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Customer Service A Chickens Way
Anyone who knows me knows my favorite fast food restaurant is Chick-fil-A. Aside from the fact their chicken is especially good and I can always get sweet tea, I have a valuable business reason for eating there - they serve up amazing customer service. And these lessons aren't just served in my nearest location. But in any city, any town, any time I have been to a Chick-fil-A, I have left feeling like the most valuable Customer. Now you may wonder what you can learn for your business, from a fast food restaurant. In short, plenty. Just because your business is different does not mean you can't take someone else's ideas or techniques and make them applicable to what you do. So I challenge you to be open to what you can learn from a chicken. They are focused. Chick-fil-a knows their expertise is making good chicken. You don't drive up to their window with options such as beef, pork or fish. Their focus stays on what they know. No empty promises of the best steak in town or a delicious oriental creation, just chicken. We should do the same for our Customers. Don't pretend to have expertise where you can't deliver. Customers are good at sniffing us out. If you promise something you can't deliver just to get their business; you will be without a Customer. They give me what I want. I love Polynesian sauce (dipping sauce for nuggets) for my French fries. Chick-fil-A never charges me extra even though I don't order their nuggets. They are happy to give me what I want. How many times to we charge our Customers all these added fees if they want something that is not the standard? When your Customer is hungry for something different - make it easy for them to eat. They rest. I often crave chicken on lazy Sunday afternoons but Chick-fil-A is never open for business due to clear company values and beliefs. They choose Sundays as a day to rest. They are never open, no exceptions, and according to their business plan they never will. So often we cheat our Customers by not breaking from our work. Too much work can lesson our ability to concentrate, cloud our focus, and leave a bitter taste in our mouth. How much help are we to Customers if we are burned out? They train their employees. At a Chick-fil-A visit you will hear things like, "It is my pleasure to serve you." "Please." "Thank you." "I look forward to seeing you at the window." The atmosphere includes smiles, laughter, and happy workers who appear to love their job. And I doubt their happiness is based on a love for chicken - they have been trained to value the Customer. If you want to excel as a business, hire superstars that believe the Customer writes their paycheck. Set expectations with your employees and staff that outstanding Customer Service is expected, not optional. Add Customer Service as a major part of an employee's orientation. And most importantly lead by example. S.Truett Cathy, chose to do things his way by taking care of Customers and employees by hiring operators and managers that believed in his philosophy. To date, Chick-fil-A, the company he founded has more than a billion in sales annually. I encourage you to visit a Chick-fil-A when you get the chance. I will continue my weekly visits to reaffirm my Customer service beliefs (and to get a chicken sandwich, no pickle with a large sweet tea!).p.s. You will notice in both articles the word Customer and Client are capitalized. Capitalizing the word is just one way we can remind ourselves of the great importance Customers have for our businesses. After all, without them, we wouldn't be in business. Holly Powers is passionate about Customer Service in her role as the Client Development Princess for The Kevin Eikenberry Group. She is also the editor of Unleash Your Potential, an electronic newsletter devoted to helping leaders, professionals and organizations reach their full potential. To learn more about Unleash Your Potential or subscribe go to http://www.KevinEikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp.
MORE RESOURCES: How AI can enhance customer service The Keyword | Google Product and Technology News Opinion: If it's not dead already, customer service is certainly on life support • Asheville Watchdog Asheville Watchdog Frequently asked questions and customer service CSPI Newsroom Customer Service & Support Hillsborough County (.gov) HubSpot debuts new AI-powered marketing and customer service tools SiliconANGLE News T-Mobile Delivers Industry-Leading Customer, Service Revenue and Profitability Growth in Q1 2024, and Raises 2024 ... Yahoo Finance A Customer Service Adventure: Customer Service: It's Everybody's Business | Calendar City of Glendale, CA (.gov) T-Mobile implementing AI-powered tools for better customer service Android Headlines Poll workers emphasize election confidence, customer service • Indiana Capital Chronicle Indiana Capital Chronicle The Marriott Maze: Navigating Customer Service Over $11, When Does It Stop Being Worth It? View from the Wing Top AI Tools to Improve Your Customer Experience Spiceworks News and Insights The article discusses the use of chatbots in the self-storage industry, including how to implement the technology and ... Inside Self-Storage Oracle Leverages AI to Boost Sales Performance and Empower Service Agents Acceleration Economy Bank of Ireland to invest €34m in customer service improvements The Irish Times Rebuilding the IRS Improves Customer Service and Reduces the Tax Gap Center For American Progress The correct airline customer service numbers to help avoid scams - The Washington Post The Washington Post What Your Business Can Learn From Southwest Airlines Business.com Secrets of Great Customer Service News Channel Nebraska How did customer service get so bad? Financial Times Citizen First Customer Service City of Lynchburg Bank of Ireland announces €34m customer service investment SiliconRepublic.com Welcome to Riverside Public Utilities City of Riverside (.gov) Help! Megabus Canceled My Trip but Won't Refund the Booking Fee. The New York Times Gov't offices giving better customer service? BVI News Online Andreas & Sons values customer service above all else WGN Radio - Chicago Customer Support GE Aerospace Social media customer service statistics to know in 2024 Sprout Social MTA opens spring customer service survey to hear from New Yorkers PIX11 New York News Contact SEA Customer Care portseattle.org AI is replacing customer service jobs across the globe The Washington Post Forbes Recognizes Regions Bank for Best Customer Service Regions Financial Corporation Best Customer Service 2024 Forbes Customer Service Center - Recreation & Wellbeing University of California, Berkeley Is Consumer Services a Good Career Path? | Careers | U.S. News U.S. News & World Report Buccaneers Continue to Excel in Season Pass Member Customer Service Experience, Voted No. 1 for Sixth ... Buccaneers.com Will AI customer service kill the call centre? Tech Monitor Billing and Insurance WellSpan Health 2023 Tax Filing: IRS Improved Customer Service, but Could Further Improve Processing and Evaluate Expedited Hiring Government Accountability Office Klarna CEO says AI can do the job of 700 workers. But job replacement isn't the biggest issue. CBS News Excellent customer service in Austin, Texas, indicative of nationwide survey Transportation Security Administration What is the future of customer service in an automated world? Inside Retail Asia Porsche claims first place for customer service among premium car owners in J.D. Power Study Porsche Newsroom CFPB Issues Guidance to Halt Large Banks from Charging Illegal Junk Fees for Basic Customer Service Consumer Financial Protection Bureau DPW Wants to Know the Material of Your Water Service Line Baltimore City Department of Public Works Spectrum Mobile Ranked #1 in Customer Service by J.D. Power | Charter Charter Communications Klarna says its AI assistant does the work of 700 people after it laid off 700 people - Fast Company New customer service managers appointed to Vicksburg, Pearl, Greenville and Brookhaven areas Entergy Newsroom Chick-fil-A Ranks #1 for Customer Service—But Another Brand Is Nipping At Its Heels Eat This, Not That Above & Beyond — Individuals that provide outstanding customer service | AIN Aviation International News Utilities Rates – City of Palo Alto, CA City of Palo Alto Utility Billing The City of Vancouver, WA |
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