Be Your Customers Hero

Real-World Tips & Techniques for the Service

Front Lines
Adam Toporek
Copyright 2015 AMACOM, a division of American Management Association
256 pages
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Rating

9 Applicability
7 Innovation
8 Style

Focus
Leadership & Management
Strategy
Sales & Marketing
Finance
Human Resources
IT, Production & Logistics
Career & Self-Development
Small Business
Economics & Politics
Industries
Global Business

Take-Aways
Providing great customer service means anticipating and fulfilling your
customers needs.

Dont expect graciousness from customers. You cater to them; they dont cater to you.
Your orientation should be relational, not transactional.
Front-line employees can provoke customers negative reactions. Carefully train your
front-line people to use high-quality customer-service techniques.

Modern life seems to be a never-ending series of hassles. Improve customer service to

eliminate hardships for your clients.

Today, many customers feel powerless. Show them that they are important to you.
Staying calm may relax an angry nightmare customer, but no single tactic works
with everyone.

The polite behavior that grandmas teach small children makes for perfect customer
service: always say please, thank you, sir and maam.

The best way to deal with a customer-service problem is to prevent it from happening.
To render Hero-Class service, meet your customers expectations all the time.

Concepts & Trends

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Relevance

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What You Will Learn
In this summary, you will learn:r1) What constitutes great customer service, 2) How to avoid the seven service
triggers, 3) How to deal with nightmare customers and 4) How to become a hero to your customers.
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Review
In 82 information-packed, short chapters, consultant Adam Toporek expertly details the inside route to heroic
customer service. In this very useful handbook for service providers, he teaches employees how to treat customers
with respect and put them first. This easy-to-use reference features clear, memorable examples. Toporek paints a rich,
vivid picture of exactly what to do. First he coins the term Hero-Class customer service and then he shows you just
how to achieve it. getAbstract recommends his comprehensive, practical advice to HR personnel, store supervisors,
customer-service managers and front-line employees and owners.
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Summary

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Your attitude will
determine your ability
to serve customers,
your ability to inspire
others and your ability
to work your way up in
your organization.
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Hero-Class Customer Service

Many companies strive to be heroes to their customers. Some airlines give passengers
gifts. Some banks use ATM machines to offer unexpected presents. These promotions may
win some publicity, but they have little to do with day-to-day customer service. Prioritize
meeting your customers needs all the time. Be sure all of their experiences with your
company are positive and frictionless.
Making customers happy doesnt mean buying into the old adage, The customer is always
right. The customer is often preposterously and absurdly wrong. Move beyond a literal
interpretation. Think what the words signify: Place your customers first. Take good care
of them at every turn.
You and the customer are not on equal terms. Your job is to serve your customers; they
dont serve you. Among every 100 customers, you can expect that 15 will treat you well.
Fifty will be pleasant. Twenty will be neither good nor bad. Ten will be rude. Four will go
out of their way to be surly and unpleasant. One will be nutty and frightening. Treat them
all with courtesy, respect and deference. Nice or not, your customers must be your most
pressing priority.

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Modern life is full of
hassles andpeople
are more sensitive than
ever to companies
that create hassles for
them.
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Follow the examples set by retailers like Amazon and Nordstrom. They dont see
their customers as just passing participants in a one-off transaction; instead, they try to
build relationships with their clientele. Strong customer relations are indispensable to
their operations.
The Seven Service Triggers
Customers retail experiences can influence their actions and their attitudes about your
business. Front-line and customer-service personnel can trigger a customers negative
reactions by duplicating bad behavior that he or she remembers from some previous
encounter. Negative triggers and the sour attitudes they prompt can kill potential sales and
forestall customer engagement. Employees who deal directly with customers need to be
aware of and prevent seven primary triggers of complaints of bad service:

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One advantage of
being on the front
lines is that customers
usually understand that
you have limited control
over things outside your
immediate area.
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Even people who
generally look forward
to contact from frontline reps can quickly
grow irritated when a
service rep hovers over
them or checks with
them too frequently.
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Speaking ill of a
customer with another
customer is one of the
most unprofessional
things you can do.
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Front-line service
reps are some of the
hardest-working and
most underappreciated
people in business, and
working with customers
can sometimes be a
thankless job.
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1. Being ignored Everyone hates to be treated as if they are unimportant or not even
present, especially customers who enter your store. Unfortunately, many customerfacing professionals (CFPs) arent present for their clients. Theyre too busy texting
their friends, extending their breaks or talking with other workers. To avoid setting
off this trigger, be aware of what your customers expect. A minute wait in a fast-food
line will seem a long time to a hungry patron in a hurry. The same wait will seem
inconsequential in most other settings. If youre working on addressing a customers
problem and its taking a bit of time, periodically check back with the client to explain
that you are actively working on solving the issue.
2. Being abandoned Whether standing at the sales counter or on hold on the phone,
customers will fret when the rep whos supposedly helping them disappears for an
extended period. To avoid sparking the shoppers feeling of abandonment, secure a little
buy-in for your response time. For instance, you might say, Maam, I need to check
the storeroom; do you have five minutes for me to go look for that size? or Sir, my
manager is not in until morning; would you mind if we got back to you by the end of
the day tomorrow?
3. Being hassled Difficulties can happen amid the turbocharged pace of modern
business. Of course, the more you can eliminate them, the more satisfied your customers
will be. Your goal is to make your company known as being easy to do business with.
Learn what hardships your customers experience, and try to fix them. If you are a frontline employee, determine the extent of your authority. Find out from your manager how
far you can go to solve a customers problem. Dont be afraid to ask. Your boss will
appreciate your desire to make customers happy by solving their problems.
4. Being faced with incompetence No one wants to deal with a representative
who doesnt know what to do. Unfortunately, a little incompetence goes a long way.
Customers might even detect a pattern of incompetence where none exists. Clients who
previously experienced incompetence at your company will be quick to ascribe similar
blame again to front-line employees, even for minor problems they might otherwise find
insignificant. To avoid being tagged as incompetent, strengthen your professionalism.
Ask for help from seasoned employees. Model yourself after them. Help customers
change their perspectives about your firms supposed incompetence by thoroughly
explaining any issue to the customer. Demonstrate your dedication to the clients wellbeing.
5. Being shuffled In a survey, 41% of respondents said that their number-one service
problem is having to speak with multiple agents and starting over every time. Service
representatives should try never to transfer a telephone customer to another person.
Sometimes this isnt possible, but it helps to learn who in your company can take certain
steps for customers. If you must transfer a client, send him or her directly to the person
who can fix the problem. Minimize dissatisfaction by explaining early in the call that
you may need to transfer the client to resolve their issue. Then customers can save
their drawn-out stories for the next rep. When you connect the customer to another
representative, fill him or her in on the specifics of the clients problem before you
say goodbye.
6. Being powerless Today, more than at any time in the past, customers feel they
have no power. This is due to the immense growth of corporations. Customers once
could deal with familiar merchants and local tradespeople for most of their needs. Now,
megacorporations are replacing small local companies, so customers often feel they are
dealing with faceless employees who dont care about them. The problem of apparent
powerlessness arises from customers attitudes. Even if a client has a problem you cant
fix, you can communicate through your words and actions that you care about your
customers and that they matter to you.

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When you think
you failed to meet
an expectation, the
customer might think
you violated a rule.
And therein lies the
difference between
disappointed and
upset.
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In customer service
and in life, the fewer
rules you have
concerning what other
people should or should
not do, the happier
youll be.
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The better the team
performs, the happier
the customers are, the
better the business does
and the easier and more
opportunity filled your
job will be.
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Even when were able
to draw a line with
an abusive customer,
we must maintain our
self-control and draw
that line in a calm and
professional manner.
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7. Being disrespected Making a customer feel unseen or even insulted casts a pall
on every other aspect of your relationship. Try to change this perception. Quickly
demonstrate respect by smiling at your customer, establishing eye contact and being
unfailingly polite. A simple thank you goes a long way with a customer who feels
disrespected. Be direct. Tell customers you respect them. Say outright, We value your
business, and you are important to us.
Be a Great Teammate
People are naturally social. They feel comfortable working in teams. Great service depends
on great teamwork. To optimize customer service, all customer-facing professionals should
adopt an Its show time attitude. The Disney Corporation calls its employees cast
members and sees the experience they create for customers as a show. Your CFPs should
develop the same attitude. All CFPs should dress appropriately, and act and look like
professionals. This means showing up at work on time and using proper language. Prepare
for the CFPs who work the shifts after yours. For example, perhaps some of the sales signs
caused confusion among customers during your shift. If so, get them fixed before the next
shift arrives.
Own the Service Floor
First impressions are important, and research shows that they crystalize in a tenth of a
second. For retailers, first impressions are both environmental whether the windows are
clean and your stock is arranged neatly and interactional whether your staff members
are courteous and helpful. Teach your CFPs to be friendly and to communicate with clients
in an upbeat, energetic way. For example, CFPs shouldnt say theyre doing fine. They
should be doing great. They should make themselves available to customers, but never
hover. Browsing customers dislike having salespeople linger too closely. Be near enough
to be called, but not near enough to annoy.
Communicate like a Pro
The polite behavior that grandmas teach small children is a building block for perfect
service on the sales floor. Please, thank you, sir and maam are permanent,
vital components of effective communication. Using these polite terms fuels hero-class
customer experiences. Besides using the right words, be mindful of your body language;
nonverbal communication constitutes 55% of the emotional impact of any interaction.
Telephone personnel should smile when you dial, listen carefully and give customers
your undivided attention.
Use the 10 power words to add impact to your communication with customers: Say that
you appreciate and respect the customer. Accept accountability and tell the consumer
that you understand the problem and youre committed to solving it. Use absolutely
instead of just yes. And when the client has to take a step to solve the issue, suggest it,
as in, Based on the level of wear, we strongly suggest you replace your front two tires.
Give the shopper options, and call your mutual problem a challenge, for example, The
challenge is that we dont manufacture that part ourselves. And tenth, to show the client
all is well, cite your solution.
CATER to the Customer to Master Difficult Situations
Like everyone else, CFPs hate to get complaints. But being the subject of complaints is
actually better than having customers fail to communicate and, instead, just quit doing
business with you. Complaints give you an opportunity to learn about problems and
solve them. Use the CATER process to deal with customer complaints: Concentrate on

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what the customer is saying by showing you understand the problem. Acknowledge the
customers communication by repeating what the customer told you. When you hear the
problem, thank and apologize, succinctly and sincerely. Then explain the reasons why
the problem occurred and resolve the situation by fixing the problem.
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Is there anything
more frustrating than
having a service issue
and dealing with
someone who simply
does not know what he
is doing?
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Handle Nightmare Customers

The most frequently asked question at CFP training workshops is, How do I handle a
customer who is going off on me, who is completely irrational and who is just plain
crazy? Unfortunately, when it comes to nightmare customers, each one demands a
different solution. However, you can take concrete steps to reduce the number of nightmare
customers you encounter. To defuse irate customers, maintain your equanimity. Dont
argue. Reframe the issue. Speak in nonthreatening language. Dont use strong gestures.
Watch your expressions. Show respect.
Sometimes, this will all work and sometimes nothing works. In such cases, try something
like this: Its obvious that Im unable to resolve your issue, and Im truly sorry. If youll
let me, Id like to personally make sure you get to my manager so she can help resolve this
issue positively for you. If the customer threatens you physically, stop the conversation
and get your boss.

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At work every
dayeven your
best customers can
be complicated,
irrational and easy to
disappoint.
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Understand the Digital Front Lines

While increasingly popular, digital communication can be tricky. Nonverbal cues and bodylanguage signals dont apply if you arent in the same place. Nevertheless, you must provide
excellent customer service online as well as offline. Share your clients concern for privacy
and security issues.
When you are online, you can use many of the same communication techniques that you
use successfully offline. For example, liberally insert please and thank you in your
emails and chats. Keep your communication style friendly and informal. Avoid canned
email responses. Directly address all the issues your customer raises. Respond promptly to
customer queries or complaints on social media, and acknowledge praise with equal speed.
If you cant resolve a problem online, arrange to settle it offline.

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When you allow your
last difficult customer
to take up residence in
your mind, your next
customer inevitably
becomes an extension
of that person.
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Be Your Customers Hero

To deliver heroic customer service:
1. Work overtime to meet your customers expectations and, if possible, surpass them.
2. Make all interactions with your customers as frictionless as possible.
3. Be consistent in these efforts.
Learn everything you can about what your customers expect. Be hyper-attentive to their
wishes and smile as you deliver service that meets their goals. Eliminate any sticking points
in the purchasing experience. Anticipate difficulties and problems, and be thorough in
getting rid of them. Become your customers hero.

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About the Author

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Adam Toporek owns CTS Service Solutions, a consultancy that gives customer workshops. He founded the
Customers That Stick blog and co-hosts the Crack the Customer Code podcast.
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