The Problem: Sitting in your desk is sapping your energy and can have a negative impact on your calls. If you’d like to learn more about how we are sitting ourselves to death, click here.
The Solution: Squats
Ready? Stand up. Yes, right now.
Do 1 squat. Go as low as you feel comfortable going
2 more...
1 more... That’s it!
Happy Thanksgiving to all our Canadian friends, family and readers.
If I told you there was an expression you could use that would calm your customers down, you'd use it, right?
Here it is: "I'm glad you called"
When to use it:
Hi, I have a question about my bill - "I'm glad you called"
Good morning, you guys messed up and ... - "I'm glad you called"
I need to schedule a ... - "I'm glad you called"
Added bonus: When you say this, it helps you, too! It gives you a moment to collect your thoughts and sends a positive message to your brain. Why not give it a try today?
Sending out a warm welcome to our newly certified Safari Rangers in Massachusetts and Maine.
Nobody wants to feel like a number, but are you giving that impression without knowing it?
What's the first thing you say to your caller after they share their name or their concern?
Often, we get so caught up in all the details we need to gather, that the call ends up sounding impersonal.
Today, aim to respond first with their name and/or an offer to assist.
CSR: Good Morning, Awesome Co, this is Ann
Customer: Hi Ann, this is Tanya and I've got a problem with my bill.
CSR: I'm glad you called Tanya, what seems to be the problem?
Then listen closely for that sigh of relief that happens as they realize they are dealing with a caring professional.
Negativity is contagious and can bring the whole team down. And you know you can’t change other people - however, you can influence them.
But how?
None of us like being told what to do, so rather than tell others to “cheer up, be happy, smile, it’s a great day”, etc., try instead to be a positive force. That doesn’t mean over-the-top unicorns and rainbows, that can get annoying. It does mean choosing to find the silver lining and choosing to have a good day for yourself.
One very effective and well-documented way to be more positive is to be grateful. Consider a gratitude journal, or identifying 3 things you are grateful for each day, but in this moment try using your feet.
Next time you get up from your chair (coffee, copier, lunch break etc.) say ‘thank’ when you plant your right foot, and ‘you’ when you plant your left foot.
Fill in the blank for what follows that.
Your turn!
Here's a great story about not judging a book by its cover. Spoiler alert the end result is a new loyal-for-life customer! Guest Blogger, Samantha James, writes:
Walking into Tiffany’s on 5th Avenue was just as sparkly but a lot more tourist-y than I imagined. As an 18 year-old with a $15 purse on her shoulder, I assumed the staff would easily overlook me. However, I was proven wrong.
After explaining my request, I was kindly, and nonjudgmentally (is that a word?), directed to the 6th floor. An attendant in the elevator made eye contact, smiled and pressed #6. Once the doors opened, I was given a friendly greeting and directed to one of the most plush velvet chairs I’ve ever seen. They were, of course, Tiffany blue. Soon after sitting, a young (attractive) man in a tux with a Tiffany blue bowtie asked us if we’d like anything to drink. I accepted my sparkling water with a lime wedge graciously, feeling very much like Audrey Hepburn, and only had to wait a few more minutes before being lead to a desk where a professional woman named Sandra who was, of course, wearing a tiffany blue neck scarf, promptly asked me what I wanted done with my necklace, gave me options on how to have it returned to me and told me how much it would cost without dancing around the answer. She presented her card and a tracking number as reassurance (she could tell how precious it was to me).
Thank you, Tiffany’s, for making a teenager feel like an important and appreciated customer! I may not be able to afford to shop there for now, but you can bet in the future you’ve got a customer for life.
Where might judgement get in the way of your outstanding service?
Today, look for opportunities to catch yourself judging and then turn your focus to helping.
Have you ever thought that about a colleague?
Perhaps you've heard about the power of having a best friend at work. It's a useful question in an employee engagement survey and has a wonderful impact on our mindset and collaboration. To read about the positive benefits, click here.
What about the opposite scenario?
Working with someone who drives you crazy can drag you and your productivity down the drain. Consider the hours you spend venting about them at work or, worse, at home!
Today, when you see someone who usually annoys you, see if you can catch yourself being curious rather than right.
Curious - I wonder why she doesn't say 'good morning' when she comes into the office?
Being Right - I knew it, another day when she doesn't even say 'good morning'. She is so rude.
We're hosting a webinar chock-full of tips and strategies to get along better with your internal customers.
Click here for information about our Working Together webinar or email for more information.
Imagine if you could read your customers’ minds AND that you used that power for good! Last week, I took an Uber ride to get to a training site and Omar read my mind. Look at this car:
He predicted that my phone might need charging, that I might be thirsty, and that I might be concerned about germs. What a pleasant surprise. That’s crystal ball service: proactive, mind-reading service!
What do you do to predict your customers' needs?
We’ve created a one-hour webinar to help teams spot, plan, do and share crystal ball service in their companies. If you’d like more information about it send Gaynor an email.
I’ve been training and coaching virtually every day for the past 20 years and I’ve cracked the code on how to engage customers, teams and coworkers through the screen. Would you like to know the secrets?
If you've got a presentation in your future - don't wait, email or call today.
Ward Certified Consulting, LLC