The 6 Cardinal Rules of Customer Service

By Nancy Friedman

International Customer Service Week begins October 6th. And that’s good. However, we at Telephone Doctor like to celebrate Customer Service all year long. 24/7/365.

But if you’re asking yourself..." What can we do for our customers during Customer Service Week?" here’s the Telephone Doctor 6 Cardinal Rules of Customer Service. Any one of these tips will enhance your customer service reputation.

1. People Before Paperwork
   
   How many times have you stood and waited while someone tallied up a batch of figures or counted a pile of money? Then, only after they were done were you asked: "Now, how can I help you?" And how many times have you waited while someone "fiddled" with something 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 interviews, managers and owners hear something like this from the applicant: "I love to be busy. If I’m not busy I get bored and unhappy." Then we hire them, and one of the first things we hear is the complaint: "WOW, I am sooooo busy." Well, being busy does not give you carte blanche to be rude. Let’s not be too busy to be nice. It’s not worth it.
   
   
3. Rushing threatens customers.
   
   Whether it’s on the phone or in person, avoid rushing people. Make each experience a great one. And remember, one word answers make 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 miscommunications thrive on company jargon. You’ll be far more familiar and comfortable with the terms and abbreviations than your customer will. Some companies 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 been a customer and been 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 up? Why wait to be friendly? Why discriminate? If you’re friendly before you know who it is, you’ll make a whole lot of extra good points. 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.
   
   
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" to you. "There ya go" just doesn’t hack it. When customers spend money...they want to hear a big smiling "THANK YOU, WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS." And when we, as customers say, "Thank you"...we don’t want to be grunted at with the old, "uh-huh." Speak clearly. "You’re welcome" is a wonderful phrase. Please use it more often. And don’t be a grunter. When your customers tell you, "Thank you"...give a great big smiling "You’re welcome" right back at them.

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Nancy Friedman is president of Telephone Doctor®, an international training company headquartered in St. Louis, MO specializing in customer service and telephone skills. She is a KEYNOTE speaker at association conferences and corporate gatherings and is the author of four best selling books. Visit the website at www.telephonedoctor.com or call 314‑291‑1012 for more information.

Published in Networking Today, October 2003.