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A Real Paper Letter?

February 5, 2014
Writing on a Notepad

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Stephen Dann

Real paper? Yep, it still exists. Send some of it out!

In the world today we have so much electronic communication.  Texts, e-mails, social media, and, yes, blogs.  Due to all of this written communication is getting less and less.  Even celebration cards are going digital.

The digital world has certainly changed our lives.  Because of this you can change someone’s day by going back to 10 years ago – write a letter or card by hand and mail it.  I try to do this a few times per month to various people thanking them for something or just saying hi.

Writing the card only takes a few moments.  It can create a huge impact in a person’s day because they probably haven’t gotten anything like that in quite some time.  It is such a rarity for most people that you become the stand out and are remembered as the person who did this.

Another reason for this is after applying and interviewing for a job.  Send a card thanking them for the opportunity to apply for the position.  Simple and easy – the goal is for them to see your name.  Then, after you have an interview, send a thank you card to the interviewer for giving you some of their time.  Again, simple and easy to keep your name in the mix.

The written word is still incredibly strong.  Choose one person today that you can send a card or letter to and see how it changes their day!

Filed Under: Business, Careers, People Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Treat People Well

January 30, 2013
All Are Significant

Image Credit: Studio JRU

“You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place on the world, but it requires people to make the dream a reality.” Walt Disney

You need people.  You can call yourself a loner or say you don’t like people but we all need each other.  You need someone to hire you for a job or you need someone to buy your product if you are running your own business.  We are all connected in one way or another and we should treat each other well.

Next time you are in line at the supermarket during a busy holiday instead of getting frustrated at the lines and people take a minute to thank the clerk.  For that matter, thank the people around you in line for the few minutes you spent together – it might seem odd but you can brighten their day and you will be the person they are telling their family about when they get home!

It all comes down to the fact as humans we need interaction and connection.  Treat people well.

 

Filed Under: Customer Service, Leadership, Life Coaching, People Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Math of Customer Service

May 25, 2012

Dollar SignToday I had the opportunity to guest post on Chris LoCurto’s blog.  It is an issue I have been thinking about for many years.  Check it out at ChrisLoCurto.com

Filed Under: Customer Service Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Lack There Of

January 22, 2012

We all have ran into poor customer service at one point or another.  Whether it has been a clerk that didn’t say thank you to the rep on the phone that you can tell doesn’t care what you’re complaint is.  However, what surprises me most are the businesses that are quickly losing market share but continue on the downward spiral of the most basic thing they can do to keep customers in their stores.

ApathyI was recently in a national video rental chain and had a small problem.  To put in in perspective it was all of 99 cents.  When I called the clerk’s attention to it I was simply told that the wrong sticker was on the game and they took the game from me and walked off to replace the sticker.  This was innocent enough but this was the second of three problems I had with this store from three different clerks in a five day time span.

It is common knowledge that it is easier and more cost effective to keep a current customer than to try to gain a new one.  In this case, brick and mortar rental businesses are losing rapidly to online rentals, streaming, and kiosk services.  Why go to the store and pay $1.99 for one night when I can go to iTunes and pay $2.99 and not have to get into my car?  Valid question.  The reason we do it is for selection, price, and for the family to get out of the house a little bit.  Often we need to pick up one or two grocery items which are also convenient to this particular place.

Of all three issues I had in the last few days two could have been fixed with “I’m sorry.”  This would have cost the company nothing, I would have been satisfied with that response, and we all would have moved on.  Now because of the workers at this location not being trained in proper customer care I had a decision to make.  And my decision was to not go back to any of their retail stores.  I would much prefer to pay a little more at a small businesses in the area or rent online than to deal with people who are not there to care for their customers.

The bottom line in this whole thing is “I’m Sorry” would have went a long way and kept me as a weekly customer.  It would have cost the company nothing – no free rental, no refund, no cash.  I would have felt that I had received service from the clerk.

When you have a customer who has a problem what can you do to make sure they are satisfied?

Filed Under: Customer Service Tagged With: , , , , ,