Customer Service Made Simple

On Saturday I was delivering some Customer Service training to the parking, gates and security staff for the 150th Indiana State Fair. Whenever I work with groups on this important topic, I try to find ways to help them see that it is the Customer who writes their paycheck.

In both sessions, after thinking I had already made this point clearly, I tried again, by asking this question:

How would you treat each Customer if you knew that their full $6 ticket price was going into your pocket?

In the morning session, I heard, "I'd say thank you. Thank you VERY much. And please come again."

In the afternoon session, I heard, "I'd treat them like gold."

There it is. Most everything we need to know about Customer Service emanates from those two answers: thank them and value their business, and treat them like gold.

It is easy to treat "nice" and "pleasant" Customers this way. It is our job when serving Customers to treat them ALL that way (even when they are mean, grumpty and irrational). We may not get their full $6 ticket fee, but without them we don't get any check at all.

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