Take Care of Yourself Before You Take Care of Your Customer

One of the most important questions people ask when they are focused on improving their quantity and quality of business is: "What is my competitive advantage? What makes me unique, memorable, special? what truly sets me apart from the rest?"

While there are no definitively right answers to that question, most people come to some conclusion that customer service is a critical component of your competitive advantage. For most businesses, the service they offer can vary from exceptional to not so hot, depending upon circumstances.

Why is that? Why does the same company, and even the same people within that company provide world class service some of the time, and marginal service (or worse) other times?

That answer can be found in asking a different question: "What makes you (or your staff) happy when serving your customers?" While these answers also vary, most people come up with some sort of variation of "I am happy when my customer is happy."

Do we enjoy dealing with agitated or disgruntled people? Normally not. We derive our joy from delivering value, by making others feel good about their experience, and by exceeding people's expectations.

What comes first then? The happy customer or the happy person serving the customer? This is not the chicken or the egg quandary. The happy person serving the customer NEEDS to come first, because it is a very unusual day when your customer comes into your business looking to cheer YOU up.

This all seems very obvious. At the same time that many people realize this truth, it is rare that people consciously take steps to make sure that their greatest customer service assets are being serviced too - whether that person in on your staff, in another department, or if that person is YOU. It is critical that you continually improve the emotional, physical and mental support you are supplying to the people serving your customers.

One of my friends and colleagues, Paul Wesselemann, shared a story about his time working at an HIV/AIDS support network. He explained how it was absolutely unacceptable to come to work when you were feeling even a bit ill, as even the smallest cold could be extremely dangerous for someone with HIV. He was REQUIRED first and foremost to take care of himself, make sure he was 100% before he was allowed to offer help and support to others.

How committed are you to taking the same care of YOUR needs? Your task for the month is to identify and act upon a couple of ways to keep you in proper shape so you can take care of your always important customers.

Eric Plantenberg, President of Freedom Speakers and Trainers, currently trains professionals across the country in memory, goal setting, attitude, time management, and effective communications. His newest program, P.A.C.T., is an intensive one-on-one twelve week personal coaching program designed for those who are serious about their success. Please click here for more information on Eric http://www.deliverfreedom.com/speakers_eric. html or Freedom Speakers and Trainers http://www.deliverfreedom.com Call 888-233-0407 x112 email eric@deliverfreedom.com

---

The History of CRM -- Moving Beyond the Customer Database

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is one of those magnificent concepts that swept the business world in the 1990's with the promise of forever changing the way businesses... Read More

Develop Loyal Customers for a Lifetime ? part 2 (11 ? 20)

Traditional marketing strategies encourage business owners to continually grow their businesses by adding new customers. In today's competitive world of business, it is more important than ever... Read More

The 7 Principles of Business Integrity

If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters. -- Alan K. SimpsonIf I were to ask you what attribute is... Read More

Ten Ways to Help You Improve Your Customer Service

1. Stay in contact with customers on a regular basis. Justas it is bad news to send out too many emails to customers,it is just as bad... Read More

How to Win the Hearts of Your Customers and Friends

Those of us doing business over the internet have to become especially adept at our listening and speaking skills since we don't have the luxury of talking... Read More

Developing A Customer Complaint System

Background The company was experiencing an increase in the number of customer complaints and an increase in the cost of processing them and we were hired to... Read More

Dealing with Disgruntled Customers

No matter how hard you try, in business you simply can't please everyone. You could have a highly trained customer service squadron and an award-winning product, but... Read More

The Nine Principles of Customer Service for the Travel Industry©

If you want to learn how to get your clients to do your selling for you through excpetional customer service, read on. Learn customer service secrets from... Read More

Listening: The Foundation of Communication

Listening is the #1 communication skill for leadership, selling, customer service, and even romance! The problem is, most of us don't listen very well. We're not trained... Read More

More Customers - Watch those Little Things

Two situations, two perfectly acceptable experiences, but in one case, an excitement about great service and in the other case, just OK.The LaptopI have a laptop which... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Learn from the Complaints of Customers and Employees

Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a part of every manager's job. Sometimes complaints can be overwhelming. However, when we take them in stride... Read More

Dont Forget your Existing Clients

Quest for new clients shouldn't ignore those who pay the billsAcquisition. It's a big word in small business marketing. Companies are constantly looking at ways to draw... Read More

Restaurant Owners ? How Important are People Skills?

You are serving great food. Your establishment is new, spotless and inviting and yet you are not getting the repeat visits that you expect. What's up? What's... Read More

What Do Your Clients REALLY Think of You?

*********************************************Know Thyself - Socrates*********************************************I'd like to start this article with a test ?What do you get when you cross a Northern Canadian male, a 4x4 truck and... Read More

Handling Customer Complaints

Even the best business will receive an occasional customer complaint. Knowing how to resolve these complaints will help you gain loyal customers who will then refer others... Read More

Are You Satisfying Your Customers?

The latest report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (Michigan School of Business) reports the following:Customer dissatisfaction with the quality goods and services offered in the marketplace... Read More

Under Promise & Over Perform: The Art of Managing Customer Expectations

I'll always feel warmly about Conrad's restaurant, in Glendale, California.On the morning of the Northridge earthquake, Conrad's was the only restaurant in town that opened for business,... Read More

Customer Service - A Sweet Essence

First let us specifically define customer service. It is the performance of a duty or responsibility due to a customer as a result of selling them a... Read More

Sales Marketing: 10 High Impact Ways To Improve Your Customer Service

If you want to last a long time in business and succeed, you must learn how to make your customers happy.You have to know who are your... Read More

Got A Consumer Problem?

Millions of people, just like you, end up with a consumer problem that they just can't seem to get resolved. No matter what they do. Even though... Read More

Making The Most Of Newsletters

Newsletters can be wonderful tools for communicating with your customers or prospects. Because of their format, they're often infused with more credibility than traditional brochures. If your... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Win the Loyalty of Customers

Dr. Michael LeBoeuf, in his cassette album entitled, Win Customers and Keep Them for Life presents twelve principles that will transform the workplace into a customer-driven, highly... Read More

Clients... and 38 ways to communicate with them

As Alan Weiss (guru to the savvy consultant) says: "It is actually difficult to contact clients too much. It is easy to fail to contact them frequently... Read More

5 Ways Customer Service Managers are Implementing to Increase Customer Focus

According to a Forum Corporation survey of commercial customers lost by 14 major service and manufacturing companies:15% found a better service/product15% found a cheaper service/product20% cited "lack... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About Seeing the World from Where the Customer Is Standing

It is important to remember that the customer doesn't necessarily see things in the same way we do. This point was brought home to me one day... Read More

Say It With Humor

When you own a business, you may find yourself in situations that may be a little tricky to handle. Dealing with customers who steal is one of... Read More