Customer service is not a four letter word

Customer service is not a four letter word What is the word appears in your mind about a recent experience in customer service? E 'is good or bad? Customer service in this country seems to be in the same direction as the Titanic. Why? One reason is most Americans feel the job of customer service and are of little importance. Secondly, many organizations have eliminated the human element, replacing it with a lower cost, impersonal conglomeration of voice, e-mail, and online application forms. For many service companies in the short term is to reduce costs, cut coers, and the behavior of profits.The Hotel Ritz-Carlton makes customer service an art form. Unlike other places, if you know how to treat your customers well and make a special effort to please them? Guess what? I'm back, tell their friends, and maintain a long-term relationship loyalty.My wife and I recently stayed at the Reynolds Plantation Ritz-Carlton at Lake Oconee, Georgia. Upon registration, we deposited our bags and took a seat in the hall to enjoy the view over the lake. A few minutes later, a service of the person named Susan is to initiate a friendly conversation. She asked us why we stay at the hotel. I said: "We are here for our wedding anniversary." With a big smile, she said: "Congratulations. I'd like some 'champagne. "Wow! This was the first of two episodes in this hotel that capture my loyalty as a guest of Ritz-Carlton.Later night knocks on the door that took us by surprise. Greeting us was again Susan. This time he surprised us with a delicious slice of cake carefully presented on a tray. Under icing was the inscription, "Happy Birthday". Wow! It was not a stroke of luck, we stumbled upon Susan. She and other employees Ritz Carlton, are carefully selected and trained on how to identify clients? S unspoken requests. They follow a process called "Three stages of service." Step 1 - Warm welcomeStep 2? Anticipation and complianceStep 3? Fond farewell is in phase 2, where the staff members to seek and discover host? S needs or desires. Then there is a way to create a "moment of truth." In our case, it's champagne and cake.Now birthday, let me make an important point of criticism. I know many of you say: "I expect to be treated well in a quality hotel? This is what I paid for. "Let's examine the issue. The same principles and rules of behavior demonstrated the Ritz-Carlton may also be applied to your dealership, bank or company, they can t? A Gallup survey found over a period of one month, a customer "emotionally connected" to the organization spent 46% more money from a customer who is satisfied, but not emotionally tied to imagine going company.Just repair your car with your car. Within sixty minutes, have corrected the first time, and deliver to your home, cleaner than when you made the switch off. How many people say about this? Of course, the owner of the auto repair shop to see exponential growth. The additional profits and revenues exceeding the time spent and costs exceeding customers expectations.In today's competitive economy, all companies are required to make a choice, or become exceptional, or just stay the same - average. Needless to say, it is easier and less expensive than the average. However, examples abound of small and large businesses destroyed by the competition, because they refused or were unable to keep your change.To help the competitiveness of firms, consider the following four stages of exceptional service.Step 1 - Select the right people. Companies to reach the first line of customer service is essential for success. Thus, they spend more time recruiting and hiring the right people.Step 2 - Set performance standards. The design and development as the employees are supposed to act and respond to customer needs and requests.Step 3 - Maintain on-going training and reinforcement. Good customer service is not natural. The success of the company to strengthen and train their staff continuously.Step 4 - Define the consequences of behavior. You must hold people accountable. Reward those who exceed the standards and develop those that are not.Greg Smith performance helps to create organizations that attract, retain, And motivate their staff. As President of Chart Your Course Inteational designed and implemented professional development programs for hundreds of Organizations worldwide. Growth Consulting Company, which has helped companies owners reduce tuover, increase sales, provide better customer service, and Achieve long-term prosperity. He is also the author of here, today, tomorrow: Tu your work to high tuover rates of retention, the New Leader, and many other books. For more information, visit   or call (800) 821-2487 or (770) 860-9464. Customer service available training programs / Servicevideo.htm / Servicevideo.htm.