Relationship Building

Oooof. Relationships?  But I’m an introvert. I don’t want to deal with people.  Sorry to tell you this, but without customer relations, there is no business. Your best friend needs to be the paying customer in front of you at this moment. Even if that customer is the biggest jerk in the world.  So the…

Why would I Want To?

I know I’m not supposed to ask this question.  But why would I Want to serve others?  What’s in it for Me? A few days ago, that was called a bad question.  The reason that everything is wrong with Customer Service in the first place.  But since you asked so nicely, here is what’s in it for you.…

The Servant Leader

“What can I do for you?” The Master Chief of the USS Long Beach had asked me. He’s the highest enlisted man on the ship! And he wants to do something for me? I had been a bad boy, and on probation from a bad decision on my first ship (I served others a little…

The Servant

“How may I serve you,” asked the sweet, Southern American voice on the phone.  “Serve.” The word struck me. And I was 21 years old – a sailor ordering a pizza to be delivered to my barracks at Navy A-school. She asked how she could serve me. And I let her know that I appreciated those…

The Customer is King

Once upon a time, the beloved king of a tiny country with a very hard-to-pronounce name ventured outside of his palace to observe his subjects. Farmlands, blacksmith shops and carpenters were pleased to see His Majesty taking an interest in their trade.  While visiting a marketplace, with shopkeepers hawking their wares, he saw a young…

A New Gig

This represents a change in mysteriesofcustomerservice.wordpress.com. Starting today, this will become “Mysteries of Customer Service” <…cue theremin…>. Why? Because a new podcast is on the way.  Ok – so why a podcast? Because I know technology. And that knowledge means I wait to see what will stick around – rather than jumping on every bandwagon…

Sears Turned It Around

This morning I posted how Sears had failed at customer service. And, up to a few hours ago, I still believed it. But by pulling a string on Social Media, they came through.  I wish it didn’t have to reach the level it did. Elevated blood pressure, voices and tempers – all because we took…

A Key Word – Trust

Respect is the key to good customer service. But for employees to respect customers, they need to feel respected themselves. One way to demonstrate respect for employees is simply trusting them.  Trust is an indicator of respect. Many employers do not trust their employees. This is indicated by locking down internet access, withholding the keys…

A Key Word

Many demand it but few earn it. Few believe they should give it. Every living, breathing person deserves it (even if they didn’t earn it). Aretha Franklin sang about it. RESPECT On the surface, we all know that customers should be treated with respect. We know it. But so many people who are in “customer…

Retail versus B2B Customer Service

Yesterday saw a commentary on what is mostly going to affect retail, food service or other face-to-face customer service. Business to business (B2B), industrial or other sales and support organizations may not encounter this scenario. Are there other differences between the two? One could argue that retail is “in the zone” for their entire shift.…