5 hates of your customers

Regardless of the industry you work in, the products you sell, the age, gender, cultural background, hat or shoe size of your customers, these 5 things are guaranteed to give your customers reason to complain and make your job harder! Can you handle the truth???

1. OVER PROMISE AND UNDER DELIVER. If you say you are going to do it - DO IT! Nothing upsets your customers more than having to follow YOU up on something YOU promised YOU would do.

2. WAITING. If you have a service counter, reception desk or enquiries area....be there! If you say you will call back in 5 mins, call back in 5 minutes, not 6 or 7 and definitely not an hour. On hold messages that say "we appreciate your patience" upsets customers after 2 minutes!

3. FAKERS. Your customers know when you are not genuinely interested in them. Make sure your body language, tone of voice and words are all giving the same message - "I value you and I am here to help you." If a customer senses you are losing interest in them, they will lose interest in you.

4. STOP TALKING AND LISTEN. You learn nothing whilst you are talking. Let your customers tell you their story and ask them questions before you launch in and tell them what you think they need. Your knowledge is worthless if your customers aren't ready to hear it.

5. PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS. It doesn't matter if you are talking about a night out or a work topic, when a customer is within eye or ear shot, give them your full attention. Seriously, stop the chatter and welcome your customer with genuine warmth.

I know, I know...you want to remind me that some customers are rude and pushy or simply don't deserve your attention or your respect. Perhaps you feel you don't have the time to slow down and acknowledge your customers. Justify it all you want, but remember, your customers are paying your wage. Without your customers, the good the bad and the rude, you are putting your income in jeopardy. No customers = no job.

If you want to know how to be a service superstar, especially with the difficult customers - contact LTS today.

Cate Schreck - Service Excellence Coach