Craft a Customer Experience that Leaves Customers Saying, “That was easy!”

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Customer Experience Design, customer experience improvement, Customer Experience questions, Easy Button, Staples Easy Button

This morning I was going through a junk drawer in my kitchen and I came across the “Easy” button from the Staples advertising campaign, “That was easy.” I remember being in Staples nearly 10 years ago and my daughter kept pressing the Easy button at the register. She was quite amused with the simple button, relating it to the commercials she had seen. So I bought the Easy button for her. Not surprisingly, the novelty quickly wore off and the Easy button has probably been stashed in our junk drawer for years.

My first meeting of the day was with a client who is trying to create the best possible customer experience for her clients. As we talked, I thought about the “Easy” button that I had come across a couple hours earlier.  I told my client that we need to step back and ask ourselves, what do we need to do differently, better, faster, smoother or more refreshingly, so that your customers hang up thinking, “that was easy!”

The idea of making the customer experience quick, painless and easy is one that I think most companies can benefit from immediately. Ask yourself (or better yet, get your team together and brainstorm with them), what do we need to do differently or better to have our customers walk away or hang-up thinking, “That was easy.” Brainstorm. Plan. Implement. Blow them away!

P.S. I decided to transfer my Easy button from my kitchen drawer to my armoire of presentation props. I envision taking the Easy button to a presentation, pressing it, and building a point for finding ways to make the customer experience truly easier. 

My Slide Deck From Today’s Presentations at Muskogee Success Expo

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Muskogee Success Expo 2013, Myra Golden, Myra Golden Keynote Slides, myra golden keynote speaker, telephone tips

Today I am returning to the annual Muskogee Success Expo for 2 exciting presentations.  This year’s expo is dedicated solely to helping small businesses in the Muskogee area deliver the best possible customer experience.  My first presentation is, “The Telephone Experience.” In this presentation, I will give business owners powerful strategies they can take back to their businesses to dramatically improve the level of service they deliver over the phone. My afternoon session is, “The Reality of Customer Service.” I was asked to challenge business owners to think about what levels of service they find acceptable and then to inspire them to raise the bar and keep pushing to raise the bar even higher. My handouts for both events are below.  Enjoy. Learn. Share.

Session 1: The Telephone Experience

Session 2: The Reality of Customer Service

Top benefits of Myra’s keynotes:  

▪   Enhanced corporate reputation in eyes of consumers as you become an organization obsessed with not letting a customer walk away (or hang up) unhappy.

▪   Bring a sense of urgency and excitement to improving your complaint response strategy.

▪   Leading-edge ideas for using social media to find and respond to gripes about your brand.

▪   Proven systems for building a customer recovery strategy that regains customer goodwill and keeps customers from defecting to the competition.

Perfect for these audiences:  

▪   Annual conferences and conventions, in-house training sessions and panels (as a moderator or panelist).

▪   Leaders, including supervisors, managers, directors, heads of consumer affairs and marketing directors who want to retain more customers, rethink complaint handling processes, shape a customer service culture, leverage social media for customer service, and maximize customer service for PR.

▪   Contact Center staff, including agents, supervisors and managers who want to improve their ability to deal with difficult customers, use social media for customer service, and improve the overall customer experience.

 

Learn more at www.MyraGolden.com 

I checked-in to my hotel room from the plane – such a great self-service option

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Great Self-Service options, Hyatt, Hyatt Customer Experience, Self-Service Customer Experience

One of the things I help my clients do is find innovative and relevant ways to improve the customer experience through self-service options. I always notice when a company delivers a great self-service option that customers find appealing. Last week during a business trip to San Francisco, I experienced a top-notch self-service option that I just have to share with you.

When I checked emails on my iPhone during my layover in Phoenix, I saw an email from Hyatt inviting me to check-in to my room via the web. All I had to do was click  “Web Check-In” and type in a few details. The web check-in page told me that I’d get an email when my room was ready. By the time I touched down in San Francisco, I had an email with my check-in confirmation and room number. Upon arrival, all I had to do was hold my smartphone up to the kiosk and scan my barcode and I was all set to go up to my room….and relax before my big keynote.

This email was such a welcome message in my inbox. I got my room number, directions to my room and easy barcode scan instructions.

The Hyatt web check-in was super convenient, quick and easy. For a busy business traveler like me, this convenience was very refreshing and welcome. Not only is this great for customers, but it makes things easier for Hyatt by minimizing lines and manpower at the front desk.

Consider one busy and potentially frustrating part of your customer experience and brainstorm ways you might introduce a relevant self-service option. Self-service options aren’t always the best solutions, but I always encourage my clients to brainstorm and explore. You never know when you’ll hit a goldmine. Think ATMS, airport kiosks, tollbooth passes….

My Slide Deck from Today’s Keynote at GMA in San Francisco

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GMA Consumer Complaints Conference, Myra Golden Customer Experience Keynote, Myra Golden Slides

Today I will take the stage at the GMA Consumer Complaints Conference in San Francisco. I created this very special keynote to help GMA member companies completely restore customer confidence and regain goodwill after the worst has happened. For the reference of my audience and for you, my blog readers, I am posting my slides from this presentation right here on my blog.  Download your copy of my handouts now.  Enjoy. Learn. Share.

Myra Golden runs Myra Golden Media, a customer experience design agency that specializes in helping brands create the best possible customer experience throughout all contact channels. Myra has designed customer experience platforms for such companies as Verizon Business, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, National Car Rental, Michelin Tires and Frito Lay. She has been named one of the Top 10 Customer Service Bloggers and she is co-author of Beyond WOW! The Service Leadership Approach to Exceptional Customer Service.

How to Genuinely Apologize Without Admitting Fault

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Apologizing to Customers, Customer Recovery, How to Apologize to Customers, Myra Golden Keynote, The Corporate Apology

I’m sitting in my home office doing a run-though of my slide deck for a very special  keynote I’m delivering at the GMA Consumer Complaints Conference in San Francisco next week and I thought I’d share with you one of the focal points of the keynote: How to Genuinely Apologize Without Admitting Fault.

I’m a big proponent of apologizing to customers after service failures occur, regardless of who is at fault.  It’s important to me that my clients apologize to their customers sincerely and that they don’t open their company up for liability with that genuine apology. At the GMA conference, my audience will learn exactly how to genuinely and safely apologize.  Here’s a little excerpt from my remarks. I hope this helps you.

Studies show that an apology thwarts lawsuits and amasses positive publicity. Not only that, but a genuine apology after a service failure actually strengthens a customer’s emotional bond to a company.

A sincere apology after a service failure is financially sound and it helps organizations restore trust and regain goodwill. But many organizations steer away from apologies for fear of litigation. They fear a heartfelt “I’m sorry” is perceived as “I take responsibility.”

There is actually a big difference between an apology and a disclosure. An apology is an expression of sympathy, regret or condolence. “I’m sorry” laws adopted in 36 states protect the medical industry from litigation. Under the “I’m sorry” law, an apology is no admission of liability. While the “I’m sorry” law protects only the medical industry, all industries can benefit from learning to safely apologize to customers and in turn, reap the financial benefits of reduced litigation costs and reductions in customer defection due to dissatisfied customers.

An apology can be genuine and safe at the same time. Here are sample expressions of a sincere and safe apology:

•  “I’m sorry that you had to make this call today.”
• “I’m sorry for any frustration you may have experienced.”
• “I’m sorry for any inconvenience this misunderstanding may have caused you.”
• “I’m sorry this happened to you.”

Keep these 3 tips in mind when stating your safe apology:

1. State only the facts of the situation. (NEVER share a haunch or your opinion as to what caused the issue.)
2. Don’t assume fault for the mishap and don’t blame others.
3. Apologize for the impact the situation had on the customer, not the issue itself. For example, “I’m sorry for any frustration this may have caused you.”

Making an apology to customers after things go wrong is positively related to satisfaction with the recovery. Offer your customers a safe heartfelt apology after a service failure and you will not only restore customer confidence and regain goodwill, but you should also realize the benefits of reduced litigation expenses and claim costs.

Related:

The Corporate Apology in 5 Easy Steps

Sorry Works!

“I’ll fix the problem, but I will not apologize for a problem that is not my fault!”

Rethink Your Self Service Experience. Here are 2 Ideas from Target to Get You Started.

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How to Self Service, Myra Golden Customer Service Keynote Speaker, Self Service Kiosks for Retail, Self-Service, Target Customer Experience

I was in Target yesterday and I noticed their nice self-service options. Need to quickly find a real person when you’re in electronics looking for a replacement charging adapter for your daughter’s Kindle Fire? No problem, just pick up the Red Phone and a red-shirted employee should be at your side in minutes. Can’t find the price for the Red Velvet Cupcake scented candle? That’s easy. Just hold the candle up to the price scanner and instantly the price appears on the screen.

Target’s self-service options have cross-generation appeal. Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y seem to use and these kiosks with satisfaction. How might you rethink your customer experience to deliver a faster, more enjoyable experience that helps customers help themselves – or get live help when they need it?

Myra Golden has spent 15 years benchmarking, interviewing and mystery shopping the best service companies in the world and in her keynotes she shares her insights to help her clients improve their own customer experiences. In her inspiring and riveting keynotes, Myra shares specific customer experience design details from the best service companies of our time: Apple, Zappos.com, Starbucks and Disney. Your audience will walk away with 4 powerful deliverables to help them create the best possible customer experience in their own companies. Explore Myra’s keynotes here.

Making Self-Service Options Appealing to Generation Y

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Apple Store, Apple Store Customer Experience, Apple Store Self-Service Easy Pay, Generation Y Self Service, Self-Service

Generation Y is highly tech driven and because they spend so much of their time communicating through text and social media, human interaction isn’t always their preferred method for getting customer service. When designing your customer experience, look for ways to meet the unique needs of generation Y by having appealing self-service options available. By appealing, I mean tech savvy options like QR codes, fast and efficient apps and pretty much any option that involves smartphones.

Apple lets customers scan products and pay right from their phones.

Apple does a great job of offering self-service options that are aimed squarely at Generation Y (and X).  If you’ve ever been in an Apple store, you know that their stores are always jam-packed. As much as I love browsing in the Apple store, there are times when I want to get in and out. Like the day I just stopped in to pick up a case for my MacBook Air. Because Apple has given careful thought to self-service options that appeal to tech-savvy shoppers like me, I was able to pull out my iPhone and scan my product right from the display. The product pulled up on my phone via the Apple store app and I was able to pay right from my phone and walk out, bypassing all of the crowds.

While in the Apple store, customers can not only purchase and pay for products right from their phones, but they can also see how may customers are ahead of them for live help or they can see how many minutes before the next Genius support appointment opens up. 

How might you rethink your customer experience to deliver a faster, more enjoyable experience that requires less human interaction? Don’t think tech-savvy self service options are limited to retail. If you are a contact center, library, bank, insurance company – any company that serves customers, I want you to think out of the box and consider how you might create an easier, faster, more enjoyable experience for your customers using QR codes, apps, smart phones or social media. Get creative.

Myra Golden has spent 15 years benchmarking, interviewing and mystery shopping the best service companies in the world and in her keynotes she shares her insights to help her clients improve their own customer experiences. In her inspiring and riveting keynotes, Myra shares specific customer experience design details from the best service companies of our time: Apple, Zappos.com, Starbucks and Disney. Your audience will walk away with 4 powerful deliverables to help them create the best possible customer experience in their own companies. Explore Myra’s keynotes here.

“Rock Your Customer Service Job” – My handouts from today’s presentation

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Becoming a Customer Service Rockstar, CSR Training, Customer Service Training, Myra Golden handouts

I just wrapped up an energizing presentation for the International Contact Center Academy. Today’s presentation was, “Becoming a Customer Service Rockstar.” I gave my participants 4 tips for rocking their jobs so they can stand out and move ahead. I’m making public my slide deck from this presentation right here. View it. Share it. Learn. Grow. Do. More. Get the slide deck now to rock your job —>  Rocking Your CSR Job

We are best known for our classroom training – and it is amazing! Our customer service training is led by the industry’s best trainers…experienced, engaging, and energetic. If you poke your head into a Myra Golden training session, you know this training is different. Participant involvement is astonishing. People are having fun and they are completely engaged. Most importantly, the participants are learning real-world strategies that will absolutely empower them to deliver exceptional customer service. Every one of our customer service training sessions is custom designed to meet our client’s objectives and every session delivers a measurable return on investment.

We also offer train-the-trainer (T3) programs to equip your corporate trainers to deliver our renowned customer experience training in your organization. Please call us at 918-398-9368 to discuss bringing our T3 program to your organization. Learn more:
Customer Service Training – Classroom

Customer Service Training – Online (LMS)

Customer Service Training – Webinars

 

How a Sanitizing Wipe from Timberline Steaks Made Me Say ‘Wow’ about my Customer Experience

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customer experience idea, improving the customer experience, Timberline Steaks

So, I sit down for a quick breakfast in the airport at a friendly joint called Timberline Steaks and the hostess hands me a sanitizing wipe with my menu. What a wonderful value-added service! Airports are filthy. Our roller bags reek with germs.  Do you ever think about how many people have sat in seat 14C before you? Giving customers sanitizer in an airport restaurant is a warm gesture. It says, “We know you’re in a high-traffic area filled with germs and that you probably didn’t have a chance to wash before joining us.“ It says they care enough to be proactive, to go the extra mile.

What little thing might you add to your service experience to show customers you can be proactive and that you care? Think about that. Come up with at least one value-add and then do it. It doesn’t have to be something tangible. It can be as simple as committing to greet customers within 10feet or 10 seconds of them entering your store. Perhaps it ‘s taking a few seconds to make small talk with a customer over the phone. Get creative.

In Rehearsal for my “Apple Experience” webinar that broadcasts 4/24 @1pm ET. Are you enrolled yet?

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Apple 5 Steps of Service, Apple Customer Experience, Apple webinar, Contact Center Webinar, Myra Golden

Putting the finishing touches on my “Apple Experience” webinar that will broadcast 4/24 at 1pm ET. Are you enrolled yet? http://wp.me/Pv6Ha-IG

Apple Employee Training Manual Provides 5 Insights for Contact Centers

Webinar  April 24, 2013 1:00 – 2:00pm ET $199 per company Register Recently, Apple’s super secret employee training manual was leaked. The manual spells out specific words Apple employees cannot say to customers (to avoid a negative feeling/response from customers), makes it clear that employees are to fiercely focus on “deepening and restoring relationships” (and shows them how) and has great insights on how to (really) convey empathy to customers. When Myra reviewed the Apple training manual, she was stoked about the relevancy to her clients in the contact center sector and she cannot wait to share these insights with you in a very special web event. Join Myra Golden for this 60-minute webinar! Get the full story here: http://wp.me/Pv6Ha-IG

Me doing a complete run-through of this webinar in front of my team. Lol!