Loyalty Leader Quick Tips

At the end of a busy, stressful day, I received this voicemail message:

“Hi. This is Noelle from Visual Image Photography. I heard that you’re the new chairperson responsible for coordinating the soccer club picture night in your community. I’m here to make that job assignment so easy for you. It’ll be like a walk in the park!”

Noelle’s words were music to my ears. Her message made me smile and it was exactly what I needed to hear. Think about the times you’ve regretted volunteering to do a task that seemed daunting. Like me, you probably feared that you had committed to something that was going to involve a great deal of time and work. 

Your customers often feel the same way. A customer request can be as simple as ordering a hamburger, or as complicated as buying a home. What your customer requests is not nearly as important as how you respond. 

Here are five tips to show your customer you care:

1. Listen attentively to what your customer is saying. Don’t fake it by just acting interested. It’s a compliment to your customers when they know they have your undivided attention. You’ll also pick up on important details about their interests or concerns.
2. Smile and use inflection in your voice to demonstrate your enthusiasm.
3. Commit to action: “I will personally take care of this for you.”
4. Respond courteously and patiently to questions. Encourage more questions.
5. Replace superficial statements with heartfelt statements that reflect your customer’s interests: “Enjoy your afternoon at the zoo with your son.” This will be far more appreciated than, ”Thank you. Have a nice day.”

When a customer needs your help, the very tone and words you use to respond to their request will make all the difference in the world. Within seconds, your response will shape your customer’s perception of you and the company for which you work.