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by Dave Ferguson

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9 Ways to Deliver Customer Service Fireworks

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Promise Sizzlers and Deliver Fireworks

Think back over the last few days. Do you recall receiving great customer service from anyone?

Did you receive a prompt, friendly greeting by someone who showed they cared about your needs? Did someone deliver what they said they would deliver? Was there a cashier who thanked you for your business? Did a contractor show up on time and finish on schedule?

Leaders often fail to realize the impact of customer service on their business. Done well, it creates an outstanding company. Done poorly, it can be detrimental.

The often-heard statement, “We provide customer service excellence,” sounds great, doesn’t it?

We hear it all the time from companies and people. It’s in their promotional materials, their mission statements, and on their websites. They say it, and often advertise it right behind their so-called “service” counters.

But as the saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.”

Outside a few rare exceptions, the best customer service we get these days is a flickering sizzler. It is time for some fireworks!


Here are 9 tips on how you as a leader can put the fireworks back into your company’s customer service.

These tips apply to anyone at any level who deals with the customers and clients of your business – either directly or indirectly. In fact, they apply to everyone.

  1. The right customer service attitude is critical.

As the leader, you have to set a great example when it comes to attitude. Choose to be positive all the time, and decide that you and your team will deliver customer service passionately. Ensure that everyone at your company is doing the same…not just when they feel like it, but with every single customer interaction.

  1. Don’t try to seduce prospects by over-promising goods or services to them.

When you do this, you open yourself up for failure. You should set realistic expectations, and give yourself some freedom to adjust where necessary. Deliver what you say you will…or more. But never less.

We’ve all heard the old cliché, “Under-promise and over-deliver.”

We tend to want to promise prospective customers more, so they feel the value. We also enjoy over-promising to make ourselves feel more valued. When you under-promise, you have the opportunity to continuously impress your client.

When you over-promise, you can potentially stress yourself out and look desperate. Even worse, you could appear to be a liar.

The great Henry Ford once said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.”

If you agree he was right, let’s agree we should build our reputations and relationships by what we actually do and how we deliver.

  1. Keep your word, but don’t make it your motivation to deliver.

Deliver because you should! If you are one of those people who is always in “promise mode,” slow down, and consider some other options.

  1. Don’t let “busyness” drive your work style.

Put nothing in front of providing the best service possible. Many people try to show people how important they are by how busy they are. Manage your workload, and use effective time management practices, but don’t be an expert in “busyness.”

  1. Deliver to your customers because you have the passion to do so.

Don’t do it just because you said you would. It’s very easy to spot someone who is just going through the motions. Today, people want to work with people they feel are truly engaged in the service or product. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, find something to do that you can enjoy.

  1. Be creative and grow with the client.

Go in with the attitude that what the customer or client asked for is just the beginning of the relationship. This creates an opportunity for both of you to evolve. At the least, you will have a loyal client; but likely you will get additional business by their referrals.

  1. Keep your customers informed.

If you are running behind schedule because you see something you can do for them of added value and you need more time, let them know. They will both understand and appreciate your efforts.

  1. Deliver something extra.

Without asking if they need it, deliver an extra WOW! What happens beyond the agreed-upon deliverable is what makes the real customer service difference.

  1. Create your own style and deliver your product and/or services uniquely.

Wrap your services in nice packaging and top if off with a bow! The extra touches distinguish your company from the myriad of others out there who do what you do.

Today, there are many leaders trying to grow their business through desperate measures. They will put down the competitors, over-promise, cut their prices to the slimmest margins, and quite frankly, lead prospective customers on. It’s a race to the bottom of the barrel.

If you stay clear of these mistakes and move forward with the techniques described above, your business will stand out from the crowd, not only today but for the long run.

After all, customer service is about building customer relationships, and a good relationship builds a loyalty that keeps the customer coming back.

As a leader, you must set the standard and keep your finger on the pulse of customer service. It is the lifeline of your business.

Dave Ferguson is “The Leaders’ Coach”, an internationally recognized executive leadership coach, speaker, facilitator, and author. Are you interested in having Dave speak to inspire and motivate your team? “ASK COACH DAVE” at 704-907-0171 or at Dave@AskCoachDave.com.

 

The Painful Causes of Fence Sitting

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The Painful Causes of Fence Sitting

When I was a young, adventurous boy, I often would climb fences as a means of taking shortcuts. On one such occasion, I stopped halfway over, which resulted in me getting stuck on the top of a chain-link fence. I was eventually able to get down, but I ended up with a quarter-sized gash on my leg that required several stitches. It was a painful and costly lesson.

Today, I am known by many as someone who effectively assists leaders in making tough decisions. The fact is, however, they are not always tough decisions. Sometimes, they are just a matter of being stuck on the fence.

If you are a business owner or in a leadership role in business, sitting on the fence can be painful and costly. Delaying a decision – procrastination – can take a problem and make it a crisis.

Yet, while many know this, it still happens. Why is this?

Here are five reasons people sit on the proverbial fence.

1. Fear

When I got to the top of that rather large fence, I made the mistake of stopping and thinking about where I was. At that point, fear kicked in, and I stopped making progress. You know the result – my perceived fear became real pain.

Question to ask yourself: What fear is holding me back?

2. Indecision

When I stopped at the top of the fence, I became indecisive.

Question to ask yourself: What decision do I need to make to get off the fence?

3. Perfectionism

The perfect solution for me, while sitting atop the fence, would have been for someone to help me over and provide aid, but the perfect solution did not present itself.

In business today, if you wait for things to be perfect, you are going to be waiting a very long time. Can you afford the time or money it will take to wait for perfection?

Question to ask yourself: What perfect solution am I waiting for?

4. Anger

Sometimes, we delay decisions out of anger. Procrastination is nothing more than passive resistance, whether it is in resisting others or ourselves.

Question to ask yourself: Am I allowing anger to cloud or paralyze my decisions?

5. Laziness

We tend to choose easy over hard in business and in life. Whatever my friends and I were chasing that fence-climbing day, I can assure you, I didn’t get to it. Efficiency is good, but shortcuts are not always the best way to reach a goal.

As a leader, you must frequently ask yourself if you are spending most of your time completing the easy work, while the hard and more profitable decisions and actions are being put on the back burner.

Question to ask yourself: Am I looking for the easy way out of a hard situation or the best way?

That day years ago, I chose a zone many people choose often. It’s called a comfort zone. It was the easy way to get to where I intended to go – or so I thought. In your comfort zone, you embrace laziness, accept your fears, award indecisiveness, and tell yourself the perfect solution will come if you just wait – all while angrily defending a position that is ultimately causing you pain.

I still have the scar from that visit to my comfort zone. It’s a reminder for me to never sit on the fence again.

Learn from my experience – move past the comfort zone!

Dave Ferguson is “The Leaders’ Coach”, an internationally recognized executive leadership coach, speaker, facilitator, and author. For help in getting off the proverbial fence and on to success, “ASK COACH DAVE” at 704-907-0171 or at Dave@AskCoachDave.com.

Attitude vs. Aptitude: Which is Most Important in Leadership?

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Attitude vs. Aptitude: Which is Most Important in Leadership?

Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” ~ Zig Ziglar

What is Aptitude?

Aptitude is our potential to learn skills, the abilities we develop and perfect over time. Good leadership skills include communication, delegation, trustworthiness, responsibility, etc. But while it is important, aptitude alone will not make you a good leader. It is your attitude that determines what and how much you can do, and how far you will go.

Attitude is Contagious

A bad attitude, especially from a leader, produces more bad attitudes. If everyone around you has an attitude problem, perhaps you, yourself, are a large part of the problem. Ever consider that? Think about what you might be spreading around your social and professional circles.

Your attitude impacts every aspect of your life. Almost all the “attitude issues” I have dealt with over the years, including my own, are the result of allowing someone or something else to control behavior. That is a big problem. No one else is responsible for your attitude. You are!

Be a Responsible Leader

You might be thinking, “Ha! That’s right, they are responsible for their attitudes. Not me.”

While in part that is true, we are also often a product of our environment. As a leader, it is your responsibility to set the tone for your team—to create a positive environment that generates less stress and produces more positive attitudes. That way you can get the desired results with much less effort.

How to Cultivate a Positive Attitude

Aptitude is something you can learn, but attitude is a lot harder to change and cultivate.

Fortunately, there are habits you can begin to implement every day, including:

  • Refueling by taking care of your body and getting enough sleep
  • Getting some exercise to relieve stress
  • Keeping a gratitude journal and intentionally focusing on the good parts of the day
  • Reframing and embracing challenges as experienced for growth
  • Adopting a more positive vocabulary
  • Getting good at failure and rejection, and not letting it harden you against trying
  • Making someone else smile
  • Not letting your attitude get dragged down by others
  • Ignoring whiners and complainers
  • Listening to or reading something inspirational every morning

I recently read this statement, and it has stuck with me:

“We get what we create and what we allow.”

You are in full control. What are you creating and allowing in your business and in your life? If you feel your team’s overall attitude needs an adjustment, first look in the mirror. Think about your attitude and how it elicits different responses from your team. Lead by example. Accept responsibility for your people and the environment you create based on your attitude.

Dave Ferguson is “The Leaders’ Coach”, an internationally recognized executive leadership coach, speaker, facilitator, and author. For help in creating a positive team environment that gets results, “ASK COACH DAVE” at 704-907-0171 or at Dave@AskCoachDave.com.

Dial Up the RPMs!

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Dial Up The RPMs

Over the past several weeks, we have discussed making changes in our goal and planning processes, getting rid of resolutions, being progress oriented, and finally, how to decide what’s important now (WIN). First, I have to ask you, “Are you committed to creating goals that will be ‘musts’ for you next year, and not just ‘shoulds’?”

I think I heard a resounding “yes”, that’s great!  So, now that you are onboard, let’s get down to the business of how you actually create your goals and plans.

First, I’d like to talk with you about getting and staying focused on what’s really important to you. You probably know what you want, but do you really understand why you want it? Do you build a plan to achieve your wants or do you just wish for them? Review your WINs and decide if they are “shoulds” or truly “musts” for you. Once you commit to a handful of “musts”, let’s move on.

I recommend you use a simple plan I call RPM
(Result, Purpose, Methodology).

Identify the RESULT you want.

Regardless of whether you want to double sales or cut your weight in half, you have to identify and spell it out. I highly recommend you do this on paper. So, let’s say your company’s sales last year were 3 million dollars. If the result you want for the coming year is to increase sales by 20%, then your target number is 3.6 million. That is the minimum result you want. Or let’s say you want to increase the number of days and intensity you exercise. The result you might want is exercising five days a week for at least an hour each day. This is the minimum result you want.

Take a few minutes and write down five results you want this year.

Identify the PURPOSE Behind the Desired Result

Okay, now that you have those five results written down, you’ll need to define the purpose behind wanting to achieve these results. Answer this question for all of your results. Why do I want to achieve this result? Do I want to increase sales 20% to increase profits? Or, do I want to do it so I can use the extra capital to buy out a competitor? Do I want to increase my exercise to lose weight, or do I want to be able to compete in a triathlon?

Take a few minutes and write down your purpose for each of your results.

Identify the METHODOLOGY You Will Use to Succeed

You know the results you want and they each have an accompanying purpose, so we can call them actual goals. Congratulations!

Now we need a plan to accomplish them. What methodology will you use to succeed?

I suggest you have at least five steps to accomplish each goal.

So let’s break one down.

Result: Increase Sales 20%

Purpose: To increase overall profitability

Methodology:

  1. Meet with sales staff and set specific goals with each sales person. I recommend you build in some extra in case you have to let a low-performer go during the year.
  2. Build a plan to target your current customer base to go deeper and sell them more.
  3. Build a plan to target new sales prospects.
  4. Hold each salesperson accountable to the plan (weekly, monthly, and quarterly).
  5. Create monthly sales contests with incentives to the leaders.
  6. Hold yourself accountable to the overall results. (Here’s where you may need a coach.)

If you truly put the time and energy into developing goals, strategies, and action plans…you’re about a third of the way there. Execution is always the biggest challenge. If I can help you and/or your team, let’s talk. No excuses! Have a great week.

Why Resolutions Don’t Work

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Last week, I opened with a discussion around how in December many people start making resolutions for the upcoming year, and less than 1% of them are still attempting to execute these resolutions 30 days later. If you are reading this week, then you must be willing to try something different this year. Are you really? Remember, lists (or as most people call them in December, “resolutions”) are useless without proper focus and a deliberate mindset. Once you have those two things, you still need to develop action plans; but wait, you’re not done yet.  What about executing your plans?

As I mentioned last week, this coming year, I am challenging you to try something new. You’re reading again this week, so I’m assuming you’re on-board. You see, I don’t like seeing busy people waste their time and energy on activities that are fruitless. They may feel like they are being efficient, but are their activities effective?

This week, I’m going to share a few more reasons why I believe resolutions don’t work. My goal here is to get you to move over to a system of progress, not one of change. Wouldn’t you be much happier if you had plans that you continued to execute on because you consistently see progress?  Of course you would.

Let me tell you why I believe most people fail at this type of setting resolutions process.

First, let me recap the first four I gave you last week (if you missed last week, email me, and I will gladly forward them to you, in detail):

1. They get too greedy with their resolutions.

2. They don’t make their resolutions personal.

3. They actually don’t write them down.

4. They don’t make their resolutions visual.

Here are the three additions for this week.

5. They don’t review their resolutions often enough. If you’re serious about making changes and/or progress, you have to review them periodically to check your progress. Just as pilots have to check and adjust flight plans, so must we with our business and life plans. Makes sense doesn’t it?

6. They keep their resolutions to themselves. Why do you think people are afraid to make promises? I believe it’s because most people are afraid to put themselves on the line. It’s not different when we make these annual resolutions. We share them with few to no people. I suggest people tell everyone – and if you’re really serious, take out an ad in your local paper and post your goals for the year. Any takers on this one? Look for mine in the next few weeks.

7. They don’t have a support group. Why be out there on an island all by yourself? I believe you will stand a much better chance of success if you have a support team and/or group. That is one of the reasons I have started my “Synergy Circles” groups. What’s better than having a team of motivated business owners   around you, strategizing to grow each other’s businesses?  Not to mention, a coach leading the group.

I’m sure many of you have been setting New Year’s resolutions for years. While I’m sure some of you accomplished things through the years, think about how much you could accomplish with a proven process and system in place. Next week, we will get into these and I hope you’ll seriously consider giving them a shot in 2014. Of course, I’m always available to assist. Have a great week!

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