Who’s Your Gladys?: How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer into Your Biggest Fan - Rilegato

Suttle, Marilyn; Vest, Lori Jo

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0814414397 ISBN 13: 9780814414392

Casa editrice: Amacom, 2009

Riassunto

Every customer oriented business has its own Gladys; someone who demands more than most companies are able or willing to give, one who pushes front line service representatives’ buttons, one who requires a higher degree of skill to manage. One who let’s just say it can be difficult. Yet how is it that some businesses prove able not only to satisfy their “Gladys”, but turn her into one of their most loyal, utterly pleased customers?

Filled with inspiring real-life case studies, Who’s Your Gladys? reveals how large and small companies from a variety of industries avoid creating difficult customers in the first place.

Su questo libro

L'autore

Maarilyn Suttle is the founder of Suttle Enterprises LLC, through which she has taught thousands of people across the country how to have happier, more productive rela tion ships with customers.

Lori Jo Vest has been involved in relationship based sales and customer service for over 20 years, most recently with television production studio Communicore Visual Communications.

Contenuti

Contents

Foreword ix

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Professional Movers: Who’s Your Gladys? 5

Honoring Your Customers’ Preferences Pays Off 7

Paying Close Attention to Customers’ Needs Makes a Difference 8

Chapter 2 The Canfield Companies: Where’s My Refrigerator? 17

Customers Respond to Compassion and Calm 19

Empathy Calms a Concerned Customer 21

A Spoonful of Kindness Helps When Giving Tough Love 23

Chapter 3 Paul Reed Smith Guitars: Starting from Scratch 33

Customers Aren’t Problems, They’re People 34

Partner with the Customer to Find the Best Solution 36

Passion Fuels Enthusiasm with Employees and Customers 37

Passion Creates Product Quality 39

Everything You Do Affects Your Company’s Brand 41

Fearless Problem Solving Fuels Customer Passion 41

Think of Yourself as a Customer Service Champion 42

Chapter 4 Singapore Airlines: The Tea Service Tells the Story 51

Anticipate the Customers’ Preferences 53

Cater to the Customer’s Need for Control 54

The Customers’ Emotional Response Reveals Their Deepest Desires 55

Innovation Raises the Bar for a High-Quality Customer Experience 56

Understanding Customer Lifestyles Makes It Easier to Serve Them 58

Strive to Exceed Expectations 59

Quality Service Requires Credibility 60

Recovering from Crisis Calls for Personal Commitment 61

Chapter 5 ISCO Industries: A Good Manhole Is Hard to Find 71

Personal Dedication Leads to Creative Problem Solving 73

When Is Customer Service Not Personal? 75

Attention to Detail Pays Off 77

Win-Win Relationships Build Lasting Business 78

Gain Trust with Personal Commitment 80

Every Employee Is an Entrepreneur 81

Guarding the Corporate Culture Is Essential 82

Creative Solutions Make Customers Feel Secure 86

Chapter 6 The Green Company: Who’s Going Up the Ladder? 97

Focus on the Benefits of What You Have to Offer 98

Managing Expectations Keeps Customers Calm 99

Customer Perceptions Matter More than the Truth 100

Team Meetings Keep Everyone Focused 101

Find Ways to Serve After the Purchase 102

Do the Right Thing for Difficult Customers and Difficult Situations 103

Chapter 7 Preston Wynne Spa: Massaging Egos 111

Hire the Right People to Create the Best Customer Experience 112

Employees Excel When They Know What’s Important 115

Continuous Learning Grows Customer Satisfaction 117

Giving a Consistent High-Quality Performance Takes Practice 118

Strong and Ongoing Internal Communication Creates Great Service 119

Evaluate Service from the Customer’s Point of View 121

Make Sure Customers Leave Happy 122

Chapter 8 ClearVision Optical: SurveyMonkey Around 131

Surveying Customers Yields Valuable Information for Action 132

Use Customer Opinions to Your Best Advantage 133

Personal Contact Raises Customer Service Effectiveness 134

Show Customers That Their Feedback Matters 135

Take Action on the Input and Ideas of Front-Line Employees 135

Employees Respond to Ongoing Communication and Training 136

Two-Way Communication Facilitates Positive Change 138

TLC for Employees Delivers Loyalty 139

Chapter 9 Sky Lakes Medical Center: Take, Don’t Tell 147

Evolve to Meet the Changing Needs of Your Customers 148

Create a Detailed Plan and Get Everyone on Board 149

Continuous Improvement Is Part of Everyone’s Job Description 151

Peer-to-Peer Training Has a Huge Effect on Customer Service 152

Elevate Your High-Performing Front-Line Staff 153

Every Employee Contributes to the Customer Experience 156

Make It the Status Quo to Reinforce What’s Right 157

Have Service Recovery Tools and Know How to Use Them 158

Scripts Are a Starting Point for Improving the Customer’s Experience 160

Acknowledging Excellence Brings More Excellence 161

‘‘Be Nice’’ Is a Critical Mandate 162

Chapter 10 Communicore Visual Communications: The Happy Challenge 171

Act as the Steward of the Client Relationship 172

Handle Mistakes with Care and Follow Through 173

Draw Out Better Solutions with a Creative Approach 175

Control the Quality of Service by Putting Systems Into Place 176

Take On the Challenge of Warming Up Customer Relationships 178

Know When to Say Good-Bye 179

Know When a Customer Is Not a Fit and Attract Those That Are 181

Chapter 11 A Final Review 191

Gladys Responds When You Pay Attention to Details 191

Gladys Responds to Compassion 193

Gladys Responds to Passion 194

Gladys Responds When You Go the Extra Mile 196

Gladys Responds When You Don’t Take Conflict Personally 197

Gladys Responds to a Long-Term Relationship 198

Gladys Responds to a Well-Trained Staff 199

Gladys Responds to Two-Way Communication 201

Gladys Responds to Continuous Improvement 202

Gladys Responds to Creative Problem Solving 204

The Practical Points 207

Recommended ‘‘Who’s Your Gladys?’’ Resources 211

Programs to Help You Put the 10 Principles of This Book to Immediate

Use 211

Personal and Professional Growth Tools and Techniques 212

Business Training 214

Customer Communication Tools 215

Professional and Personal Development Books 216

Index 219

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Amacom
• Data di pubblicazione: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0814414397
• ISBN 13: 9780814414392
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 240