Seven Steps to Remarkable Customer Service TIANRAN HAO

Seven Steps to Remarkable Customer Service TIANRAN HAO (C HRI S)

Content • 1. Fix everything two ways • 2. Suggest blowing out the dust • 3. Make customers into fans • 4. Take the blame • 5. Memorize awkward phrases • 6. Practice puppetry • 7. Greed will get you nowhere • 8. (Bonus!) Give customer service people a career path

1. Fix everything two ways • There are two ways to solve the problems – • The superficial and immediate solution • The solution which can prevent this particular problem from ever happening again • Can’t outsource tech support • Because support people must know the development • Teach support people how to solve the problems rather than only offer the solutions

2. Suggest blowing out the dust • Customers are always confident • Hard to ask them to check something • The art of speaking • Ask them indirectly • Such as telling them to check the settings

3. Make customers into fans • Every company wants fanatically devoted customers • Perfect software is not “perfect” • You may lose opportunities to interact with customers • And you may lose opportunities to own the fanatically devoted customers • Sometimes you need to remain some mistakes on purpose

4. Take the blame • People are willing to accept others’ faults • WHEN others admit their faults • Say “It’s my fault”

5. Memorize awkward phrases • If you want to make your mad customers happier • Calm down and admit your faults • Say “It’s my fault” or some other apt sentences • Admit your faults will not get you sued • On the contrary, it will avoid getting sued

6. Practice puppetry • You will never win an argument with your customer • Because you cannot win the argument both in economic aspect and emotion aspect • Lose money or compromise to your customers • In order to avoid feeling bad after compromising, you need to believe that • Customers are angry at your business • Not you • Pretend to be a puppeteer and get to play a role with your customers • Figure out what to make the puppet do that will make customers happy

7. Greed will get you nowhere • Customers will not be angry when they have nothing to fear • Especially when their money is back • Refund customers’ money without hesitation when they are not satisfied with your software • From Fog Creek’s data, return software has cost them 2% • And chargeback rate is 0% • Do not be penny wise and pound foolish

(Bonus!) Give customer service people a career path • You need very highly qualified people talking to customers • But many qualified people are bored with this job • So, train your people • Returning is much higher than spending

Questions

References • http: //www. joelonsoftware. com/articles/customerservice. html