Make it GREAT! Customer Service: Respond

In efforts to help those who need help with customer service (see Papa John's, who I've still not heard from a week and a day later), I'd like to offer another way to Make it GREAT! customer service.

RESPOND: When a customer says something, respond to them. If they ask you a question, respond to them. If they say hello, say hello back to them.

If they put a problem in your lap, respond to the problem. Acknowledge that yes, there is a problem, and that you, the customer service rep, are working with the customer, to fix the problem. You, the customer service rep, are part of the solution, NOT part of the problem.

Respond with your manager, if you haven't been given the authority to fix the problem, as was the case at Papa John's. If your manager doesn't have the authority to fix the problem, or isn't available, respond with an expectation of when this can be fixed, and with who can fix the problem.

Respond with a thank you. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

Respond with as much empathy and authenticity as you've got, and let your client know that you are on her/his side. Mistakes happen in customer service. The second part of that equation is service. What SERVICE are you providing to your customers. Think about it.

Respond as though you really care about the way you deliver that service and the client were in the room next to you. Would you still respond the same way if they were?

Joel Spolsky and Fog Creek Software get it. Joel shared 7 steps to remarkable customer service today that his company does. I'd never heard of the Fog Creek Copilot software before today's article. Now, I'll be sharing Joel's story on this blog, and with all my friends who need cheap tech support.

[Phil Gerbyshak feels it's obvious Joel's company RESPONDS to customers. Does yours?]


Technorati Tags: responds, joelonsoftware, fog creek, papa johns

Comments

[Meikah Delid]

Phil, I totally agree with you. Most often to respond and respond well solved half of the problem. It reminds me of a Leo Buscaglia quote: "There are two big forces at work, external and internal. We have very little control over external forces such as tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, disasters, illness and pain. What really matters is the internal force. How do I respond to those disasters? Over that I have complete control." ;)

[Becky Carroll]

Here are my two cents: respond as if you were the one who asked the question (do unto others...).

Great post, Phil. BTW, see the comments in my Carnivale preview for a note from a friend.