Is Your Customer Service “Nice” or is it “WOW”?

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Sandy

Creating WOW experiences; wow customer service

Once again, the nuances of customer service were completely missed by a store that was trying to offer something nice to their customers, but missed the mark due to a tiny detail that would have made a huge difference and created a WOW.

As I was checking out of a store yesterday, after I’d paid for my items, the clerk stapled a coupon to my receipt. The coupon said, “Get two free greeting cards TODAY with any purchase!” But I had just completed my purchase and was ready to leave. I had no time (or inclination) to go back at that point and pick out two cards, then come back and stand in line again in order to get them free. While the coupon is good until the end of the month, which is only about a week away at this point, that means I have to go back in the next week – and buy something else – in order to get my two free cards.

Granted, it’s nice that they offer the coupon at all, but here’s where the experience could have been more meaningful – and in fact, could have been a WOW!

The clerk could have told me about the coupon before ringing up my purchase, to allow me to use the coupons on that trip – before checking out. Better yet, the store could have put a rack at the front entrance with a big sign announcing that customers could get two free cards with their purchase today, allowing them to get the cards while they were shopping and do it all in one sweep of the store.

Doing it this way would have created a feeling that the store really wanted customers to get two free cards as a gift for shopping there. Doing it the way they did created a feeling that the store didn’t really want to give customers two free cards, but someone told them they had to give out the coupons, so they did – but they were going to make customers work harder to cash them in. I’m sure that probably wasn’t the message the store wanted to give, but it points up the difference between enthusiastically offering what could be WOWs and offering them in very UN-WOW ways.

Are you looking at the nuances of your customer service to see where you may be making WOW opportunities available to customers but not capitalizing on them? Take a look at details that seem insignificant on the surface and you’ll find ways to go from creating “Nice, but ho-hum” opportunities for customers… to creating “WOW” experiences for them.

Posted in Customer Service, Rule #4: A WOWplace is Innovative, Creative & Fun! | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Flexibility is a Must for Creating WOWs

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Sandy

Flexibility, wow experiencesA while back, I spoke at a conference that had over 12,000 attendees, as well as a trade show with 368+ booths. This trade show was like no other I’ve ever attended. It was enormous and reminiscent of a circus, with many booths containing games, videos, giveaways, drawings and other interactive features designed to draw visitors. In fact, many people visited the booths just for the giveaways and games. However, if they wanted to participate in the drawings, they had to allow the vendor to scan their badge and capture their contact information for lead follow-up. Sounds fair, right?

At lunch one day, an attendee sat down and said, “You won’t believe what just happened to me!” She had visited a booth where the representative asked snidely, “Are you interested in our services, or are you just here for the freebie!?” She was shocked! She told him she wasn’t quite ready for their services yet, but may be interested in the future. But at lunch she told us she probably wouldn’t use them because her experience with him had been so nasty and embarrassing.

OW! What happened there? The attendee had never heard of this company before, yet her first and only experience with them was such an OW that it defeated their whole purpose for being there, which should have been to establish relationships and set the stage for future follow-up… not sell attendees on their services right at that moment! Come on – did he really think he was going to make a sale at a circus?

This man’s company paid a lot of money to be at that trade show, but his inflexibility once he was surprised by a situation that was different than he expected it to be, combined with his inability to readjust his expectations accordingly, actually destroyed opportunities to connect rather than creating them.

So, don’t close off your options. Remember that situations are rarely what we expect them to be, and if you can’t change your situation, change your expectations in order to capitalize on new or unexpected opportunities as they arise and keep you from closing down your options.

Posted in Communication, Customer Service, Leadership/Employee Engagement, Rule #4: A WOWplace is Innovative, Creative & Fun! | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The American Dream is Alive and WOW!

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Sandy
WOW experiences, innovation, wowplace

Montanez achieves the American Dream – WOW!

Given the economic climate in recent years, it’s tempting to give in to the belief that it is next to impossible to achieve the American Dream. Therefore, it’s doubly heart-warming to see its recent realization in a true rags-to-riches story!

In a nutshell, this is the story of Richard Montanez, part of a poor Latino family living in America. He knew very little English and had never finished high school when he began working as a custodian at the Frito-Lay Rancho Cucamonga plant in California in 1976. One day he bought a cup of corn from a vendor and saw the vendor add butter, chili and cheese to the corn. This sparked an idea to add chili to one of his favorite snacks: Cheetos.

After playing with the ingredients, he created a recipe that he and his family, friends and co-workers loved! So, he decided to pitch the idea to company executives… and they loved it – sparking the creation of their now top-selling snack, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, as well as an entire line of Flamin’ Hot products!

Here are just some of the WOWs in this story:

  1. Montanez had a brainstorm and acted on it… something many of us think about doing but never actually do.
  2. He still spoke little to no English when he pitched this idea to executives. He copied a marketing concept from a book, designed his own bag and put his snack inside for the presentation – demonstrating incredible creativity and knowledge of human behavior in the process (he realized they’d need to see and taste the entire product or they probably wouldn’t “bite”!)
  3. The President and other executives were willing to listen to a pitch idea from someone in an entry level position.
  4. Once the idea caught on, Montanez was rewarded by being promoted, so that he now holds the position as head of Multicultural Sales & Community Promotions of North America divisions of PepsiCo, which is the parent company of Frito-Lay.

Many people think you have to have formal education in order to capitalize on a great idea; but this story proves that you can use self-education and exceptional drive to accomplish great things. In fact, Montanez says that he’s had a Ph.D. since he was a kid: Poor, Hungry, and Determined! And because of his success at getting education any way he can, most notably in this case through a marketing book, he now reads a book a week!

In addition, many employees resist sharing great ideas for fear of being ignored or disrespected, having their idea stolen by someone higher up, or receiving no thanks for having provided it. This story also proves that there are still executives who do value and reward employee contributions in WOW ways. KUDOS to company executives at both Frito-Lay and PepsiCo, who showed exceptional commitment to their employees by rewarding him in this fashion, rather than simply taking his idea, running with it, and leaving him behind with just a small “thank you.”

Please visit the links below for more of this incredible story including WOWs, such as:

  1. A corporate videotape (made by then company President Roger Enrico and his Vice President of Sales Al Carey) started Montanez thinking differently. Its message was this: “We want every worker in this company to act like an owner. Make a difference. You belong to this company, so make it better.”  Most employees ignored it; Montanez ran with it!
  2. Montanez picked up the phone after creating his snack and called the President directly because he didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to do so! Thankfully, the President’s assistant was enough of a visionary to put him through!
  3. When he told his co-workers the President was coming in two weeks to see a presentation, they complained loudly about having to “clean up the plant” for the President’s visit!
  4. Montanez now works with PepsiCo and his community to create scholarships and other grant opportunities for Latinos to encourage them to get more education and contribute to their communities.

Latino Fox News article

LowRider Magazine article

Posted in Fun Life Observations/Motivation, Fun Work Observations, Rule #4: A WOWplace is Innovative, Creative & Fun! | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“Sister Act” Creates a WOW

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Sandy

The movie “Sister Act” starring Whoopi Goldberg is one of the most funny, innovative and touching movies I’ve ever seen. A lot of other people must think so, too, because one of the incredible and creatively-arranged songs (a twist on an old standard, “I Will Follow Him”) that was featured in the movie has shown up in real life musical concerts. Sit back, enjoy – and hold onto your seat because this will blow you away!

Posted in Rule #4: A WOWplace is Innovative, Creative & Fun! | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Getting Cash at the ATM Can BEE an “OW” Experience

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Sandy
WOW customer service, wowplace, motivational speaker Sandy Geroux

Getting cash can sting in more ways than one!

I usually go to my bank branch’s drive-up ATM machine to make deposits and get cash. But I recently found myself near a different branch when I needed to deposit a check, so I went there. This branch happened to have an outside walk-up ATM, which was convenient and posed no problem in and of itself.

The problem was that sitting right next to the ATM machine was a trash barrel. First of all, in Florida this can be a smelly proposition, but the problem that day was not the smell… it was the fact that it had attracted bees that were flying all around the barrel, as well as the customers trying to use the ATM machine!

Some people didn’t notice the bees; others (like myself) were trying to stand as far away from the barrel as possible without losing our place in line. When it was time to approach the ATM to use it, we tried to stretch our arms as far as possible to reach the keys while keeping most of our body away from the barrel.

Although there was plenty of space along the outside wall for bank personnel to place the barrel away from the ATM machine, apparently no one had thought to do that. This one small nuance of customer service (which is easily correctable and could have been prevented in the first place with a little forethought) overshadowed the wonderful services the bank had provided by putting an ATM outside for use at their customers’ convenience and a trash barrel out there to keep the ground around the building clean.

Take a look at the wonderful products and services you provide to your customers. Then put yourself in your customer’s place by using that service (or at least observing your products or services in action) to see where you may be allowing small nuances to undo all the good you’ve done by providing them in the first place.

Posted in Customer Service, Rule #4: A WOWplace is Innovative, Creative & Fun! | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

A Real WOW from WestJet

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Sandy

OK, this is probably one of my favorite WOWs – EVER!  Enjoy…

Posted in Customer Service, Rule #4: A WOWplace is Innovative, Creative & Fun! | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Whole Foods Creates WOW Experiences

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Sandy
WOW Customer service

Simple nuances create WOWs

I recently visited a Whole Foods market where I was blown away by the service I received at the checkout counter.  Not only was the cashier interested in talking to her customers, not just “getting through” each one with as little interaction as possible, but the care she took when bagging my groceries was exceptional.

For example, she put a rubber band around the box of blueberries I bought, just in case it popped open in transit.  I’ve never had anyone do that in any other store!  I know it sounds like a silly thing, but just knowing that she (or someone in the leadership of the store) took the time to think of what could possibly go wrong and try to prevent it was a WOW.

This is just one more example of how thinking proactively to consider all the nuances of the customer experience – and then training everyone to perform those nuances – can make a huge impact without costing tons of money in the process.

Are processes in place at your organization to help you consider the nuances of customer service and put them into action to create WOW experiences for all your customers? If not, plan brainstorming sessions that take each customer experience – one-by-one – and consider all aspects of that experience. Use the target at the link below to create WOW experiences at your organization:

http://wowplace.com/2013/12/how-to-create-wow-experiences-by-targeting-the-bulls-eye/

 

Posted in Customer Service, Rule #4: A WOWplace is Innovative, Creative & Fun! | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Create WOW Experiences by Targeting the Bulls-Eye

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Sandy

We talk a lot about creating WOW experiences – but how do we go about doing it? I’ve created a simple template, in the form of a target that will help you put every aspect of any experience into it and figure out what kind of experience you’re already delivering. If it’s not where you want it to be, this template will guide you on how to change it so it does reflect what you want to deliver. The target is below:Slide4

To use the target, think of every aspect of a customer service situation. Then think of where that aspect falls on the target. Does it completely miss the mark? Then it’s an OW! Does it just barely make it onto the target? Then it’s “OK.” Maybe it’s a little closer to what you want it to be, so it’s “Really Good” but still not a WOW. Only when an experience hits the bulls-eye is it a “WOW.”

For example, let’s say you own an auto body shop. Where do all the aspects of the customer experience fall? Let’s look at just a few (by the way, before you roll your eyes at the details below, remember that while many men don’t care about these things, some men DO care about them, there are lots of women who must get their own cars serviced and do care about them… AND there’s a tremendous body shop in Orlando, FL called Universal Auto Body that does ALL of the WOW actions listed below – proving that the seemingly impossible is often possible if you really want to do it):

1. Customer greeting: how are they greeted? Where are they greeted? By whom? Is that person neat and clean? Friendly? Do they take the time to explain the process?
OW: Customers are not greeted, or wait in a long impersonal line before speaking to anyone. They often have to find someone to help them because no one is at the desk.
OK: Customers are greeted by someone who’s also answering the phone, ringing up purchases and is otherwise distracted. Often they are not neat, clean or friendly.
Really Good: Customers still have to wait in line, but the person greeting them is neat, clean and friendly; they are still handling other duties while waiting on customer.
WOW: A dedicated person who is neat, clean and friendly greets customers outside, explains the process, takes their car to the work area, then comes back when the car is done, explains what was done and all the charges, gives the customer their paperwork and brings them back to their car once they’ve paid for the work.

2. Waiting area: Is it large enough for your customers? Is it neat, clean, quiet, inviting? Are there sufficient places for them to sit?
OW: Waiting area is cramped, noisy, dirty, and there is almost no place to sit. Grease, dirt and grime cover everything in the waiting area.
OK: There are a few chairs placed around, but they are not great quality and are often cheap plastic chairs around the sides of the waiting are, with people walking or waiting in line very close to them. Noise from the shop is very loud in the waiting area.
Really Good: The waiting area is sufficiently large and the chairs are better quality. The floors and furniture are clean and there is a vending machine nearby for customers to use. Noise from the shop is limited.
WOW: The waiting area is large and the furniture comfortable. Tables and reading materials are available; there are photos/pictures/awards decorating the walls. Free WiFi is available for customers to use. Free beverages are provided (coffee, tea, water) for customers. No noise bleeds through from the shop.

There are other experiences to consider here (the shop itself, the outside of the building, its landscaping, cleanliness, ingress and egress of traffic, parking spaces, signage, etc.), but you get the idea.

Now take every aspect of YOUR customer experience, put it into the target… and see how many WOW’s you’re already creating, as well as how many more you can create by using this easy template.

Posted in "Ow" to "WOW" Pow-Wow's, Customer Service, Leadership/Employee Engagement, Principles, Templates & Guidelines, Rule #4: A WOWplace is Innovative, Creative & Fun! | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The WOW is Not Always in the Answer, But in the Promise

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Sandy

WOWplace promisesI once had a problem with my bank account and called the bank’s Customer Service department to find out what had happened.  The representative didn’t know, but offered to check on it and call me back with an answer within a day or two.  One day went by without an answer, as well as most of the second day.  At around 3:00 p.m. on the second day, I received a call from her, informing me that she hadn’t gotten an answer yet, but didn’t want me to think she’d forgotten about me. She had just called to ease my mind and tell me she planned to keep trying and hoped to have an answer by the next day. WOW!

I was impressed by her actions, even though she hadn’t yet obtained the answer to my original question! In fact, chances were that I wasn’t going to be WOWed by the actual answer; I would probably be informed of what had happened and how the bank would correct it.  No WOW there, although the potential for an “OW!” was huge if the bank didn’t do the right thing to correct the problem.

What WOWed me was the way the representative handled not just the initial call but the entire situation from beginning to end. She understood that the key to creating a WOW experience was in the nuance, realizing that the promise to call back within a day or two, regardless of whether she had an answer or not, was just as important as the answer she would eventually get and pass along to her customer.

Most people simply focus on getting the answer, not really paying attention to the experience in between the asking of the question and the communication of an answer. This allows them to create OK (at best) and OW (at worst) experiences for the customer before the answer is even communicated.  But, if you want to create exceptional experiences for your customers – and for fellow employees, as well – remember that the experience starts at the first contact, the first promise… and doesn’t end until there are no more promises to break.

Posted in Communication, Customer Service, Rule #2: A WOWplace is Respectful, Rule #4: A WOWplace is Innovative, Creative & Fun! | 2 Comments

Is Your Phone Greeting a “WOW!”?

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Sandy

I visited my doctor’s office recently. The office staff there is very friendly and we talk and joke all the time when I’m there.  But on the phone, it’s a different story.

When I call, their greeting does include the name of the doctor, but not their own name. Sometimes I can tell by the voice who has answered the phone, but not always.  When I give them my name, I am quite surprised (and a little taken aback) to receive stony silence, or maybe a simple “Hello” in return.  No use of my name (“Hi, Sandy!”) – no offering of theirs.

Wait! Are these the same people with whom I constantly joke and laugh while I’m there in person?

The difference between their in-person demeanor and their telephone demeanor creates a situation that causes some discomfort in calling their office.  It makes me wonder (albeit only for a very short time) if they even remember who I am. And while I feel very special when I’m in the office (it’s a real “WOW!”), I feel exceptionally UN-special when I talk to them on the phone (a real “OW!”).

This is exactly the kind of “disconnect” that can cost a business (especially a healthcare-related business where a personal connection is even more important) valuable customers.

When someone calls your office, what kind of greeting do they receive?  Is it friendly? Informative? Polite, but distant?  Does the greeter give their own name, as well as the name of the company?  And if the caller is well-known to the organization, are they given the special treatment of someone who is well-known and well-liked and whose call is valued?  Or are they offered the same distant treatment offered to strangers?  For that matter, how are strangers treated?  Do they feel welcome? Are they given a reason to feel good toward the company, which makes them want to deal with the company further?  Or are they given every reason to hang up and find someone who actually welcomes their call – and their business?

Remember that on the telephone, all physical cues are absent, so there is no way to make up for a distant tone of voice with a smile or direct eye contact that lets them know you’re engaged with them and happy to hear from them (whether they are currently known to you or not).  If your tone of voice does not make up for the absence of physical body language cues, you may as well either ignore their call (the equivalent of ignoring them when they’re standing in front of your desk) or tell them you don’t have time for them right now (or that they’re bothering you) – because that’s the impression you could be giving with your tone of voice.

Never forget this principle: People want three things from other people.  They want to be:

  • Valued
  • Appreciated
  • Listened to

If you treat someone who feels warmly toward you as if you don’t know or recognize them, they won’t feel valued.

If you make them feel that they’re bothering you, they won’t feel appreciated.

And if you don’t enthusiastically respond to what they’re telling you, they won’t feel listened to.

… and that adds up to a whole lot of “OW!” – rather than the incredible “WOW!” you can create by consistently acting in the same warm, welcoming way whether you’re on the phone, in person, or even communicating via e-mail.

But written communications are a topic we’ll cover in another post!

Posted in Communication, Customer Service, Rule #2: A WOWplace is Respectful, Rule #3: A WOWplace is Human... Not Humanoid! | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments