Do You Do a Good Job? - Tip #18
LinkedIn
September 01, 2022
Businesses all over this country are littered with the remnants of employees who do a good job. But what about those employees who go above and beyond?
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management
What's More Important? - Tip #6
LinkedIn
June 09, 2022
Has your success come at the expense of the very same people that have allowed you to move up the corporate ladder or have a successful business? Yes, you have taken good care of them along the way; received wonderful guest surveys, comment cards, and rave reviews of your service…great job.
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management
Don’t Make Assumptions – Tip #3
LinkedIn
May 19, 2022
How many times did something “fall through the cracks” because you thought another co-worker was going to handle it? I’ve always told my team, don’t make assumptions.
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management
Customer Service is a 2-Way Street - Tip #2
LinkedIn
May 12, 2022
Customer service is a 2-way street. It takes both sides of the interaction doing their part to provide a great customer experience. The “give and take of life” doesn’t stop at the service counter – it continues, always. But sometimes, as customers, we fail to do our part and fail to understand what steps we must take to make this interaction successful.
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management
Stop the Sick Day Resentment
Steve DiGioia
May 03, 2021
Tomorrow is a busy day at work. You’ve planned for it, scheduled properly, made the needed operational adjustments, and kept your fingers crossed so that everything will work out as planned. Then it happened… Stop the Sick Day Resentment
The first thing in the morning you get a call from one of your key employees. She’s sick and is calling out for today. NOOOOOOO, how can this happen? What do you do now?
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Tags: Management, HR
Let Them Figure It Out – Tip #31
Steve DiGioia
April 22, 2021
Many managers love to micromanage. They just can’t help it. They believe that telling an employee exactly how to do something and when to do it will fix all their ills. This makes the employee’s job easier. They don’t have to think. Simply “tell them what to do” for every situation and they’ll do it.
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Tags: Management, Leadership, HR
Learn to Apologize to Customers Like You Mean It
Steve DiGioia
April 19, 2021
The best intentions only get you so far and sometimes, your “best” is not good enough for your customer. They are upset, they are disappointed, and they deserve an apology. And here is where your “best” gets even worse. When you sit down to write that scorned customer an email to say how sorry you are for the lack of service they received, sometimes the apology makes the situation even worse. Today’s guest post was written by my friend and customer service colleague Leslie O‘Flahavan. She is an expert in online communication and teaches others how to write in “plain language” that we all can use. I hope you enjoy her post.
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management
At Least Grumpy Old Guys Know What Great Customer Service Is
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April 05, 2021
As I’ve gotten older, I better understand why many “old folks” (speaking from the viewpoint of me as a kid) got so grumpy. They’re tired of dealing with years of B.S. from so many people and have had enough of it. They just want to live their lives in peace and will no longer accept […
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty
What Does an Allergy Have To Do With Customer Service?
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March 22, 2021
Those of us in the customer service industry focus much on procedures, ease of use, product availability, and the steps of service, to name a few, all in the hopes of providing our customers the best overall experience. When we have these processes down pat, we believe that’s “all we need”
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty
How to Stop Giving Customer Service Like a Useless Scarecrow
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March 08, 2021
The lowly cornfield scarecrow hangs idly in the field while a flock of birds, having long since gotten over their fear of the fake man, eat their share of the surrounding crops. He has failed in his mission. The scarecrow now serves no purpose and has outlived its usefulness. Sadly, it serves as a r
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty
What Was Your Main Focus When You Opened Your Business? – Tip #30
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February 25, 2021
During the initial business startup phase, providing great customer service may not have been your first thought. Instead, you focused on getting the best location, trendy furnishings, celebrity appearances, and over-the-top promotions that you “knew” would jump-start your business. You thought,
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty
Who Writes YOUR Words? – Tip #29
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February 18, 2021
Too many businesses continue to offer a workplace that leaves little room for the employee’s personality to shine through. They micromanage the heck out of each service step and expect their minions to follow the path without exceptions. Who Writes YOUR Words? I can understand the need for con
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty
What Can the Mandalorian Teach You About Your Customer Service?
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February 15, 2021
The Mandalorian. The blockbuster hit on the Disney Channel. A keen and faithful observer can see many takeaways that relate to the way we offer service. I’ve already written about Bigfoot Customer Service and Landscaper Customer Service. Those two articles highlight the unique aspects of service t
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management
Did You Give Your Customers a Valentine? – Tip #28
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February 11, 2021
We get so bogged down in life’s everyday chores. As songwriter Harry Chapin famously said, “There’s planes to catch and bills to pay” – thank goodness there’s Valentine’s Day to remind us to stop and show how much we care about the special people in our lives. T
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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty
How Dunkin Donuts Made the Super Bowl Better – Tip #27
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February 04, 2021
Earlier today I got into a silly conversation with a friend about one of the biggest issues that we face today – Which donuts are better, those from Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme? Regardless of the answer, this question brought me back to one of the earliest posts that I wrote on my blog and [R
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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty
32 Ways To See If You Can…
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February 01, 2021
If you can smile for every customer even though you recently faced your own personal tragedy, If you can keep your promise to a customer even if it costs you more money, If you can be accountable to follow through on a customer’s difficult request even though it takes you away from other responsib
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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty
Sometimes You Get the Hiring Right – Tip #26
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January 28, 2021
Yesterday my wife and I did a little shopping after work and stopped into our local Eddie Bauer clothing store. We were greeted by a mature woman with the biggest smile who showed a sincere interest in helping me find the exact pair of pants I wanted. With patience, poise, and grace, she asked the [
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty
Here’s 2 Sure-Fire Tactics That Have Never Let Me Down – Tip #25
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January 21, 2021
Most people have a few go-to strategies that they follow during times of need. They’re comforted knowing they have a tried-and-true method that works for them and have tactics that have never let them down. I’m no different. Experience has shown us…Read More »
The post Here’s 2
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Tags: Management
McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case and the Customer Experience
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January 18, 2021
We all know that the coffee McDonald’s sells is too hot to drink when served. If you put it to your lips, you’ll most likely receive a burn that will be far worse than anything most people have ever encountered. So why…Read More »
The post McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case and the Customer
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Tags: Customer Experience
Make Your World Revolve Around The Customer – Tip #24
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January 14, 2021
Customers need to know that you have their best interests at heart. As business owners or managers, we get too bogged down with the day-to-day machinations of business and forget the ultimate goal; to satisfy our customer’s needs. We forget what Peter…Read More »
The post Make Your Worl
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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty
Landscaper Customer Service – Tip #23
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January 07, 2021
Each Monday, the landscaping company comes to cut my lawn. They come with 3 men. Sometimes I’m home and get a chance to see them work but many times I’m not – but I do see their great results. I like to…Read More »
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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty
What Does Management Want From You?
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January 04, 2021
Safety, security, and peace of mind. Nice calming words they are. They come with little worries and little stress. Every employee wants this. But what does management want from you? For many in the customer service industry, there is little room for…Read More »
The post What Does Manageme
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Tags: Management
A Recipe for Success That Always Works – Tip #22
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November 05, 2020
Recently, I was asked, “what makes one business successful when another similar business fails”. Well, there are many reasons but here is the foundation of success for any business. I like to call it “a recipe for success that always works”. Here…Read More »
The post A Recipe for
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Be True To Yourself and Your Business – Tip #21
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October 22, 2020
We face many distractions and obstacles in our day-to-day lives so it’s not worth the effort to be something you are not. Eventually, your true self will come out. When it does, and if you are not showing desirable traits, you will…Read More »
The post Be True To Yourself and Your Busin
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Tags: Customer Experience
What Do You Do To Get Ahead? – Tip #20
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October 15, 2020
Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Are you a positive influence or one of negativity? Do you sugar-coat things or get straight to the point? What do you do to get ahead of others, to separate yourself from the competition, and get…Read More »
The post What Do You Do To Get Ahead? R
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Tags: Management, Leadership, Customer Loyalty
Is Your Team Better With or Without You?
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October 12, 2020
There are two viewpoints to take when answering the question; is your team better with or without you. It all depends on what is more important to you as a manager. Let’s break both sides down. Is Your Team Better With You…Read More »
The post Is Your Team Better With or Without You
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Tags: Leadership, Management
How to Make Your Customers Feel Important – Tip #19
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October 08, 2020
Every server in the restaurant industry has their own style, their own manner, and their own way of interacting with their customers. Their goal is to make their customers feel important and serve them well. Some service styles are formal and professional,…Read More »
The post How to Make
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Do You Do a Good Job? – Tip #18
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October 01, 2020
Businesses all over this country are littered with the remnants of employees who do a good job. But what about those employees who go above and beyond? There is nothing that impresses a boss more than an employee who takes the initiative.…Read More »
The post Do You Do a Good Job? –
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Customer Service Fact #1 – Tip #17
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September 24, 2020
There are many “facts” in business and countless quotes and statistics are tallied-up each year. Two staple examples are “The customer is always right” and “It’s more expensive to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one”. These are certainly…Read More »
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Tags: Customer Experience
What Do They Think of Me? – Tip #16
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September 17, 2020
Our actions, mannerisms, speech, style of dress, and a host of other characteristics are being judged by those around you – all the time. And, regardless of what message we think we give, its others who make assumptions which we’re judged against.…Read More »
The post What Do They Thi
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Tags: Customer Experience
This Is Why You Can’t Fill That Position
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September 14, 2020
You have a “hard to fill” open position at your job. Even after interviewing candidate after candidate, the spot has been vacant for over 6 months and you wonder if they’ll ever find someone. To make matters worse, you’ve listened to your…Read More »
The post This Is Why You Can&#
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Tags: Management, HR
The Humble Manager – Tip #15
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September 10, 2020
I’ve always told my staff that I’m not perfect, I don’t know it all, and that I make mistakes. I too have a lot to learn. Is this a mindset of a weak manager? I don’t think so. Instead, the humble manager…Read More »
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Tags: Management, Leadership
What’s Valuable To Your Customer? – Tip #14
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September 03, 2020
Remember that Seinfeld episode when George was charged a fee for not calling to cancel his doctor’s appointment? The reason: the doctor’s time is important and has “value”. If you can’t make your appointment it’s a loss of revenue for the doctor.…Read More »
The post What’s
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Tags: Customer Experience
According to Steve #4 – I Can Do Without
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August 31, 2020
People tell us that we should “love” this or that. Well, that’s their opinion. I like to make my own assessment based on my impression of a situation. Example: You’re trying on a suit and the salesperson says, “That suit looks great…Read More »
The post According to Steve #4 –
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Tags: Customer Experience, Sales
You NEED To – Tip #13
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August 27, 2020
Respect, decency, and courtesy are foundational measures of society. A heavy-handed approach without caring for the feelings of another is a sure way to lose a friend. And it’s even worse when done to a customer. Have you ever had a salesperson…Read More »
The post You NEED To – T
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Tags: Customer Experience
Resilience – Tip #12
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August 20, 2020
For decades, stress was viewed as bad and damaging. Then we began to see the power of resilience as an accelerator in our lives. Whether you are coping with adversity, bouncing back from setbacks, or leading through uncertainty, these experiences can make…Read More »
The post Resilience &
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Address the Argument the Right Way
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August 17, 2020
Always address the point of the argument, NOT, the emotions attached to it. Example: John is upset that his suggestions for improvements to an upcoming project weren’t adopted, so he vents his frustrations about being overlooked or undervalued. He lashes out at…Read More »
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Tags: Leadership
What Do You Do With Deadwood Employees? – Tip #11
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August 13, 2020
Great employees are the heart and soul of any business, especially a successful one. Their efforts cannot be understated enough. But there are always one or two poor performers or “deadwood employees” – those who contribute little to the company’s success and…Read More »
The p
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Tags: HR, Future of Work
Management’s Ideas Are Always Better – Tip #10
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August 06, 2020
Many times, we managers think we have all the answers, that we know it all, and our way is the one correct way to do things. After all, we’re management, and our ideas are always better. But that’s not the case. The…Read More »
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Raccoon Memories of Days Gone By
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August 03, 2020
Snow. As far and wide as your eye can see. Thanks to the wind, in some places, it’s as high as your hip. Small patches of dry brown grass peek out from the high ridges and icicles hang from places I’ve never…Read More »
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Tags: Management
Are Your Pet Peeves Putting Your Job in Danger? – Tip #9
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July 30, 2020
First off, what’s a “pet peeve”? Well, according to Merriam-Websters dictionary, it’s “something that annoys or bothers a person very much”. Are your pet peeves putting your job in danger? I hope not. You know, let’s be honest… Each of us knows…R
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Tags: Customer Experience
Customer Care Versus Gossip – Tip #8
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July 23, 2020
The other day I heard some people complaining about poor customer service. Each shared their complaints about a past shopping trip that irked them enough to commit the story to memory (those are the worst kinds). One person complained that the store’s…Read More »
The post Customer Care
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That Bride’s a B*tch
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July 20, 2020
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard those words from one of my wedding coordinators. “She’s so high maintenance”, “She’s nasty”, “She calls me a million times a day, I can’t take it anymore”, or the obvious one – “S
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Promotions – Tip #7
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July 16, 2020
Not the kind that gets you the corner office, a big expense account, or stock options; I’m talking about the kind you use to advertise and spread the word about your business. How dedicated are you to promoting your business to the…Read More »
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Tags: Marketing
What’s More Important? – Tip #6
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July 09, 2020
Are your company’s numbers, budgets, and marketing efforts taking the lead over all other aspects of your business? But what about the customer? What’s more important? Has your success come at the expense of the very same people that have allowed you…Read More »
The post What̵
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According to Steve #3 – Remember When
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July 06, 2020
Remember when you’d fall asleep on the living room couch and wake up after midnight to a TV that was all static because the stations when off the air? Remember when the 5-second rule applied for almost any food that fell on…Read More »
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Your Customers Are Always Watching – Tip #5
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July 02, 2020
What do you do when you think no one is watching? Are you chewing gum, twirling your hair, or resting your foot on the wall behind you? Do you tell off-color jokes because you think no one can hear you? Is your…Read More »
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There’s an Upset Customer. Now What? – Tip #4
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June 25, 2020
Regardless of your business, and no matter how hard you try to do the best for them, there will be situations where you have an upset customer who is dissatisfied with your product or service. Day in and day out, we must…Read More »
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8 Reasons Why Customer Service Will Never Be Perfect
Steve DiGioia
October 15, 2019
Let's face it, you’re not perfect and neither are the people you have working for you. And don’t even get me started about how “perfect” your business is. So, you must realize that your customer service will never be perfect either. Agreed? Good, now we can move on and try to fix it.
So, how perfect can we ever expect our service to get? Good question. Our customers expect us to be perfect, right? What do we do? First, let’s look at 8 reasons why customer service will never be perfect. Then, I will give you some solutions.
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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Management
This is How You Can Tell You’re a Customer Service Professional
Steve DiGioia
September 30, 2019
Many hold the title but never seem to accomplish the task. Some tout the certification letters after their name but can’t put their knowledge to use. Others, sadly, haven’t a clue and chase away more customers than they help. So, how can you tell you’re a customer service professional?
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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty
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