The Case of Missing Customer - 42.03.HumanizeIt

7/30/2019 The Case of Missing Customer - 42.03.HumanizeIt

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Humanize ItBig -s skl y sm iis

w y bsiss fis.

By L Igilli & Mi Slm

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The best thing you can do or your business

is not about new technology, brute orce,or frst-mover advantage. Its nothing like that.

Its something simpler.

Its something more dependable.

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Humanize each customer interaction in order toturn your product or service into much morethan a commodity.

In your customers mind, commodities areinterchangeable and replaceable.

Humanized relationships are not.

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You hate aceLeSS, dISreSpectuL reLatIonShIpS.

So do Your cuStoMerS.

Bsiss li bms b m blw y k im l b

y sms slly, s siml sysms lg kwlg i enduring

business relationships.

Wh is this essential?

ulss y iq lgy smll my m glb ig y s, y

bsiss ml isgig b kk , s l i is l-

ig g. tis mks mmiizi primary bsiss i ys my.

More wh:

t s wi wi imi ss I y ls im

sm i bli lis l mi gl mi.

tm m S ais w i g l ms 2 aM. ty m

i mli l s bi (b ms) pwpi si s is

l is li, w s i lg l i is, i

s. Wii wks l bli lis s is s.

oli s m Zs i sil l wm w l l i

siig s i immi m ms ; g w s

qikly g blgs.

Systematically use relationship moments with your customers to build your brand and your

bankbook...not imperil them.

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oK, but how?

Humanizing isnt rocket surger. Lets get started.

My iils w gig ly w s l i 1980s sm

sm si t riz-cl. ty si b s, g , by Ls

g bs. ty siml y sli, yll wk y, .

(Y sy y i glm isy? Mi is, i.

a mizig is w Mi sm smll mig my ll osis i

lw-mgi isy i w slly bl is. t smi

is my S Gi pl cw gii i Successmgzi, limly, sm sis il. t smi bs ll smsy

s m . )

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prIncIpLe 1. BuILd SIMpLe huManIZInG SYSteMS.

t s bilig sm si sysms t riz-cl, s ws gi s wi w gs s s. t gl ws ii s s

every time gs i riz, anywhere in the world.

W ki s? ayig, lly. o gs ws ly mbl wi yllgi

illws 10 bs isss i m. a, w ws yig s ikig, w

mii-b mi i is il qs s ily wl w each

sbsq isi wi wkw mi!

In ever industr, the customer inormation ou should capture will be

a little dierent.

a osis, Mi (w wks wi i msi-isy ys) ssslly slizs

w is wis mmiy bsiss by sig sw ly s,

b ls what makes the customer unique: w ism g ( sb-sb-sb g)

msi sm lys, w big ms ss ly wi, w isy ws mk

s .

Keep it simple, dont track too much stu, and have it right at the fngertips

o our rontline sta.

tis is il, b mli. Simliiy is w mks mizig sysm ssibl.

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rglss y isy, is iil mizig sysm y gig

k: changes in the level o our customers happiness over the length

o her interaction with ou.

hw y k is will l im lys i y bsissw lg y

si ks li, andw lg il sm (lly) s.

One o the simplest customer happiness tracking systems is used at Patrick OConnells acclaimed

Inn at Little Washington. Each server discreetly* notes the level o guest happiness at the

beginning o a meal, rom 1 to 10. The goal o all who work there is to then bring the mood o

the guests up to at least a 9 beore they hit the limo or the ride home.

*So discreetly, in act, that weve never noticed them slyly assessing us or logging their conclusions,

no matter how oten we sit down or research at Patricks delicious acility. But he does ess up to his method

in Harvard Business Review, March 2006 i you want all the details.

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prIncIpLe 2. to aSSISt an upSet cuStoMer,

tranSorM YourSeL Into LeonardoS ItaLIan MaMa:

Oh my darling, look at what happened. Oh you skinned your knee on that walkway,

my little bambino; do let me kiss your ouchie.* Lets watch a little TV.

Oh, and heres some ice cream or you while I disinect that awul wound!

The reaction to complaints in conventional companies is nothing like that.

Its:

Lets sort out the acts o the situation. What was the angle o the cement sidewalk at time

o impact, and were you wearing proper protective clothing per the users manual at the time

your knee impacted the walkway?

And:

Were you exceeding the sidewalk speed limit?

*THIS JUST IN FROM HR: DO NOTREPEAT, DO NOTOFFER TO KISS ANY CUSTOMER KNEES!

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Here is the a-b-c method o Instant Customer Pacifcation*:

) pls gi m.

b) L m ss y isss.

) t, i i 20 mis llw i 20 mis ll w y gss is.

ci: S ) will g sbsil mb bs wis i ms gizis.

t, is il sss llwig w y i y l: i y y lgiz,

y kw i s m y blmig y w s. Youre taking the customers side

because the customer is the customer! Period. Customers pay our bills. W lg b i l;

w w ig wil w wi m!

*We do realize that Just t reat them like youre Leonardos Mama! may not be a p roessional-sounding phrase you

can toss around at meetings at your organization. So, perhaps Instant Customer Pacication, which is a classic

a-b-c ormulation rom legendary hotelie r Horst Schulze, will better t your organizations ormality requirements.

Just gure out a way to get yo ur people to use the se techniques, whatever you call the m. Youll make Mama proud.

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hw sl y ms sm si il?

I s. a s ws ms imy l lig sm mlis b gi ms isi. B, sm gilis is.

Customers understand that things can and will go wrong. W y s,

, , kly, y isig ss. py i. Lis. t js sy y

sy (sily) blm!

Dont panic: t sis w 100% lsi: sms w iss

ws sl ily bm m lyl s w i bl- si!

Wy? Bs il blm s, sm s g s s s si.

Dont be arrogant enough to be sure ou alread know what a customer wants asa solution, or what a customer should want. ask. a s i y i. a yig

l, y b i. rmmb: Ili Mm wl y iy i bmbi

siwlk s limi b mig im.

Learn rom customer issues, but dont use them as a chance to discipline or train

our sta in ront o our customer, or with our customers assistance. (Ss bis,

b i s m y ik.)

Dont imagine oure doing something special or a customer b restoring things to

the original what-should-have-happened-in-the-frst-place. Ws l i ?tim b gi bkis g. t g i ig s im? Is g. .

S, ils sii bk w igs sl b (i s sill w

sm ws), gi sm lil smig . rmmb: Ls

Ili m bgs is k gis im i m.

Remember the lietime value o a customer. t mlily i by il i l

sii (i y bm sz s w y g sli) gi (i y

pwpi y skwiss)b y i g ig siig bill.

t, .

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prIncIpLe 3. doInG BuSIneSS on the Internet,

noBodY KnoWS Youre a huMan BeInG.

So, Go out o Your WaY to prove It.

Examples:

I ou send anthing mass-electronic (email, etc.), build in a true and immediate wa

or customers to reach a real person. I y m 80,000 l w g

m Mi mil y m s, y sig i. W y g? t realMi.

(I y qsi is b sw by sm Mi, Mi my sk l Bb

s, l J. rglss, i y si s sm ss,by, Mi slly mks s y gig g i.) cm is wi w y g wi,

wll, ls s y y m b -s-illy li ms .

I ou put live online chat on our website, make sure its clear oure not stafng

it with plastic people. e i y s y sl, iiil i g

y li wbsi , l sig si will sill ws y si lss

y provide your rst and last names. owis, m w y mis is, i

s kys hi, is is J, w my I l y? y s will i J s

sig ss sm s s m gi. Is y Js l;is l ll Js b . B is sily mi by llig w s is: J

cg-Kzbg.

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prIncIpLe 4. thInK SpecIIcaLLY aBout

the LanGuaGe You uSe WIth Your cuStoMerS

Your Word choIce IS crucIaL.

This is absolutel crucial. Dont let this choice happen b accident.

Words have immense power. This is why The Ritz-Carlton created its own distinctive vocabulary

that has now inltrated much o the hospitality industry. (Y kw ms, s s My Pleasure

Certainly.)*

W y wkig wi w mlys, is k l b i m wi g

li m sm ss swig qi ily. e yms il s mmbs b m specic examples w g b w

is . Sll ly wi ws y bs s s i siis y

ly.

ts will y by isy, lil, li. is, No worries my s

mig m lk Bs s i pl, but it would grate on your ears like a fat violin

i you heard it rom the concierge at the Four Seasons just o Park Ave . (Y w.) Iiy

milgy bs ss y b sii iiy s i sisly.

*Over time, its been a treat to watch (hear) the original Ritz phrasebook spread to unaliated hotel brands around

the English-speaking world. This has happened through emulation, o course, but also via Ritz alumni who bring with

them a now-natural second language o service when they move to a position at a new company.

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Here are some good/bad language choices Micahs business uses

as examples in training:

Good: Our records show a balance o

Not good: You owe

Good: We nd it usually works best when...

Bad: You need to*

Better: May I place you on a brie hold?

Worser: Please hold.

*(I you we re a custome r, youd think, I dont need to do jack, buddy!)

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Some o the most destructive language the average business uses is in the wa it

screens calls. t is s wy ls il sm bsiss lly mk

im ik s ss sm s is wiss b yll s g li.

Our advice about screening our calls: dont do it. Dont!

Y my ik w mi, w s i is ssibl

y bsiss, b i wks ms.

I y bslly musts y lls (myb y J Bzs wl w gi y

mms , myb y adhd m ii m will gl

y), y lls s i wy ls lls knowy big s.

Good Screen: You bet. Can I get your name so I can let Mr. Bezos know who is calling?

Bad Screen: And what is your name? And what is the nature and purpose o your call?

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prIncIpLe 5. reMeMBer, What peopLe crave

IS WhatS oten the Lea St expenSIve to GIve theM:

attentIon.

Ws ms si gi sms - js gs y i wi

m. oly m i , l sw , y sms is gig by i lyly i .

(I youre making parts or airplanes, please, PLEASE ignore this paragraph. We like a deect-ree

fight. A lot. Concentrate on that, nix giving us attention.)

I my, my isis lg sigi g mk il mii i-

w y sllig is attention. tis is w smll bsiss lbb bigg

, w s g bs, wll, y paying attention.

Mis bsiss is js sllig il is mig. Is sllig l i. t w,

l-ly cll hls bsiss is ig gl f ls by ig. Is bsiss,

mg igs, is i. Ls bsiss is sllig si. Is bsiss is, mg

igs, i.

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Who should do customer service?

Y kw is is ik qsi. t sw is everyone.

n, w s. W m y i y m gis y s

y . (That, by the way, was a cheap shot and we didnt mean it.)

W s everyone s s y, i biliis, i

ibiliy y i wi sms.

We think about customer service in terms o onl three levels.

Level 1: B si. (No!)

Level 2: cmli si. (Uh huh.)

Level 3: eil si. (aiiig sm wiss)

all l w wk i y gizi ls ll l w sl wk i y

gizi g ll 3. B ly i y desire mk ii

sm wiss.

This happens when ou hire the right people, train them properl, and ollow up dail.

(Sy. Y g . Is w i.)

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prIncIpLe 6. underStand that SucceSS IS not pLeaSInG

everYBodY, aLL the tIMeItS trYInG to.

t smll g sms23%w, i y ls m mlly, will

mk y ls y. Hand them a hundred dollar bill when the walk in the door

and thell sa, Um, could ou make that two fties?

Nonetheless:Your primary objective must be 100% customer retention!tis is ly gl

y y y s. t ly i mb sms, ls

sm is ilbl.

Onl ou (upper management) ma fre customers, or oull fnd it done will-nill

(explicitl or through attitude).

ti y s yig i i w ls sm 100%, s

y y wi wm y mlis is gl. Y, y l, y

bsiss lisi wi s w sms iyou choose s. Do it quietl, using

our own thoughtul discretion, and with kindness.

The picture o customer service we want you to get out o your headsand out o your businessis the old one:

Customer service as an isolated clerk on the unurnished sixth foor o an ancient department store where, i you were a

toddler o Micahs vintage and background, your Bubbie schlepped you with her when she had to return a brassiere.

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TWO FALSE FIRING ALARMS:

Is sy ik sm is js lkig bl i, sigi il y ,

ss iig m m iil isss. B m y wk i si, m

y liz w is ilig sms . W ll i blm l s

wy i s: t s im y my lls w jb, y lis i

gs s ssiiz ssibiliy isss.

eyby s b mm. (W gssig y , .) Sm l m gis,

glly, s sms y i i iili lis sm m bsq. ei wy,

y my b mm i i sm l. I sm gs isily gy

smig y, i is qi likly y y will l bly b w y

is likly yll i lil m. B ki.

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prIncIpLe 7. Your cuStoMer reLatIonShIp SYSteMS WILL

aLL apart WIthout contInuaL upKeep and IMproveMent.

The need to be reinorced. Tested. Checked. A lot. Ask us how.

cglis. Y wll y wy mizig y sm lis. a s sm

m g ws: wi wl mig bkk s, y mis gig

wi y w kwlg b bilig lsig sm lisis.

Wy? Bs y bsy. Bsy sig i my sig w sms l l.

Bsy immig m i iig s y s lss--lyl sm bs. Ms

ll, bs yll bli w m i lyl sm mk bsiss,

silly i ys liy, ligig-s mkl. W s mis i y

iw mi. And dont worry: they wont be closer than they appear.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Leonardo is Mgig p Ws ps cslig t Ws ps hl G, wi

is lm by lgy li hs Slz kw is ly l l-ly l bcll hls & rss. pi is, Igilli wk wi Slz lig t riz-cl Blgi

l bs sysms. h will b ls m y [email protected].

Micah is psi osis dis Mig, my bs wi i sigl

m i is bsm. I is w bs i il mil isy. his ulim csm

Si Blg wbsi ://www.mislm.m. r im : [email protected].

SEND THIS

pss lg y is mis s.

SUBSCRIBE

Sig -wsl l b ls miss s s s y ilbl.

BORN ON DATE

tis m ws Jy 16, 2008 is bs bs imi ilbl im.

ck s.

info

ABOUT CHANGETHIS

cgtis is il, blis.

W mk i sy big is s.

Wil s w wk wi

ssibl i w wk, y

ssily g wi y ig

ilbl i cgtis m. B y

kw ly.

cgtis is s by l

800-ceo-read. visi s

800-ceo-read ily blg.

COPyRIGHT INFO

t yig is wk blgs

, w is slly ssibl

.

tis wk is lis ci

cmms aibi-ncmmil-

ndis Lis. t iw y is

lis, isi ci cmms s

l ci cmms, 559 n

abb Wy, S, clii 94305, uSa.

c img m iSk

WHAT yOU CAN DO

Y gi limi ig

i is mis isib i

lilly (i mil, y wbsi,

y ms). Y i

gs m i y i

ss wiws y s

wiig m. Y sib

s ws siwlk, y

is y y

m. Y my l is mis

i y wy, g, y my

g i.

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The Case of Missing Customer - 42.03.HumanizeIt

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