Customer Service, ANY BUSINESS

Some recent threads discussed business succeeding, growing or dying.     I read this today and thought I would share some truths or perceptions that are out there on customer service.   Like it or not, these are today's expectations.    


Harv, you can move depending how it is received.  


I will bet a beer that everyone who reads this post can comment on what Gore could do/change at low or no cost for each commandment.  

The Ten Commandments of Customer Service
By Susan A. Friedmann

1.Know who is boss. You are in business to service customer needs, and you can only do that if you know what it is your customers want. When you truly listen to your customers, they let you know what they want and how you can provide good service. Never forget that the customer pays our salary and makes your job possible.

2. Be a good listener. Take the time to identify customer needs by asking questions and concentrating on what the customer is really saying. Listen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and most importantly, how they feel. Beware of making assumptions - thinking you intuitively know what the customer wants. Do you know what three things are most important to your customer? Effective listening and undivided attention are particularly important on the show floor where there is a great danger of preoccupation - looking around to see to whom else we could be selling to.

3. Identify and anticipate needs. Customers don't buy products or services. They buy good feelings and solutions to problems. Most customer needs are emotional rather than logical. The more you know your customers, the better you become at anticipating their needs. Communicate regularly so that you are aware of problems or upcoming needs.

4. Make customers feel important and appreciated. Treat them as individuals. Always use their name and find ways to compliment them, but be sincere. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust. Think about ways to generate good feelings about doing business with you. Customers are very sensitive and know whether or not you really care about them. Thank them every time you get a chance. On the show floor be sure that your body language conveys sincerity. Your words and actions should be congruent.

5. Help customers understand your systems. Your organization may have the world's best systems for getting things done, but if customers don't understand them, they can get confused, impatient and angry. Take time to explain how your systems work and how they simplify transactions. Be careful that your systems don't reduce the human element of your organization.

6. Appreciate the power of "Yes". Always look for ways to help your customers. When they have a request (as long as it is reasonable) tell them that you can do it. Figure out how afterwards. Look for ways to make doing business with you easy. Always do what you say you are going to do.

7. Know how to apologize. When something goes wrong, apologize. It's easy and customers like it. The customer may not always be right, but the customer must always win. Deal with problems immediately and let customers know what you have done. Make it simple for customers to complain. Value their complaints. As much as we dislike it, it gives us an opportunity to improve. Even if customers are having a bad day, go out of your way to make them feel comfortable.

8. Give more than expected. Since the future of all companies lies in keeping customers happy, think of ways to elevate yourself above the competition. Consider the following:
•What can you give customers that they cannot get elsewhere?
•What can you do to follow-up and thank people even when they don't buy?
•What can you give customers that is totally unexpected?

9. Get regular feedback. Encourage and welcome suggestions about how you could improve. There are several ways in which you can find out what customers think and feel about your services.
•Listen carefully to what they say.
•Check back regularly to see how things are going.
•Provide a method that invites constructive criticism, comments and suggestions.
 
10. Treat employees well. Employees are your internal customers and need a regular dose of appreciation. Thank them and find ways to let them know how important they are. Treat your employees with respect and chances are they will have a higher regard for customers. Appreciation stems from the top. Treating customers and employees well is equally important.



Is Gore following these?      Some yes and some no.     I like to give low cost or no cost examples.   Closing day was a blast.   Prior years were mud/river fests.  This year, not so much.  The boardwalks were a nice addition.  Thank you.    However if they "listened" by reading this site, or anticipated customer's needs, they could have easily spread two bales of hay in the minor mud areas.     Cost $8.00.   Win for customers, Gore clean up crew, and Gore Mgmt who mildly would have increased the "feel" of closing day.    Low and behold, Kmart made 3 hay bridges.    You still walked in water, but no muddy boot to smell when you are enjoying your beer on the umbrella deck.     Car matts or boot bags were mud free too.      

At Killington this weekend, I noticed many of the employees calling customers and each other by name, including a friend of mine.  I asked my buddy how he knew so many people at such a big resort.    He commented:   They don't know me, they are reading my ID and using my first name.     Regardless this practice 1) lets co-employees begin to learn each others names.  2) lets employees get to know the names of season pass holders, 3) starts conversations off with a friendly tone. 4) feels good.   Maybe Gore is doing this, if not, it is something to consider.    The guys/gals reading lift tickets would call out the pass holder's name....Joe, how is your day?.    Cost nothing but time/training.     The pay off may be a returning customer.    

Another lesson is most customers make decisions on emotions rather than logical decisions.    Does not matter if it is right or not, it is.  Perspective is reality.     For evidence simply look at clothing, toy, or 'other', trends.   In hindsight any logical person would not have made the decision to spend the money.  Remember Miracle on 34th Street?  Santa advised a customer to go to Gimbles.  Happy customer's spend money.  

These rules/ideas will apply until or unless the economy turns around to the point that people are waiting in lines for a particular service/good.  


http://marketing.about.com/od/relationshipmarketing/a/crmtopten.htm

Doesn't matter. Gore is not within the free market system. They don't depend on customer service, and their actions prove it. The first few days I went there way back confused me at first, but, then, the old light bulb above my head went off, and, I said, doh, state employees. Go to the place on a powder Wednesday. Half the lifts are closed. Why? It's duh, Wednesday. That's customer service filtered through an expense report to a politician.
They really don't have to compete for your dollars. I'm not saying the experience is miserable, like, say, the DMV, although that has improved a ton, for some strange reason. I like the place. But stop with the Starbucks stuff. This is ORDA, after all. I mean, no web cam, still. Really?

Benny Profane wrote

 I'm not saying the experience is miserable, like, say, the DMV, although that has improved a ton, for some strange reason. I like the place.

You like the DMV - Bennie, you do have a problem.

The last time I had to use it in NY state, I was warned that I shouldn't be shocked at the improvement, but, I was. I think state politicians realized that was a sore point for us schmoes and used improvements in service to get votes. Now I'm in Connecticut, which is much better. No inspection!

On opening day back in Nov (or maybe it was the year before, I forget), Mike Pratt (Gore's GM) was at the gondi greeting skiers by name.  I don't know how long he was there for (maybe it was just a short while), but it was nice to hear "Welcome back, Jeff" as we loaded.

Benny Profane wrote

The last time I had to use it in NY state, I was warned that I shouldn't be shocked at the improvement, but, I was. I think state politicians realized that was a sore point for us schmoes and used improvements in service to get votes. Now I'm in Connecticut, which is much better. No inspection!

DMV in NJ had the same kind of transformation. Not sure how they did it, but it happened 5 or 10 years ago. It's clean, FRIENDLY (!), no lines and moves quick. I'm still stunned.

Regarding the DMV's, if your States are anything like MD, the DMV has outsources much of their work via technology (renewing DLs on line for those under 50) or outright letting independent companies handle all DMV business, like titles.   People are now paying a convenience fee to not use DMV down here and if I am right, the DMV pays the private company too.    If I had to guess 50+% of the work has left DMV, BUT I bet staffing has remained the same.    

I agree DMV customer service (speed) is way up, but the teller I just used could not force a smile from her face no matter how friendly I tried to be.   I was quite happy as my wait was only 5 minutes.    

Yes...when your revenue stream is not 100% tied to customer's wallets, the value of return customers and customer service is lessened.      

That said, the reason I enjoy Gore is the workers are generally happy and helpful.    This post was more directed at the big picture.    Love that the GM was out at the Gondi.    I see that at our company when it comes to their performance reviews....we expect some meet and greets about 4 weeks before.   They can add..."I pressed hand with the common folk" on their review reports.    The real value is how often is this done?  
An old VP would drive a 14 person van in our parking lot and pick up employees when it rained.    Not once, or twice.....he engaged us employees in 3 minute conversations.    LISTEN---one of the commandments.    

What would happen if the GM rode the Gondi 2 times a day everyday?    What do you like about Gore, what can I improve short term, long term?   Thank you for coming.    He could return calls and email on the download.   Cost?  $0.00.   20 minutes of time.    If not the GM, then each of his managers, who could have pointed questions on their role.      

I:)skiing wrote

What would happen if the GM rode the Gondi 2 times a day everyday?    What do you like about Gore, what can I improve short term, long term?   Thank you for coming.    He could return calls and email on the download.   Cost?  $0.00.   20 minutes of time.    If not the GM, then each of his managers, who could have pointed questions on their role.

I'm not so sure skiers would want to be forced into an 8-minute conversation with the GM in the gondi.  Skiers have their own dynamic going on in the gondi, the GM interview thing would kind of be an intrusion IMO.  Instead, how about a "ski with the GM" session?  Take sign-ups (up to 8 skiers) for a 1.5-hour tour around the mountain with the GM maybe once per month.  The tour could be a behind-the-scenes kind of thing or a Gore history tour or some other theme.  Bruce (former GM at WF) used to do this up at Whiteface.