Archive for August, 2012
Kate Stelmack’s Response
0Reading Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service, opened my eyes to a lot of things I had not considered about costumer service. Before reading this book, I felt I had a good handle on how to handle costumers based on my own experiences with costumer services. After reading, I found there was a lot more to it, and the tips I read were extremely helpful.
The “use the I instead of they or we” tip. This tip exists in the very first, ‘unbreakable’ rule. The book explains that, to the costumer, we are the company and need to take necessary steps towards solving the costumer’s problem. Because costumers expect us to make the organization work for them, we need to take responsibility for the problem and address it as such.
Rule 8, the Costumer is Always Right rule, was another that stood out to me. In this rule it states that though the costumer is not always right, and is actually usually wrong, it is our job to help make them right…or at least point them in the right direction. The book lists three different ways to make the costumer right. The first is to ‘assume innocence’. It further explains that just because the costumer sounds wrong to you, that does not make them wrong. Listening to everything the costumer has to say before jumping in to solve the problem is an absolute must. In my opinion, this is somewhat of an obvious fact, but in my experience often forgotten. The second way to make the costumer right is to ‘look for teaching opportunities’. To do this, you first have to figure out where the costumer went wrong, causing the misunderstanding. This is what I feel would be the most challenging. Many costumers already assume they are correct and do not need to be educated. Clearly, this technique should be used on a case-by-case basis. The last rule is to believe the costumer. This is also self explanatory, although often forgotten. The book explains that sometimes the costumer you thought was 100% wrong was in fact completely right, and when in doubt, give the costumer the benefit of the doubt.
Overall, I found this book extremely helpful, even beyond the main points I listed here. With the outline of tips, and things to keep in mind when dealing with a costumer I am now feeling even more confined in my abilities to do a great job this coming fall!
Meen’s Summer Reflection 08/09/12
1In preparation for the Information Commons this year, I read Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service. I thought the book really geared towards businesses focusing on services particularly. The information was really interesting, although some were somewhat irrelevant to IC workers particularly but one could always apply it to the real world experience.
The researches were very interesting and I really enjoyed the quotes at the beginning and the end of every chapter. I thought a lot of them were very powerful and inspirational. I absolutely love the tip “How you feel about yourself in your job is as important to your self-esteem as the way you feel about yourself as a parent, a spouse, or a friend. No job is important enough to lie for, no paycheck big enough to compensate for feeling bad about your treatment of another human being. Perhaps the best reason to be honest with your customers is that it allows you to be honest with yourself.” This made me think of my experience working this summer. Some of my co-workers did not particularly enjoy/like the job but when I asked, they said they did. Although you can figure out what they really feel through the way they are treating their customers. Honesty within yourself really is the core for success.
For the most part the author explained everything in details, which was quite beneficial for the most part (the rest felt as if the details were space fillers). A lot of information on how to handle different types of people (different generations and personality for example), which I thought was the most beneficial part of this book.
Although I don’t necessary agree with everything the book said. As Keegan pointed out earlier that with certain phrase such as “I don’t know” would be an appropriate thing to say if you are sincere and are trying your best to help and guide the customers in the direction that they need to go (ask for help from someone who knows the answer for example.) The telephone chapter did not apply to Infocommons really since we don’t deal too much with phone but it was beneficial. Having to work as a commodity merchandiser this past summer at ADM for my internship really helped me see how I can apply these concepts into real life with angry customers over the phone.
Reading Kate’s reflection I think that iBrain sounds very interesting as well. Overall I thought this book gave nice information about services on the technical side. Although, personally I would rate the book from last year about social media to be more insightful and intuitive. This book has many general common sense rules rather than exploring why the people do the things they do and how we can use that to our advantage by understanding how people works. I think the last book give a greater perception of how to handle different situations within the scope of technology and it was more helpful to me. However, Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service did a good job of reminding you the little things that make a difference for getting and keeping the customers as well.
Jessica Marie’s Reflection
0For my summer reading assignment, I read Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service by the Performance Research Associates, Inc. I found this book to be incredibly interesting and pertinent to my job in Information Commons.
Last summer’s book related to this one in many ways. Both books talked about customer service and the use of technology within the service industry. In Information Commons, we are constantly dealing with customers. Not in terms of those who we rely on to make money, but we are an important service to students at Butler University. We also use technology and social networking a great deal in IC.
One of the most interesting parts of the book, in my opinion, was the discussion of “forbidden phrases” in Chapter 15. Some of these phrases are the ones that drive me crazy. I can’t stand being called “honey” or “sweetheart” by total strangers. If you are the cashier serving me, as an adult I do not want to be called “honey” as if I am that person’s child. I think it is important to choose the words you use very wisely especially when working in customer service. If you offend the person you are serving, you have a chance of losing a customer.
I look forward to discussing this book further with coworkers at our retreat in a week!
Joe’s Reflection
0For my summer reading, I read the book Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service which to me is a version of Customer Service for Dummies. It outlines everything that should be common sense when you are the face of your workplace. It really gives a whole new importance to what you are charged with doing, and gives good examples of what to, and more importantly, not to do. The book really wants to make sure that you impress, but also to not unimpress because you never get a chance to make another first impression.
The importance of patience is obvious in this book because you have to have it when dealing with all different problems, and make sure you keep yourself under control no matter what the situation. It also made apparent the effect of negative phrases that can destroy the confidence of a customer or client, the most obvious being simply “I don’t know.” How much confidence does that inspire when you are on the receiving end of that? The answer is none. The author make sure that the points of keeping the client or customer involved is paramount, as well as being positive and accommodating to their individual needs. A lot of these lessons can carry over into people’s lives outside of the workplace and into your everyday interactions with people.
One thing that really caught my attention was the mention of Nordstrom customer service, which I have had the pleasure of receiving on a couple of occasions, and this book puts it in great context.
Another thing I wish the book would have included as a lesson in detail is a company in the UK called McLaren International. The facilities are a lesson in functionality and management. The factory floor is white tile floors that you can eat off of. For them, perfection isn’t good enough in the production or service department. Ron Dennis is the chief executive of McLaren, and the attention to detail is unbelievable. They also show how an air of confidence can go a long way. They also make sure their employees also show humility while still producing some of the best cars in the world, which is really hard to emphasize the impact that can have on customers and sponsors for them. The company strives to be the best in the world, which is to me a reflection of what everyone should strive for, which is perfection without an ego to go along with it. This is a lesson given to me by one of my friends, Keith Pulford, who used to work for Bonhams, one of the premier auction houses in the world. This is one lesson I wish was more explicit in the book, but overall it was a great intro so sales and customer service.
Lindsey’s Reflection
0Delivering Knock Your Socks off Service, is quite the name for a book that briefly touches on many different customer service scenarios, tactics, and outcomes. Before beginning the book, I was skeptical after working with thousands of customers, over the course of my five years at Deep River Waterpark. I did not believe this book would have much to offer me. After the initial chapters, I did begin to gain knowledge of how to better handle situations. One of the sections that I found most interesting discussed dealing with customers of different generations. Although there may be less of a variety working in Information Commons, I found this section applicable to my summer job, and can see the benefits of it for future job scenarios. It is easy to get caught up in a customer service situation, and to approach the customer as you would want to be approached. Prior to reading this book, I did not give much thought about how the customer would feel or how they would prefer being addressed.
Although when reading, the outcome or approach may seem obvious, it is sometimes harder to come up with resolutions on the spot. After reading this book, I tried to put into effect the tips suggested on customers at my work this summer. I always knew that I should listen carefully, empathize, and so on, but I did not realize how little I often show customers this. This made me more aware, and I began to make an effort to make it clear that I understood and was sorry for whatever inconvenience was experienced. This proved effective; once I became more self-aware, I was better able to serve the customer and their needs. Although the book did readdress many tactics I was already aware of, it was beneficial to become reacquainted with them. I began to not only analyze my response to customers, but also to watch more closely to see how the customer responded to me. This book has made me more aware of what a customer wants from me, and will assist me in providing better and more effective service to customers.
Kate’s Reflection
0In preparation for the Information Commons retreat, I read iBrain which focusses on technology and how it affects the brain.
While it was interesting to learn about the brain and technology, I found the comparisons between “Digital Immigrants” and “Digital Natives” to be the most fascinating part of the book. The chapter that focusses most on these two types of technology users is Chapter 2: Technology Dividing Generations. This chapter discusses how society can be divided into two different categories: Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives. Digital Immigrants are classified as individuals who were introduced to computer technology as adults and Digital Natives are those who were born into a world of computer technology.
I found this particular chapter very interesting because I see our generation of students as falling somewhere in the middle of these two categories. For me personally, I was introduced to computer technology somewhere around 3rd grade. I vividly remember that is when my family got our first family computer and I already knew how to use it better than my parents did. iBrain would say that based upon my prior knowledge at age 9, I am a Digital Native and my parents would therefore be placed in the Digital Immigrant category. Recently, I have noticed small things that differentiate me from my parents in terms of social media usage. For instance, I grew up in a time when social media was a part of my homework completion. iBrain talks about how students today multi-task with multiple things going on at once. For instance, a student could be on Facebook, listening to an iPod, on Wikipedia, and doing homework all at the same time. While some believe that this is not an appropriate way to focus, I think that it is simply a barrier that confuses Digital Immigrants.
Learning about the age barriers between those who have been around computer technology all of their lives and those who have not is an interesting way to learn how to better serve people of all ages. This will be especially helpful in the Library when a student asks a computer technology question versus if a parent has a similar computer technology question.
Brittany’s Reflection
1After reading Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service, I learned so many useful tips on how to have great customer service and I actually got to practice some of the tips at my job over the summer. One of the tips I found really useful and interesting was the “forbidden phrases” and the alternatives that would be better. I work at a restaurant and many times when a customer has a question most employees say, “I don’t know” instead of asking one of the managers or finding out the information another way. After reading this part in the book, I had a customer ask if he could substitute french bread for cole slaw or corn because he was allergic to the ingredients in bread. I remembered this part of the book and instead of saying, “I don’t know” or “No we can’t do that” I told him I’d go check and find out for him. I found out he couldn’t do substitute the bread and even though he was unhappy that he couldn’t substitute his food, he and his wife thanked me twice for going to check for him. It showed me that instead of just automatically replying “I don’t know” or “That’s not possible” you should ask if you don’t know because the person will be very appreciative.
Another tip that I found interesting was in Chapter 19 when it was talking about the generations. After reading this chapter, I realized how true it was that the different generations expected different kinds of service. After reading this chapter, I began to notice at work how the customers my age wanted to order fast and wanted to get their food as quickly as possible while those that were elderly took their time ordering their food and sometimes got nervous if they felt rushed.
Overall, I thought the book had some interesting tips, yet there were some tips that were (or should) be clear to any employee. I thought the book was decent and had information that was relevant to any job.
Knock Your Socks off Service
0Something I found very interesting about this book was how much it actually related to my life. The book expressed my feelings toward many aspects of customer service and I was actually shocked as to how closely it met my feelings in certain examples. One of the first things that caught my eye was that when a customer is dealing with someone, whether online, phone, or in person, they are literally taking that person as the company. Just recently my cousin came back from a beauty consultation at Macy’s and was furious with the brand of the makeup the lady assisting her was using, instead of the lady herself. Even though, when I asked my cousin, it was clearly the consultant’s fault. Delivering the best service is not for your own sake, it is for the sake of the company. The book talks about Nordstrom’s superb service. And I find it to be one of the most true statements. Nordstrom goes above and beyond to try and help their customers and give them everything they want and more. I know I will never deal with a nasty employee there. It is all about building trust and loyalty in your customer, and once you do that, you are guaranteed to not only keep that person coming back, but also receive more customers from that person as well. When someone has a good experience at a store, they are only likely to tell about 2-3 others, but when someone has a bad experience, they are more than likely to tell more than 7 people about their visit. When I myself feel as if someone was not able to help me at a particular store, place, or anywhere that is supposed to provide you help, I do not recommend that place to anyone. And not only that, I tell a friend who is going to go, not to go. Another thing the book talks about is confidence. I believe showing you are confident in what you are doing is one of the most important things one can do. A customer does not want someone who looks like they don’t know what they are doing. I myself want someone who can get the job done, and done right. I want someone who can tell me without hesitating how to fix something or find something. This book really opened my eyes as to how one has to be on the other side to deliver what everyone wants, great customer service.
Shelby’s Reflection
0Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service gave insights on how to perform good customer service. They defined this kind of service by “…creating a positive, memorable experience for every customer. It means exceeding expectations and satisfying needs (1). This is the kind of service we strive for at the Information Commons. Being positive can create a lasting impression on the people you work with and the customers. The book gave many stories where the employee goes above and beyond the call of duty including at Disney. A seagull flew by and took the ice cream right from a women’s cone. An employee saw that and escorted the lady back to get another ice cream cone (4). Service like this keeps the customers coming back. There were also several examples of poor customer service which made customers not want to come back. If you do not surpass expectations people will find someone else that will and with the increasing popularity of social media, they will let the world know how they feel.
I think an important part in this book is that to the customer you are the company. They expect you to be able to help (3). Therefore it is important to understand how to effectively help the customer and how to make a positive difference in the customers satisfaction. The book pointed out five ways customers evaluate service quality. Number one is reliability. The employee needs to do what they say. Being reliable means that you are trustworthy and that the customer can count in you. The second factor is assurance. The customer needs to be assured you know what you’re doing. You need to have extensive product and company knowledge as well as people skills. Next is tangibles. The employee needs to find a way to make the service they are giving visible. This means going above and beyond their expectations. The book used the example of instead of verbally giving directions to someone, draw a map. Number four is empathy. Treat the customer as an individual person, not a number. Really try to understand what they are conveying to you. The last factor is responsiveness. It really is important to value the customer’s time and help them as quickly as possible. At the IC we strive to implement all these factors when dealing with customers in order to assure they have a positive experience. Going out of the way to help someone can really leave a lasting impression. It is also important to believe in the customer (40). In our line of work we often help students and faculty with technology and research. You have to treat them with respect and not act like they are ignorant for not knowing what their doing.
The book gave a rule from Nordstrom’s handbook as an example. It said, “Use your good judgement in all situations” (59). This means if you don’t know how to help someone find someone who can. Never say “I don’t know”. That can be the most devastating thing to a customer. Ask a superior when you don’t know what to do because it turns into a good learning experience. I feel this is well implemented at the IC. I have never been afraid to ask someone else for help because I can learn something and be able to solve the customers problems the next time. I liked the books idea to take time to share problems and how you solved them with other co-workers (60). Learning from other people experiences can also aid in giving customers the best possible service.
Every way in which you come in contact with your customer is important. Whether it be by phone, email, via social networks, or in person it all effects how the customer gauges your efforts. No matter what it is important to show confidence and keep your promises (55). The book gives an interesting fact that only a small portion of how we communicate is verbal. 70% of communication is done without speaking. It is in eye contact, posture, and facial expressions that most communication is done (78). So it is important when writing an email or speaking on the telephone that you be careful of your tone and are personable because customers cannot hear your facial expressions.
I also found the rules for internet service very applicable to the IC website. They include: easy access to phone numbers, one click help, and links FAQs page (176-177). I think we have implemented many of these rules into our website to help our customers have an easier time contacting us and getting their questions answered immediately. During library hours students are able to instant message us to get their questions answered quickly. Above all this book reiterated the importance to thank the customer, smile, be confident, tell the truth, dress well, and always be professional. These are all keys to ensure a happy customer that will come back time and time again because of good service.
Abby’s Reflection
1I have held numerous jobs since I started working; however, none of them have ever been in the service industry. I have often had interactions with people in the service industry but those interactions have been as a customer. This book really made me think about my past experiences and even how I interact with the people I have interacted with this summer (I have an internship at my county’s prosecutors office) When I think back to my summer interactions, their have been numerous times that our office did not handle situations in the way that this book describes. I know that we are not in the service industry and many of the people we deal with are in trouble to begin with, however, I do believe there are some areas in which I could improve on. Since reading this book, I have tried to practice these techniques. I strive to only transfer calls as little as possible. I also try to keep my word with people that I speak with; I also strive to answer their questions to the best of my ability and give them the help that they need. This has been great practice for me before I start work at Information Commons.
Reading this book has made me acknowledge some of the best service experiences I had ever had. Last week I had to call the Microsoft service center and since I had just finished reading this book, I was looking for the tips and tricks that “Know your Socks Off” speaks of. The person that helped me used many of them I noticed and it really worked on me. It was by far the best service interaction I have ever had.
I know often people feel a sense of dread when they realize they have to talk to a customer service representative in pretty much any company. I realized that if all service representatives treated customers as our book suggests (like I was with Microsoft) that the stigma would disappear. Reading this book has given me the tools to be the best employee that I can be. I learned a lot from reading this book and I feel as though I am better prepared for the tasks that are to come.