Through the Eyes of the Customer

3 Ways to Build Customer Loyalty in the Call Center

When you receive a phone call from an old friend – someone whose friendship you  value – how do you talk to that friend?  What’s the tone of the conversation?  Do you open a procedures manual and read from a script, or do you open your personality, and speak from the heart? 

Yesterday, I called the telephone company that I’ve been doing business with for years.

A phone call from a customer is a big opportunity for any company to increase its emotional stock in the mind of that customer; it’s a chance to create a small, albeit incrementally powerful memory;  it’s a chance to stoke the customer’s emotions to leave them thinking, “I’m invested with the right company – they’re good people – I  like  them, and they like me.”

Corny?  Perhaps.

But real?  Absolutely.

But here’s  how my  conversation went with my phone company yesterday:

“Thank you for calling Company XYX.  This is Mary – may I have your account number please?”

I gave Mary my account number.

Then she asked me to verify my billing address.  I gave that to her too.

Then she asked how she could help me.

I described an issue with my monthly bill.

Mary looked at my account record, and explained what caused the issue.  Then she told me that she would have to transfer me to the finance department. 

“Before I transfer you, Mr. Watson, is there anything else I can do to provide excellent service for you today?” 

“No, thank you.”

When the “finance” person answered, she greeted me by name.

Then she asked me for my account number.  I gave it to her, too.

Then she asked me to verify my billing address.  I did.

Then I explained my situation and request.  Again.

Then she explained what  caused the situation,  and what she would do to correct it.  Then she said, “You will notice the change to your account within 24 to 48 hours. “

I said, “OK, thanks.”

She asked, “Is there anything else I can do to provide you with excellent service today?”

I said, “No thanks.”

That was the end of the interaction between my phone company and me.  I felt processed, and nothing more.  There was nothing to cause me to feel that I know these people, or they know me.  No relationship, no loyalty, just another trivial transaction in the wind.

So, what can a call center do to take advantage of these live, human-to-human touch-points as a way to build  loyalty?

First, change your perspective.  Instead of viewing inbound calls as transactions to be processed, view them as what  they are – conversations  with human customers.  Yes, it’s important for the representative to be efficient in order to handle to volume of calls, but call center reps don’t have to be robots.  Handle customer calls as you would any purposeful, free-flowing conversation with a friend.

Second, ditch the scripts.  While scripts might enforce consistency, they don’t enforce customer loyalty.  When Jim Bush took over as VP of Worldwide Customer Service at American Express, one of the first things that he did was to get rid of the scripts used in the call center.  Tell  the  representatives what to accomplish with the calls, but don’t tell them what words to use in the  process.  When they’re not chained to a script, a representatives personality is free to engage with the customer on a more conversational, human level.  Customers feel this stuff, and they are drawn to  it.

Third, hire for personality; not for call center experience.   You can easily train a person to give them the call center skills that are necessary, but you cannot change an employee’s personality.   And over the long haul,  personality always trumps teachable skills.  Especially when connecting with customers.

An experience with a call center can be like an experience going out for  dinner:

A cashier in a fast-food restaurant quick, efficient and quickly forgotten by the customer.  They have very little impact on our loyalty.

A good waiter is someone who we remember; they converse with us; and they provide us with a memorable dining experience that we'll talk about online and offline.   We remember them, and can't wait to go back again.

Does your call  center process transactions, or create loyal customers?

How to gain the trust of your customers

Hey Sheraton, why is the $4 price on your water bottles printed so small?

Does that give you an easy way to make a few bucks off the unsuspecting guest?  That’s not what you intended?  Well, that’s how it felt to me, your customer…

I stay in hotels often enough to know that in-room refreshments, like the ones in those well-stocked mini-bars are not free.  People expect to be charged for stuff like that.  It’s made obvious by those placards that are placed right inside the door.  They’re made visible so that the guest can’t miss them.

But your water bottles are a different story…

The price appears intentionally hidden through a creative combination of extra-small characters, and use of background colors.  That price was barely visible. 

I’m OK with the fact that you charge $4.00 for a bottle of water.  You have a right to charge whatever you want, just as I have the right to not buy it, if I think it’s too expensive.

But I’m not OK with your presumed attempt to hide the high price through your creatively deceptive label design.  If you’re going to charge me 4 bucks for a bottle of water, make that as clear as the word “Thirsty.”  (Hint:  If you're looking for the price, think "under water.")

A business grows a loyal customer base by delivering value, and building trust.   Trust and dis-trust are generated in infinite ways.  Even through the design of a water bottle tag.

Weigh all decisions, large and small, from the customers’ point of view.  How will it impact your perceived trust-worthiness?

Upsell by helping the customer to see the value.

Don’t just sell more; sell more value.

Upselling. 

At the McDonald’s drive-through when you order a cheeseburger, the cashier asks, “Would you like some fries with that?”

At the Best Buy register, the cashier asks, would you like the two-year warranty with that that covers all repairs for any reason? 

At the car dealership, the salesperson highly recommends the leather upholstery and the towing package.

Upselling adds more top-line revenue, and from the company’s perspective, that’s good.  But if done poorly, upselling can alienate the customer, and that’s bad.  Alienated customers don’t come back. 

So, the challenge is how to upsell well, without alienating the customer.  Or better yet, how to upsell in a way that gives the customer good reason to smiling, because they feel that received more value than they originally expected.

That’s exactly how my wife and I felt, after a recent Sunday morning stop at the Starbuck’s in the Barnes & Noble Booksellers #2048 in the Eden Prairie Center Mall in Minnesota.  The woman that took our orders was a master upseller.  But here’s the interesting part about it….  We didn’t feel like we were being sold anything; we felt like we were being offered a better value; we felt that the person who had the information was sharing the information with us, to help us get the best value that we could.  And as customers, we appreciated it in a big way.

So, what was her secret?

She wasn’t selling; she was sharing information  with us; she was helping us to see a way to receive more value.

We ordered four items, totaling $12.55.  But she didn’t simply take our order; with each item, had something to say, that was all  about  us.

Example:

My wife ordered a medium Caramel Macchiato.  The server suggested that for just 30 cents more, we can have a large size.  As  she said that, she held the two cups next to each other, so that we could clearly see how much more Caramel Macciato we’d have for just 30 cents more.  In a very literal sense, she showed us the value.  And we gladly bought it.

Here’s the point:

When upselling, don’t simply suggest the additional item; don’t just ask the customer if they want it, and don’t just tell the customer why it’s a good deal.  Instead, share information in a concrete and visible way, that will make it easy for the customer to see the value themselves.

Help the customer to clearly see the value, and you’ll accomplish two things:

You’ll deliver a better customer experience.

You’ll improve customer loyalty.

And yes, you’ll increase top line revenue.

To upsell well, share information with your customer to  help them clearly see how they can receive more value.

What Does "Customer Centric" Mean?

That question gets asked a lot:

"What does customer centric mean?"

It means a lot of things; some definitions  can be long and drawn-out, while others are more succinct.  But one thing is certain:  You know "Customer Centric" when you experience it, and you  know it when you don't.

I had an experience of the later variety recently.   I was scheduled to have a stereo installed in my wife's automobile at a local electronics retailer.  The dealer from which I bought the vehicle was covering the cost of the stereo  and installation under the warranty. They gave me a purchase order number to give to the electronics store.

Thursday before the scheduled Saturday appointment, I phoned the store, gave them the purchase order number, and confirmed the appointment. 

Then came Saturday.  I arrived at 10am sharp, and introduced myself to the man behind the counter, who happened to be the manager.  The manager was quick to tell me that they would not do any work, without receiving a purchase order directly from the auto dealership.  Even though I gave the P.O. number to one of his employees over the phone, and that employee told me that I was "all set," the manager was quick to inform me that that was not the case, and that I must have misunderstood.  And he said it with the classic "hey, that's not my problem - I just work here, and abide by the rules" demeanor.

The store manager's mind was stuck between the pages of the company's policy and procedures book, and as a result, couldn't see the my dilemma as I stood right in front of him.   His focus clearly was not on the customer.

A more customer-centric approach would have been for  the manager to offer me a seat in the waiting area while he took the intiative to call the dealership to confirm the P.O. number.   Instead, he threw me - his customer - between the pages of his company's policy and procedures manual, essentially telling me to dig my own way out.

Customer-centric, in its simplest and most pure  sense, means making the customer's life easy; designing processes that are focused on delivering a positive experience to the customer; making it extremely easy for the customer to learn about you, buy from you, and get support from you when they need it.

There are always situations where the designed process doesn't flow as smoothly as intended.  And those situations are the ones where your "Customer Centricity" is really tested.  When a process goes off the tracks, customer centric businesses don't let the customer feel the bumps.  They stay focused on delivering a positive customer experience, while they absorb the bumps  through alternative or ad-hoc procedures.

That's the essence of "Customer Centric"  - keeping the customer at the center of your focus, to ensure that you're always delivering a positive experience, regardless of the circumstances. Consistently positive experiences delivered repeatedly are what keep customers loyal, and prompt them to tell others about you.

 

Customer Centric Definition #2:  When something goes wrong, own the problem, so that your customer doesn't have to.

How a Simpler Experience can be a Better Experience for the Customer

Sometimes, less experience is a better experience.

As customers, we want things to be easy.  When we buy a product or service, we're ultimately purchasing the value that we receive by using that product or service.  That means not having  to go through a lot of steps or procedures to get to that point of value.

Later today, I'll be flying to Chicago.  And whenever I fly, I like to be checked in before I arrive at the airport.  That means fewer steps at the airport; an easier process.  So like a lot of travelers, before leaving my home or office, I'll log into my computer or smart phone, go to the airline's website, go through the on-line check-in process, and print my boarding pass.  It's a lot easier than waiting in line at the airport, but it's still something that I need to remember to do; it requires initiative.

Yesterday afternoon, about 24 hours before today's scheduled flight, I was sitting on a sofa at home, when my cell phone rang.  It was an automated agent from United Airlines, offering to check me in for today's flight.  I answered a couple quick questions, and I was checked in.  I never left the comfort or convenience of my sofa.  I didn't have to remember to check in.  I didn't have

The point is this:

Find ways to make life easier for your customer, by reducing the number of steps that the customer must go through, to get to the value that they're ultimately buying. Checking-in before you get on the airplane adds no value; but  it's something that has to happen.  United made my life easier, by removing steps between the purchase, and the value received.

How many steps does your customer need to endure, before  they get to the point of receiving value from your product?  Which of those steps can you remove, or at least make a lot easier for your customer? 

Thanks to minimalwall for painting a picture of simple.

When you show your employees you care for them, they'll return the favor to your customers.

I recently  gave a presentation to a group of Human Resource professionals at a financial services firm.  They're a large, well-known firm that's maintained a solid reputation over the years.   And like a lot of successful  firms, they attribute their success to their immediate customers - their employees.

Whenever I hear that claim, I look for concrete and tangible signs of how the firm treats its employees; not the once-a-year events like those company outings at the country club, but simple signs that are visible every day; signs that say we value you, we respect you, and we want to know that.

In some companies that I've been to, those signs might be perks like complimentary bottled water, complimentary afternoon snacks, comfortable lounge seating in community areas throughout the company's  facilities,  or some other simple, unexpected, remarkable-in-its-own-subtle-way sign that the company cares for its employees. 

90 minutes into the presentation, we took a break, and I headed out toward the lobby and into the rest room.  There, on the pristine counter, was a vase of fresh flowers.   That's right - fresh flowers in the men's room.

I found the sign.

What are the signs of caring at your company?

The Right Way to Raise Prices, without Alienating your Customers

I've been a frequent reader of the New York Times on-line eddition for as long as I've been a frequent user of the Internet.  And I still am, even though it's no longer free.  But for those laggards among us - people like me who don't want to ante up, but know they  eventually will - the Times is taking a smart and considerate approach.

When the Times began the transition to paid access to online content, they imposed a limit of 20 free articles per month, per "subscriber."  Earlier this week, the Times entered another phase of the transition  - they reduced the number   of "free articles" from 20 per month to 10 per month.  The fact that they've added this phase reveals how they're sincere about making it easy on the customer, by smoothing the transition, to help customers to adapt to the new subscription fee.

Over the past several years, we've seen a lot of companies in a lot of industries alienate a lot of customers by charnging for some things that were once free.   Airline baggage fees, Netflix doubling its fees in last July, Bank of America's proposed $5  debit card fee,and others have been publicly demonized for suddently announcing fees in a way that infuriated customers.

But new fees don't have to alienate customers - sometimes, it's all in the delivery.

As a frequent reader of the New York Times on-line, I was initially frustrated and disappointed when I learned that they would soon charge customers for continued unlimited access to their on-line edition.
 
Frustrated, and mostly disappointed, but definitely not angry.  Here's why:

The Times explained in simple, logical terms why they made the decision to charge (a logical, believable economic reason).  And they gave notice early and often (several months in advance, and every time I logged on.)
 
When their new on-line fees began (or, the number of "free" views became limited), it wasn't a surprise, and the reason was clear. I wasn't happy with the situation, but I accepted it.  
 
If you do have to begin charging your customers for something that they didn't pay for in the past, take a tip from the Times:

Explain in simple, human terms why you have to make the change. 
Be honest and be sincere.  Don't say it through a stuffed-shirt executive, but say it through a casually-dressed, mid-level employee; an every-day person to whom your customers will relate.

Offer a Transition Period.
And don't shock your customers by imposing the entire fee suddenly  like an ice-cold bath tub, but give them a way to transition gradually, to minimize the pain.  

Give them early notice in straight, honest language, and transition gradually, so when it does happen, it's old news. 

Positive Word-of-Mouth is the Most Sure-Fire Way to "Go Viral."

Earlier this week, the Kony 2012 video became the most viral video of all time, viewed over 100 million times in 6 days.  That’s an enormous amount of exposure in a very short time.

Jackie Huba, in her insightful blog, The Church of the Customer, expressed a valid concern:

“I'm wondering if it has renewed demands by the C-suite that their team get them a viral video ASAP.  Smart marketers know that producing a video that spreads like Kony 2012 is like catching lightening in a bottle. You can try it, but the odds are stacked against you.”

In other words, trying to grow your business by banking on going viral is a lot like planning to get rich by winning the lottery – those odds are equally stacked against you.   Your chances of success are a LOT higher, if you focus your efforts on delivering a rock-solid product or service through a superior customer experience.

Sure, your message is important, and you need to get it out there.  But don’t invest too much thought into making the message go viral.  Instead, invest your thinking into how you can delight the customer by anticipating their needs, solving their problems, and delivering the kind of experience that will cause them to want to tell everyone they know about you.  After all, that’s the kind of viral that you probably really want, isn’t it?

 
Thanks to Tom Fishburne's humor, we're warned of the folly of banking on the improbable.

How Boston's Logan Airport Delivers a Better Customer Experience

Business Traveler Quiz:

What are two things that nearly every business traveler looks for in an airport terminal?

a) A Starbuck's

b) Electric outlets to charge laptops  and cell phones

c) A bar with ESPN/CNN broadcasts and good beer on tap

d) Wi-fi access  

Now, let me preface the answer by saying that I like good coffee and good beer as much as the next traveler.  But my mission-critical needs are "b" and "d."

Whenever I arrive at a terminal with extra time before my flight, I always look for an open electrical outlet to plug in my laptop, and a strong wi-fi connection.  And it kills me when there are no outlets to be found.  It leaves me wondering, "Doesn't this airport know what its customers need?"  (I always have a Verizon card to slide into my laptop, just in case, but so far, there's no such thing as a wireless electrical account.)

Earlier this week, I arrived at the new Delta terminal at Boston's Logan Airport, 90 minutes before my scheduled departure to St. Louis.  I had a full 90 minutes worth of on-line work to do, and I also wanted to have a full charge on the laptop for my flight.  So, my first priority was to find a seat next to an open power outlet.

When I arrived at my gate, it was like Christmas morning - Massport, the company that runs Logan Airport, installed new  seating that had a power outlet for every seat!!!   Finally!!! - an airport that's designed from the customer's point of view!!!  And they also posted big yellow signs on the walls as a way to say, "Hey, relax, we've got you covered with plenty of outlets to plug in your stuff!"  That made the experience even easier, because I didn't have to walk around looking like a guy that's trying to find something that he lost.

Yes, it's often the little things that make a big difference in the customer experience.  And on that particular travel day, Massport got it right, for this particular customer.

Well done, Massport and Logan Airport.   I hope other airports will follow your lead.

Logan Airport truly  gives Power to the  Customer.

The Value of the Habit in Customer Service

This is the first time I've posted to my blog in over three weeks.  Lost time, lost ideas, and lost opportunities. I was in the habit of publishing two to three posts each week.  And then I stopped for a couple days.  And a couple more days.

I lost momentum.

When I was in the habit, it was easy; it happend naturally; almost without effort.  I'd wake up in the morning, and write when my mind was clear and uncluttered by the day's activity. 

First thing in the morning, every day, and the writing seemed to come naturally.  There's a big parallel between writing blog posts, and delivering great customer experiences:

If you make it a habit by doing it every day, it will eventually happen on its own, without conscious effort.

Make it a habit, by focusing on it first thing in the morning, when your  mind is fresh, and uncluttered by the day's flow of business.  Just as productive writers get productive by making writing their daily ritual, great customer service organizations get great by embarking on their own first-thing-in-the-morning-before-it-gets-too-busy daily ritual.  Companies call it a morning huddle, or the daily line-up.

All the customer-facing employees get together, and talk customer service - the highs and lows of the day before, and what to expect and focus on during the day ahead.  By making these daily stand-up meetings a habit, delivering exemplary customer service becomes ingrained in the minds of the people who are responsible to deliver it, and this too, becomes a habit.

Bring your customer-facing employees together every morning for a concise, focused discussion on serving the customer.  Short and focused.  No one sits down.  No one gets distracted.  Everyone gets focused.  On the customer.

Make these daily discussions a habit.  And more customers will make your business their habit.

"A huddle a day helps to keep the detractors away."