While it’s often the horrible customer service experiences that go viral on social media or become the topic of discussion over dinner, when asked, most people can probably think of a time when they experienced truly outstanding customer service. From a friendly attitude to a personalized solution, there are plenty of reasons why these experiences can stick in our minds.
For the members of Council for Young Entrepreneurs, positive customer service experiences are learning opportunities for the future. Below, they share what they learned from specific customer service interactions and why they chose to implement these lessons in their own business processes.
Members pictured from left to right.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. A friendly, approachable attitude goes a long way
One time I ordered a variety pack of Melinda’s hot sauces. Instead of the flavors I ordered, the bottles I received were all the same and not necessarily something I wanted to try. I contacted their customer service and the support agent sent an order for the hot sauce variety pack, upgraded it to one day delivery and told me to keep the other bottles because they made the mistake, not me. Awesome! I received my bottles the next day and have become a brand loyalist. My conclusion from this experience was this: a friendly, approachable and helpful customer service team can change everything. I probably wouldn’t have ordered again if they hadn’t been so nice. Now most of my friends and family know about Melinda’s sauces and I have made multiple purchases since then. – Jan Bracket, Smash Balloon LLC
2. Admit to your mistakes (even if the client doesn’t notice them)
I had my car repaired and couldn’t pick it up during their office hours so they said they would leave my car keys in a locker and send me a code to pick up my car after hours. I totally forgot to pick up my car because it wasn’t that important to me, and the next day I got a call from management with a sincere apology for not doing what they said they would do. They then said the next oil change was free and that they knew my time was valuable and they were sorry if they wasted any of it. I was so impressed with their accountability and integrity as I wouldn’t have even known they forgot to do something if they hadn’t brought it up. I use that experience as an example for my team to show them that when a mistake is made, we shouldn’t hope the customer won’t notice, but admit our mistake. – Givelle Lamano, Lamano Law Firm
3. Excellent customer service is about authenticity and timeliness
I have had good experiences with other app companies through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. After leaving a review, especially an unfavorable one, I always heard back within 24 hours. That’s why I implemented this strategy in my own company. We aim to answer all negative and positive reviews within 24 hours. Other leaders should understand the importance of timeliness. If you don’t respond for more than 48 hours, that sends a message to your customers that you don’t care about them and whether or not they like your product, which will hurt your business in the long run. Authenticity is another must. Don’t sound like a robot when responding to customers. Instead, make them feel like they’re talking to a real person. – Simon Bacher, Ling app
4. You need to give the customer a reason to tell a great story
One of the most important aspects of customer service is how the company deals with its own mistakes. If Starbucks gets my drink wrong, they remake it on the house with a smile. Sometimes they added vouchers for future drinks if the wait was long or they had to remake it multiple times. The lesson is that doing good for your customers and meeting every problem with a smile and the will to solve it is a long-term investment. Don’t focus on the numbers of one specific negative experience a customer might have. Focus on the immeasurable ROI of the story they’re going to tell other people about your company. Give them every reason to tell a great story about how professionally and kindly your team solves problems. – Tyler Bray, TK Trailer Parts
5. Targeted, personal attention increases customer satisfaction
I learned a nice customer service lesson at a store. I was looking for baby products and there were no clear direction maps for it. When I asked a customer service representative for help, instead of directing me to that specific section, he guided me and helped me find the exact item. This simple idea has supercharged my buying experience. I’ve learned that a little personal attention can leave a lasting positive impression on your customers. I shared this experience with my entire team and told them to inject similar customer personalization efforts into our company. Customizing an experience for an individual can lead to higher levels of satisfaction. This is because the customer feels that the company has taken the time to understand their specific needs and wants. – Kelly Richardson, Infobrandz
6. Always try to anticipate your customers’ needs before they do
I was having lunch in a hotel when a man at another table dropped his fork on the floor. Almost immediately, the main server picked it up and handed him a clean fork that she happened to be carrying. I was so impressed that it went so fast and smooth that it made a huge impression on me. It was almost as if she anticipated his need and waited for him to realize his need too. That gave me the idea for my approach to customer service: we need to know our customers so well that we can almost anticipate their needs and desires before they do. By providing something extra that they want, we build relationships and endear ourselves to them. – Baruch Labunski, Rank safe
7. Customer service must start before a problem occurs
Excellent customer service can make or break your small business. An example that comes to mind occurred when I bought email marketing software for my company. I thought I would buy the tool and learn it myself. The next day I received an email from their support team asking if I would like to schedule a hands-on tutorial so I could learn the ropes and see results. I appreciated this proactive approach to customer service, and it really helped me feel comfortable and convert my first visitors into email subscribers. I liked this approach so much that I started using a similar strategy and it has been successful in increasing our engagement and retention rate. – John Turner, SeedProd LLC
8. Your team will treat customers the way you treat them
I remember a specific case when I was at McDonald’s. I saw the manager greet and address the staff in a very friendly manner, treat them as they would treat the customers. I realized that if you treat your employees well, they will in turn treat your customers well. This is an important lesson that all leaders must learn. Creating a positive and supportive work environment is essential to maintaining a happy and productive culture. When employees feel valued and valued, they are more likely to provide excellent customer service. This was certainly the case at McDonald’s. The manager’s positive attitude and friendly demeanor created a pleasant work environment that led to excellent customer service, a lesson I’ve tried to implement in my own business. – Abhijeet Kaldate, Astra WordPress theme
