The main focus in our customer service training programs is that if you are going to truly stand out in today’s marketplace, the best way to achieve this goal is by focusing on the experience that you deliver to your customers. The world is full of companies that sell the same (or at least very similar) products that you do and offer the same type of services. You might charge higher or lower prices but the end product doesn’t vary much from company to company. So why would a customer be willing to pay more for your services, or travel a further distance to visit you instead of doing business with [...]

A common objection we hear in our customer service training programs is that it’s unfair to compare my background working at Disney to whatever industry they happen to work in. They say things like, “Of course it’s easy to be happy and have fun when you work at Disney World, try making my job fun." And from an outsider’s perspective, that argument makes a lot of sense. It sure seems like working at Disney would be a lot of fun especially compared to many other industries that are out there. After all, it is the “Happiest Place on Earth.” The Truth About Work [...]

In a recent post I shared the initial training that all new Walt Disney World cast members attend; a one-day program called Disney Traditions. It’s a key program for communicating what the Walt Disney organization is all about.  But you can’t just provide a motivating program, assume everyone gets the message, and then send people off to do their jobs. On-the-job training is a vital part of successful onboarding. If done well, Disney’s on-the-job training makes a connection between what new cast [...]

In your day-to-day interactions with others, are there certain words or phrases that creep into their vocabulary that feel like fingernails on a chalkboard? Phrases such as:   “Long story short” (The story was likely already too long) “At the end of the day” “Let me play devil’s advocate” “We need to think outside the box” “Let’s unpack this” “It is what it is”  I’m sure that you can think of additional cringe-worthy examples to add to this li [...]

As we get into the meat of 2021 (it’s already February!), would you like a a way to engage (or re-engage) your people in creating loyalty-driving customer experiences? A proven way to accomplish this is to reconnect your employees to the purpose of what they do. Employees who understand the true purpose or bigger picture of their jobs will always perform better than those who see their role as simply completing a series of tasks. What I’m talking about is creating a purpose statement for your organization (or refining the one you already have [...]

We’ve all been guilty of making a comment that we either instantly or later regretted. If you’ve ever congratulated someone on her pregnancy, only to find out she wasn’t pregnant, you know exactly what I mean. There’s no way to recover, no matter how hard you try.  In such an embarrassing situation, we know we’ve screwed up and we’ve hopefully learned a lesson about speaking before thinking. There are other times, however, when someone says something inappropriate or even offensive, and has no idea they’ve done it. In these cases the damage is done, but no lesson is learn [...]

In our personal and professional lives, we all spend a huge chunk of our time communicating with other people. Whether we’re just having a conversation with a friend, or we’re negotiating a major contract with a client, the quality of our communication skills can make or break any relationship.  When connecting with others, the order of my preferred communication channels is as follows: Face-to-face Telephone Email Regular mail Text message  Actually, the number 5 ranking for text messaging is kind of misleading. If I had a li [...]

In this video I ask you to imagine your customers being treated as welcome guests during any interaction with your organization. Imagine how they would feel about your company and how they would describe it to others. And imagine how it would affect their loyalty. [...]

Differentiating your organization’s service from that of your competitors can take many forms. Sometimes it takes a complete overhaul of your business model, such as transitioning from a strictly bricks-and-mortar approach to a strictly digital approach, or a hybrid of the two. Executing this kind of differentiation strategy is a huge undertaking, and a pretty expensive one, too. Fortunately, differentiation can also take a much simpler form. Sometimes, just the words we use can go a long way in building strong customer relationships, and differentiate your organization from the competition. [...]

The only way that we can consistently delight our customers is if we are truly present for them – truly "in the moment." If we’re not in the moment, we miss the visual, verbal, or even written clues customers are constantly giving us, and we end up processing customers through our systems. And no matter how well our systems are designed, most customers HATE feeling processed. They want to feel important, listened to, and respected. They want to feel valued. Valued customers come back; processed customers merely tolerate our organization until something better come [...]

I’m not what you’d call a confrontational person. I don’t enjoy being involved in conflict, and I get uncomfortable when I see or hear others in conflict. I’m not sure why, it’s just the way I am. But I also know that some of life’s best learnings can come as a result of conflict or disagreement. If the conflict ultimately raises our awareness and helps us (and others) to grow, while we might not like it at the time, some good has come out of the conflict. Customers and Conflict No organization is going to make every customer happy every time. Making [...]

Aren’t you tired of receiving sales and marketing letters that start with, “Dear Valued Customer…”? Most (all) of these letters go on to demonstrate that rather than being valued, you’re really a faceless, nameless entity in a long, long line of faceless and nameless entities. In order for me to feel valued as your customer, I have to feel that you see me as an individual. I have to feel that you’re glad I’m a customer. And most importantly, I have to feel that you actually care about helping me. Following is a list of actions that make me feel valued as [...]

The last three cars I've purchased have all been from the same dealership, Orlando Infiniti [...]

A comedian on the Comedy Channel was talking about the differences between dating and marriage: "When you're dating… You picture yourself growing old together.""When you're married… You wonder who will die first." "When you're dating… He knows what a 'hamper' is.""When you're married… The floor will suffice as a dirty clothes storage area." "When you're dating… He loves to discuss things.""When you're married… He develops a blank stare." (It was a female comedian) While watching and laughing, maybe a [...]

In my customer service speeches and workshops I stress the principle of “Everything Speaks” - every detail of a company’s physical environment is communicating a message (positively or negatively) about the company’s brand. I’ll often show photographs of Everything Speaks examples, such as stockroom doors left open in full view of customers, dirty or dusty shelves, messy desks, etc. I usually get some pretty sheepish looks from audience members as they recognize that some of these examples are prevalent in their own organizations. The CEO of one hospital client took this approach to heart [...]

For many organizations, their company vehicles (delivery trucks, service vans, etc.) are seen by more people than any other type of advertising they do. As those vehicles drive through neighborhoods, cruise the highways, or wait at stoplights, they are mobile billboards for the organization. The question for the company to ask themselves is, "Do our vehicles reflect our brand in the way we want it reflected?" [...]

I've recently put together a white paper titled, "The Top Five Customer Service Mistakes Companies Make, and How Your Organization Can Avoid Them." The mistakes addressed in the white paper [...]

Every morning, the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz reviews the list of clients who will be visiting the office that day, noting the industries the visiting clients are in. Then, instead of having generic magazines in the waiting room, they put out magazines that are of interest to members of those industries. They have to stay on top of their client list so that they have appropriate magazines, but imagine how much better their approach is than the norm. Most waiting rooms have the standard, general-interest magazines that, more often than not, are months (or years) out of date. [...]

The busiest shopping day of the year, Black Friday, is now behind us. If you were one of the multitudes who braved the crowds, my sympathy is with you. My wife and I long ago decided that since shopping and crowds are two of our least favorite things in life, we would NEVER shop the day after Thanksgiving. But, we will be doing some holiday shopping during the next couple of weeks. And we know that we'll have to face the crowds. According to the National Retail Federation, November and December account for 25 to 40 percent of many retailers' annual sales. So, like it or not, the crowds will be there [...]

During a recent radio interview, the show host asked me to comment on a pleasant subject - the economic recovery. With all of the recent doom and gloom, there are signs that things are beginning to turn around. Who knows how long the recovery will take, but the economy will most certainly recover. During the discussion the host asked me, "What is your main suggestion for organizations in preparation for the economic recovery?" Without hesitation, I said that if organizations focus on one thing in preparation for the recovery, it should be this: "Begin planning your economic recovery hiring st [...]

When I first meet with a client organization's executives to discuss a planned customer service initiative, it's not uncommon for the group to be overwhelmed with the scope of work to be done. I often see the "deer in the headlights" looks on their faces as the leaders wonder what they've gotten themselves into. The problem is that most people (including me) tend to overcomplicate things by thinking that all of the elements of the initiative need to be done right now. They don't. Like Stephen Covey says in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, we need to put first things first. A [...]

Some of you know that a second, updated edition of my book, Unleashing Excellence: the Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service, coauthored with Teri Yanovitch, is scheduled for release this fall. Part of the publishing process includes getting reader endorsements, which appear on the book jacket. I've sent the manuscript to several "celebrity" business authors; those who have written business books th [...]

The popular notion stating that if a customer receives poor service, he/she will tell nine other people, has been grossly out of date since the advent of the Internet. In reality, customers can electronically tell millions of people about their experiences. And now, with Twitter, people can tell others about their experiences as they happen. Think about the power of that ability. In the past there was at least a cool down period between the negative service situation and the opportunity to share the news - and we might've just let it go without taking the time to write it up. Now, we can now share t [...]

I do love gadgets. I just got an Amazon Kindle and thoroughly enjoy the ability to carry several books in such a thin device. My Palm Treo is always at the ready for reading or sending emails, checking the news, and updating my calendar. I'm pretty sure that I'm just a few days away from trading in the Treo for an iPhone, which seems like the ultimate gadget. But I think it's important to recognize that while these gadgets certainly increase our connectivity with others, they also have the potential to make our communications appear impersonal. What I'm really talking about here is the email function on whatever smart [...]

As we come into the weekend, try giving your team this informal assignment. As they go about their weekend activities, ask them to to consciously notice the level of service they receive as they interact with companies and their employees. Ask them to look at the physical environment, observe employees as they serve them as well as other customers, and pay attention to the processes they experience during the interaction. What was good? What was not so good? What what was dismal? Ask them to mentally note as many details as possible. At your next team meeting, request that members of your team shar [...]

One of the most popular songs from the Disney film, Beauty and the Beast, was the song, “Be Our Guest.” Belle, the heroine of the film, is enthralled by the magical preparations of a spectacular dinner as the animated candelabra, Lumiere, sings “Be Our Guest.” It’s a fitting song for a Disney film since the company has a long history of referring to its customers as “guests.” Walt Disney’s philosophy at Disneyland was that they didn’t have customers, they had welcome guests. It was a mindset he worked to instill in the park’s cast members. Keep in mind that p [...]

When returning a client's call or email, I love to hear the words, "Wow! Thanks for getting back to me so quickly." Those words tell me I've exceeded their expectations, and that's a great way to begin a dialogue with a customer/client. To be sure, I don't hear those words every time because there are times I don't respond quickly enough to deserve a wow (although I do focus on quick response times). And some people just aren't "wow people." But I know when I do receive a wow for getting back to a client quickly, the trust factor is being established. In today's market place, [...]

Many of you have team meetings at the beginning of each week. At next Monday's meeting, post this question on a flipchart page: "What is one improvement I can make in serving my customers (clients, patients, fellow employees, etc.), that if I do it consistently and I do it very well, will have a positive impact on their experience?" Give everyone a few moments to write down their answers, letting them know that you're not going to ask them to share their answers with anyone. (They might not want to share something they know they should be doing but are not - or at least not doing consist [...]

As 2009 gets under way, I encourage you to take a fresh look at your operation through an "Everything Speaks" lens. If you've attended one of my programs or read any of my books/articles, you know I emphasize the fact that every detail of the customer experience communicates a message to the customer - Everything Speaks. That stray piece of trash on the ground.    That stack of papers on the desk.   That representative [...]

This is the fifth in a series of five posts in response to a client's question; "From your observations and consulting work, what do you think are the top customer service mistakes companies make?" Mistake #5 - Tolerating poor service performance from employees at any level within the organization. Companies allow poor performers to stay on the job for many reasons. First of all, if you fire them, you have to go through the hassle of hiring someone else. It's easier to just ignore the problem. Second, some managers just don't know about the poor performance. They're not [...]

This is the fourth in a series of five posts in response to a client's question; "From your observations and consulting work, what do you think are the top customer service mistakes companies make?" Customer Service Mistake #4 - Not making customer service a significant part of new-hire orientation as well as a part of ongoing training. George Miliotis was the General Manager of the California Grill restaurant from the time it opened in 1995 until he left in 2002.  The California Grill is an upscale restaurant located at Walt Disney World.  George was (and still is) a big believer in [...]

This is the third in a series of five posts in response to a client's question; "From your observations and consulting work, what do you think are the top customer service mistakes companies make?" Customer Service Mistake #3 - Hiring the Wrong People If an ideal employee is a company's most valuable asset, then the wrong employee is its albatross, its anchor. So, why do companies often hire the wrong person? I think it is because they never really determine what they're looking for, or wait until they need someone before they start looking, and therefore hire quickly from a [...]

This is the first in a series of five posts in response to a client's question; "From your observations and consulting work, what do you think are the top customer service mistakes companies make?" Customer Service Mistake #1 - Not clearly defining what the customer experience is supposed to be. Many organizations mistakenly believe that the products they sell define the customer experience. At a restaurant, it's the meal; at a car dealership, it's the car; at a law firm, it's the legal advice. Of course, this belief is partially correct - the prod [...]

This is the second in a series of five posts in response to a client's question; "From your observations and consulting work, what do you think are the top customer service mistakes companies make?" Customer Service Mistake #2 - Designing processes for the company's convenience, not the customer's. How many times do you find yourself shaking your head in frustration as you deal with a company's non customer-friendly processes? My guess is you can name at least five frustrating experiences you've had in the last week. Too many organizations design their processes for their own conveni [...]

A client recently asked, "From your observations and consulting work, what do you think are the top customer service mistakes companies make?" I thought about it and listed five organizational mistakes that I feel are at the foundation of most service issues: Not clearly defining what the customer experience is supposed to be. Designing processes for the company's convenience, not the customer's. Hiring the wrong people. Not making customer service a significant part of new-hire training as well as ongoing training. Tolerating poor service performance from e [...]

As more products and services become commoditized, one of the remaining ways to differentiate your organization from the competition is to focus on the overall customer experience. Your product offering might be excellent, but so is the product offering of your competitor down the street. I encourage organizations to expand their idea of the product to include the entire customer experience. When you consider everything a customer goes through in order to purchase and use your product, it's apparent that a lot of factors impact the experience - and that impact can be either positive or negative. Consider the " [...]

There I stood at the counter, wondering why the customer service clerk didn't see me. I had the items I wanted to purchase on the counter, I had my wallet out; what I didn't have was the clerk's attention. He was busy filling out a form that I think had something to do with the cash register. I probably could've walked right out the door and he never would've seen me. I can certainly understand the need for employees to fill out paperwork, change the register's cash drawer, or finish processing the previous transaction. All I ask is to be acknowledged with a simple, "I'm so sorry, I'll be right with you," and that it [...]

What a difference a caring employee makes. You can observe two employees doing the identical job, but one is creating great customer experiences while the other employee just goes through the motions. A recent client arranged for a Town Car service to take me from the airport to the convention hotel and then back to the airport the next day. It was a fairly long ride, about two hours, but it was through beautiful countryside so I didn't mind. The driver who picked me up at the airport was wonderful. She had a chilled bottle of water waiting in the car along with a fresh copy of the local newspaper and the Wall [...]

This is the fifth in a series of ten blog posts that provide a brief synopsis of the chapters in my upcoming book, Lessons From the Mouse - A Guide for Applying Disney World's Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Your Life. You can view previous posts from the book by clicking on the Lessons From the Mouse category on the left column of this page.  Lesson #5: Don't Be a Customer Service Robot  Most of the jobs at Disney World have certain repetitive tasks, such as telling guests to "watch your head and step" [...]

In my last post I talked about how to provide good customer service when the customer himself/herself is wrong or makes a mistake. In this post I’d like to focus on what to do when your company screws up. The public is never at a loss for examples of high-profile company screw ups. The one that really hit home for me has been the recent Southwest Airlines debacle regarding maintenance issues. I’m a huge Southwest fan and was disappointed that they compromised their reputation by falsifying records and then trying to cove [...]

As bricks and mortar increasingly give way to virtual organizations, more and more interactions with customers are taking place via the telephone and the Web. Some organizations apparently believe that while good customer service principles might apply to face-to-face interactions, they don’t apply to phone and internet interactions. Wrong. They do apply. Everyone has gotten lost in the phone directory maze of “press 1 for this, press 2 for that,” and when (or if) we finally get to a live person, that person comes across as indifferent or rushed (probably because they’re held [...]

One of the keys to generating intense customer loyalty is to make customers feel valued. In this video I share seven tips for making YOUR customers feel valued. [...]