Submitted
by: Dave Valesquez
We
sometimes wonder what drove us to
follow a career in the field of
customer service.
Many of the customers we deal with
are unhappy and angry because something
has broken or stop working or needs
some type of repair.
So they make a call and they
look for the assistance of a service
professional that can resolve their
problem.
Is that you?
The
opportunity for the customer to
have a positive service experience
begins with you.
Are you prepare to give every customer
you serve a what ever it takes committed
energized attitude at resolving
and assisting them with their problem.
They believe you are the
professional and have the skills,
ability and experience to solve
their problem.
I came
across an article written by Art
Sobczak that I would like to share
with you.
I believe this will help
to better understand the value to
a customer when you provide service
with a “WHAT EVER IT TAKES COMMITTED
ENERGIZED ATTITUDE’.
Attitude and Ownership are Everything
by
Art Sobczak
There are two attributes I’ve observed
over the years that separate achievers,
producers, and wealthy people from
those just getting by or are failing,
also being miserable, and perhaps
bankrupt.
They are a great attitude, and taking
ownership.
Without these two, you don’t have
much of a chance of passing mediocrity.
WITH these two, you can accomplish
anything.
Attitude of course is comprised,
among other things, of your desire,
how you view everything around you
and what happens to you, and your
vision of where you’re going.
Ownership is taking personal responsibility.
Viewing and handling situations
as if you owned them, even if you
don’t.
When attitude and ownership are
in place, you can move mountains.
Let me share an example of attitude
and ownership that I view as extraordinary.
This week I traveled to
Dayton,
Ohio to conduct a training
program with some great pros at
LexisNexis. While waiting for my
bags at the airport, I finally realized
that no more were coming out on
the carousel. One of mine was missing.
The one that contained the 50 training
manuals for the next day. Gulp.
Being a road warrior, I know the
drill. So I calmly got in line at
the United baggage claim office.
While waiting I studied the service
representative handling the other
unlucky bagless travelers.
The rep was masterful. Calmly answering
questions, assuring the customers—a
few understandably frustrated, and
one inexcusably rude—that their
bags would arrive and be delivered
to their destination that night.
She handed out courtesy kits containing
toiletries for those who needed
them. She acted like a mother tending
to a sick child, comforting, helping,
reassuring.
Now, if you think this is unusual,
consider the circumstances here:
·
United is in bankruptcy. Many, if
not most, United employees are wondering
if the airline will be around in
a few months, and in what form,
and if they will have a job.
·
United just this week won a court
decision allowing them to walk away
from its employee pension plan,
meaning losses of lots of retirement
money by employees.
·
United is still seeking further
wage concessions from its employees
in order to stay in business.
As
if that wouldn’t be enough to reduce
any remaining morale to vapor fumes,
consider the job of a person staffing
the lost-baggage counter. All of
the customers they deal with have
just come off a flight (typically
not a good experience), they
are either going home or need to
be somewhere WITH the items in their
bags, and now they have the potentially
pushing-them-over-the-edge news
that their bag is not in the same
city they are.
But, despite all of this, Erica
Gehret had a great attitude, and
took ownership.
When it was my turn, she again demonstrated
the same helpfulness I had observed:
”Mr. Sobczak, I am so sorry. There
is another flight coming in late
tonight, and I will be certain your
box is delivered to your hotel by 5 a.m. In fact, I’ll update
the status of this and you can check
on that by calling this phone number
tonight. I see you’re a Premier
customer with us and we appreciate
the business.”
I complimented her on a great job.
She reiterated, with heartfelt empathy,
“Again, I am soooooo sorry.”
”It’s not like YOU personally lost
the box.”
”I know, I know. But I’m a representative
of the airline, and I want you to
know we will take care of you.”
Wow.
Most people don’t have a fraction
of the issues Erika, and other United
employees are dealing with right
now. Yet, she is looking at what
she can control, and going beyond
even reasonable expectations.
In my mind, she is acting as if
she is being compensated based on
how well she services her customers.
And in her mind, perhaps that IS
her compensation.
SELF CHECK
·
What is YOUR attitude toward your
environment, what happens to you,
and where you’re going in your career
and life?
·
Are you an optimist, or a pessimist?
When difficulties arise, a pessimist
says, “Oh, it figures, this always
happens to me.” An optimist says,
“OK, what am I going to do about
this, and what can I learn from
this?” Then they do it to the best
of their abilities.
·
Do you take ownership of what you
do, or do you just put in time as
if you’re serving a jail sentence?
Ownership means going above and
beyond “good enough,” ensuring the
job is done at the highest level.
Taking ownership means the difference
between someone who dreads what
they do, and someone who thrives
on what they do, and are proud of
their accomplishments after the
fact.
When
you own something, you take better
care of it. You take responsibility
for it. Keep in mind that you own
your life, your career, and your
future success.
(Article obtained from;
EzineArticles.com)
