Customer Service’s Post

I was talking with a customer in the past and they mentioned something they were struggling with. Does that happen with you? You're talking with someone and they mention a problem and you jump in to tell them how to solve it. Only, that's not what they wanted, they wanted you to listen. In this customer scenario above, I fought the urge to jump in and solve their problem. Instead, here's what I did... I pushed deeper and said things like "Tell me more about that. How often does that happen? What do you typically do in those scenarios?" Great things happen when you do this. 1. You're listening to understand, seeking knowledge vs. pushing a solution. 2. You are seen as an advisor/advocate for your customer. 3. Trust is built stronger by doing this. What questions to you ask to understand deeper problems?

“Customer conversations are bad by default. It’s your job to fix them”. This is the first rule of thumb in Robert Fitpatrick's book “The Mom Test”. This book is an easy read, and is packed with practical advice if you’re earnestly looking to understand what customers need. Here are some of my favorite rules of thumb, directly from the book, that I keep top of mind during all customer interactions: Opinions are worthless. 🚫 ❌ “Do you think it’s a good idea?” Anything involving the future is an over-optimistic lie. ⏳ ❌ “Would you buy a product which did X?” People will lie to you if they think it’s what you want to hear. 🤥 ❌ How much would you pay for X?” People know what their problems are, but they don’t know how to solve those problems. 💡 ⁉ “What would your dream product do?” Watching someone do a task will show you where the problems and inefficiencies really are, not where the customer thinks they are. 🕵️ ✅ “Talk me through the last time that happened” If they haven’t looked for ways of solving it already, they’re not going to look for (or buy) yours. 💰 ✅ “What else have you tried?” If you’ve mentioned your idea, people will try to protect your feelings 🙃 And my favorite…. “The more you’re talking, the worse you’re doing” 💬 🙅♀️ What guidelines do you use when you’re in conversations with customers or prospects? Put your thoughts down in the comments, and let's learn from each other. You'll find the link to the book in the comments below. #brand30

Happy Customer Service Day! Want some actionable advice on how to invest in your customers? Just ask Sarah Lowrie, Senior Director of Customer Success here at Hello Alice 💪 Here are Sarah’s top 3 tips: 🧩 Meet them right where they’re at: Every customer is like a unique puzzle piece. Tune in, listen up, and guide them to resolution perfection. Because one size never fits all! 💬 Keep it real with your customers: Relationships are the secret sauce! Whether it’s a call, text, or email – develop a REAL connection. Lead with empathy, understand their struggles, and make sure they know that you are invested in them! ⭐️ Listen up, your customers are the VIPs: Your customers aren’t just buyers; they’re the heartbeat of your business! Every piece of feedback is like a power-up for your product or service. Don’t miss the chance to level up and learn from the real bosses – your customers! What are some ways you invest in your customers? Let us know in the comments ⬇️

How many times have you walked away from a relationship because of the lack of communication? It's the one word that comes up over and over when I work with businesses that are looking to improve their customer service processes. I'm still amazed - although I shouldn’t be - by how many times the word 'communication' is mentioned when you ask customers why they love or leave a company. It's one word that has such a powerful effect on how we feel, yet it is so easy to dismiss the value of it when dealing with customers. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪@𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘬.𝘤𝘰𝘮. #customerservice #customerexperience

First impressions matter (backed by research). The first 30 days with your customer is make-or-break. Make sure you do these 7 things in the first 30 days when onboarding a new customer: 1/ Warmly welcome your customers 2/ Properly onboard them to your product or service 3/ Check-in early and often (but not too often) to see how they’re doing 4/ Prioritize any issues to resolve immediately 5/ Be transparent on how you want to maintain a relationship with them going forward 6/ Foster a sense of community 7/ Personalize your interactions with them Why it matters… 📈 It takes just 7 seconds for customers to form a first impression (Forbes) 📈 60-70% of customers change their brand preference after their first purchase (McKinsey) 📈 Customers who have the best experience with a brand spend 140% more (Harvard) 📈 Satisfied customers are 16-25% more likely to refer others (Wharton) 📈 Satisfied customers are more likely to remain loyal, and by increasing retention by just 5% increases profits by 25-95% (Bain) Remember, the first 30 days aren’t just about acquiring a new customer, it's about starting a lifelong relationship. Do you have a First Impression Strategy? ---------------------- PS - If you enjoyed this, follow me Louis Cho to get daily insights just like this ♻️ Repost so others can make the right first impression!

Looking for ways to build better relationships with your customers? People want to feel looked after, a sense that their needs are understood and met when they are using a product or service. Having a positive relationship with a service or product encourages loyalty, making customers more likely to keep returning and referring others. Creating lifelong relationships with customers is a win-win for everyone! In our recent CX Deep-Dive, we learned how to intentionally make every touch-point memorable, leaving a lasting impression that can translate into recurring clients and referrals. 🙌 Let us know in the comments how you establish strong relationships with your customers. 😎 #customersupport #professionaldevelopment #customerexperience

When talking to your clients, make the conversation about them. 👀 Instead of reciting features and benefits, engage with them about the questions you assume are on their minds. For instance: ➡️ “What are the advantages of a customized solution as opposed to an off-the-shelf solution?” ➡️ “What are the potential disadvantages?” ➡️ “How much of my time is it going to take for us to set it up?” They haven’t been down this road before. You have. Identify the most common pressing questions. Bring up the subject yourself, then give them concise answers they can use. The result? You establish yourself as a resource and an important ally. Join our 12-week Strategic Customer Care program to make all your client interactions and relationships profitable: https://hubs.ly/Q02w3rCY0 #customercare #customersuccess #success #SandlerMiami

Customers are NOT king: why you need to educate your customers. The other day I was in a meeting being led by a client of mine, when their customer requested a setup that was well outside of best practices. And my client said ‘Ok, customer is king!’ 🤯 It was clear why the customer requested it, but it was also clear that it would most definitely not set them up for success. I see this often: a customer asks for a certain setup because they are biased by how they were previously doing things. But they’re using your product to solve a problem they were experiencing with their previous way of working - so don’t let them fall into this bias trap, and guide them to the best practice that will get them to where they need to be. How? - Always get to the why: why are they requesting it, even after you explain it’s not best practice? What do they think they will achieve with it? - Don’t forget you’re not there to make the customer happy - you’re there to help them achieve their goal. Remind yourself and then remind them. You’re a teacher, you’re a strategic and trusted advisor, you hold them accountable, but you don’t, really, don’t, ever, give them that crown.