The Colors of Customer Service

The purpose of The Colors of Customer Service is to shed new light on customer service relationships through the principles of Relationship Awareness Theory. When you you connect with someone through their Motivational Value System, you have Relationally Aware Customer Service – a way of empowering the server to satisfy the “unique, idiosyncratic, emotional, irrational, end of the day and totally human terms” (Tom Peters) by which people will define an excellent customer service relationship.

1. The Colors of Customer Service Karla Edwards Ray Linder

2. “Have you ever . . .?” Have you ever been at a restaurant where you loved the server but your friend didn’t? Have you ever felt like you were getting excellent service that you didn’t want? Have you ever wished the sales clerk wouldn’t greet you so enthusiastically? Have you ever stayed loyal to a product or service that was overpriced or inconvenient?

3. Why Does It Matter? “You’ll never have a product or price advantage again. They can be easily duplicated, but a strong customer service culture can’t be copied.” Jerry Fritz Customer Service Trainer CEO, Power to Wow

4. Why Does It Matter? 71% of business leaders believe that customer experience is the next corporate battleground. ( Shaw & Ivens )

5. Why Does It Matter? 91% of unhappy customers just leave and say nothing 1 word of mouth = 600 ads! Costs -35% Revenue +35%

6. Why Customers Leave 3% business moved 5% preferred competitor’s product 9% price increases 14% dissatisfied with product/service 31% total 69% left because of poor service White House Office of Consumer Affairs

7. Why Does It Matter? 55-58% customers will always or often pay more for the experience: Apple Starbucks Disney

8. Why Does It Matter? “Customers perceive service in their own unique, idiosyncratic, emotional, irrational, end of the day and totally human terms. Perception is everything.” Tom Peters

9. Why Does It Matter? “The more you know what makes you tick; the more you know about what makes others tick . . . the more empowered you become to control outcome of your relationships". Elias Porter

10. What is “excellent” Customer Service?

11. Excellent Customer Service Concern for the Protection, Growth and Welfare of Others BLUE ALTRUISTIC–NURTURING Be friendly Listen respectfully to my needs Understand me and my needs Value me even if I’m a new customer Empathy – my needs matter as if they were yours

12. RED ASSERTIVE–DIRECTING Concern for Task Accomplishment, Concern for Organization of People, Time, Money and Any Other Resources to Achieve Desired Results Excellent Customer Service Fast and effective – “get in, get out and get on with my day” Be prompt Straightforward, bottom-line communication Delivers without excuse Take ownership and be accountable

13. Concern for Assurance That Things Have Been Properly Thought Out Concern for Meaningful Order Being Established and Maintained Individualism, Self-Reliance & Self-Dependence GREEN ANALYTIC–AUTONOMIZING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE Answer their many questions Be well-informed Do NOT give incorrect information – it’s better to say, “I don’t know.” Being right is more important than being nice Give them space - let them initiate and control the interaction

14. H U B FLEXIB LE–CO HERING Concern for Flexibility Concern for the Welfare of the Group Concern for the Members of the Group and for Belonging in the Group EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE Thoughtfulness + follow-through + empathy Have a balanced, effortless approach Make the relationship feel like a partnership Identify and ensure a payoff for both parties Resourceful, especially when meeting unanticipated challenges

15. RED- BLUE ASSERTIVE– NURTURING Concern for the Protection, Growth and Welfare of Others Through Task Accomplishment and Leadership EXCELLENT CUST OMER SERVICE Make them feel unique, special, valuable Take ownership with an enthusiastic “Can Do!” attitude Friendly – and happy! Give them options for them to choose from Clear and prompt support that respects their time

16. RED-GREEN JUDICIOUS– COMPETING Concern for Intelligent Assertiveness, Justice, Leadership, Order, and Fairness in Competition EXCELLENT CUST OMER SERVICE Let them pursue a relationship with you rather than you with them They want to be in control of the process Be available ONLY when needed They want to learn something so they know what to do in the future Be problem-focused rather than person-focused – smart more important than kind

17. BLUE -GREEN CAUTIOUS– SUPPORTING Concern for Affirming and Developing Self-Sufficiency in Self and Others, Concern for Thoughtful Helpfulness with Regard for Justice EXCELLENT CUST OMER SERVICE Listening thoughtfully Allow for many questions Don’t pressure or move the process to quickly Allow them time to consider the data AND the relationship A system that functions in a caring and equitable way

18. The Person who Knows Their abcs : Asses s-Bor row-co n n e c t Who Gives Excellent Customer Service?

19. Service Recovery Making Wrongs Right

20. Cost of Service Recovery 6 to 10 times more cost to attract new customers than to retain existing ones Correcting failed services Lost & Found $ 20,000 to replace items at a regional hospital

21. 1 st Stage of Conflict is Key You MUST stay in Stage 1 Be self-aware of your triggers Be self-aware of your Stage 1 Get back into Assess-Borrow-Connect mode!

22. Exercise How Do You Recover Service for Each Color?

23. Service Recovery by Color Blue: “Make it right without me getting upset.” Red: FIX IT! NOW ! Green: Knowing that there is a structure supporting the solution H u b: We’re back in balance – the relationship is win/win

24. Service Recovery by Color Red- Blue : “ Make it right without me getting upset.” Red- Green: “ Tell me how to prevent it from happening again.” Blue- Green : Clear, rational (i.e. with a solution) and authentic apology

25. Why Does It Matter? “Customers perceive service in their own unique, idiosyncratic, emotional, irrational, end of the day and totally human terms. Perception is everything.” Tom Peters