When Joy called back after leaving a message on the voicemail and not getting a response, she finally got someone on the phone. Joy explained t

Recently, Joy and I were invited to go to a local comedy club. It was one of those clubs where you eat dinner while listening to the comedians.

We had a very enjoyable evening with our hosts. The comedians were funny and the meals were delicious. The server gave us our check for the meals and, after perusing the bill, gave the waiter our credit card for payment. I noticed that the waiter went to all the tables he served at the same time and collected all the receipts and credit cards, cash, and payments at the same time. We were a little concerned that the payments would be applied to the wrong receipts. However, we assumed the best and assumed the server had an organized system for applying the payments to the right receipts.

We were wrong!

We checked our online account balance and saw that there was an incorrect charge of $75 in addition to the normal charge. Not only that, the overcharge resulted in this account being over the limit which resulted in an additional overlimit fee of $39. Suddenly, it was not so funny.

The following are five secrets to resolving a customer service situation and creating a great customer service experience:

1. Walk the Talk

   Joy telephoned the comedy club at 10:12 a.m. of the morning she found out about the overcharge. She was greeted by a voiced mail message that said, “No one is available to take your call after business hours. Please call back between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. or leave a message.” That’s what she thought she did.

   If you promise to answer the phone between certain hours, then answer the phone between those hours. If you promise the customer a solution, additional information, etc., then make sure you deliver. Walk the talk and don’t offer anything less.

2. Listen with Empathy

   When Joy called back after leaving a message on the voicemail and not getting a response, she finally got someone on the phone. Joy explained t

   Understand Brand
   Branding has been defined, explained and examined extensively. There are books, articles, publications, seminars, and groups all dedicated to exploring the meaning and use of brand today.Interestingly, with all this wealth of information, some of it developed by the greatest minds in the industry, I still hear "but what is branding?" Considering the multitude of sentences that begin "branding is..." it’s an understandable question. What I believe people are looking for is not another definition, but rather understanding, and an idea of how and why this tool fits into their business.The Brand EquationVisual + Verbal + Experiential = Brand PerceptionWhat you show, what you say and what you do adds up to what people know about you and what they think of your service, product or company.Imagine a person you know. When a
   s our check for the meals and, after perusing the bill, gave the waiter our credit card for payment. I noticed that the waiter went to all the tables he served at the same time and collected all the receipts and credit cards, cash, and payments at the same time. We were a little concerned that the payments would be applied to the wrong receipts. However, we assumed the best and assumed the server had an organized system for applying the payments to the right receipts.

   We were wrong!

   We checked our online account balance and saw that there was an incorrect charge of $75 in addition to the normal charge. Not only that, the overcharge resulted in this account being over the limit which resulted in an additional overlimit fee of $39. Suddenly, it was not so funny.

   The following are five secrets to resolving a customer service situation and creating a great customer service experience:

   1. Walk the Talk

      Joy telephoned the comedy club at 10:12 a.m. of the morning she found out about the overcharge. She was greeted by a voiced mail message that said, “No one is available to take your call after business hours. Please call back between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. or leave a message.” That’s what she thought she did.

      If you promise to answer the phone between certain hours, then answer the phone between those hours. If you promise the customer a solution, additional information, etc., then make sure you deliver. Walk the talk and don’t offer anything less.

   2. Listen with Empathy

      When Joy called back after leaving a message on the voicemail and not getting a response, she finally got someone on the phone. Joy explained t

      Retractable Banner Stands Are Long Term Investment
      Banners and posters have been always used as an effective medium of communication and promotion as well. Retractable banner stands are in fact a good medium using which one can promote about some goods or certain events. Promotion about anything whether it is about an event that is being held, a new product which is being launched, some new offers given to customers or simple about the garage sale that you want to put up. There are many agencies that work dedicatedly towards helping out people who want to advertise or promote anything. Retractable banners stands are one means that can be effectively used for putting up a banner of any kind at the right place. Just make sure that you are working with a reputed agency that makes banners and posters for their customer to promote anything.Once you meet the professionals at the agency where your b
      he payments to the right receipts.

      We were wrong!

      We checked our online account balance and saw that there was an incorrect charge of $75 in addition to the normal charge. Not only that, the overcharge resulted in this account being over the limit which resulted in an additional overlimit fee of $39. Suddenly, it was not so funny.

      The following are five secrets to resolving a customer service situation and creating a great customer service experience:

      1. Walk the Talk

         Joy telephoned the comedy club at 10:12 a.m. of the morning she found out about the overcharge. She was greeted by a voiced mail message that said, “No one is available to take your call after business hours. Please call back between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. or leave a message.” That’s what she thought she did.

         If you promise to answer the phone between certain hours, then answer the phone between those hours. If you promise the customer a solution, additional information, etc., then make sure you deliver. Walk the talk and don’t offer anything less.

      2. Listen with Empathy

         When Joy called back after leaving a message on the voicemail and not getting a response, she finally got someone on the phone. Joy explained t

         How to Commit Brand Suicide
         A graphic designer spoke to me last week. His graphic design firm -- let's call it XYZ Design -- was numero uno in designing labels for a large wine company. Let's call that ABC Wines. Now ABC wines had some really super wines. They loved the incomparable graphic design of XYZ design, and continued to use them for several of their major brands. This one client alone generated tons of work and income for XYZ design right through the year.Then It Happened...ABC Wines sold out to another wine company. This new wine company had its own in-house graphic designers. That effectively meant XYZ Design's income and work flow were severely hit, causing them to scramble for new clients to fill the gap."If only I had done what you said," said the owner of XYZ Design, " and not line extended into web design and other forms of graphic design an
         a great customer service experience:

         1. Walk the Talk

            Joy telephoned the comedy club at 10:12 a.m. of the morning she found out about the overcharge. She was greeted by a voiced mail message that said, “No one is available to take your call after business hours. Please call back between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. or leave a message.” That’s what she thought she did.

            If you promise to answer the phone between certain hours, then answer the phone between those hours. If you promise the customer a solution, additional information, etc., then make sure you deliver. Walk the talk and don’t offer anything less.

         2. Listen with Empathy

            When Joy called back after leaving a message on the voicemail and not getting a response, she finally got someone on the phone. Joy explained t

            San Francisco Meetings - Planning a Meeting in the Bay Area
            Planning a San Francisco Meeting?San Francisco is unique amongst cities in the U.S. Facets of the East Coast combine with the history of the 60’s and the technology of today to make for one of the most fascinating cities in the nation. Her associations with Silicon Valley’s major companies make San Francisco a frequent meeting place and convention locale. There’s a certain charm about the place that has brought many to agree with Tony Bennett, who sang the famous "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," so many years ago.So you’ve got a meeting to plan for in Shaky Town? That’s good news! With just a bit of help, you’ll be on your way to a great meeting, and you’ll have a blast setting it up!Though it’s all loosely referred to as San Francisco, the Bay Area sprawls, with the San Francisco Bay itself as a natural barrier. Even t
            er the phone between certain hours, then answer the phone between those hours. If you promise the customer a solution, additional information, etc., then make sure you deliver. Walk the talk and don’t offer anything less.

         2. Listen with Empathy

            When Joy called back after leaving a message on the voicemail and not getting a response, she finally got someone on the phone. Joy explained the above overcharge situation and the customer service “expert” said, “Are you sure the charge is incorrect?” Wrong answer. This person had already judged/assumed the customer to be incorrect or incompetent. Along with this judgment, as Joy explained our situation, there was no response from the customer service person during the conversation. Empathy means putting yourself in the customer’s shoes and feeling the customer’s pain, gaining an understanding of the situation, and communicating that you understand. Some of the things that this customer service person could have said to show empathy are the following:

            • I appreciate your sharing this information…

            • I can understand how you could feel that way…

            • I can see how that would be an inconvenience…

            • Please tell me more…

         3. Take Ownership and Apologize

            When Joy mentioned the $75 overcharge, the customer service person said that it was our bank’s fault although it was clear that the comedy club initiated the charge. Take responsibility for creating a solution for the customer. Show ownership by saying the following:

            • We will investigate this for you immediately.

            • I will create a solution.

            • Let’s make this charge go away.

            • Let me have you talk with someone who has the answer for you. It will take (whatever amount of time). Can you wait?

            • We will make this happen for you.