Six Cardinal Rules of Customer Service

He wanted to know "when did it all change?" "Weren't you, "he asked me, "brought up to say please, thank you and you're welcome?" "Didn't your mother and father tell you to be nice to everyone? Didn't they crack you over the knuckles when you weren't nice or made a face at someone?"

The other executive at the table (well, ok, my husband, Dick Friedman, President of Weatherline, Inc.) asked if we felt that television might be an influencing factor. The kids see situation comedies on TV where the characters wise crack with the customers, and there's applause and laughs to further encourage it.

Take the "soup Nazi" on Seinfeld. Is that a way to treat people? Would you really take that abuse in your neighborhood? When did it change?

As I travel around the world and experience customer care, I can assure you the United States does not have a monopoly on poor customer service. It is a universal situation. That being said, there is help.

The following Six Cardinal Rules of Customer Service have been around for the past ten years when we first introduced them, and I suspect they'll be around much longer than that.

They're simple "common sense" things. And as we all know, "common sense is NOT that common." Display these Six Cardinal Rules in your office by every phone, by every cash register, by every water fountain. Make them a part of your company policy. And then watch the difference!

PEOPLE BEFORE PAPERWORK.

How many times have you stood and waited while a clerk tallies up a batch of figures or heard someone ruffling through papers while you were talking with them. Then after they were done, asked "Now, how can I help you"?

And how many times have you waited while someone "fiddled" with a desk drawer, or wrote up a note before they acknowledged you? Paper can wait.

People should not. Paper won't walk away, but the customer might. Drop what you're doing and pay immediate attention to the customer.

            2. DON'T BE TOO BUSY TO BE NICE.

In most employment interviews I've held, the applicant assures me that they love to be kept busy. They tell me if they're not busy they get bored and unhappy. Then we hire them, and one of the first things we hear is a complaining, "Wow, I am sooooo busy." Well, being busy does not give you carte blanche to be rude. Awhile back I called my printing company. The executive person who had always helped me in a super manner was this time rather curt and sharp with me, not his jovial self. I asked if there was anything wrong? He quickly told me "I'm just so busy." Well, I made him less busy. I found another printer. Don't ever be too busy to be nice.

            3. RUSHING THREATENS CALLERS.

Let's face it. Most phone calls are an interruption. We're usually in the middle of something when a call comes in. How many times a day do we sit by our phones, hands clasped saying, "please let so and so call?" When you answer a phone call, and rush the caller, it threatens them. Quick, short answers are intimidating, so are one word answers. It makes you sound cold and unfriendly. Slow down. Smell the roses. Stop rushing people. It threatens them.

             4. DON'T USE MILITARY LANGUAGE ON CIVILIANS.

Simply put, company jargon should stay within your company. Mistakes and big time mis-communications thrive on company jargon. You'll be far more familiar and comfortable with the terms and abbreviations than your customer will. You're not impressing anyone with the knowledge of what they don't know. Some of the companies I call seem to have words and abbreviations that would make the CIA green with envy. Use simple, easy to understand words to the customer. They'll appreciate your thoughtfulness.

              5. BE FRIENDLY BEFORE YOU KNOW WHO IT IS.

Have you ever called or walked into a company where you were treated in a rather average, maybe even below average manner, and when they realized you were a friend of the boss or someone other than an "average" customer, they brightened right up? Why wait to be friendly? Why discriminate? If you're friendly before you know who it is, you'll make a much better impression. When you're friendly before you know who it is, you're delivering the same great service to everyone. That's the way it should be. Don't discriminate. Be friendly before you know who it is.

               6. "THERE YA GO" IS NOT "THANK YOU." "UH HUH" IS NOT "YOU'RE WELCOME."

Count, starting today, just for one day, how many times people forget to say "thank you" and "you're welcome. Instead, "there ya go" seems to be the Generation X replacement. When a customer spends money, they want to hear a big smiling "THANK YOU, we appreciate your business." And when we, as the customer, say "thank you" please don't grunt "uh-huh." Speak clearly. "You're welcome" is a wonderful phrase. Have your employees use it more often, and don't be a grunter. When your customer tells you "thank you," ....give a great big "You're welcome" right back at them.

Follow these points…and watch the results! ! !


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Nancy Friedman. All right reserved. For information contact Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com.