From your earliest school days, you were likely taught that a good story has a beginning, middle and end. Without getting too caught up in the details, consider yourself an author: you’re writing the story of your customers experience. As though your actions put pen to paper, you control the stories that your customer is going to tell. Much like books, the stories of WOW customer service win awards, make profits and do wonders for those you impact. Every element needs careful consideration, so consider your customers experience with detail for their service beginning right until their ending.
Beginning: What preparation do you have to make customers feel welcomed? Is your website and information easily accessible and accurate? Are there frequently asked questions you can answer? Are you greeting your customers with a welcoming smile? Begin your customers story by ensuring they feel comfortable and ready to take their story beyond just the cover.
Middle: People establish connections with their storybook heroes, so why not try and be their customer-service hero? Establish a connection, get to know your customer and ensure their needs are fully met. Is there anything you can help them with?
End: A story is only as good as its ending. If you set the bar high from your beginning and maintained it all the way throughout your customers experience, a WOW to finish will certainly bring the story home. Is there ANYTHING else you can do to WOW your customer? Are they leaving with the same smiles you started with?
As part of our mini-series “Sunset Service”, I describe an experience I had with an air-tour company in Hawaii, Wings Over Kauai. They did a fantastic job of ensuring their customers needs were met beginning to end. As described, their detailed analysis of a customers needs allows them to ensure they don’t miss out on any chances they have to WOW their customers.