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3 simple ways to create a stronger team and build customer loyalty
With all of the changes going on in the airline industry over the last few years, it has definitely been more the exception rather than the rule when getting great service while traveling. However, I had a pleasant surprise a few months ago while traveling back home on United Airlines.
Once everyone had boarded the plane and we were all getting settled in our seats, expecting to hear the flight attendant start making their welcoming and safety comments, the captain himself got on the intercom and started talking to us. He didn’t stand behind the little wall that tends to hide the flight attendant from the passengers, but instead stood halfway down the aisle of first class and addressed the entire plane.
He welcomed us all on the flight and thanked us for our business and choosing to fly United. He acknowledged that we have a choice in airlines, and he hoped that this flight would be a great experience for all of us. He then went on to introduce the rest of his “team” as he called them, his co-pilot and flight attendants, saying that they all work together to make the flight enjoyable and safe. He encouraged us to ask the flight attendant if we needed anything during the flight and thanked us one more time before he handed it off to the attendant to finish all of the safety messages. As I sat there, I couldn’t help but smile to myself and think how a simple gesture like personally welcoming the passengers set the tone for a pleasant flight and put the customers in a good mood.
So what can your organization learn from this? Here are three simple ways to create a stronger team and build customer loyalty:
- Always look for opportunities to practice what you preach to your employees about making their customers feel welcome by talking to customers, saying a simple hello, asking how their day is, or if there is anything else to help them with.
- Remind your employees to look for the 1% better concept—the little things you can do while interacting with customers that may not be a huge thing, but may be huge in the eyes of that customer.
- Constantly look for opportunities to praise your team members when you see them delivering great service to their customers. They will feel valued and acknowledged for their efforts and want to continue to serve their customers in a positive way.
I actually was a little sad getting off the plane at the end of the flight knowing I may not see that pilot again on another flight, but happy that he had restored my faith in the airlines and knowing there are leaders out there that really do want to make a difference.
About the author:
Kathy Cuff is a senior consulting partner and one of the principal authors—together with Vicki Halsey—of The Ken Blanchard Companies’ Legendary Service training program.
Behaviors speak louder than words—3 service reminders for leaders
I remember advice someone gave me when my kids were little, “Pay attention to your behaviors—because your kids are always watching you.”
That has turned out to be very good advice over the years, and I find the same is true for leaders in organizations. Managers can only get away with so much before their team members are going to start believing their leader’s actions more than their words. When it comes to serving customers, I have found the best managers are the ones that not only praise and acknowledge their employees when they serve their customers well, but are also role models of the behaviors they would like others to emulate.
A case in point
A perfect example of this happened recently when I went with my college age son to open an account at a bank. His primary bank did not have any branches where he is going to college, so this was going to make it easier for him to access his money (all $250.00 of it.) Once we sat down and he explained his situation to the young woman helping him, she proceeded to explain the various options available to him as a college student with limited funds. After agreeing on the type of account that would best fit his needs, she then asked if he was interested in opening a credit card.
At first he said “no,” explaining that he didn’t want to be tempted to spend money he didn’t have. But after we discussed it for a few minutes and I shared that I thought it was a great way for him to start establishing credit, he agreed and the young woman started processing the credit card as well.
Now, I could stop at this point with the story (it had already been a very nice experience) but what happened next was what really impressed me. You see, at that moment, another woman walked into the cubicle, introduced herself to my son (not me) and said, “I am the Branch Manager here and I just wanted to thank you for opening an account with us today.”
She then went on to tell him that she overheard our conversation about whether or not he should open up a credit card, and she complimented my son for his consideration of NOT getting a credit card—she was impressed with his thoughtful decision instead of just rushing into opening a credit account.
She also went on to praise the young woman that was assisting my son and told him that he was in the best of hands with her taking care of everything. I was impressed to see that the Branch Manager—while acknowledging me as she spoke, was really there to welcome my son (a new customer).
3 takeaways for leaders
So what can we learn from what the Branch Manager did that day? Here are three takeaways that I found valuable for leaders:
- Be a good role model of the behaviors you expect from others in the workplace and demonstrate them through your actions.
- Be a cheerleader for your team members—acknowledge their efforts not only to them, but to the customer.
- Always remember to thank the customer for their business and don’t let their age discount them as a customer. Customers have choices and when they choose to do business with you, you want them to know you appreciate it.
I know my son felt special and taken care of by all of people at the bank starting with the Branch Manager. Remember, people are always watching when you least expect it, so make sure your behaviors are following your good intentions.
About the author:
Kathy Cuff is a senior consulting partner with The Ken Blanchard Companies. You can read Kathy’s posts as a part of our customer service series which appears on the first and third Thursday of each month.
Customer Service–3 ways to make someone’s holiday a little brighter!
As we enter into the holiday season, I always remind myself to try and be on my best behavior and keep my patience while out doing my holiday shopping. So when I read the story about the New York City police officer who used his own money to buy a homeless man a pair of shoes and socks, it reminded me that in the busiest of times, we ALL need to take a moment and look around us and see where WE can provide a random act of kindness.
Customer service is just that—SERVING others to make their day a little brighter, a little better. Create a memory, a story, a moment that someone might tell someone else about.
Now, I am not suggesting that we all go out and try to do something for someone else just to get on YouTube—that certainly was never the intent of that officer—but rather treat others with the respect and love that this season is all about regardless if anyone else ever knows about it or not. We all have those opportunities EVERY day.
Let me share with you three ideas of how YOU might make someone’s holiday a little brighter:
- Take a moment as you are interacting with your customers, be it an internal or external customer, and ask them how they are holding up during the holidays. Ask if they are taking some time for themselves and staying healthy, or enjoying time with friends or family. Make sure you listen to their answers. It should be all about THEM.
- Explain things thoroughly to your customers and answer any questions they may have about the transaction, information, etc. I recently opened up a charge card at a department store while checking out, and the clerk, even though there was a long line of customers waiting, took the time to explain the entire process to me and what I could expect to receive in the mail, and never ONCE glanced over at the line or hurried through her explanation. I felt like I was the most important customer in the world to her—and at that moment, I guess I was!
- Make sure that at the end of each conversation, transaction, phone call, face to face meeting—whatever it may be—you take that moment to thank your customer for their business and wish them a very happy and healthy holiday season. Let them know you appreciate their business and MAYBE even ask that dreaded question—“Is there anything else I may help you with?” Especially during the next few weeks, it is easy to forget the one thing you came in for, or the question you really needed answered. You may be the life saver that helped them remember it!
For me, I am going to take the lead of that police officer and look for ways EACH day to look for opportunities to put a smile on someone’s face and let them know I care. I encourage you to do the same.
About the author:
Kathy Cuff is one of the principal authors—together with Vicki Halsey—of The Ken Blanchard Companies’ Legendary Service training program. Their customer service focused posts appear on the first and third Thursday of each month.
Do your people have permission to cut up the watermelon? 3 strategies for empowering employees
I love being pleasantly surprised, especially when it comes to customer service experiences. I had one of those experiences a couple of weeks ago when I was visiting my son at college. Let me share what happened and what I learned about the impact of empowerment as a result.
My son goes to school in the small town of Pueblo, Colorado. I was in town for his football game and wanted to buy some easy-to-eat food for a pre-game tailgate party. I thought fresh fruit would be nice, so I headed to the produce department at a local Albertson’s grocery store.
I found some watermelon that was already cut up and ready to serve. It looked as if it would be ripe and juicy, but being a spoiled Californian when it comes to fruit, I decided to ask a young man who was re-stocking some vegetables what he knew about the watermelon. He told me he hadn’t tasted it himself, so he didn’t really know, but immediately asked me if I would like to taste it for myself.
At first I said, “No, that’s okay,” but he insisted I try it, saying it was no problem at all. Since he seemed so genuine, I took him up on his offer. He then asked me to wait just a minute and said he was going to go in the back and cut some for me and he would be right out. Through the small window of the door to the back room, I watched him get a watermelon, cut it open, section off a couple of center slices, put them on a plate, grab a napkin, and then walk back out to me.
It was delicious! Once I tasted the watermelon and gave him my sign of approval, I proceeded to tell others around me how good it was—and I still am, weeks later. I became a Raving Fan of Albertson’s because of that short interaction—I felt so good about how this young man took it upon himself to make my experience a positive one.
Are you and your team creating Raving Fans?
So what can you learn from this kid from Pueblo, Colorado? As a leader, keep these simple tips in mind to surprise and delight your customers.
- Remember that it is everyone’s job to deliver service. Never miss an opportunity to deal with a question or situation in the moment whenever possible. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that customer service is someone else’s job. To the extent you can, serve the customer in the moment.
- Let employees know they are encouraged and allowed to use common sense at work. This young man didn’t spend ten minutes trying to find a manager to get permission to cut open the watermelon—he just did it.
- Look for ways to surprise and delight your customers. I never expected this young man to help me to the extent he did. I was completely surprised by his ownership and creativity—and he made a big impression on me as a result.
Your service is only as good as your people. Are your people empowered and encouraged to serve customers? Don’t miss an opportunity to create Raving Fans for your company. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results when you do!
About the author:
Kathy Cuff is one of the principal authors—together with Vicki Halsey—of The Ken Blanchard Companies’ Legendary Service training program. Their customer service focused posts appear on the first and third Thursday of each month.
Got a new employee? 3 ways to show you care
When I was 16 years old, my first job was serving ice cream at a Baskin-Robbins store. Not only did I love ice cream, but I was very social and felt that this job suited me very well since I loved talking to people. Unfortunately, I think I’m still trying to lose those extra ice cream pounds I put on!
Now, let me be clear that the job of taking ice cream orders really is pretty easy. But imagine being new at the task of scooping rock-hard ice cream into cones without breaking them, or remembering the difference between a shake and a malt—let alone knowing where the heck to find all 31 flavors in the case. It took a bit of time to memorize all of this information. Then imagine the store full of people on a hot day or after a sporting event, and you have mayhem!
One night during that learning period stands out in particular—not necessarily because of the reasons stated above, but more because of how my manager made me feel during one of those crazy, busy times.
A man came into the store with his daughter, a girl I had met before who went to a rival high school. She and I said “hi” as I began to help her dad with his order. He was a very direct sort of guy and started rambling off his order, getting frustrated if I asked him to repeat things along the way. The last item on his list was a quart of French vanilla ice cream.
After making sure he had everything he needed, I went to the cash register to ring up his order. Just as I totaled it up, I realized I had charged him for a quart of regular vanilla ice cream instead of French vanilla, which was more expensive. I immediately called over the manager on duty to help me, since I didn’t know how to delete an order and start over. As she came over, the man started yelling at me and calling me names because I had made a mistake and was taking too long. As I was apologizing to him and doing my best not to cry (although my eyes were not cooperating), my manager did the most amazing thing. She turned to the man and very politely told him that this was my first week on the job, I was still in training, and there is a lot to learn when first starting. She went on to say it was a very innocent mistake and would be taken care of quickly, but there was no need for him to yell at me.
Even though her words didn’t stop my tears from coming, it was so reassuring to hear her stick up for me. I actually felt sorry for his daughter—she was so embarrassed by his obnoxious behavior that she put her head down halfway through his order. As they were leaving, she just walked away with a glance at me as if to say, “I am so sorry!”
A lesson for leaders
What my manager did for me that night, and throughout the rest of my training period there, is a great lesson for all leaders. Without realizing it then, I learned three valuable tips to help leaders build the skills, as well as the confidence, of an employee in training:
1. Never reprimand a learner.
2. Let the employee know it’s okay to make mistakes—that you “have their back.”
3. Praise progress.
My manager showed me she believed in me when she stood up for me at a moment when I really needed it. She knew the importance of both the external customer and the internal customer. Her belief in me and willingness to work with me through that interaction with a difficult customer really strengthened our relationship and made me want to work harder for her.
Maybe the customer isn’t always right, but they still are your customer. My manager was a great role model that night for how to treat both external and internal customers with respect.
About the author:
Kathy Cuff is one of the principal authors—together with Vicki Halsey—of The Ken Blanchard Companies’ Legendary Service training program. Their customer service focused posts appear on the first and third Thursday of each month.
There’s more than just wild animals to check out at the San Diego Zoo
When my husband came home and informed me that his company party was at the zoo this year, I had mixed feelings. In one way, it would be nice to visit the world-famous San Diego zoo (and not have to pay for it!) but it’s been so hot recently that the idea of walking around in the heat with the lovely smell of the animals was not that appealing. But of course, I couldn’t not go, so I put on my happy face and decided to make the best of it. To my pleasant surprise, I had a wonderful experience as a customer at my city’s landmark zoo!
People make the difference
One of the main reasons our experience was so enjoyable was the attitude of the many volunteers placed strategically around the Zoo to help customers. At every turn, there was a volunteer standing nearby with a big smile on their face and a willingness to help. I was so impressed with the consistently positive attitude from every volunteer that I started watching the volunteers interact with other customers to see if they were that pleasant to all customers—and they were.
A leader’s role
Let’s be clear that this type of behavior doesn’t just happen—it takes leaders to create this positive experience by training and empowering volunteers to serve guests. Wondering what you can learn from this zoo tale? Here are 3 quick tips to learn from our friends at the San Diego Zoo.
- Hire people with a positive attitude. You can tell that the San Diego Zoological Society works hard to find people who like interacting with others. Are you matching people’s strengths to appropriate positions in your organization?
- Set people up for success. Remember, they ARE your organization to each customer they come in contact with. Make sure your people have the training and authority to serve and delight customers.
- Catch people doing things right. A simple acknowledgement or a pat on the back goes a long way.
It’s all happening at the zoo
Next time you are visiting San Diego, be sure to visit the Zoo. And not just to see the animals. Be sure to also check out the volunteers. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed in either—and you might just learn something to take back to your organization!
About the author:
Kathy Cuff is one of the principal authors—together with Vicki Halsey—of The Ken Blanchard Companies’ Legendary Service training program. Their customer service focused posts appear on the first and third Thursday of each month.
The #1 Secret to Great Customer Service
Every now and then you hear a story that immediately brings a tear to your eye and renews your faith in mankind. This is one of those stories.
I was in the airport in Calgary, Alberta, waiting for a flight home and started talking to an elderly man who was waiting for the same flight. We had to walk quite a distance to actually board the plane, so I took my time walking with him, mostly because I thought he might need some help carrying his baggage at some point.
We were making the usual small talk, he asking me why I was in Canada and me asking him where he was going. I found out that his wife of 50+ years had passed away not too long ago and he was going to visit one of his daughters. When he heard that I conduct workshops and speak on topics such as customer service, he said he wanted to share a story with me that he thought I might like.
He told me that when his wife died, he went to visit his other daughter that lives a few hours away from him to get out of the house and be around family for a month or so. When he finally decided it was time that he faced reality and go back to his home, he started his drive back home. About halfway through the drive, he said he was so overcome with such sadness and the reality that he would be going back to his home without his wife, that he had to pull off of the road. He stopped at the first place he saw which was a McDonald’s.
He walked up to the counter and a young girl asked if she may take his order. He said he stood there, for what seemed like forever, just staring at the menu on the wall. When she asked again, he apologized, saying that he really wasn’t hungry, and he proceeded to tell her that he just had to get off the road because he couldn’t bear the thought of going home alone yet. He shared that his wife had passed away, and this would be his first time being in the house without her.
At that moment, without any hesitation, the young girl walked around the counter and gave the elderly man a big hug. He was so taken aback by her compassion, he said that he thanked her because that one act of kindness gave him the strength to go home.
When the man finished telling me the story, his final comment to me was, “Who would have guessed that a young girl at a McDonald’s could leave such an impression on me?”
I love that this young woman had such a kind heart to notice, in that moment, that her customer really just needed a listening ear and somebody showing that they cared. I also love that this young woman felt empowered to step out of her usual role in a way that was appropriate.
I know that young woman created a customer for life from that man just by showing him she cared. Can you say the same about your employees?
About the author:
Kathy Cuff is one of the principal authors—together with Vicki Halsey—of The Ken Blanchard Companies’ Legendary Service training program. Their customer service focused posts appear on the first and third Thursday of each month.
Service above self: What leaders can learn from “The Giving Tree”
One of my favorite books of all time is the children’s book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. In short, the book is about the relationship between a boy and a tree. Throughout the boy’s life, the tree offers whatever it can to make the boy happy—to swing from its branches, to pick and eat, or sell, its apples—to even cut it down and build a boat to sail away—all in an unselfish manner.
Great leaders do the same with their employees—doing whatever they can to help employees feel valued and be successful. I love when I catch a glimpse of this as a customer and witness great servant leadership—a manager in the grocery store stepping in to bag groceries when it gets busy; the manager in a restaurant clearing dirty dishes from a table to seat guests faster; a manager taking the time to train an employee on a process they haven’t quite mastered yet. All so they can unselfishly meet the needs of the employee, and ultimately, the external customer.
Leading is giving
My favorite part of the book, and the one that always makes me cry, is at the end when the boy, now an old man, comes back to visit the tree that is just an old stump. The tree is sad since she doesn’t think she has anything else to offer the boy, but is overjoyed to find out that the boy just wants a place to sit and rest, and a stump is a great spot to do just that!
What’s the attitude of the leaders in your organization? Is it to serve—or to be served? What can leaders in your organization teach employees that may help them in their jobs? How can leaders help their employees manage their time more efficiently to reduce stress? What can the organization do to show employees that truly ARE the best asset to the organization?
Being a true servant leader is putting the needs of others ahead of your own in service to a larger organizational goal or purpose. The good news is that in doing so, you will get so much in return yourself. That’s ultimately what the giving tree experienced. Because in the end, as the book says, “and the tree was happy.”
About the author:
Kathy Cuff is one of the principal authors—together with Vicki Halsey—of The Ken Blanchard Companies’ Legendary Service training program. Their customer service focused posts appear on the first and third Thursday of each month.
Would you ever say NO to a customer? Here’s one time you should
My two boys played three different sports during high school and, as it happens, there were times when they needed to visit the athletic trainer because of an injury. If you want a lesson in how to treat your internal customers, come to my boy’s high school and see a pro in action! The Head Athletic Trainer, Christina, takes her job very seriously, is always concerned about “her kids” as she calls them, and is focused on doing the very best she can to get them healthy again.
Saying “yes” and sometimes “no” to customers
Christina is 100% about the student athletes—her customers—and ensuring that they are getting the best care and attention needed. And part of that is sometimes saying what the customer DOESN’T want to hear—“You are not ready to play yet.” You see, taking care of customers is knowing when to say “yes” and when to say “no” because, in this case, it is about getting the athlete better and keeping them healthy.
Although she is known for playing it safe vs. taking risks—which can frustrate players, coaches, and even parents at times—her code of ethics and responsibility always wins people over in the long run. Many a time has a coach, parent and player thanked her for her dedication and thoroughness after the fact.
Working in the best interests of the customer
Christina never loses sight of who her customers are—the student athletes—and does whatever it takes to make sure that they feel cared for. In fact, she often calls a parent or student over the weekends, as well as check in with doctors to see how her patients are doing! In return, the sign of her customer loyalty is displayed by the number of athletes that show up in her office to eat their lunch and chat. They know they are always welcome there and feel comfortable just hanging out.
As a parent of two student athletes over the years at this high school, I am so grateful to have her as our athletic trainer and thank her for her professionalism and servant heart. And I know from having two sons that have been in her care, that her “customers” appreciate her as well!
About the author:
Kathy Cuff is one of the principal authors—together with Vicki Halsey—of The Ken Blanchard Companies’ Legendary Service training program. Their customer service focused posts appear on the first and third Thursday of each month.
A great lesson from a military friend
If you are like me, every time I am in an airport and see a military man or woman in uniform, I am compelled to go up to them and thank them for their service. And many times, I actually do thank them.
In my mind, that is the ultimate service one can give—dedicating one’s life to serve and defend others. And behind every serviceman or servicewoman is (hopefully) a strong servant leader who is guiding them.
I recently attended a good friend’s change of command from the position he has held for the last three years as Command of the Tactical Training Group, Pacific in the Unites States Navy. I had never been to something like this before and thought it would be fun to see what it was all about! I will tell you, it was an honor to attend this event, not only because I was so proud of my friend and his accomplishments, but also to be reminded of the sacrifices that all of the men and woman who volunteer to serve their country make for the sake of others.
My friend, Captain John S. Mitchell, III, held numerous leadership positions during his Navy career, most involving high level operations that required strong leadership to ensure the safety of his team. Although his resume impressed me very much, what inspired me to write this article about him was what his colleagues, peers, and his “manager” had to say about him. One of his colleagues said that Mitchell’s biggest accomplishment was building a strong team. He said that, “Captain Mitchell never had an us vs. them mentality—it was always WE.”
I couldn’t help but compare this to leaders in organizations around the world, and wonder if they truly understand how important it is to create a strong team and to get team members to feel like we are all in this together. It is pretty clear to understand the importance of teamwork when lives are in danger, but what about in our daily interactions with our own teams? Would your team say those same things about YOU and YOUR leadership?
Achievement and humility
What was also very telling to me, after all of the accolades my friend received from his peers and leader, was how humble he was about his accomplishments. He made a point of passing the credit on to his co-workers, team members, and leaders that helped make his job “easy” and made him “look good.” Mitchell said, “I was just doing my job.”
Humility and praise for others—great qualities of a leader who believe their job is to serve their team so that the team is able to do their jobs better. How I wish that leaders in organizations understood the importance of their role as a leader and their ability to make or break someone’s self esteem, confidence and even career.
I left reminded that there are so many lessons we can learn from the military service and this day was no exception. I left the event feeling very proud of men and women in uniform, and the work that they do. I was also proud of my friend who so modestly impacted the lives of so many in a very positive way. He made me want to be a better leader…how about you?
About the author:
Kathy Cuff is one of the principal authors—together with Vicki Halsey—of The Ken Blanchard Companies’ Legendary Service training program. Their customer service focused posts appear on the first and third Thursday of each month.
