EXTRAORDINARY CUSTOMER SERVICE Beyond the Extra Mile in Loyalty Marketing

J.M. ENAGE

Copyright © 2012 J.M. Enage

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a published review.

The information presented herein represents the views of the author as of the date of publication. This book is presented for informational purposes only. Due to the rate at which conditions change, the author reserves the right to alter and update his opinions at any time. While every attempt has been made to verify the information in this book, the author does not assume any responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, or omissions.

J.M. Enage 216-8140 Colonial Drive Richmond, B.C. V7C 4T7 604.312.9072 jenage@gmail.com

Contents

Acknowledgement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v About the Author.......................... vii Foreword ................................ix Introduction.............................. xiii

Chapter 1. Preparing For the Journey of Change ........................1

The Competitive Market....................... 1 Loyalty Marketing............................ 2 Extraordinary Customer Service ................4 Cycle of Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Chapter 2. The First Mile—Personal Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Switch to “man for others” mode ................10 Eliminate the Seven Major Roadblocks . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Detoxify for success ..........................16 Deliver the Four Magic Ps of Extraordinary Customer Service ............................18

Chapter 3. The Second Mile— Institutional Transformation.................. 21

Core values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Create great products and services............... 22 Promote internal loyalty....................... 23 Promote external loyalty....................... 24 Provide good tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Switch to transformational style of service ........ 25

Chapter 4. The Third Mile—Customer Transformation.................. 27

The WOW Factor—and BUMR................... 28 WOW Case Study Exercises ....................31

Chapter 5. To Infinity and Beyond the Extra Mile—Lifetime Customer Loyalty . . . 35

Cycle of Transformation....................... 35 Lifetime Customer Loyalty..................... 36 Transformational Achievement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Bonus Chapter. How to Reverse Brand Resistance, and Transform to Brand Insistence and Brand Advocacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Being Aware of Customer Feedback and Word of Mouth............................... 39 Transform BrandResistance to Brand Insistence.... 40 Transform Brand Insistence to Brand Advocacy .... 42

Bonus Chapter. What Is Your Customer Service IQ?................. 44

Questionnaire—How to Test Customer Service Skills................................ 44 How To Revitalize Customer Service with Cultural Sensitivity Training........................... 46

To all my 50,000 + customers in the present and the past you have taught me patience, humility, creativity dedication, humour and perseverance. You have blessed me with lots of wisdom. You have given me more than 10,000 hours of practice to pay my dues and get things right. (And it continues on.) You have molded my passion to go beyond the extra mile. You are also my true mentors. To all the extraordinary customer service agents in the world that have touched me in one way, shape or form (including Kumiko from Tokyo), you are the reason for this book and the inspiration in customer service excellence.

With profoundest gratitude I acknowledge Raymond Aaron for inspiring me to write and set guidelines for personal growth and development. Without his coaching and support, this book would not have been possible.

I am grateful to my editor Thomas Hauck for giving me a ‘third eye’ and in assembling and preserving my voice in all the stories, expressions and sentiments. His professionalism shows through. Thank you to my design team Randolene and Iryna Spica for their patience and dedication in getting concepts beautifully implemented.

My sincere thanks to my grandfather and uncle Ambassadors Jose Ma. Delgado and Antonio C. Delgado for serving as role models in fine diplomacy and human relations. They may not be here today, but they are forever an inspiration to my work and practice. Pastors David Poirier, Jimmy Marquez and Frank Berto and Bishop Chito Tagle – your talks and walks inspire me always.

To my colleagues and associates in real estate and joint venture projects – Odin Zavier, Thane Lanz, Gord Lemon, Ozzie Jurock, Dean Graziosi and Richard Ledding – thank you! Your expertise and professional association with me are truly valuable.

To my past and current colleagues at AIMIA like Andrea, Rhonda, Denise, Wayne, Marivic, etc. for teaching and sharing techniques in great customer service. To my current and past superiors at AIMIA – Roger Fox, Chris Cormier, Alden Hadwen, Marlene Critch, Cheryl MacDonald, Kellay Hamelin, Shamim Sachedina, Bryan Johnson, Susan Graham, Susan Randhawa, Biba Pjevalica, Jenny Pan, Stephanie Louangxay, Steven Hankins, Gwen Livingston, Jerry Mcdonell and other unmentioned valuable staff, your support is invaluable.

Big thanks to my support and publicity team Monina Estella, Rica Villalon,Willie & Marimil Villareal, , Mike & Gina Echevarria, Marinchi Estella, Louie & Maryllis Enage, Piquillo & Mariza Enage, GG & Chiqui Francisco, Gary Avelino, Tom & Ingrid Firme, Chito & Vivian Cruz, Joe & Peach Varona, Edgar & Marichu Jayme, Raffy & Christy Abasolo, Ito & Monica Ramirez, Gus & Bing Narciso, Tony & Susan Narciso, Leo & Maribel Mercado, Gerry & Lani Ablaza and other family friends.

Thank you most of all to the two model writers in my life – my father Philip (deceased) who showed me the business writing discipline and my mother Milagros who demonstrated to me creative writing techniques, other forms of artistic expression and creative living. Their love, support and encouragement are with me always.

Lastly, to my most cherished children Giantin, Tonichi, Miel and Celine, this is my work of love for you. I would not be here without you.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!

J.M. “Chem” Enage has dedicated his career to achieving success in sales, marketing, customer service, information technology, and project management. J.M.’s guiding principle has always been to go the extra mile and beyond, and internal/external customers and service have been a major focus of his learning and practice. His Christian upbringing and Jesuit education inspire him to write about serving and giving back to the community (www.BeyondTheExtraMile.com). J.M. was born in Manila, Philippines also known as the Call Centre Capital of the World and now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with his four great kids, in a city declared by the United Nations as one of the top three most livable cities in the world, but ironically the most ridiculously expensive city in which to own a home.

Part of the proceeds for the sale of this book will go to his favorite charity organization, Schools Without Borders (www.schoolswithoutborders.com).

The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be.

~ Og Mandino, The Greatest Salesman In The World

Foreword

For business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals, customer service is a topic of significant concern. And it should be; after all, customers are the very reason that businesses exist. Businesses serve customers, and customers pay for products or services. If all goes well, everyone is happy.

The customer-business relationship is familiar to everyone. We may not all be business owners, but we are all customers. When we go the grocery store or the gas station, fly to another city, rent a car, dine in a restaurant, or stay in a hotel, we become a part of the customer service economy. In every transaction, every one of us is either a customer on the receiving end or a customer delivery agent, company, or organization that survives on servicing customers.

You and I know how it feels to receive everyday customer service. And we know how it feels when, on those rare occasions, we receive extraordinary customer service. The difference is huge. One is a transaction; the other is a transformation.

Ordinary customer service is common to most companies and organizations. A transaction is made, and no one is unhappy. The minimum has been accomplished. But to meet your goals in this highly competitive global economy, there is a real need to differentiate your brand or company versus all the rest. You need to make every transaction a transformation.

Extraordinary Customer Service sets itself apart by taking a holistic approach in the journey of change. It goes beyond transactions and ordinary customer satisfaction to a more meaningful and delightful relational-based transformation of the individual, the institution, and the customer.

When J.M. asked me to write the foreword for his new book, I happily accepted. I first met J.M. back in 2004 at a real estate convention. Since then, J.M. has supported me by being a reader of my bestselling book Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul and the New York Times bestseller Chicken Soup for the Parent’s Soul, coauthored with Jack Canfield. He has also participated in my Strategic Action coaching sessions and real estate courses.

And J.M. is well qualified to write this book. Having been in the sales and marketing industry covering various positions of management as well as frontline sales and customer service, his many years of experience includes internal and external customer support, retail sales, technical support, online sales, and call centres.

In Extraordinary Customer Service, the message comes alive with true stories about extreme customer service in action. You’ll experience J.M.’s stories as he has himself done so, both directly and indirectly through his colleagues and associates. This book reveals the strategic value of taking a transformational approach to customer service, and of going the extra mile for clients. J.M. shows you the secrets of implementing customer service delivery that is Big, Unexpected, Memorable, and Relevant (BUMR), and helps you to attain extraordinary customer service and gain customer loyalty for life.

Most impressive to me are the case studies and ex-

Foreword

ercises that bring about the method and techniques for achieving extraordinary customer service. And J.M.’s approach is not a magic wand implementation but a concrete step-by-step formula to look at every encounter as a learning, building, and refining opportunity in customer service. Every customer interaction is a “creative repetition” of finding new ways to go the extra mile, of building a relational asset, and becoming top-of-mind in the customer’s life.

Mistakes will be made along the way. This is normal in the learning process towards the goal of excellent service. But the key ingredient or gateway is having a growth mindset. This will set you on track to deliver a positive experience that the customer will not soon forget. Extraordinary Customer Service goes beyond the extra mile in loyalty marketing, and can help you to reach and exceed your goals.

I wish you great success on this journey of change!

Raymond Aaron New York Times best selling author of Chicken Soup for the Parent’s Soul Creator of the www.10-10-10program.com for writing a book to enhance your Brand

The path to personal transformation is wrought with simple daily creative repetitions that ultimately reveal facets of the gem within... just as the sculptor daily chisels

away and uncovers the hidden masterpiece underneath the block of wood.

~ ~ ~

IntroduCtIon

Sometimes the most ordinary events can have an extraordinary impact in one’s life. In my early teens I attended an international event of Boy Scouts. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event to represent my country in the 13th World Jamboree of Scouts, held in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, in the foothills of glorious Mount Fuji. Despite rain and floods, the event, designed to promote world understanding, was highlighted by scouting and fun activities including meeting, competing with, and sharing cultural, sports, and outdoor fun activities with other youth from all over the world.

But there was one other event that stands out during that visit to Japan. After the Jamboree, our contingent went sightseeing and shopping. It was in the electronics shopping district of Akihabara where I purchased a 3-in-1 portable TV-radio-cassette player the size of a shoebox. The pretty sales lady from whom I purchased it was named Kumiko. Although she did not speak English, she patiently “actioned out” out to me the TV’s features and benefits, as well as how to operate it. She was both eager to please and very kind. At that time I was very excited to get this new and technologically advanced toy—probably even more excited than the time, years later, when I got my first iPhone and iPad.

I was so thrilled with the purchase that it was not until many hours later, after I had returned to the hotel, that I realized that I had left my wallet pouch at the department store. All of my pocket money, my passport, and IDs were in that pouch.

My heart stopped! Blood rushed up and down my head and I was speechless and white. How could I have forgotten? That whole sleepless night I was anxious to figure out how to recover it in this land where communication was a problem, where streets were hard to figure out, and where people were strangers. The next evening we were to fly for home and I did not know what to do.

My scout leaders were made aware and were ready to help me search. The next morning, as my scout leaders were making inquiries for me, I felt nervous, lost, and gut-wrenched.

At mid-morning the hotel manager called to say I had a visitor. Visitor? What visitor? Since when would a tourist in a foreign country get a visitor? I had no time for this, but nevertheless I dutifully went down to the front desk.

The visitor was the pretty sales lady Kumiko who had sold me the portable TV—and she was holding my wallet pouch, with everything still in it! Boy, what relief and joy I felt; it was like I won the lottery. I thanked her profusely and repeatedly.

That was my first experience with extraordinary customer service. For Kumiko, it was probably an ordinary event. For me, it was going to be a disaster until Kumiko

showed up and demonstrated to me my first lesson on customer service—going the extra mile. What an extraordinary experience! What an extraordinary agent!

Introduction

What an extraordinary department store! What an extraordinary country! I came into this country not knowing how to speak the language but came out of it understanding

what it means to be extraordinary in giving service to others.

There will be bumps along the journey and air pockets in your flight; stay your course, enjoy the ride and move on with dogged perseverance.

~ ~ ~

ChApter 1

prepArIng For the Journey oF ChAnge

Life is a series of journeys. And the most memorable ones are those that expand your horizons. Sometimes the mechanics of a journey may seem repetitive. Buying your tickets, booking your accommodations, getting on the plane, boarding the tour bus, and shooting pictures may all seem repetitious, but the newness of each place makes it fun and exciting and different. Every time we visit a new place we creatively repeat all these routines. The routines may be boring at first, but when you visualize your destination, it becomes well worth it. Every place is an adventure, a new discovery, and a new experience.

It’s the same in customer service. We creatively repeat each encounter, each approach and each experience. It may appear routine, but the process is renewed and different each time.

the CompetItIve mArket

In today’s marketplace we see there is strong competition in all areas—consumer products, retail, and services. Companies take great effort to promote their brands. Dollars are being spent to promote brand awareness. Massive promotions are being undertaken to increase trial for products or services. And increasing resources in multibillions of dollars are being funneled into advertising in all media—TV, print, radio, social media, and internet. This is all in an effort to

gain and retain customers. Consider these two quotes: “The purpose of business is to create and keep a customer.” “The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits

him and sells itself.” These two statements are by renowned management guru Peter Ducker. He believes that a

business begins with the customer in mind; it prospers because of good product or service strategy; and it stays profitably in business because of extraordinary customer service.

What does this mean in terms of a highly competitive marketplace? Assuming all products are equal, the end result—the bottom line and the ultimate determinant of success in the marketplace—is the uniqueness and positioning of the brand. And while the delivery of the brand’s image relies on tools such as advertising, promotions, publicity, and packaging, ultimately it is the people—the front lines in the company’s customer service—who can make or break brand loyalty.

loyAlty mArketIng

Customer loyalty. It’s what every CEO wants and every marketing manager dreams of. Loyal customers spend more, cost less to acquire, and act as ambassadors to the marketplace. They provide a steady source of revenue and may even willingly test new products, like electric cars or advanced personal electronic devices.

Preparing for the Journey of Change

They stand in line when Apple offers a new product in its retail stores. Customer loyalty is how the Rolling Stones or Jay-Z can sell out a concert tour in two hours. It’s how an airline can establish a reliable base of travelers who don’t shop around for a better deal every time they fly. They make their reservations with their familiar and reliable provider.

It’s common sense that you market to your loyal customers differently than you market to new prospects. Loyal customers know your product or service; what they are looking for is a deeper involvement and the highest level of service. When a regular customer of a restaurant arrives for his customary seven o’clock reservation, he expects to have his table waiting and the staff ready to serve him. And why not? He’s earned special service, and he deserves it.

This is not to say that everyone should not receive extraordinary customer service. The best way to convert a new customer to a loyal customer is to provide exceptional service. Remember Kumiko? When I walked into her store she had no idea who I was. I was a new customer. For all she knew, I would probably never see her again. It didn’t matter. She went the extra mile, and the result was that she made a friend for life.

Today, loyalty marketing is a major factor in most companies’ efforts. Among today’s travel and shopping consumers, accumulating air miles and increasing loyalty points have become a major pastime, and even a full-time focus. Marketers know that having a great loyalty marketing program will lead to customer retention. They know that the customer will stay with the company that gives back, the company that rewards with goods and services, the company that provides travel and vacation, the company that is a friend, and the company that goes the extra mile.

extrAordInAry Customer servICe

“There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.” ~ Roger Staubach, NFL quarterback and coach.

A major component in the success of any loyalty marketing program is extraordinary customer service. Without it, the company loyalty marketing program is powerless. With it, the marketing effort becomes a major factor in winning and retaining customers.

To begin our discussion, let’s review the range of customer service. ordinary customer service is defined as one that satisfies the customer’s needs. It is a transaction

fulfilled. It is a product or service delivered. You go to the supermarket, take your groceries to the checkout, pay, and leave. That’s ordinary. You arrive at your hotel, sign the register, give them your credit card, and the clerk hands you a

room key. That’s ordinary. You board the plane, cram your carryon bag into the overhead bin, buckle up, and take the tiny

bag of salted peanuts that is offered by the flight attendant. That’s ordinary. extraordinary customer service is when the customer declares “Wow—that was great!” It’s the

difference between a transactional experience and a transformational experience. It is the difference between

Preparing for the Journey of Change

securing a customer for the short-term versus securing a customer for life. It is the difference between a struggling, hit-or-miss, barely profitable business and one that thrives, is profitable, and grows consistently.

You go to the supermarket, take your groceries to the checkout, and the clerk runs to find you a replacement for the container of yogurt that she notices is leaking. That’s extraordinary.

You arrive at your hotel, sign the register, and the clerk offers to arrange for a dinner reservation and tickets to a show. That’s extraordinary.

You board the plane, cram your carryon bag into the overhead bin, and the flight attendant brings you a pillow and a blanket so you can take a nap. That’s extraordinary customer service.

It does not matter what area of service—a retail store, call centre or technical support—most marketers know that having great customer service makes the difference between having a customer for the short term or having them as customers for life.

But all this may require a change. There is a change cycle that involves personal, institutional, and finally customer change.

CyCle oF trAnsFormAtIon

Before the journey of change or the first mile begins, it is important to note that it all starts with a paradigm shift. This shift starts at the personal level and moves on to the institutional level, and ultimately cascades to the customer level. In certain cases the institutional level transformation can be the start and the personal level can be the second phase. The important thing is that the change in the customer will only happen when both the institutional and personal changes happen and ultimately work together in the positive change process of the customer, with customer being an important focus.

The cyclical change is ongoing. Through direct customer feedback, market analytics, and consumer surveys the customer service organization and agent gains new insights into delivering better service. The agent informally uses this information to adapt and cater to customer needs better. If it is effective widely, it is then passed on to the institution (corporation or organizations) to be formalized and institutionalized. This in turn is re-implemented to the customer formally, and on and on the cycle goes until we see: • A dynamic customer, • Being responded to by an extraordinary dynamic agent, • Being supported by an extraordinary dynamic institution.

ChApter 2

the FIrst mIle—personAl trAnsFormAtIon

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ~ Andre Gide

A friend of mine once said to me that in order for change to happen, what has to happen first is that there must be a realization that change is needed. This happens only when you accept your weakness or situation and then resolve to transcend it. There has to be a shift in thinking from a status quo mentality to a mentality of change for the better. For some people this realization is borne out of dissatisfaction for the status quo; for others it is a result of a tragedy or disappointment; and for others still it is a result of simply just wanting to be a better person because of peer or institutional pressure, their religion, faith, or mantra in life.

In every case the objective is to evolve into a better person seeking a higher state. I have found that the best change happens from the inside, from an inner conviction that I can be better than I am now, and that I owe it to myself, my family, friends, and faith. The impetus for change may start from the outside, but it is only when it is internalized that it becomes long lasting change.

Shift your paradigm. Transition from a fixed mind-set to a growth mindset. Turn your weakness into strength.

When I was in primary grade school, I was flat-footed (I still am). Self-conscious as I was then, this additional challenge weighed down on me, both literally and figuratively. I wore high-cut, corrective, heavy orthopedic shoes that made me even more self-conscious because I looked like the odd one in class. Some of the kids would laugh and stare at my “combat boots.” It was not a great phase in my life.

Later, I realized I was not alone. I had a classmate who was relatively worse off than me: he had polio. He would wear these leg metal braces that extended from ankle all the way to the upper legs. His braces would clankety-clank every time he walked and ran. But I saw that he accepted it, managed to have fun, and did not mind being noticed and stared at.

This brought me to the realization that you can be happy and “normal” if you have accepted yourself. From then on, I learned to go beyond myself and just have fun and make the most of things. It was then that I started joining extracurricular activities like art club, swimming, soccer, track, and scouting.

My mom said I was blooming. I thought I was just finding myself. Since I loved running, I aspired to join the track team. Despite my flat footedness, I overcame this

weakness by visualizing that I could be a very good runner. I was determined to excel and persevere. I did! So I trained myself every day by running up the steep driveway of our house all the way to the second story of the house and down again. I would tiptoe from one end of the house to the other and back, just to develop an arch and strengthen my foot and ankle muscles.

The First Mile—Personal Transformation

My house was just behind the school, but walking there entailed crossing a long stretch of field and climbing a steep 180-foot staircase. This commute to school was my daily workout. Wearing my heavy combat boots, I would run across the fields, climb the steep, long stairs, and arrive tired but happy that I was on my way to overcoming a personal challenge.

I tried out for the track team, and made it as one of the team sprinters! In our inter-school competition I won my races and our team won the championships. The school newsletter had a photo of me running to the finish line way ahead of the pack with the caption “Run, Samson, run; Delilah’s not on the way.” With pride I brought my new confidence with me to high school, further collecting medals and contributing to school championships for many years. When I look back now, I realize the irony of it all. I was flat footed! That is hardly imaginable nowadays! This was a mo mentous achievement! There are many other runners who have sprint records better than mine, but relative to my flat footedness, I have achieved many milestones. Relative to my self-conscious state, I was going in a positive direction. The shift in mindset of “Chem, the flat footed chump” to “Chem the champ” made that which seemed impossible to be within my grasp. This was a transformation of weakness into strength, and the very source of self-consciousness into a source of power and confidence. I was transformed, and to this day I don’t let my kids think that they are any less with whatever ailments or weaknesses they have.

I did it! They can do it! And so can you!

swItCh to “mAn For others” mode

The most primitive of human approaches is to be self-serving. It is to be a man for himself rather than a man for others. It says, gather food for yourself. Make your own cave comfortable and let the other guy worry about his.

Is price and profit alone enough to keep a customer’s business? In the context of business, should one primarily focus on self-serving service, or should one consider selfless service. Which comes first? What comes to mind when one speaks of customer service and being a man (or woman) for others? My Jesuit education has taught me that the purpose of life is to serve. Is it to serve others for profit, or is it to serve others because of compassion? In this day and age, where profit and power are the default motives in life, compassion or kindness are often farthest from the motives of people. But if we are all citizens of “humankind,” isn’t it only natural and true that to be human is to be kind, and to be the kind of person who cares, loves and serves?

Unfortunately what is natural is not necessarily instinctive. If we are to subscribe to this noble and natural intent, are we not forgetting some practical necessities? Don’t we have a family to feed? A company to run profitably? Which comes first, our survival or the customer’s?

The path well travelled by all is the survival of self first: “I come first before anything. Company profits come first before customer satisfaction.” But if one were to take the least travelled path, if we were to be contrarians, or mediums of change, we need to take a bold and gigantic step away from the crowd’s direction and

The First Mile—Personal Transformation

onwards to a different and hopefully better path. If we take the path least travelled, good things could come.

If we serve the customer first and not worry about self or company profits, won’t the happy customer come back to you for more business, and thus create customer loyalty that secures company profit for the long term?

“Only a life lived in the service to others is worth living.” ~ Albert Einstein

Here is a story of an insurance salesman who took the least travelled path and won a customer for life through his attitude of extraordinary customer service. David was an insurance broker whose client asked him to upgrade his auto insurance coverage. The client was afraid that his teenage son wasn’t adequately covered, and he was prepared to pay for more coverage.

David knew his client was of average income and with a growing family. After analysis of his client’s needs, David determined there was no need for increased coverage—in fact, the client even qualified for a good driver discount! Inasmuch as David was also supporting a family of his own and would welcome the extra income, his conscience told him the client did not need additional coverage. David told him so, and suggested that he save the money for his kid’s college tuition. The client was awed and thanked David profusely with compliments as well as repeat business and referrals. David transformed an ordinary transaction into an extraordinary experience that brought about extraordinary customer loyalty.

elImInAte the seven mAJor roAdbloCks

“Travel light. The baggage you carry wears you and the customer down. Lighten up.”

Taking the least travelled path means avoiding or overcoming the Seven Major Roadblocks: 1) having a cloudy mind. This means that it’s important to have a clear mind, settled emotions,

and good physical state before facing or talking to a customer. You can just imagine what would happen if you just had a fight with your spouse and you were upset or were worrying about the children’s school pickup. Or maybe you were just not feeling well, and were simply experiencing stomach pains.

At all times, whatever you say or do will in one way or another affect your customer approach. Settle down first. Either you settle the issues first or take a deep breath, commit to resolving the issues on the next opportunity, shut off the distraction, smile, and focus on serving the customer.

2) Biases and pre-conceived ideas. It is important to know and remind one that every customer is different. Every person, regardless of race, belief, language, or culture deserves a minimum of respect, an open mind, two ears, and one willing heart. Not only that, but many overt biases are against the law.

An associate of mine—I’ll call him Fred—works in a high-end art gallery. One day a guy who was wearing old jeans, a plaid shirt, and sneakers came into the gallery. He looked like he couldn’t afford a poster, much less a $50,000 original oil painting. Fred left him alone.

The First Mile—Personal Transformation

After a few minutes the customer wandered over to ask if the gallery had any works by a certain artist. They didn’t, but they could probably get one. The customer then handed Fred his business card and asked him to let him know if any works by this artist came on the market. He left and Fred stuck the business card in his desk drawer.

A few days later Fred happened to look at the card. The guy was the head of a major Hollywood studio. Fred found the customer’s photo online and sure enough, it was the same guy—only at the Academy Awards ceremony he was wearing a tuxedo, not an old plaid shirt.

Needless to say, Fred kicked himself for not engaging this customer the way he would have if he had not let his biases get in the way.

Leave your biases behind. They can take their toll on you and your clients. 3) not listening. Related to #2 above; when we make assumptions we can say or do things that

contradict, hurt, and insult a customer. The trick is to listen first, understand, probe and ask more questions. Listen not only with your ears but also your eyes, mind, and heart.

At the grocery store the other day I was in line behind a woman. She had a big cart of groceries—it was obvious she was going to spend at least two hundred dollars. She handed the cashier two skimpy bundles of scallions, and asked very nicely that since the bundles were undersized, would it be possible to count them as one? Remember, she’s ready to buy a huge cart of gro ceries and she’s asking about scallions that cost two dollars. What does the cashier do? She calls for the manager. Then we wait. The woman waits. The manager finally appears. He takes the bundles of scallions. He says that he’s going to the back room to see if there are any bigger bunches. In the meantime, he tells the cashier to charge the customer full price for each bundle. The unhappy customer dutifully complies. Can you imagine? What idiocy! The cashier had no authority to make a commonsense customer service decision, and the boneheaded manager could not bring himself to go the extra mile to make a customer happy. He had to “go by the rules.”

4) Verbosity, or diarrhea of the mouth. Communication is an art, but over communicating can also be useless and ineffective. Offer only the information required at the time, because it takes time for some to digest what you have first given them. Then you can move on to the next question. With an irate customer, it is so tempting to snap back with snide remarks or a sharp tongue. Before you even say it, hold it! Bite your tongue! This will save you, the customer, and even their loyalty. They may or may not deserve it but you will salvage the situation by not going the same path. Take the higher road and assure the customer you are listening, understanding and willing to help out.

5) negative mirroring. We get what we reflect. Like attracts like. If you exude happiness, courtesy and love, expect to get the same. It may not happen all the time, but based on my good and bad experiences if your outlook is generally positive, the majority of the time the customer and the customer experience becomes positive. Likewise if you exude negativism in the form of sarcasm, bias, ill feelings, or anger, guess what? Expect to attract negative, irate, and unpleasant customers. In

The First Mile—Personal Transformation

most cases, you either cause it or you subconsciously tell the forces of the universe to send you all the bad calls.

6) not bouncing from a mistake. Mistakes happen. This is a fact. The question is, do we accept and remedy them, or do we hide and cover up? To take the latter action invariably worsens the situation. To be humble and accept fault can calm if not endear a customer. Customers like honesty, humility and transparency. Being able to bounce back by correcting a mistake saves the situation, the company and the customer.

Once I flew from Boston to Cincinnati during a blizzard. Not only was the weather bad, but on that same day the airline’s computer system crashed and there was a systemwide baggage disaster. At the airport in Cincinnati, the baggage claim area quickly became a warehouse of luggage. Suitcases were lined up everywhere. I had no idea where my luggage was—for all I knew it could have been in Chicago or Atlanta.

How did the airline handle this crisis? With honesty and sincerity. They told us exactly what happened. They assured us that every bag would be located and delivered. They took our information and urged us to go home. So I did. Later that afternoon, the hotel front desk called. My luggage had been delivered.

Did I swear never to fly on that airline again? No. I believed them when they said they would fix the problem. They did fix the problem. I remained a loyal customer.

7) Lack of principles. Related to #6 above. Not only do customers like honesty, they value justice, charity, kindness, empathy, helpfulness, courteousness, cheerfulness, friendliness, reverence, and loyalty. When you exude these characteristics consistently, guess what? Customer loyalty will not be far behind.

A friend of mine recently bought a new house. Actually, the house itself was not new; it had been built in the 1920s. It had not been remodeled very much, and it had retained its original charm and detail. My friend had the house inspected, and he was not sure about the electrical panel. It looked OK and it passed inspection, but he wanted to be sure the wiring was in good condi tion. So he called a local electrician who serviced many of the houses in the neighborhood. The electrician came to the house, examined the wiring, and told my friend that unless he wanted to add more lines, every thing was fine. The wiring was up to code and nothing needed to be done. The charge for the visit? Nothing.

My friend was impressed by the electrician’s honesty and extraordinary customer service. When the time came for a significant upgrade, whom did my friend call? You know the answer to that! Nothing is more important in any business relationship than honesty and integrity. Sometimes it may not appear to pay off but in the long run it definitely will!

detoxIFy For suCCess

How does one remove bad customer service habits? And then how does one develop great customer service habits?

It all starts with an attitude of change and improvement. We can use all those negative experiences, mistakes, and setbacks to learn and improve. Having a

The First Mile—Personal Transformation

shift in mindset paves the way to growth. As world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck espouses,the simple idea of having a “growth mindset” for achievement and success can make an astounding difference in your personal transformation. She says:

“In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort. They’re wrong.

“In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Virtually all great people have had these qualities.”

Correlating this to customer service excellence, a growth mindset can be achieved in three ways: self-transformation, coaching, and taking stock. 1. self transformation. This is the personal realization and conviction that one can achieve

extraordinary customer service by reflecting on and reviewing every customer interaction. Every day, every encounter, every sales and service call is an opportunity for you to improve. Meister Eckhart, the legendary fourteenth-century German philosopher, said: “Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” If you take this attitude, the path to change can be rapid and significant.

2. personal coaching. Done properly, this can be a surefire way to fast track improvement by either leveraging an expert or getting a third party to provide objec

tive advice and motivation to further a growth mind-set. The coach identifies and reinforces good behavior, and suggests alternatives for ineffective behavior.

A caveat to this is that coaching will not work if the coaching is judging, evaluating performance, and placing emphasis on KPI (key performance indicators). This can be de-motivational, and can create a negative fixed mindset. The coached individual becomes an object of criticism rather than an agent of change and development.

3. taking stock. To further a mindset that focuses on growth, taking stock of oneself is essential. What are my strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to improve on? What can I do to satisfy the needs of the client? What can I do to make the customer feel more valued? Was the rapport with the customer good and positive? Did I care for the customer? What areas could I improve on? Did I probe his needs enough? What else could I have offered him? Did I offer something he did not need? Was I sincere in helping the person?

delIver the Four mAgIC ps oF extrAordInAry Customer servICe

“Every great business is built on friendship.” ~ J.C. Penney

Extraordinary customer service is based on the personal interaction between you and your customer. It’s what makes the difference between an ordinary transaction and a true transformation. To do well we need the Four Magic Ps to promote customer loyalty.

The First Mile—Personal Transformation

1. Be personable. These are characteristics, virtues or values that give you the human connection versus an automated service system or machine. Positive personal traits attract the customer to you and your company. What are they? They include politeness, patience, persistence, honesty, hard work, friendliness, cheerfulness, empathy, kindness, and fairness.Put simply, this means applying the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you’d like to be treated— and when possible, even better.

2. provide the product or service. It all boils down to what is the customer’s need or problem. Did you respond with the right product at the right time? Did we provide a great solution to his or her needs? If all you could offer was just a good solution, did we deliver to them or service them in a great way? Great product or service delivery is preceded by probing and questioning and researching.

3. promote the brand. It is essential to promote not just the product or service but also the company and the brand. In the long run, the brand has to stand out in the customer’s mind and in their awareness. Have you positioned the brand or company so that the next time the customer decides on a purchase, the brand is first to be considered? Remember, it costs much less to sell to a repeat customer than it does to attract a new customer.

4. the plus factor. Have you gone the extra mile for your customer? How did you “wow” them? What bonus did you pass on? This could be extra hard work, or a valuable tip, or an act of kindness, sympathy, and thoughtfulness. For what extra service will they remember you?

What value-added service did you provide? What kind of rapport did you establish? Did you build a long-term relationship, or was it just a one-time transaction?

ChApter 3

the seCond mIle— InstItutIonAl trAnsFormAtIon

The best type of change starts from within. But there are times when institutional or corporate changes can be an impetus for personal change. Together both personal and institutional change can enhance the growth mindset of a successful customer service company. When the attitude of extraordinary customer service is embraced by all employees, the institution sets itself up for overall success.

Core vAlues

The “culture of growth” in any successful organization begins with its core values. This is the basic framework from which emanates the spirit and philosophy of the company. What it believes in, it promotes from within by providing the structure, support systems, and policies that fleshes out its core values. Here are a few examples.

aIMIa, a leading loyalty marketing company, values passion in all its different forms. The company recognizes and rewards the following values:

P as in Partnership A as in Authenticity S as in Strong Opinions - loosely held S as in Simplicity. I as in Inclusiveness O as in Originality

N as in Nimbleness Zappos, the online store highly regarded for its outstanding customer service, doesn’t train

employees for customer service. They hire to fit the internal culture. And their culture is based on the ten core values below: 1. Deliver WOW through service. 2. Embrace and drive change. 3. Create fun and a little weirdness. 4. Be adventurous, creative and open-minded. 5. Pursue growth and learning. 6. Build open and honest relationships with communication. 7. Build a positive team and family spirit. 8. Do more with less. 9. Be passionate and determined. 10. Be humble.

The questions to ask now is: Do positive core values encourage the creation and provision of great products and services? Is the institution’s strategy aligned with the customer’s needs? Do your core values result in customer satisfaction and service? Do the core values transform the employee, the organization, and the customer in a positive lasting way?

CreAte greAt produCts And servICes

No amount of excellent customer service can replace a good product or service. There has to be a good product or service that serves a real need.

A classic example is the marketing debacle of New Coke. In 1985, Coca-Cola, faced with sagging sales to

The Second Mile—Institutional Transformation

archrival Pepsi, introduced a new, sweeter formulation of its flagship beverage. Across each can was a banner that read “new!”—hence the nickname New Coke. Despite some early acceptance in the marketplace, New Coke generated a huge consumer backlash, and less than three months after its introduction New Coke was replaced by the original formula, which was now known as Coke Classic.

“There is a twist to this story which will please every humanist and will probably keep Harvard professors puzzled for years,” said Coke president Donald Keough at a press conference. “The simple fact is that all the time and money and skill poured into consumer research on the new Coca-Cola could not measure or reveal the deep and abiding emotional attachment to original Coca-Cola felt by so many people.”

promote InternAl loyAlty

Related to core values, if there is a mesh or congruency between core value of the individual and core value of the company, loyalty results. The employee thrives in a positive environment and remains loyal to the company, especially if his or her needs are addressed and supported. Employee engagement is key.

I recall the story of an employee—let’s call him James—who worked with a high-tech internet company. James was well paid, his benefits were generous, and company systems encouraged him to bring out his best. James happily spent extra time at his work, and contributed great ideas that led to significant growth for the company. Then the company was bought by a conglomerate. The working environment changed, and not for the better. There was less trust, and employees were left out of corporate decisions that directly affected them. James felt like a cog in a great wheel. He quit and went to work for another company that encouraged creativity. A few years later, James read in the newspaper that the conglomerate was in financial trouble. Sales were down and the company was laying off employees and closing factories.

promote externAl loyAlty

The mantra goes: “The happy employee gives you a happy customer.” By promoting internal loyalty, it follows that the employee who feels worthy and fulfilled quickly shows a positive attitude in the way he or she treats the customer. The customer benefits from a loyal employee in terms of great service, which ends up in their becoming a loyal customer. Companies like Zappos, which hire for culture fit, make this happen. They believe a loyal employee creates loyal customers. They encourage and reward agents who satisfy customers.

On the other hand, there are companies that focus primarily on production or KPI (key performance indicators) as a basis to evaluate agents. They later find out the hard way that this is not a great strategy for retaining customers. If they are willing to evolve, they move to an agent-supportive and customer-centric model and evaluate everything based on customer satisfaction. By doing this, they increase customer loyalty both amongst agents and among customers.

The Second Mile—Institutional Transformation

provIde good tools

Supporting the agent and/or the customer with proper tools goes a long way in achieving customer satisfaction and loyalty. In fact, reports suggest that up to sixty percent of customers switch brands or loyalty due to technological problems from the former brand. Key factors on tools—the phones, PCs, website interface, and other communications and data systems—are usability, integrity, and stability. How efficient are the tools being used to serve the customer? If the system takes longer than normal to process a transaction, are we letting the customer down and encouraging him to look for better service elsewhere? Is the information in the database accurate? Are there system glitches that deliver inaccurate information and as such do not inspire confidence and trust from the customer? Are tools stable enough to deliver service on a consistent basis? Or is instability a poor reflection on the company?

swItCh to trAnsFormAtIonAl style oF servICe

The most common way of approaching customers is transactional—that is, order taking and order filling. This is done 90% of the time, and regardless of the product quality the typical result is short-term customer satisfaction.

What is not commonly used is a transformational approach. It requires probing, researching, and determining the real needs of the customer, both obvious and not so obvious. This is done less than 10% of the time—and the result is long-term customer loyalty.

This reminds me of Leo, an insurance broker I know who got a call from Andrew, who was an elderly client. Andrew was a blue-collar, hardworking individual who had economized all his life to save up for retirement. He wanted to renew his life insurance coverage and increase the face value. The transactional approach that Leo could have taken was to sell to the customer what he literally wanted—more coverage. Instead, Leo took an approach that was honest, caring, and transforma-tional. He said, “Andrew, you have worked all your life, saving up for retirement to have a nice nest egg and enjoy life. I know you want more coverage; however, I have evaluated your needs and based on our conversations, you do not need to increase coverage. You are appropriately insured. I would suggest, though, that you use the money instead to treat your wife to a nice dinner and enjoy yourselves. If you really want to invest it, buy her a nice new piece of jewelry.”

And transform it did. Andrew thanked Leo for his honesty and professionalism and was overwhelmed with gratitude. Leo may not have earned anything in that transaction, but he had made a loyal customer for life. Leo was not expecting any reciprocation from Andrew but despite this Andrew told everyone he knew what a terrific insurance agent Leo was. There were a few referrals from Andrew but Leo again did not take them on as clients as he felt there was no real need for insurance coverage. Again he did what was right for the prospective client.

ChApter 4

the thIrd mIle—Customer trAnsFormAtIon

The traditional cycle of brand marketing involves three phases: awareness, trial, and repeat purchase. Everything starts with awareness. Without it there would be neither trial nor repeat purchase. With

it, trial of the product or service can follow. If the product or service turns out to be good, repeat purchase is the next step. In today’s competitive and highly generic world, the repeat purchase can be stopped or hijacked by other brands if their customer service proves to be better. Nowadays this can happen with the click of a mouse. The key is to move the brand through these three stages: 1. Brand awareness. The consumer knows about the product or service, and has the opportunity to

buy it. It may be a new product, such as a technological gizmo or a new drug, or a new entrant into an established market, such as a soft drink or brand of jeans.

2. Brand insistence. Once the consumer has tried the product or service, they are satisfied, and they develop brand loyalty. When they go to the supermarket, for example, they will always choose that particular brand of soft drink because it’s familiar and they identify with it’s lifestyle message.

3. Brand advocacy. The loyal consumer goes beyond merely choosing the brand for themselves; they recommend it to others. This is particularly true with service providers. When you call your friend to ask if they can

recommend a good electrician, your friend says, “You simply must call so-and-so—he’s the best.” Developing brand advocacy is accomplished with consistency and exceptional service. It is when

you raise your level of service to the next level that the customer will not only insist (brand insistence) on your brand but will also promote your brand (brand advocacy). Not only has the customer been transformed, but they have also become an advocate and transforming agent of your brand.

the bumr FACtor And the wow eFFeCt

This is also sounds like and acts like the “Bomber.” This uses the same military strategy of “shock and awe” or “surprise and delight”. You bomb and shower your customers with a series of great services.

I call this the BUMR Factor. The BUMR Factor is a key formula in winning customers for life. The aftershock is called the

WOW Effect. Together they result in Brand advocacy or loyalty to your Brand for life. The extra mile of customer service is characterized by events of surprise and delight in the

customer’s experience. After the product or service has been delivered or completed, it means giving value-added service. Or it could be delivering a product or service in a pleasantly surprising way. This can be in terms of giving that extra tip or advice, a discount in prices, a giveaway, being extra helpful, friendly, caring, and being thoughtful of the customer even after the transaction. The aftershock effect of the bombing is awesome.

The Third Mile—Customer Transformation

I call this the WOW Effect. What is the formula for a WOW customer service delivery? It has to be Big, Unexpected,

Memorable, and Relevant (BUMR). Let’s go back to our example of Leo, the insurance agent, and analyze how BUMR was

implemented in his client’s extraordinary customer service experience. Big. Firstly, when Leo’s client Andrew called, Andrew was ready to make a purchase. It was a big

deal for Leo to not recommend a new transaction or expense for the customer. There was no out of pocket requirement from Andrew, the client. In this consumerist society where the emphasis is on profits and sales, forgoing a deal was a great deal! It was at the same time big hearted of Leo. By recommending what he did, he denied himself a commission.

unexpected. Secondly, it was unexpected. Andrew was asking for an increase in insurance coverage. Typically an ordinary agent would have responded with a proposal. It could have been either minimal or it could have been huge. Leo was basically being asked to write himself a check. But unexpectedly from Andrew’s point of view, Leo took his customer’s best interest at heart and recommended what was right.

Memorable. Do you think Andrew will forget this incident? No. Do you think he will dismiss this joyful moment easily? Of course not. Do you think he will hesitate to share this story to his friends and relatives? No. Do you think he will recommend this brand of service to others? Yes, he absolutely will recommend Leo to others.

relevant. What can be more relevant than not recommending a product a customer does not need? Too many times we see clients or customers wanting to buy something over the counter or over the shelf or online, or agents offering only the high margin or high commission products. Do we really probe to find out what they need or do we offer the first thing that comes to mind? Sometimes, the best solutions are a result of asking the right questions, researching the relevant facts, or doing the “extra-ordinary.”

Remember Kumiko, the electronics store clerk who returned my wallet? Going back to my very first extraordinary customer service experience, let’s see how BUMR was implemented.

Big. Kumiko knew I was a foreigner in Japan who did not know the language, and she rightfully concluded I would be literally lost without my wallet. It was big deal for her to research and determine the hotel where I was staying.

Unexpected. Moreover, it was even huge that she came the next morning to personally deliver my personal effects! She could have just phoned the hotel and left a message for me. But she was also aware I was leaving the country soon and suspected that a young teenager did not know his way around downtown Japan.

Memorable. The return of my wallet was a significant event in my life that I still recount to my family, friends, and business associates. It is now even published and memorialized in a book that will be available to be read by millions.

Relevant. Kumiko knew that to service a customer was not purely transactional and short term. Whether she was aware of it or not, she was not only selling an

The Third Mile—Customer Transformation

electronic product and representing her department store, but also representing her country and its people. She literally went above and beyond the confines of her store to deliver and complete a service. Is it any wonder why I am partial to Japanese cars? Or why I love sushi and tempura? Or why I admire Japanese management style and believe in kaizen? It all started with a simple but extraordinary transaction that has transformed my life in many subtle ways.

wow CAse study exerCIses

Let’s go through a few exercises where we stretch our Extraordinary Customer Service muscles to WOW our customer using the BUMR guidelines:

Case #1. You’re a ticketing agent with “Alliance Air” in Boston, and your Flight 828 has been delayed by two hours. A passenger, Mr. Blake, is frantic, as he is a consultant and has an important meeting in Chicago with his client and he cannot be late. His reputation is at stake. Your options are: a) Get him on the next flight with another airline. He

will still be delayed for his appointment but at least you will get him there as quickly as possible. b) Advise him you cannot do anything as your hands are tied and he has to take the next flight with

Alliance Air, which is three hours from now. c) Do option “a” but in addition to this, ask Mr. Blake for his contact in Chicago, call the person

yourself and apologize that on behalf of Alliance Air that through no fault of Mr. Blake, flights have been unfortunately delayed and that Mr. Blake will be there in the next hour and a half. Say that again we are

very sorry for this delay and the inconvenience it has caused them. Case analysis: If you selected “a,” you did the next best thing anyone could have done. On the

plus side, you offered a solution and an alternative. But Mr. Blake’s problem of facing up to the client was still a hot one. If you selected “b,” Mr. Blake would not have been happy with this at all as a three-hour delay was practically half a day lost. This would have been the worst case scenario. Again, Mr. Blake’s facing up to the client would have been even a hotter situation. If you selected “c,”congratulations! You surely WOWed Mr. Blake. Not only did you give him an acceptable solu-tion, you also got him off the central hot issue—saving face with his client! You not only took the bold initiative of apologizing on his behalf but you also took the burden of facing up to his client for him. This was surely Big, unexpected, Memorable and very relevant to Mr. Blake’s “hot” situation! WOW indeed!

Case #2. You’re a travel advisor and receive an inbound call from a traveler, Mrs. Boland, who is sobbing and seems to be emotionally overwhelmed. When she regains her composure she reveals that her mom has passed away. She needs to cancel her trip to Europe with her family, and wants the next flight out from Vancouver to Calgary to attend the funeral.

You do one of the following: a) Cancel her trip to Europe, book her on the next flight out to Calgary, and get her taken cared of right away. b) Sympathize with her, cancel her trip to

Europe, and book her on the next flight out to Calgary.

The Third Mile—Customer Transformation

c) Do “b,” and in addition to this, advise Mrs. Boland that you will take care of coordinating her airport pickup in Calgary if she could give the telephone number of her sister, since she was not in a condition to do so. Case analysis: If you selected “a,” you got the job done. Anyone could have done this though—

even your competition. It was purely transactional and you surely got her off your case. If you selected “b,” you did something extra. You were sensitive to her unfortunate reality and still got her needs fulfilled. But if you selected “c,” not only were you compassionate, you were also sensitive to the fact that she was not in any shape to arrange for her airport pickup. So you did the next best thing by sending her sister a copy of her itinerary, plus actually calling her sister to confirm airport pickup as well as offering condolences to the family. You assured her you were going to take care of things for her so she need not worry. And this you did. On top of this you sent her a text message on the day of the funeral service saying: “Mrs. Boland, again our deepest sympathies to you and your family...offering prayers for you and your loved ones. Take care.” Wow, this was not just transac-tional, it was transformational! This was Big-hearted of you. This was an unexpected intiative in arranging for her pickup, Memorable (you think she will forget your text message after the transaction?) and relevant. You provided the right service at the right time and with the right spirit! That’s extraordinary customer service! You got a customer for life.

Heroic hearts can convert disadvantages, weaknesses and disabilities into great opportunities.

~ ~ ~

ChApter 5

to InFInIty And beyond the extrA mIle— lIFetIme Customer loyAlty

Buzz Lightyear, the memorable character in the film Toy Story, declares that to journey from a lifeless toy to an “alive” and needed toy, one has got to have the faith and a “can-do” attitude. In this journey of growth into extraordinary customer service, we need to have an attitude of beginning and repeating every day, in a creative and hopeful way. The journey will have ups and downs but as long as the mindset is progressive, the destination is within reach.

If you’ve watched the movie Groundhog Day, you know that in our humdrum daily life, things can be boring and repetitive. However, if we sprinkle in an attitude of creativity, a mindset of growth, plus a dash of faith, the everyday can be an exciting adventure. The attitude of creative repetition transforms the common into the uncommon, the ordinary into the extraordinary, and the natural into the supernatural.

CyCle oF trAnsFormAtIon

To journey into the realm of an extraordinary customer service experience, one must go beyond the extra mile. This a constant paradigm shift, an internal transformation that ultimately changes one’s world from point A to point B, changes one’s actions and surroundings from point B to point C, and one’s customer satisfaction from point C to lifetime loyalty. The cycle continues from point C back to A again and onwards. The cycles repeat day to day in one’s constant growth mindset in order to become better and better in self transformation, institutional transformation, and customer transformation.

A

SELF ?C

CUSTOMER B

INSTITUTION

? ?

lIFetIme Customer loyAlty

When the extraordinary customer service ethic becomes a widely and consistently practiced mode, customers come back for more. Brand loyalty is achieved. Brand advocacy is perpetuated. And financial security is in place, both for the agent/s as well as the company. This is where most companies, organizations and businesses aspire to be. It is a continuous program of development for survival, sustainability and profitability.

trAnsFormAtIonAl AChIevement

In addition to brand loyalty and financial security, there is another benefit. In the drive to consistently provide an extraordinary customer service experience, the effect on the individual can be profound and mean

To Infinity and Beyond the Extra Mile—Lifetime Customer Loyalty

ingful. In most cases, the extraordinary customer service agent experiences fulfillment and joy because of the immeasurable experience of becoming a person for others—a human truly being and becoming. This can be a greatly satisfying, joyful, and extraordinary state! In the end, beyond that extra mile is a life of profound, joy, fulfillment, and success for the customer service agent, the institution, and the customer.

Be positive, cheerful kind and loving; you will get what you reflect.

~ ~ ~

bonus ChApter

how to reverse brAnd resIstAnCe, And trAnsForm to brAnd InsIstenCe And brAnd AdvoCACy

Situations arise when customers complain, are agitated, and just want to give up on your brand or service. What do you do? How do you handle this delicate situation? Do you just walk away or take it as an opportunity to recover and redeem yourself and your brand?

The thing to remember is that the most loyal customers can often be created in crisis situations.

beIng AwAre oF Customer FeedbACk And word oF mouth

The first line of defense against bad customer feedback is to have good radar. Be aware of what your customers are saying, both to you and to each other. Remember New Coke? In discussing the debacle, industry analysts believe that Coca-Cola was not tuned into customer attitudes about changing the classic recipe. While focus group taste testing of the new formula was positive—leading the company to believe that the marketplace would embrace New Coke—many consumers had deep-seated loyalty to the classic formula, and were horrified that the company was really going to make a change.

To stay tuned into your customers, here are several steps that you should do.

• Establish a feedback system. • Have an automated customer survey mailbox. • Check and administer your blog site’s comments. • Review Twitter mentions. • Monitor your Google+, Facebook, Pinterest and other social media notifications. • View Google Places reviews. • Have your customer service agents log and report complaints. • Perform a regular search of your brand, company, business, services, and products via Google, YouTube, Yahoo, BlogSpot, etc. Watch out for negative feedback and complaints. If time is a factor, create alerts delivered to your RSS reader or email regularly using Google Alerts and Social Mention.

trAnsForm brAnd resIstAnCe to brAnd InsIstenCe

Once you establish your channels of feedback both online and offline, you will know who, what, and where your business is being talked about. There may be recurring topics, issues or complaints. Take heed of these, as they may represent a bigger issue to focus on and may require priority.

So what do we do with this information? respond swiftly. By responding quickly, you are able to prevent the “snowball effect.” It shows the

brand is sincere and dependable and responsive. Immediately take control of the problem regardless of whose fault or what happened, assure the customer you will take care of the issue yourself.

Bonus Chapter

respond positively. By responding positively, you are demonstrating that your company or brand truly cares and sincerely wants to serve. Place the customer’s emotions first. Acknowledge and handle the cause of their stress. Calm them and diffuse their emotions. Show them you are on their side. It is crucial you acknowledge their concerns before tending to the resolution.

respond creatively. To do this, probe and determine the customers’ true needs and other underlying requirements. Dig deep and wide. Find the underlying cause of the problem and fix it. This is the time to think out of the box. If it’s a faulty product or service, offer a contact number/address and resolution. Don’t offer excuses, just solutions. This can show that the company takes efforts to step up to the plate to make amendments. If the brand has failed to deliver, this is a redemption opportunity to not only resolve the issue but also to over-deliver. Sometimes asking, “How can I make it better?” can lead to the customer preferring your brand and possibly insisting on it. Perhaps offer a free product coupon or discount, or maybe award their account with 1,000 free loyalty marketing points. You might even waive the admin fee on their next transaction. After three to four weeks of resolution do a follow up call to verify their continued satisfaction. This will demonstrate you care. This converts a complaint into a compliment that can go viral. Of course, this requires boldness and going beyond the extra mile. At this time, extraordinary customer service is more needed than ever.

trAnsForm brAnd InsIstenCe to brAnd AdvoCACy

Just as we turn around complaints and negative feedback, we want to reward compliments and positive feedback from those who take the time to speak, blog, or tweet positively of our brand. We must be doing good things too. So we encourage our existing customers to talk favorably more about our brand to others. As “walking or surfing word-of-mouth advertisers” for our brand, we encourage them further by rewarding them with “surprise and delight” promotions, free coupons, discounts, complimentary drink passes, t-shirts, memory fobs, etc. What message are we conveying by doing all of this? We’re saying, “We appreciate you and your business. We care about you. We want to continue dealing with you.” Effectively we are encouraging them to continue sharing positive stories about our brand. They are our word-of-mouth marketers.

One of the more powerful ways to create lifetime loyalty is by thanking our customers regularly. And this does not necessarily have to be a single customer appreciation day in the year. We can make it as often as needed.

Let’s go back to the story of New Coke. Remember that by 1983, market share of Coke had declined to under 24%, largely because of fierce competition from Pepsi. This was the rationale for introducing New Coke, but consumer response was swift and the marketplace rejected the new formula. Less than three months after New Coke’s introduction, Coca-Cola executives announced the return of the original formula, under the name Coke Classic.

Was this a disaster for Coca-Cola? Actually, no! In the two days after the announcement of the return of

Bonus Chapter

what was now called Coke Classic, the company hot-line received over 30,000 calls. By the end of the year, Coke Classic was substantially outselling both New Coke and its archrival, Pepsi. Six months after the rollout, Coke’s sales had increased at more than twice the rate of Pepsi’s.

Coca-Cola had managed to turn a public relations disaster into a victory, and created millions of new brand advocates.

bonus ChApter

whAt Is your Customer servICe IQ?

QuestIonnAIre—how to test Customer servICe skIlls by lAuren vork, ehow ContrIbutor

Whether for the sake of reviewing a business, acting as a consultant, or assessing the processes in your own place of work, customer service is one of the most important aspects of a company’s operation. Testing the quality of customer service a representative is providing requires assessing the most key aspects of problem-solving and human relations.

InstruCtIons

1. Test the customer service representative’s initial greeting and communication skills. Upon first contact with the representative, assess whether he or she greets you eagerly and politely. Determine if they ask how they can help you. If this contact is in person, they should smile. His or her tone of voice should be at least moderately bright and cheerful, and their speaking should be easy to understand. 2. Assess the representative’s ability to understand a situation. Present him or her with a complicated problem that involves a somewhat lengthy and convoluted explanation (about seven or eight sentences). Observe how many times they need to ask you

Bonus Chapter

to repeat or clarify and whether they react negatively to being presented with a difficult task. If they have to ask for clarification, observe whether they ask good questions. Ultimately, judge how well they understand the issue.

1. Observe whether the representative can be patient in a difficult situation. Get frustrated with both the representative and the company they work for. Don’t go so far as to shout, insult or use swear words (this is more than they should reasonably be expected to handle). Instead, express your frustration calmly, but firmly. The best representative will apologize even if the problem is not their fault.

2. Evaluate the representative’s ability to solve problems and delegate. If they can’t fix the problem, they should be able to help you get in touch with someone who can. Watch for any problems that may not be the fault of the representative and could indicate that the company itself is training their representatives inadequately.

3. Evaluate the representative’s ability to take initiative. Watch for questions that probe beyond the customer’s needs. Determine if they ask both transactional as well as transformational questions. Observe if they make the right offers of products/ services to the right customer at the right time. Determine if they can and will take the extra mile for the customer.

how to revItAlIze Customer servICe wIth CulturAl sensItIvIty trAInIng

“It’s a small world after all” ~ Walt Disney

With the advent of the internet age, our world has truly become smaller. Friends from before whom you thought you would never see again, you can re-discover with email, social media, or the click of a browser. Businesses you thought you would never reach can be contacted with the click of a button. All things good are possible instantly. Likewise all things bad are possible instantly—like losing a customer due to insensitivity to culture.

World-class companies and organizations that want to continue a culture of growth have to have an implementation of Cultural Sensitivity Training in some form or another. If you have covered the “4 Magic P’s of Customer Service” but continue to lose clients or business remains flat, Cultural Sensitivity Training may be one area you should look into. Many customer service managers, professionals, entrepreneurs, and organizations would be surprised if they only knew how often frontline agents and representatives drive paying customers away. Cultural sensitivity “no-no’s” are happening daily in most businesses with internal customers as well as between internal to external customers, and B2B (business-to-business) customers.

To have an extraordinary organization, these culturally sensitive issues have to be addressed collectively. They have no place in a growth business environment or any community for that matter.

Bonus Chapter

racism and equality – There is no place for racial slurs, prejudicial comments and demeaning words in the work place or out of it. Not only is the world our marketplace, it is our human mankind. Our humanity is our home where all are created equal.

Language and patience – While learning another language helps bridge relationships and fosters rapport, it is not necessarily required. What is more important is the language of patience and care. Going back to the example of Kumiko, she earned me as a customer for life despite the fact she did not speak English. She patiently “actioned out” and demonstrated the product’s features and benefits, and more importantly showed true care and honesty by delivering my lost wallet to my hotel.

sexism/sexual orientation and respect – All customers deserve to be treated with respect regardless of sex. Too often women and sometimes men are treated unequally despite that fact that they are paying clients. The same applies to non-traditional couples or individuals with a different sexual orientation. An orientation and expectation of positive treatment regardless of gender or sexual orientation to all customers is a step in the right direction. This effort will enhance and grow your customer base. All humans deserve a basic level of respect and a maximum amount of care.

harassment and care – Nowadays, losing customers due to harassment is one thing, but losing your business reputation due to a lawsuit is another. This can truly be a show-stopper and set back your business operations. Care and concern for the customer takes precedence in any action or spoken word.

Before embarking on a business expansion, whether world-wide or just increasing regional distribution, make sure Cultural Sensitivity Training is part and parcel of your overall business plan. In the long run, this necessary component of extraordinary customer service will save you money, enhance your company’s reputation, make for a better workplace environment, and increase customer loyalty.