WHY EVERY CUSTOMER TOUCHPOINT SHOULD EXPECT HONEST FEEDBACK

We celebrated my dad's 60th birthday this weekend at a local restaurant. Happy Birthday Dad!

Photo courtesy of: www.flickr.com/LeoReynolds

This restaurant has been a staple for our family as it has locations across Middle Tennessee. But the quality of the food has diminished over the last year. My mom and I had the same terrible seafood dish. The waitress was amazing so we really didn't say anything to her because, after all, she didn't cook it.

Once we were ready to check out, the cashier asked, "how was everything tonight?," in a scripted voice as if to expect the same, "good" or "fine" response. And I leveled honestly. "It was terrible. The quality of food is not the same." He looked stunned and puzzled as if he did not know what to say or how to respond.

He fumbled to look for a radio to get the manager and acted panicky. Had no one else received bad food? Did I do the wrong thing by not complaining to the waitress?

Businesses often become conditioned to act and respond the same way to every customer interaction. What happens is that they miss the most critical opportunity to receive incredible customer feedback because the responses do not fit in their regular pattern or sequence. Rather than greeting and bidding farewell to customers like an assembly line, encourage your staff to have regular conversations with your customers. The customers will appreciate the authenticity, and your business will likely discover opportunities for improvement.

By the way, had they been concerned at this restaurant last night, they would have discovered that the cook put ENTIRELY too many green onions on the dish. Something simple to fix if they were willing to accept honest feedback.


What experiences have you had like this? What advice can you give to businesses?

DO YOU HAVE TOO MUCH CARRY-ON BAGGAGE?

Airlines have now restricted the quantity and size of your carry-on baggage. They don't have room for excess anymore. Companies are now trying to prevent the amount of corporate carry-on baggage from new hires related to their emotional intelligence.  These companies are launching pre-testing in the form of surveys, questionnaires, and other diagnostic measurements to uncover any instability in their applicants. But what about existing employees?

Photo courtesy of: www.flickr.com/NaneuBags

Here are 3 ways to remove some of your excess baggage and be a productive employee:

1. Turn off your personal switch and turn on your professional switch. I'm not saying to not be authentic, but it helps to mentally turn off your other roles in life when you enter your workplace. If you can separate your personal and professional life as much as possible then you will be emotionally and mentally stronger to handle your daily work tasks. Schedule your breaks and lunches to handle some of your personal matters. And the drive to and from work- use that time to make phone calls and wrap up other personal issues. Your work life will be much more productive and less stressed.

2. Stop gossip. Stay away from the known gossip groups of employees. They will only bring you down. Not only will they make you paranoid about every email and phone call, but others will perceive you as part of "them." Free up this time to build your personal relationships with key members of your company.

3. Get outside. One of my favorite bosses used to walk around the building a few times during the day. Oxygen will produce good blood flow and reduce your stress. If you are feeling emotionally drained in your customer support role, take a break and walk.


I suggest anyone in leadership to read the book, Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman for my insight into handling your mental and emotional self in the workplace.

What are other ways you can reduce the amount of carry-on baggage for your careers?

WHAT TYPE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL VISIONARY ARE YOU?

We've all been at the crossroad where our blurry vision sees one path leading to greatness while the other leading to complacence. Our minds are filled with questions and possibilities. Should I start my new company? Will be start-up be successful? Can I make it as an entrepreneur?

It's in that moment visionaries have one of two types of sight: Fence-posting or Landmarking.

Photo courtesy of: www.flickr.com/CapturedByLight

Fence-post Visionaries: These types of visionaries picture themselves on the outside looking in on their dreams and goals. They are able to see a panoramic view of their new business ideas. Fence-post visionaries tend take longer to soak ideas, costs, operations, and strategic initiatives in before acting on them. The market may drastically change before they act on their new start-up business.

Landmark Visionaries: These types of visionaries picture themselves in the middle of the action. They are up close and personal to their dreams and goals. They have an intimate view of their customers, markets, and ideas, and can even visualize products and services long before the doors are open. These visionaries are aggressive, timely, and are ready to be excited by the thrill of risk-taking in their new start-up business.


As I have learned recently about starting a new business, I had to shift from being a fence-post to a landmark visionary. If I continued to quietly observe my business from afar while not acting, I was missing out on following through on my dreams and goals.


What advice can you give new entrepreneurs about creating a vision for their start-up?

IS SCRIPTED AUTHENTICITY AFFECTING YOUR CUSTOMERS?

I spent several years in customer service management for inbound/outbound call centers. What surprised me more often than not was that senior leadership wanted "scripted authenticity." Scripted authenticity means everyone speaks from the same corporate megaphone, and the content is scripted or slanted to position the company as flawless. Talk about imperfection.

Photo courtesy of: www.flickr.com/CaptureCreation


With information changing rapidly inside companies, shouldn't leadership be as transperant as possible to breed innovation and progress? Will customers be more likely to provide feedback and suggestions to companies who promote open discussion without becoming highly defensive.

The new Entrepreneur magazine came in the mail this week. As I flipped through the first time, I noticed the layout and design was different from the previous issue. I couldn't tell the difference between an ad and an article.

So I took it to Twitter and reached out to Entrepreneur Editor Amy Cosper about my dislike of the new layout. Immediately she responded with appreciation about my concern and said she would forward the information. Just. Like. That. Without a defensive posture about "HER" magazine. She wanted me, the reader and customer, to be happy, and was warm and welcoming in her feedback.

Can you say the same about your company and leadership team? Do you seek out regular feedback from customers? Do you have any similar stories about authentic leadership in companies? What thoughts can you add?

THE EFFORT EPIDEMIC

"You can't coach hustle," a phrase I have used many times coaching youth sports. It resonates with parents of children who think their child is the next Clay Matthews, Derek Jeter, or Albert Pujols. What that means is that all of the talent is nothing without effort or hustle. The same principle applies in businesses. Employees have found the minimally acceptable amount of work needed to maintain job security. Leaving additional duties, tasks, and projects for those employees who give the most effort- who hustle.

Photo courtesy of: www.flickr.com/qisur

I don't see this paradigm changing anytime soon. The 80/20 principle will continue to apply to effort in that 20% of your employees will produce 80% of the output of work. So what that means to employees is:

a. If you give more effort, then you will get more opportunities.

b. If you give more effort, then you will receive better compensation.

c. If you give more effort, then you will obtain promotions.

d. If you give more effort, then you will be more personally satisfied.


Make sure you are the 20%. Effort equals opportunities, compensation, promotions, and satisfaction. What can you add to the effort epidemic? Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

SHIFTING TO A "WHAT ABOUT NOW" MINDSET

"Never put off tomorrow what you can do today." - Thomas Jefferson

It seems our lives are moving faster than ever before. Technology has sped up how we receive information. We are racing from professional events to personal events almost daily. And we spend more time planning future events than those intimate, important daily interactions with our clients, friends, and family members.

Lou Holtz, former Notre Dame and South Carolina head football coach, made a lasting impression with me during a Get Motivated seminar event in the fall of 2011. He said that the reason he built better relationships, won more games, and became more successful was his principle of "WIN." WIN stands for What's Important Now! Coach Holtz expressed the importance of making decisions about items that had the biggest impact now, not six months from now.

Photo courtesy of: www.flickr.com/annpar

Shifting your mindset from thinking about "what's next" to "what now" has long-lasting benefits.


a. People will appreciate you removing distractions as you are fully engaged in conversations.

b. The details will likely become just that...detailed.

c. You will begin to eliminate procrastination tendencies because you are focused on the here and now and not the might be whenever.

d. Simple moments will have greater meaning and signification. You will appreciate and notice the small things that sometimes go unnoticed.


What can you add to this? I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas.

HOW TO CLIMB THE NEW CORPORATE LADDER

If you have worked during this new millennium, you have found that the corporate ladder has changed since those who are now retiring after 30+ years of service. We are happy with 5 to 10 year terms with companies. How are we going to handle this changing corporate terrain? What does this new corporate ladder look like?

Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com/VividQuotes

Employees are moving side-to-side, up-and-down, and diagonally to reach new career opportunities. Employees are fighting for a small number of promotions and advancement opportunities. Corporate hierarchy has flattened out in most organizations. New proposals and regulations are restricting CEO salaries and bonuses. Where do we fit in?



Here are 3 ways of climbing higher:
1. Education. This goes without saying. High-school, college, post-graduate, on-the-job skills, and continuing education are vital components for our careers. The more knowledge and skills you have, the greater your chances of climbing. A bachelor degree will be as common in the future as a high-school diploma was for the second half of the 1900's.




2. Experience. Any and everything counts. Summer jobs, volunteer work, internships, family business, entry-level, and even student organizational roles will create experiential learning opportunities. We have to be diverse and well-rounded. The ladder has changed. It is moving side-to-side more than it ever has. Think about your last 3 positions. Were they all upward climbing or did you move "lateral," in an effort to acquire more experience for the next rung in the ladder? Chances are you took a lateral promotion. Knowledge gained from other departments of the business allow you to be more marketable.




3. Network. Everyone is jumping on the social media train. We can update our status and blog about anything. You have an outlet and platform if you use it correctly. Readers. Friends. Followers. All who know YOU! That's right. "It's not what you know, it's not even who you know, it's who knows YOU!" Separate yourself from everyone else. Be authentic and create a network. Do your "friends and followers" know more about your eating habits and complaints than they do your business skills and corporate endeavors. Market yourself. You never know who just might find you.




Corporate America is changing. Can we transform our careers? What are some ways you think we can climb to higher and make bigger contributions? How do you think we can be successful?

"FAKE IT 'TIL YOU MAKE IT" AND OTHER BAD ADVICE

When I worked more frequently with call center management, I remember hearing many leaders tell their employees to, "fake it 'til you make it," while attempting to provide world class customer service. While their intentions and heart were in the right place, these leaders could not have given any worse advice.

The problem did not occur to management that the issue wasn't customer service, in fact it had to do with their corporate culture and hiring practices. By telling employees to "fake it" was damaging any credibility of the management team. Business should be more concerned on the front end to make better hiring decisions, and train the appropriate skills and behaviors that fit their core corporate values and strategic initiatives.

Here are a few other bad pieces of advice:

1. "The only thing that matters is the bottom-line." True, however, skipping critical steps in processes, overstepping boundaries and authority is a good way to turn the bottom-line from black to red.

2. "It is what it is." No, it's not. I have written about this before. Sure, there are several things in business that are fact, but you can't just sit idle in hopes that change will happen. It takes persistence, effort, and a good plan.

3. "Don't rock the boat." I am working on an article about this very topic. Businesses are becoming more and more diverse which means that collaborative thinking and participation is widely accepted. Don't just sit there and agree for the sake of looking bad. Provide sound reasoning and justification behind your ideas. Give statistics and testimonials. The boat just might start moving forward.


Have you heard any other phrases that you can add to this list? Leave your comments.

HOW CAN I BETTER SERVE YOU?

That was the statement that changed my career forever. It had been several months of head-butting, ego, and territory marking with my manager when it finally hit. "He is worried that I am not supporting him but rather have my own agenda," I thought. Sure it bothered me that, yet again, I was the one eating a piece of humble pie. But trust me, it was well worth then and has continued to be several years down the road.

Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com/novice09

Here are 3 reasons why it will help you:

1. TRUST. Your manager will recognize that you are on "their" team which will strengthen the relationship and break any barriers to trust. Expect praise.

2. RECOGNITION. Your manager will begin to see all of your contributions that had previously been hidden by the weakened relationship. Expect to see career progress.

3. AUTONOMY. Your manager will allow you to work more independently because they belief that you are working for the better good of the company, your manager, and your customers. Expect freedom.

How can I better serve you?

STOP BEING THE DR. PHIL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE

Recently I have called two customer service departments to have something resolved. After a few attempts the issues were still unresolved, like many of you, I had spent too much time on the phone with the company. At every point in the conversation that I seemed or sounded frustrated, the customer service representative and the manager acknowledged my empathy with, "I am sorry that happened." They continued with, "I understand how you feel." Really? You really are sorry and understand how I feel, Dr. Phil?

Companies have to stop training their employees to show empathy in such a planned and programmed way. It sounds the same with every company I call. I am sorry to hear that. Sure, they are getting the points in the call quality survey, and leadership is satisfied with their attempts but is it adding any value to the call or the relationship?

Here are a 2 ways to improve this scene:

1. Sound authentic- use a different tone, pitch, and pace during the conversation. This will only happen if managers and leaders are having authentic conversations with their employees rather than having "coaching sessions." Be real.

2. Allow the customer to vent and pause. Once they get it out, the customer will feel much better. Then you can add some empathetic statement of value... but you have to.... PAUSE!

Customers just really want the situation fixed. Remember- solve the problem not the person.

HOW TO MOVE YOUR CAREER FROM THE SIDELINES TO THE HEADLINES

Baseball is America's favorite past-time and I am one of baseball's biggest fans. I played collegiate baseball and have now found solice in adult men's softball leagues. Our careers are very similar to a baseball team. There are star players and performers, average, consistent members, and those who are waiting for their chance to shine. While there are stories in sports media of the ill-tempered rookie demanding higher salaries and more playing time, learning opportunities can be found in many stories to move you from the sidelines to the headlines.

Yep, that's me last season after a hit!

How do you get from the sidelines to the headlines?

a. Observe- This is the opportunity to soak everything in like a sponge. Keep a notebook with you at all times. Write down things you notice about your coworkers, other departments, management, systems, and client relations. Don't formulate your opinion or reserve judgment until you completely understand all of the processes and people involved.

b. Ask- Now is the time to learn from trainers, supervisors, and your peers. Ask plenty of questions. Remember that notebook....I hope it is still handy. Take time at the end of each day to compile of questions to ask the following day.

c. Practice- You may be given the opportunity to place sales calls or even create a new marketing campaign. Don't expect perfection. Practice Makes Progress. Get in there and make mistakes. Practice. Practice. Practice.

And when your supervisor/manager calls on you to perform, you will be ready to play! Put me in coach!

One Size Fits Most: Finding What Motivates Employees

It seems that the trend has moved from "one size fits all," to "one size fits most." People are changing and so are their needs. What drives one person does not even register for another. Finding what motivates employees is a mission critical task for any leader wanting to drive his/her staff forward into prosperous, innovative, and productive performance.

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/ (Akbar2)

Each employee is unique and has different factors that motivate them. Here are a few ideas to discovering what motivates your staff:

1. Schedule lunch. Plan lunch meetings with all of your employees. This can be at your office or off-site. Ask your employee how, what, and what motivates. There is no sense in guessing or trying to be a detective. Simply tell them you want to make sure that you understand them as an individual.

2. Observe. Watch your employee in key business functions. Pay attention during meetings, lunch, conferences, and other company events. Do they ask to be involved in groups or projects? Are they asking more questions about benefits and pay? Do they seem inquisitive about time flexibility?

3. Follow-up. Schedule regular coaching sessions to discuss their progress and development. Is something working out great or does it need to be changed? Give them positive and constructive feedback.

There is no greater feeling than seeing your team reach their goals. Help motivate them by discovering what makes them give their "all the time."

Finding Mentors: Who Is In Your Corner?

Over the last several weeks, I have taught many businesses classes at Middle Tennessee State University and the topic mentioned often is mentors. Students are encouraged to find mentors prior to graduation to help navigate through their early professional years. Many of these students do not know why or where to find such great leaders. Here are a few ideas to make sure you have someone in your corner:

Photo courtesy of sokolokophoto @www.flickr.com

1. Been there and done that. Mentors have often travelled the same path you are embarking on. If you have the opportunity to save time, money, and heartache, why not seek the help of someone who has been there before. If you ask for help, mentors are more than willing to give you sound advice.

2. They are everywhere. People will usually avoid finding someone to help them out on life's journey and many times say, "I don't know where to look." Mentors can be found around every corner. Teachers, Professors, Managers, Supervisors, Church Members, Friends, Business Owners, Coaches, and Counselors are leaders who are willing to help others out.

3. "I need help." It is that simple. Ask for help. Tell them your goals, dreams, and aspirations. Thank your mentor for their time and be punctual to phone and in-person meetings.

4. Be honest. If you do not give all of the facts and information for a mentor to help you out, you are cheating yourself and your mentor. Be honest about everything. Trust is key for this relationship.

5. More than 1. I have several mentors. Each mentor provides several different and unique charateristics that I am able to learn from. Not only does this help my professional skills, but it also builds my network.


Take the time to write down the names of people who are in the positions or at the level you want to be at. Call or email them and ask for an appointment. And finally, get a notepad and start listening.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW MY NAME BECAUSE WE WEREN'T FACEBOOK FRIENDS

Last Saturday I overheard someone talking behind me at dinner about an incident that happened while she was taking classes at Nashville School of Law. She said that during a break, several students went outside to smoke. Another girl came up to her, who had several classes with her over the last few years, asked if she could "bum" a light. The girl also said, "what's your name, I've had you in class for a few semesters?" And there we have the problem with communication and technology.

The girl telling the story said, "she doesn't know my name because we aren't facebook friends." How sad and how true. We are living in such a digital time, that unless we are "connected", "friends", or "followers" we probably don't even know our next door neighbor's name. (Mine is Rob for the record.)

We have to become engaged with the people we come into personal contact. Sure, we can do almost everything we need to from in front of our monitors, but building personal relationships are suffering.

I challenge you, learn names of people you see regularly. The guy at the market- Eric, my baristas at Starbucks- Sarah, Kristen, and Will. Give some effort to the cause and you will see results, people will start noticing you, too.

EMPLOYEES: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

As a child, I remember the original Transformer series. My friends and I watched the cartoon and collected the vehicles. To see Transformers as an adult was incredible. Both movies have been winners in my eyes.

The Transformers had a motto: "more than meets the eyes." They were robots who transformed into other objects including jets, police cars, motorcycles, and big 18-wheelers. There was truly more to them than at first glance. The same phrase holds true for your employees.

Employees are unique individuals. Leaders rarely even scratch the surface when determining how to motivate, teach, train, and lead their staff members. They are "more than meets the eye."

I remember leading an employee who worked in our production center. He was a materials handler and held general stocking and pulling order duties. But he was more. He had a Masters degree in Business. Interesting. He didn't talk about it so I had to get to know him more to uncover this nugget of information. The result, through our partnership and development sessions was a great promotion opportunity in our client services division.

Now, had I just taken him at face value, our company would have never benefited from his knowledge and experience, but it may have taken longer for his own personal and professional development.

Take some time to understand your staff. Get to know them. What motivates, drives, and inspires them to action. It is not the same for everyone. Take a walk outside. Eat lunch together. Encourage them. There is always is "more than meets the eyes."

How do you uncover more about your staff and their potential? What have you learned about getting to know more about your employees. Share your thoughts and comments here:

ARE YOU CALLING THE RIGHT PLAYS FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES?

On the drive in to the office recently, I heard and interview with Tennessee Titans Offensive Coordinator Mike Heimerdinger. He was describing his thought process, practice, and execution of new plays he creates for his quarterbacks to run. Mike described how created plays that were tried during training camps, pre-season games, and during practice. The QB would be given the play to run and execute and Heimerdinger would evaluate the play, progression, and results. What I found amazing was the fact that he listened to his QB's and their progress, succession, and feel for the play. He observed and listened to his employees.

During this interview, Mike said that if his QB did not "feel" the play, or think they could effectively "execute" the play, he would take it out of the playbook. A play he spent his time reviewing game film, analyzing his future opponents, and his own team, he would throw out a play he created. WOW!

I can almost guarantee that in the corporate landscape, the same does not apply. Managers create new plays or plans, and these plans are carried out until either enough is enough, or something business critical happens that forces a change.

As a leader, are you calling the right plays for your employees? Do you create new business plans and processes and follow-up to see if they are effectively carrying out your task? Is your idea so important to you, that you fail to see the big picture. Take some time to discover what is working and not working for your staff. Ask questions to uncover true strengths. Observe them fully engaged in work.

How can you call the right plays for your employees? What ideas have you found that create more productive progress for your company. Post your thoughts and ideas here:

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY, SOMEONE MIGHT BE LISTENING

As leaders, we often hold informational meetings, team meetings, one-on-one evaluations, training sessions, and personal conversations. With so much information being pushed at the front-line employee, there is not much room for miscommunication or misunderstanding. There lies the problem. Do leaders effectively communicate or do they simply talk.

There are 2 critical errors leaders make in communicating:

1. And so on.. How many times have you been on the receiving end of someone who just went on-and-on and on-and-on. Probably too many to remember. The problem is that during this communication transfer, the leader will go on about several different topics. And chances are at this point, employees really are listening. Why? Because during the "so on" phase, a leader will divulge information on private or sensitive topics, and may even backtrack or will be inconsistent with his/her message. Employees will see holes in the communication and begin to lack trust in their leader.

2. Etc... A cousin of the "and so on." This type is used by leaders who add "etc..." details to the conversation that are either no relevant or completely out of place. Negative feelings and emotions from leaders will surface and be transferred during the communication process. There is potential for employees to see a leader as wishy-washy or not focused.

Be careful what you say, someone might be listening. Leaders should be aware of their communication style, content, and message-both verbal and non-verbal to be effective at leading others. Seek out a mentor for feedback.

Have you experienced either of these two critical errors? What advise can you add to help leaders communicate more effectively? Post your thoughts and comments here:

HOW TO STOP GOING TO WORK EVERYDAY

Did you ever hear "It's time to make the doughnuts?" It was a very funny commercial from Krispy Kreme doughnuts several years ago. The employee woke to his assembly like motion to make doughnuts each day. How many times during each week do we spend waking up to go to work to engage in what we deem meaningless in our day to day lives? With so many things that occupy our time, why go to work?

A friend of mine, Jay, and I were talking recently about work. He is a very gifted employee as I have worked with him before. But his mindset is like many people today. He allows the company to have control over him, his thoughts, almost in a crippling manner. Work feels like being a person who is owned, only to be a puppet to the company.

I told him to stop going to "work." What? Stop going to work? Absolutely. I told him that he needed to start looking at himself as a consultant or a contractor who was billing his services to the company for the week, month or however you get paid. He provides a service to his employer. He is in control. So simple, but so awakening.

We spend our lives worrying about things in our workplace that we can change by altering the way we think. You can chose to go to work each day, or you can chose to be an owner of your destiny, and be a consultant who provides services for payment. What are you going to choose?

How do we go to work each day without sacrificing our own individuality? What ways can you add to help people from being trapped or being a prisoner in the workplace. Post your comments here:

WHY PLAYING PING-PONG IS HURTING YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

I'll be the first to admit that when it comes to ping-pong, or table tennis as it is called, that I am not the very best. Sure, we play every once in a while, but I am average, at best. But when it comes to playing ping-pong in relationships, I have been successful many times, and it hurts relationships on both ends.

The scene starts out like this:


Other Person: "Hey"



                                      Ping



                                                             Me: "Hey"



                                      Ping



Other Person: "Good to see you"



                                      Ping



                                                             Me: "Good to see you"



                                      Ping



Other Person: "Thanks"



And this could go on for minutes. A little dramatic, but you've heard this type before. Wow! What a relationship killer. We might as well acknowledge each other with one of those "wassup" head jerks and move on. But these are the types of conversations can be heard from husband-to-wife, father-to-son, employee-to-customer, and leader-to-employee.

In order to build relationships with our customers and employees, we must eliminate this type of communicating, which is probably the product of the texting generation, and become better communicators.

The short list to better conversations:
1. Ask questions about a specific event
2. Probe further when given an answer
3. Develop your active listening skills
4. Become interested in your conversation
5. Look the person in the eyes
6. Give the person a compliment

This list is just the beginning. What can you add to this list to help become better communicators and have better conversations. I would love your feedback and thoughts. Post your comments here:

UNDERSTANDING: 3 PARTS TO CONNECTING THE PUZZLE

Working on puzzles is a fun way to spend with family. You look at the options to see what picture or design fits your fancy, check out the total pieces, and review the skill level. And your off to assembling this great masterpiece. But it takes steps to connect the puzzle. It doesn't just happen that easily. Understanding a person, whether a family member, friend, teacher, or customer has steps that are necessary to gaining trust, seeing the whole picture, and providing information or insight.

Recently I had some problems with my wireless carrier. I had gone over my minutes because my favorites had changed in their database. NOTE: I have a group of numbers I call that haven't changed in 10 years. So, I eventually changed to an unlimited plan because I knew in the coming months it would help, but the problem was still the change in my favorites.

I was billed for my overage for 2 months even though I called right after the first month and changed to the unlimited plan. Their entire billing system was confusing and I took some responsibility because I just pay the bill without auditing it each month. (Need to change that habit for all billing.) So there I was frustrated and a little upset. I mean the rep that took the initial call said, "yeah, I can see that you call these 4 or 5 numbers a lot." 

The rep that took this call changed the way I will handle customer situations going forward. The phrase he kept saying, "I understand, I understand." And he in no way understood. Not even close. He had been trained to use words to create understanding, but he missed out. 

Here are 3 parts to Understanding:

1. Listen: First and foremost, you must listen. Do not talk, interrupt, or say anything. Grab a pen and paper and write things down. Listen for tone, key words, dates, people, anything. Listen with both ears.

2. Recognize: This is where he missed it. Recognize there is something unique to that person. It wasn't about the bill, I paid it. It was the entire process. He focused on one part. You have to recognize that there are sometimes many parts to a customer complaint that are built from one to another. Your job is to recognize each individual part.

3. Explain: After you find all the components to the problem, address each one individually. Explain part 1, part 2, and so on. Explaining the what and the why in this case may have helped me Understand, the problems. Customers need to hear your way of doing things. And don't you want to explain your way? It will help prevent most problems from occurring a second time with that customers.

Understanding is not just a word to be used loosely with your customers. It takes you rolling up your sleeves, engaging in the customers conversation, and fully appreciating the full experience. Once you grasp all 3 parts, not only will you understand your customers, but your customers will understand you. How's that for increasing loyalty? UNDERSTANDING- you got it?

What steps can you add to this process? What ideas do you have to help employees and leaders to better understand their customers. Post your comments here: