Create Your Own Buzz

The 1982 book, In Search of Excellence, by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman kicked off a focus on customer service. Before that, companies assumed it occurred and so management gave it little attention. But with this book, Peters and Waterman spurred businesses to think about customer service as much as they did production quotas or financial strategy.

Parts of customer service have evolved into CRM — customer relationship management — with technology taking over roles traditionally handled by front-line people. It's not unusual to be greeted by a voice-response "tree" when calling any size company. If this is the case for your business, how welcome do you think customers feel after having to push 6 or 7 for customer service? Is it a reflection of its importance within your culture?

Creating a Buzz

In his book, The Buzz: 50 Little Things That Make a Big Difference to Customer Service, David Freemantle says organizations that provide world-class service "buzz." They are full of people who want to make a difference and seize every opportunity to do so.

In contrast, "function" customer service is when people follow procedures and that's that. There's no imagination and no initiative. Service is minimal in every sense and indifference reigns. Employees just want to get through the day.

Freemantle talks about the psychology of buzz, believing that the small things we do reflect what we believe. When interacting with customers, it's the little niceties that best serve customers. He points out five things we can do to generate buzz for our business:

1. Create the drive for buzz:  Is the prime driver for your company to deliver world-class customer service? If the answer is no, talk to your team about why it isn't. What can you do to change this?
2. Prepare for the buzz every day:  You can only make a big difference for customers if you're prepared. Spend 30 seconds each morning thinking about the positive experiences you'll provide throughout the day.
3. Keep conscious:  If you're unaware of what's going on around you, you will miss opportunities to serve customers. But if you're fully conscious of customer needs, particularly front-line employees, you are primed for effectiveness.
4. Take risks with customers: Ever heard the phase, nothing chanced, nothing gained? The same goes for customer service. Not being willing to take a risk results in mediocrity. Starting today, commit to stepping outside your usual routine to help a customer — shake hands and smile or open up 10 minutes early.
5. Apply common sense:  It's common sense to find time for customers and respond to their requirements — yet frequently it doesn't happen. When you are unsure of something you're doing, stop and ask yourself, "Is this common sense?"

In a world that uses technology more and more, don't short change your customers. Companies that truly understand customer service have a positive energy that radiates between customers, employees and managers. Yes, they focus on profit too, but their employees clearly understand the critical nature of the "softer" side of business.

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