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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • The Buzz: At your service 8/31/09   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, August 31, 2009 Three ways to give great customer service By Mike Benbow Herald Writer When it comes to treating people right, as with anything else, the devil's in the details. That was the message I took away last week from a seminar on how to wow people with customer service so much that they encourage others to give your business a try. Brad Worthley of Bellevue put the program on for the Everett Area Chamber of Commerce. He talked about a wide variety of things that matter to people, things like making sure your actions match your words or that you don't forget to thank them for their patronage. More than once, he suggested that people pick any three things they're willing to do in their business to help them stay ahead of the competition. Getting three small things going and keeping them going can make all the difference, Worthley said. So here are three things I'm going to work on because they made sense to me: Really listen to people Worthley nailed me when he started talking about the kind of person who only half listens during a conversation. In addition to listening, my brain also is usually wondering what the person really means by what he or she is saying and what my response should be to each comment. Or it could be thinking about an entirely different topic, like whether the pink salmon are biting or what's for dinner. The nice way of describing my usual listening mode would be multitasking, trying to get several jobs done at once. But, of course, that's not listening at all. Whether you're trying to improve your customer service or your general people skills, you're better off just listening for a while — focusing on the moment — before putting your brain on autopilot to come up with a response or a plan of action. Don't lose your cool When dealing with a difficult customer, you have two choices, according to Worthley. You can let them influence you or you can influence them. Under the first scenario, you let people get into your face and you respond in kind. Nobody wins. Under the second, you both have a shot at coming out winners, he said. What he said, essentially, was that if we treat people with respect, we'll both be better off. That made sense, although it's not always easy to do. Look for misperceptions Perception is indeed reality, according to Worthley. That means when you speak in a monotone, sigh or keep interrupting people, it doesn't matter whether you're really interested in what they're saying. They're going to believe you're bored, distracted or uninterested. That's so important, Worthley said, noting that people who make hiring decisions might want to interview potential candidates over the telephone first before deciding on a second interview. He added that how people perceive others over the phone has a big effect on business decisions. Your phone representative is your ambassador, and your ambassador has to make the right impression. In my case, that means when I'm on the phone, I need to make the right impression. “Raising the bar is absolutely critical,” Worthley said. Those are my three homework assignments. They don't have to be yours. But I'm sure you can come up with three ways that you can improve the way you deal with people and put them to work. Mike Benbow: 425-339-3459; benbow@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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