What is customer service ? The 7 Essentials To Excellent Customer Service

Summary

In this video, David Brownlee, President of David Brownlee Associates, outlines the seven essentials of excellent customer service crucial for business growth. He emphasizes the importance of listening to customers, understanding their needs, and showing empathy. Brownlee introduces the 'SEC' approach—Smile, Eye Contact, and Comment—to enhance customer interactions. He also advises creating solutions, clarifying issues, and following up with customers to ensure satisfaction and loyalty, ultimately leading to repeat business and positive reviews.

Takeaways

• 👂 Customer Service is crucial for business success, as it can make or break a company's reputation and customer loyalty.
• 🗣️ The three key psychological needs of customers are to be heard, understood, and cared for, which are essential for excellent customer service.
• 😀 The acronym SEC (Smile, Eye Contact, Comment) is a simple yet powerful tool to enhance customer interactions and build positive relationships.
• 👁️‍🗨️ Active listening is vital; it shows customers that their concerns are acknowledged and that the business is committed to addressing their needs.
• 🙇‍♂️ Empathy is key in customer service; understanding and validating customers' feelings can lead to more satisfactory resolutions.
• 🛠️ Creating solutions for customer issues requires creativity and a thorough understanding of company policies and the customer's history.
• 🔄 Clarifying the situation with the client ensures that the resolution provided is satisfactory and prevents future misunderstandings.
• 📞 Following up with customers after a transaction is a critical step in ensuring their satisfaction and encouraging repeat business.
• 📈 Excellent customer service not only retains customers but also fosters word-of-mouth referrals and positive online reviews, which are invaluable for business growth.
• 💌 Drip campaigns via email are an effective way to maintain contact with past clients, offering them value and keeping the brand top-of-mind for future purchases.

Q & A

What is the importance of customer service in the current business environment?

Customer service is crucial as it can significantly impact a business's reputation and success. With platforms like Yelp and Google Reviews, customer feedback is visible to millions, influencing prospective customers' decisions.

What are the seven essentials to excellent customer service mentioned in the script?

The seven essentials are: 1) Being aware of what customers want, 2) Using the SEC acronym (Smile, Eye Contact, Comment), 3) Listening to customers, 4) Empathizing with customers, 5) Creating solutions for customer issues, 6) Clarifying the situation with the client, and 7) Following up with all customers.

Why is it important for customers to feel heard in the customer service process?

Customers want to be heard, especially when they have a problem. Feeling heard can lead to customer satisfaction and loyalty, as it shows that the company values their concerns and is willing to address them.

How does the acronym SEC (Smile, Eye Contact, Comment) enhance customer interactions?

SEC helps create a positive and engaging atmosphere. Smiling makes customers feel welcome, eye contact shows attentiveness, and a friendly comment can break the ice, making customers more receptive to the interaction.

What role does empathy play in resolving customer issues?

Empathy allows customer service representatives to connect with customers on an emotional level, understanding their frustrations and needs. This can lead to more effective solutions and higher customer satisfaction.

Why is it necessary to create solutions for customer issues and complaints?

Creating solutions shows customers that the company is proactive and committed to resolving their problems. It can turn a negative experience into a positive one, fostering customer loyalty and trust.

How can clarifying the situation with the client ensure customer satisfaction?

By clarifying the situation, the company ensures that the customer's issue has been fully understood and addressed. This step confirms that the solution provided is satisfactory, preventing future misunderstandings or complaints.

What is the significance of following up with customers after their purchase or service interaction?

Following up demonstrates that the company values the customer's experience and is interested in their satisfaction. It can lead to repeat business, referrals, and positive reviews, which are essential for business growth.

How can a drip campaign via email help in maintaining customer relationships?

A drip campaign keeps the company in the customer's mind by regularly sending valuable content like coupons, discounts, and company news. This can encourage repeat purchases and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

What are some ways to handle a customer who is very angry or dissatisfied?

Handling an angry or dissatisfied customer involves listening to their concerns, empathizing with their situation, and working to find a solution that addresses their needs. Sometimes, offering a refund or compensation might be the best course of action.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Understanding Customer Service Essentials

David Brownlee, the president of David Brownlee Associates and founder of SmallBusinessTrainingProgram.com, introduces the video's focus on the importance of customer service and its impact on business. He emphasizes the growing significance of customer service due to platforms like Yelp and Google Reviews, where negative reviews can severely damage a business. The video aims to highlight seven essential elements of excellent customer service that can lead to loyal customers, repeat business, and business growth. The first essential is understanding the three things customers want: to be heard, understood, and cared for. It's crucial for businesses to listen to their customers, especially when they have complaints, and to show genuine concern for their issues.

05:02

😄 The SEC Approach to Customer Interaction

The second essential element of customer service is the SEC approach, which stands for Smile, Eye Contact, and Comment. This approach is crucial for creating a positive first impression and setting the tone for the interaction. Smiling is contagious and can immediately improve the customer's mood. Eye contact shows that the service representative is engaged and ready to help, while a friendly comment can break the ice and make the customer feel valued. The video provides practical advice on how to apply these techniques effectively, including the importance of being sincere and respectful, especially when giving compliments.

10:03

🔍 Listening, Empathizing, and Solving Customer Issues

The video continues by discussing the importance of listening to customers and empathizing with their issues. Customers want to feel heard and understood, and by actively listening and confirming their concerns, businesses can address the right issues and potentially defuse angry customers. The fourth essential is creating solutions for customer issues, which may require creativity and consultation of company policies and customer history. The video suggests that sometimes, the best solution might be a full refund, especially if it's a rare occurrence. The fifth essential is clarifying the situation with the client to ensure they are satisfied with the proposed remedy. The sixth essential is following up with customers to ensure they had a positive experience, which can lead to referrals and repeat business. The video concludes by summarizing the seven essentials and encourages viewers to implement these practices to enhance customer loyalty and business growth.

Keywords

💡Customer Service

Customer service refers to the interactions between a company and its customers, aiming to assist, inform, and resolve any issues customers may have. In the video, it is emphasized as a critical aspect of business that can significantly impact customer satisfaction and loyalty. The speaker discusses the importance of excellent customer service in building a positive brand reputation and retaining customers.

💡Client Expectations

Client expectations are the anticipated levels of quality, responsiveness, and attention that customers have when they engage with a business. The video underscores the importance of exceeding these expectations through excellent customer service, which can lead to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

💡Loyalty

Loyalty in the context of the video refers to the faithfulness and commitment of customers to a particular brand or business. It is mentioned as a direct outcome of providing exceptional customer service, which can lead to repeat business and referrals.

💡Reviews

Reviews are evaluations or critiques left by customers about their experiences with a product or service. The video highlights the impact of online reviews on a company's reputation, stating that good reviews can attract new customers, while bad reviews can deter them.

💡Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. In customer service, as discussed in the video, it is crucial for staff to empathize with customers to build trust and rapport, which can lead to more satisfactory resolutions to issues.

💡SEC

SEC is an acronym introduced in the video standing for Smile, Eye Contact, and Comment. It represents a simple yet powerful approach to customer interaction that can set a positive tone for the relationship between the customer and the business.

💡Drip Campaign

A drip campaign is a marketing strategy that involves sending a series of timed, targeted messages to customers with the goal of nurturing a relationship and encouraging repeat business. The video suggests using drip campaigns to keep in touch with customers and offer them value-added content or promotions.

💡Clarification

Clarification in the video refers to the process of ensuring that customers fully understand the solutions or remedies provided to address their issues. It is important for maintaining customer satisfaction and preventing further misunderstandings or complaints.

💡Follow-up

Follow-up is the act of contacting customers after a transaction or service has been completed to gather feedback or to maintain the relationship. The video stresses the importance of follow-up as a means to reinforce customer service quality and to encourage repeat business.

💡Miscommunication

Miscommunication occurs when the intended message is not correctly understood by the recipient. The video points out that in customer service, it is vital to avoid miscommunication by actively listening and confirming the customer's concerns to ensure the correct issue is being addressed.

💡Referrals

Referrals are new business leads or customers that come as a result of recommendations from existing customers. The video mentions that excellent customer service can lead to satisfied customers who are more likely to refer others to the business, expanding its customer base.

Highlights

Customer service is crucial for businesses, especially with platforms like Yelp and Google Reviews where customer feedback is highly visible.

Excellent customer service can lead to loyal customers, repeat business, and business growth.

Customers want to be heard, understood, and cared for in their interactions with customer service.

Allowing customers to express their concerns is often enough to resolve their issues.

Understanding and confirming customers' concerns is essential to avoid miscommunication.

Showing effort to solve customers' problems, even if not all requests can be accommodated, is appreciated.

The acronym SEC (Smile, Eye Contact, Comment) is crucial for positive customer interactions.

Smiling is contagious and sets the tone for customer interactions.

Eye contact shows engagement and readiness to help customers.

Making friendly comments can help establish rapport with customers.

Active listening is key to understanding and addressing customer concerns.

Empathy helps in managing customer dissatisfaction and finding acceptable solutions.

Creating solutions for customer issues may require creativity and consulting company policies.

Clarifying the resolution with customers ensures they are satisfied with the outcome.

Following up with customers helps maintain positive relationships and encourages repeat business.

Drip campaigns via email can keep customers engaged and informed about company news and offers.

Recapping the seven essentials of excellent customer service helps businesses improve customer loyalty and get more referrals.

Transcripts

hi thanks for joining us today we're

answering the question what is customer

service and why is it important the

seven essentials to excellent customer

service i'm david brownlee president of

david brownlane associates and founder

of smallbusinesstrainingprogram.com

and the seven secrets to a million

dollar business if you're a business

owner or entrepreneur you know how

frustrating it can be when clients are

not happy with your product or service

whether or not it's you or your

company's fault especially with websites

like yelp and angie's list google

reviews customer service is more

important than ever to get right

it can literally crush your business if

you screw it up within minutes hundreds

thousands or even millions of

prospective customers can see your

company's bad reviews that's heavy

on the flip side they can also see your

good reviews which is what we'll focus

on today providing excellent customer

service that will exceed client

expectations give you loyal customers

with repeat business and eventually

increase your revenues and grow your

business in this video we're going to

highlight seven essential elements to

excellent customer service that will

build that loyalty and repeat customers

for you and your brand

you can do this by putting these

essentials to work in your business

today

so let's get started number one

be aware of the three things every

customer wants when it comes to your

customer service your customers

psychology plays a key role in how they

perceive your company's customer service

first your customers want to be heard

they want to be heard all the time but

especially when they have a problem with

your product or service when they

express their concerns or desires make

sure you you and your employees

understand this for example

if you have a customer that's just

heated and steaming mad

just let them then

a lot of times that's all the clan needs

they'll get it out of their system and

they'll love you again just for

listening to them it's amazing second

your customers want to be understood

make sure that you or your staff ask

questions and repeat and confirm your

customers concerns or needs your company

needs to fully understand your customers

situation a lot of times

miscommunication takes place and your

staff is working to solve a problem that

is totally off the mark and not

addressing the issues your client

actually has so you can see this is

extremely important

number three your client wants to be

cared for they need to feel important

you and your staff need to show concern

for them and show an effort to solve

their problem and accommodate their

requests regardless if they can

accommodate them or not depending on

your company's policies they want to see

the effort being made a lot of times you

won't be able to accommodate their

requests but the customer appreciates

the effort

moving on to number two of the seven

essentials write this down

s

e c

sec

this is an acronym i came up with

because it only takes a sec to do

but it's so important in your customer

interaction that it can make or break

your sale and determine whether or not

your customers will even come back you

have to remember it s e c

sec it stands for smile

eye contact and comment make sure you

write this down smile

eye contact and comment

smiles are contagious when you're

greeted by a smiling representative of a

company that appears happy and glad to

see you and you know it's your ins

instinct to smile back

you're ready for your interaction with

this company i mean even if you've had a

crappy day and if the rep does it right

you will smile back you may realize oh

i'm grumpy and consciously wipe that

grin off your face but your instinct is

to smile back

and even when you're angry you know we

expect subconsciously to be greeted by

customer service reps sales people

servers and restaurants with a smile

service with a smile we expect it

although it's harder and harder to find

that in companies right for example i

fly a lot and with everything that's

been going on with the airlines these

days with budget cuts flight delays

increased security et cetera those folks

that work for the airlines from the

front desk to the flight attendants

aren't always the nicest people to deal

with you know i get that they're

underpaid and lack of job security etc

but

simple smile and greeting would make all

the difference in the world right

even if they say the right thing you

know welcome to delta we know you have a

lot of choices when you fly we're glad

you picked us where are you flying to

today you know they're the right words

but with no smile it doesn't make you

exactly feel warm and fuzzy inside does

it

okay you get my point but this is huge

next make sure you or your reps make eye

contact with the customer

eye contact shows that you're ready to

engage them and ready to help them in

some way it shows you care about what

they're about to tell you and you're

listening to them

make sure you use eye contact in

combination with the smile you know

because you don't want to freak anybody

out you know just staring at them

then you want to make a friendly comment

to them it could be about the weather or

lighthearted current events you know you

can even compliment the client on either

their clothing or some jewelry that you

like etc but you know be sincere and

fellas be careful with your compliments

to women keep it classy and not creepy

that's important

the third element to excellent customer

service is to listen to the customer

remember your clients want to be heard

and understood the only way to do that

is to really listen to what they're

saying acknowledge what they said and

repeat it back to them so you're sure

that you're addressing the right issue

many times angry customers will stop

pursuing further action on your part

after they know they've been heard and

that you care about them and their needs

it sounds too good to be true but it is

they sometimes actually feel guilty for

causing you grief and will apologize to

you at this point when that happens you

know you're doing this right

fourth

the fourth thing is to empathize with

your customers that they're you know

when they're having issues

really listen to what they're telling

you and then confirm you understand what

the issue is tell them i understand how

you feel i understand where you're

coming from whether they're right or

wrong this will usually allow them to

let down their guard a bit and calm down

if they're really angry or dissatisfied

even if you ultimately cannot deliver

the exact outcome they're looking for by

empathizing with them and their problem

they're more likely to accept a more

reasonable solution and that's best for

everybody involved

fifth

create solutions for your clients issues

and complaints consult your company

policies invoices take a look at the

customer's history whatever you need to

do to come up with a solution form a lot

of times you have to get creative and do

things that you may not have thought of

before if a client is so dissatisfied

with your company's product or service

that the only remedy is to give a full

refund it will most likely be in your

best interest just to do it i'm not

saying you want to lose money on a

regular basis but hopefully this

occurrence is what is rare right and if

it's not you need to make some serious

changes in your organization you may

need to hire a customer service training

company to come into your organization

and turn it around in fact a lot of

companies turn to us david brownlee and

associates for customer service training

when they don't have an adequate

customer service training program in

place

now when you hire us we will come in

we'll assess your situation and custom

tailor a solution for your business this

is extremely important

sixth clarify the situation with the

client you need to make sure that the

customer is a hundred percent satisfied

once their issue has been resolved

review the remedy with them then again

gain agreement that the remedy is

sufficient you don't want to provide a

solution for a client bending over

backwards you know from them thinking

they're happy and then find out later

through yelp or better business bureau

that the client actually was not

satisfied with your solution

so clarifying the remedy for your client

situation will save you a lot of grief

and finally seven

follow up with all your customers you

want to make sure each of your customers

had a great experience with your company

your brand's reputation depends on it

and can affect future business so even

though more companies are starting to

follow up with clients after the sale

still most companies do not

it doesn't matter what industry you're

in they're missing out on referral

business repeat customers and positive

reviews you can follow up with a simple

phone call asking them one or two

questions about their experience

that alone will send your customers

through the roof with excitement i mean

they'll they'll realize hey this company

actually cares about me

one of the three crucial psychological

elements is that your customers need to

feel cared for you know like we talked

about earlier or you can send an email

to them thanking them for their business

it's easy to put a survey in there too

but if they were dissatisfied with your

company it may be too late to save the

relationship so if you do a survey

follow up with any clients that were

dissatisfied immediately it's less

personal than a phone call but if you've

got a lot of customers and you know that

it may make better sense for you to

follow up with emails but i always

suggest following up with clients with

what's called a drip campaign via email

after the sale anyway a drip campaign is

an email they receive from you offering

coupons discounts invites to special

events and company news so you want to

say you want to stay in the minds of

your past clients for example your drip

campaign emails can go out once a week

they can go out once a month or even

once a quarter offer them something of

value or interest and if you provided

them with excellent customer service

they'll buy from you again and then

they'll tell their friends and their

family and their co-workers to buy from

you too you can set up drip campaigns

very easily now with bulk email

providers like constant contact eye

contact mailchimp and others they work

pretty much the same way

explore which companies you like best

for more great strategies on marketing

watch my video for essentials on how to

market a company

so let's recap what customer service is

and the seven essentials to providing

excellent customer service

this will increase your customer loyalty

and get you more repeat business and

referrals

one be aware of the three things every

customer wants to be heard to be

understood and to be cared for

two

memorize the acronym sec

s-e-c

which stands for smile eye contact and

comment if you take away one thing from

this training video this is it very

important and three

listen to your customers your clients

want to be heard and understood

four

empathize with your customers confirm

that you understand what they're feeling

five create solutions for your clients

issues and complaints

six

clarify the situation with the client

make sure your client is a hundred

percent satisfied with your remedy to

their problems that they had with your

company

and seven

follow up with all your customers with

phone calls emails surveys or drip

campaigns i truly hope you got great

value out of this video and learned

something today to help you gain

customer loyalty referrals and great

online reviews please leave a comment

below and i will personally be answering

any questions you may have for more

information on how to achieve customer

service excellence and grow your

business visit www dot small business

smallbusinesstrainingprogram.com

for personal coaching or customer

service training for your organization

visit www.davidbrownly.com

thanks again for joining us i'm david

brownlee and we'll see you next time