I Called Customer Service Today and ...

 Ok, I’ll admit it. I bought one of those things they sell on TV and online that promises to make a visible difference in 30 days.

The videos from famous people who supposedly have knowledge about the product and who have agreed to allow the company to post a testimonial clinched it for me. Surely, THAT guy wouldn't allow his name to be associated with a scam. 

Yeah, sure; that’s why it’s called a scam.

So, I called the customer service line today to cancel my subscription and any future orders, figuring I could have this over and done with in just a couple of minutes. Now I am sorry to say that I've been wrong twice about this company. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, well…you know.

When the customer service representative answered the phone, she did so with a nice, pleasant tone of voice, and she initially tried to help figure out why I wasn't satisfied with their “awesome product” (yes, her exact words). 

Was I using the product incorrectly, do I require additional instructions, could I please read the instructions back to her so I could confirm a second time that I’m not an idiot?

Once she realized that I really wanted to discontinue any association with her company, her welcoming tone and pleasantness went the way of the Dodo Bird in a matter of seconds.

After I finished the longer than expected, and quite irritating conversation with the company’s second-tier customer service department manager, I thought about how we as business leaders and managers handle rejection of our own products, services, and attempts to build and nurture prospect relationships.

Better yet, how does our front-line staff deal with these types of situations every day?

Common sense and an impressive amount of research indicate that a happy customer is a repeat customer. Moreover, a happy repeat customer is a loyal customer who is willing to act as an evangelist for you by sharing their happiness with your product or services with others. 

The question is: how do you keep your customers happy?

There are many different ideas and models for focusing on the Voice of the Consumer, Customer Relations Management, and so on.

Our goal at Dawn Gannon Consulting is to simply provide a quality product designed specifically for each client, offered at the lowest-possible price, and followed up with a genuine dedication to quality customer service designed to ensure each one recognizes the value we place on their satisfaction.

I'm sure that sounds very similar to yours. However, customer satisfaction isn't just about making the situation right when what is delivered is not what the customer expected.

It is also about building a strong, positive relationship with the customer by communicating occasionally through various channels, and providing them with ample opportunities to provide feedback. Active listening and communication is how you identify opportunities to innovate, and meet the future needs of your customers before they even know they have them.

However, this blog is about great customer service, and while I could provide several ideas about how to build a great customer relationship, I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Please take a moment to share what has worked for you, what hasn’t, and why.

Thanks for sharing!

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the nonprofit military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.

The 102-Year Dream Comes True

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the term persistent is defined as: “lasting or enduring tenaciously.”

Or, in the words of Helen Keller, “We can do anything we want as long as we stick to it long enough.”

Over the weekend, my high school alma mater, Forrest County Agricultural High School in Brooklyn, MS, won its first 4A high school football championship.

Founded in 1911 and located just a few miles south of Hattiesubrg, MS, FCAHS has been to the state finals many times, but never made it out of the early rounds. Finally, 102 years after opening its doors, the 2013 team made the familiar trip to Jackson, MS once again, and was finally crowned as the state champion on Saturday, December 7, 2013. Now that’s persistent!

From a management perspective, I have witnessed upper and middle management teams persistently follow a course of action without regard to new information or overnight changes in the marketplace. 

For instance, don't keep going up the middle if the offensive line is having difficulty creating openings. We've all seen teams who continually do the same thing, with the same unsatisfactory results. 

I’ve also been fortunate enough to be a part of management teams that remained persistent, but were open to change in order to achieve a stated goal; even if it resulted in following a path that was completely different than what was originally designed. In each of these cases, the team achieved or exceeded their goal.

Like a football coach, management teams not only need to keep an eye on the game plan, but winning also requires sufficient attention being paid to the changing conditions on the field in terms of weather, players, and momentum regardless of the time it takes to reach the goal. In business, the climate in which an organization operates can work either for or against you.  Obviously, FOR you is best.

Likewise, the importance of knowing your customers, your competition, and your team’s strengths and weaknesses is as vitally important as making bold decisions to change the market momentum in favor of your company.

As a business leader it is essential to think long-term, while acting to meet a short-term goal, such as the next 1st down, which eventually results in a touchdown. Be brave, call an audible and look for other options; more than likely one or two others are wide open.

The most important factor, however, is being persistent. Keep your eye and efforts on the goal, no matter how long it takes, and don’t forget to celebrate your successes along the way, or you could lose focus by wallowing in what might be perceived as failure.

 As 2013 draws to a close, and your plans for 2014 begin to fall in place, keep the persistence of the 2013 FCAHS Aggies Football team in mind. Even with more than a century of setbacks, they continually reviewed their plan, assessed their environment, talent and competitors, and eventually attained their goal.

By the way, if you are interested, the Oak Grove High School football team, coached by NFL great Brett Favre and also located a couple of miles outside Hattiesburg, MS, won their 6A state championship on Saturday as well. Check it out here. 

Without the persistence of an entire team coming together to work as one, neither team would have won. 

Congratulations, Aggies, for a great season! I’m so proud to be “Once an Aggie, Always an Aggie!!”

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the nonprofit military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.