the airport, so I couldn’t wait. The front desk was no more helpful in person, so I left the bill. I’m still waiting.
SCENE 2: HAMPTON INN
'Hello, Emily, great to see you again!'
'Hello, Frank! How are your classes at Furman this semester?'
'Great, but it’s still a challenge to work 30 hours a week and carry a full course load.'
'Boy, Frank, I really admire you.'
'Emily, Paul will be glad you’re here. He has something for you.' (Paul is the night manager)
'Really? How nice. I’ll see him as usual after my walk tomorrow morning.'
SCENE 3: NEXT MORNING, 6:30
'Hello, Emily! I brought you a treat!' Paul walks into the office and reappears holding a huge cheesecake fit for a queen.
'What is that?'
'Well, after all these years of having you as a guest and brightening my mornings, I wanted to do something for you. Making cheesecakes is my hobby.'
Paul tells me that he bakes a variety of cheesecakes and is in the process of transforming his kitchen to meet health department codes in order to sell his cheesecakes to restaurants. He wants my taste buds’ opinion. We chat, we hug, and I’m overwhelmed at his thoughtfulness and generosity.
CURTAIN CALL
I know we can’t all give our customers homemade cheesecakes. But we can treat them as respected, intelligent, and valued individuals. Isn’t that what customer service is all about?
Here are a few reminders on what it takes to deliver outstanding customer service:
- Address your customers by name.
- Allow your customers to state their needs. Don’t interrupt.
- Apologize if it appears that an error was made — no matter who’s responsible.
- Use a warm and understanding tone of voice.
- If a front-line person needs to refer an issue to someone else, give the customer that person’s name and phone number.
- Tell every customer that you appreciate their business and look forward to serving them again.
Follow up to ensure that misunderstandings are resolved.
Every customer interaction reflects on both the individual and their firm. Why not make it a pleasant, positive interaction for both you and your customer?
Emily Huling, CIC, CMC is the president of Selling Strategies Inc., which helps the insurance industry increase sales, improve customer service, and improve the bottom line. She can be reached at P.O. Box 200, Terrell, NC 28682, (888) 309-8802, fax (888) 398-7355, e-mail [email protected], or Web site www.sellingstrategies.com.