Episode Summary:
Today we are rounding off our conversation about Customer Service with ten tiny tweaks you can make to improve your own customer service game that will help with satisfaction and retention. These cost little to nothing, but offer a really big impact, and they help you stand out in a noisy world of marketing.
What I hope you take away from today's episode...
- You don't have to buy gifts, or send generic thank you cards to create real connections
- Our face, body and tone are always communicating, and it's up to us to keep them in line
- A squishy panda, little tub of play-doh or bouncy ball may be necessary
- A few extra touches can make a really big impact in client satisfaction
- A little small talk and a friendly greeting can calm even the crankiest of the cranky
Links to the cool stuff mentioned in this episode...
- Good Posture: How to Improve It and Its Benefits, from University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
- 10 Surprising Effects of Poor Posture on Your Body, Form Recovery & Wellness
- Grammarly 10 common types of tones in written communication.
- Making Small Talk BIGGER, The Small Business Casual Podcast with Emily Aborn
Links to connect with me...
Book a Consult HERE! (https://caffeinecreative.io/consult/)
Email me HERE! theperfectblendcaffeinecreative.io
Find me on Substack!
Detailed Show Notes
I used to have a coffee mug that said, “My job is secure… no one wants it,” and that mug spoke volumes! This was way back when I was managing a technology support desk that handled walk-in, phone and email support. We provided this support to a constantly revolving customer base of around 10,000 people, and most of my time spent in this position was just me and my team of two people, which also changed often.
There was one thing that made this job so undesirable… No one calls tech support to say, “Hi, how are you doing?” Nope! They call us when things are broken and frustrations are high. So I know that this was considered to be the worst of the worst jobs in my department… a necessary stepping stone to get to any other position available… and yet I loved it.
I loved easing the tension when someone called in with a technical problem.
I loved helping them realize they weren’t dumb, technology is just a really vast world.
I loved the moment when things clicked for them and they were able to get back to work.
I remember my boss asking me once why I loved it so much and my answer came very easily… I love being the person on the other end who gets it, the one who says, “you’re not alone. We will figure this out together.”
Having a friendly empathetic ear in the tech support world didn’t really exist at that time. Most technical support desks were staffed with highly technical people who were low on people skills. They were extremely introverted and didn’t understand that a little empathy and small talk could calm the crankiest of callers, and diffuse a really tense situation. I understood that, and I loved filling that niche… even when everyone else would rather step barefoot on legos.
What my colleagues didn’t realize was that this job really had very little to do with technical knowledge, although that did come in handy, and everything to do with relationships, and specifically building strong relationships.
As I shared in substack the other day, relationship building is something I have been doing since my first real job as a grocery store clerk. (Read that here…) This is where I discovered that I love customer service, and what led me to taking a job nobody else wanted. I even turned down a potential promotion to stay in that job.
How we take care of customers has changed in some ways quite a bit over the years. Technology alone has made many of these shifts, but there are a few things that still hold true, which I want to share with you today in my list …
The 10 ways you can enhance customer service experience that cost nothing.
(Well maybe a dollar or two if you fully follow tip #4)
Some of these are going to sound like a no brainer, and you may even catch yourself thinking… “Teresa I already do these.” But do you really or do them on a consistent basis or do you just think you do. Believe it or not, even the best customer service gurus forget these steps when in the thick of things, and they really do make a big difference.
Before we dive into this list, let me take a moment to introduce myself. I am Teresa Schlup, the original caffeine creative and aside from customer service I love creating brand essentials and websites for solo small businesses. You can find more about me and what I do at my website, caffeinecreative.io.
Now back to the 10 ways you can enhance your customer service…
One thing to note is that many of these steps your customers may not even see or realize you are doing them. Especially if you are like me and work with people virtually most of the time. But they make a difference in how you sound, as well as in how you approach issues and your overall mindset. They also hold true and work, even when you are behind your computer screen all by yourself.
1. Check your posture
Believe it or not, but sitting up straight, shoulders back and chin up can be really powerful, even when no one can see you doing it. Having good posture will...
Help you stay focused and energized
Boost self-esteem and mood
Increased productivity
Enhances your confidence
When you are feeling this good, good customer service just comes more naturally.
On the flip side, when we are slouched, or sitting with our shoulders hunched over our overall mood is immediately impacted. Don’t believe me?
That’s okay, I have a little exercise to prove the power of posture…
Sit in your desk chair and slouch. Let your shoulders hunch over a bit, your belly poke out, and your chin drop, then say these words out loud… “Hello. It is so good to hear from you.”
Now sit up straight, shoulders back, belly tucked and chin up and say the same thing… “Hello. It is so good to hear from you.”
Do you hear and feel the difference? It may be subtle but often it is the subtle cues people pick up on, and this comes through even when we are talking on the phone or writing an email.
Want to read more? Check out these articles on posture:
Good Posture: How to Improve It and Its Benefits, from University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
10 Surprising Effects of Poor Posture on Your Body, Form Recovery & Wellness
2. Stay Relaxed
While you do want to practice good posture this doesn’t mean you need to sit ramrod straight as my daddy would say. When we allow our bodies to relax we are more approachable and that builds trust.
It also helps us stay focused and in the moment so that we can be more present for the person in front of us, again naturally enhancing our customer service.
And yes I realize that tension is going to creep into the workplace. So I recommend having tension breakers at hand that you can use when you need them.
When I managed the technology support desk, a job where my techs were often stuck at their desk for hours, we all had a box of goodies to break up tension. From play-doh to bouncy balls, there was always something at hand, and our customers never saw these things, but they heard the calm they helped create. I have a squishy panda on my desk today, sitting there ready to make me happy when the moment calls for it.
We even had the “bad call sombrero” that was pulled out when someone was on a particularly stressful call. This of course was always followed by the mandatory, take a walk moment that also eased tension.
So think about how you ease tension and relax, and make a list of things you can do in your office to help you stay relaxed when it matters most.
3. Lean in for Focus
Have you ever had a really good conversation with someone and paid attention to their body language? They make eye contact, and lean in to show interest. This works even when we are typing an email. In fact, I got the idea of adding this one to the list when I was writing an email to a client just the other day. They had a lot of questions, really good questions, and as I read through their email, I naturally felt myself leaning in towards my computer. This was a show of interest, and it helped me formulate a thoughtful response much more easily than if I had been slouching in my chair. (Oh! There’s that good posture again!)
4. Offer up a genuine smile
As Dale Carnegie has said,
"The value of a smile… It costs nothing, but creates much."
Smiling when engaging with our customers can enhance our communications in ways beyond measure, no matter if we are in person, on camera, on the phone or typing an email.
Just try saying, “I am so mad at you” with a smile on your face. Do you actually feel mad? Probably not. You probably feel silly and may even laugh at the absurdity of the moment.
Need help remembering to smile?
Here is a little trick to help ensure you smile even when typing an email. Place a small hand mirror on your monitor so it faces you while you work. When you see a mirrored image of yourself staring back at you, your brain sees a familiar face and you instantly smile.
And I know this sounds silly, and you may think I am crazy, but one of my techs at the support desk, a gruff biker guy who was great with tech, was even won over to the power of the mirror. He wasn’t a smiley guy by nature, but the mirror helped him smile while helping clients and it showed.
5. Use facial expressions well
Smiling isn’t always the appropriate response, depending on the situation. Allowing yourself to naturally display facial expressions that match the tone of the conversation can help you better express empathy and understanding.
I am sure you understand why making the appropriate facial expressions matter when in person or on a video call, but did you know that they also help you respond more effectively to phone conversations and emails? It’s true.
In face to face conversations, facial expressions are part of the communication, along with tone, body stance and the words used. In phone conversations, we rely on tone and our words to communicate.
In written communication, we have to rely on our words alone. Allowing ourselves to naturally display facial expressions, helps us come up with the words that communicate how we feel.
6. Be conscious of tone
Our tone of voice says a lot, whether we want it to or not, and I know for me, when I am focused on an issue or a problem, my tone can be a bit snippy to down right rude. So I learned to listen for this, and when it does sneak through, I immediately apologize, and say something like, “MY apologies. I did not mean to sound so rude, I am just frustrated for you that is happening.”
This little statement makes it clear that I am not frustrated with them, and that I am in fact focused on helping them. Your tone in emails and other written communications is a bit different, because it is all about the mindset of the reader in the moment. Let me give you an example…
Let’s say a client emails or texts you about an issue, something that really does need to be addressed immediately, so you immediately respond with, “Okay, I’ll take a look,” and dive right in to addressing the issue.
You are taking this seriously, and making them a priority, but they may not perceive that when they get your response. They are stressed and not in the best mindset, so what they could be thinking…
What did she mean by that?
When is she going to look into it?
Doesn’t she realize my business depends on this?
This is just the beginning of a stress spiral and we all know it can spiral out of control from here.
So what if instead of saying, “Okay, I’ll look into it.” you said something like… “Oh no! I am looking into that right now and get back to you as soon as I figure out what is going on.” They are going to feel much better, and trust that they are in good hands.
Yes, it takes a second or two longer to type that response, and I know you want to get to the real issue, but their concerns are part of the real issue and deserve to be addressed.
Want another example. Let’s say you are emailing a client at the beginning of a new project. You want them to feel at ease, comfortable and trust they made a good decision in hiring you.
You could say… “Your project is scheduled to begin on November 1st.”
This would communicate clearly that you have scheduled time on your calendar to start working on their project, and could offer the reassurance you want to convey, but again that is up to their state of mind when they read it.
Working with you may have been a really BIG step for them, and they may be having some second thoughts that have nothing to do with you.
So rather than saying, “Your project is scheduled to begin on November 1st.” You could say…
“I appreciate this opportunity to work with you and I am looking forward to kicking things off November 1st.”
You are confirming you have their project on your calendar, and also sharing that you are grateful they chose you, and that this project is something you are looking forward to. This response will go a long way to making them feel they in fact did make the right decision.
Want a little more practice conveying the right tone of voice in your writing? Check out this blog from Grammarly 10 common types of tones in written communication. It offers some great examples on how to convey the appropriate feelings in your writing.
7. Active Listening/Reading
If you were to pop over to Google right now and type in, “#1 problem in effective communication” Active Listening will top the results. We often believe that everyone understands what is going on, but this my friends is an illusion, that is actually referred to as the "illusion of communication.”
Most of the time when a conversation begins, our brains are more focused on guessing, and formulating a response, than it is on actually paying attention to what is being said. And in this world where quick short communication is so easy, a lot goes unsaid.
Learning to stop the mental chatter and actually tuning into what is being said, takes practice but it is worth practicing. Here is what I do…
Slow my breathing and take deeper breaths. I am not talking about meditative breaths or counting here. Just a little intentional deeper breathing. This naturally slows the chatter in my mind, and helps me focus.
I make eye contact and pay attention to their body language, if we are face to face or screen to screen. If it is in writing, I focus on my own posture and body language so I can put myself in the right mindset.
I ask questions for the sake of clarity and to show understanding
I summarize the conversation and share my “what’s next… steps.
All of this goes a long way to ensuring the communication is effective and that we are all on the same page.
8. Strategic Small talk
A few weeks ago, my friend and fellow podcaster, Emily Aborn, The Small Business Casual, did a whole episode on small talk, and as she shared… Small talk gets a bad rap.
If you ask people their thoughts on small talk, many would agree they hate it. I would have counted myself as someone who hated small talk, and I have shared openly what a waste of time it is, until I listened to Emily’s episode on small talk.
I discovered that I actually love small talk, and that it comes naturally to me. And while I don’t love talking about the weather for 15 minutes straight, and don’t really pay attention to how the corn grows, (which is a common small talk conversation where I live) I do love catching up on day to day life.
So to quote Emily…
Small talk might not exchange or transmit useful information, but...
Don’t discount it entirely!
The purpose of it is to establish a feeling of solidarity or connection (or at very least, acknowledgment) among the people involved.
When talking to your clients, take a few moments to treat them like a real person with a life outside of their business. Ask them if they had fun over the weekend, or what their plans are for the upcoming holiday. Share a funny story about your own life, or yes… even ask about the weather where they live.
It is these little exchanges that take the pressure off, and relax us so we can get down to business.
Here is one more thing I am copying from Emily that is worth sharing…
Even a mere four minutes of small talk improves cooperation. -Psychology Today
Want to tune into this episode and read Emily’s words of wisdom? Check out her post on Substack here —--> Making Small Talk Bigger
9. Remove distractions
I actually almost left this one out, because it does feel like a no brainer but I have a funny story that made me include it… As I was working on this section of my shownotes, I had a major distraction going on literally behind my back.
It was the end of the day and I was working a bit longer than usual. Typically, I quit work one hour before my husband comes home, and while I am pretty flexible with my schedule, my quitting time is non-negotiable. When 4 o’clock hits, I quit working and head to our little gym in the basement. It’s a great way to end the day and my body loves the movement after spending so much time at my desk. But the reason I am so good at quitting each day at this time is because of my husband's vacuum cleaner.
There are two things he wants to experience when he walks into our home at the end of the day… A home that smells good, and a clean floor.
We live just a few miles from his workplace, so he doesn’t have a commute to help put the stress of the day behind him. And while most days aren’t that stressful for him, we all have those days. When he walks in and sees a messy floor and can smell the pets… it just adds to his stress level.
So I have candles strategically placed close to where he walks in each night and he’s programmed his robot vacuum to come out an hour before he gets home. These two things put him in a better mood, and just sets the scene for a more enjoyable evening.
But that vacuum is a HUGE distraction for me. As soon as that thing fires up, I can feel the tension rise up in my body, my shoulders hunch over and I get that little crease between my eye brows. And this vacuum LOVES my office. It doesn’t matter how many times he has remapped the vacuum, it always tries to come into my office. It has even banged the door open during a meeting once.
Needless to say, I can go from feeling happy and positive to irritated, and stressed the second that thing turns on. (It is really loud!) This is not the time to send emails, or reach out to clients.
We all have these kinds of stressors no matter where we work and it is up to us to remove them from our surroundings before we get to work. Or like me, schedule our day around the ones we can’t control… like a vacuum trying to break down your office door.
10. Friendly greetings and good-byes
And now we are at the last tip I have to share and this one is an easy one. Always start your client communications, (in person, virtually and in writing) with a friendly greeting and always end them with a friendly good-bye.
I know sometimes we have so much going on, that we want to dive right in, address the issue at hand, and get down to business, but the few seconds it takes to say, “hello, how are you doing today.” or “I’ll be in touch soon, have a great day,” goes a long way in building your reputation and brand to be one that you are proud of.
And I have one more little story to share on the power of a friendly greeting and good-bye. When I was teaching customer service to a group of IT professionals, on the first day of training, I gave them all an assignment… “for the next three days start all of your phone calls, site visits and emails off with a friendly greeting, and make it a point to close with a friendly good-bye.”
These were very talented and highly intelligent people, and they were very good at their jobs. Yet they scoffed at the idea that this would make a difference, and were shocked to see the results for themselves.
Over the next few days, some pretty amazing transformations began to happen. Their most difficult customers became more cooperative and the crankiest of the cranky became a little more friendly. And over the next few weeks their customer satisfaction ratings jumped quite a bit. All because they started and ended their conversations on a friendly note.
If you do nothing else I suggested here, do this one thing! I promise it will make a difference.
