Isn't That What Customer Service is All About?

<h1>Isn't That What Customer Service is All About?</h1>Author: <a title="Mike Moore" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/mike-moore/2255.htm">Mike Moore</a> Last week I went to a local pharmacy to have a prescription filled. As I approached the prescription counter I noticed a sign beside the cash register that said, " Let's Talk." Considering it an invitation I said in a friendly, cheery voice, " OK let's talk." and proceeded to say " How are you today?" The woman waiting on me was not amused. She looked at me in frigid, non-responsive silence and finally said cooly, " Can I help you?"
It didn't take a degree in nuclear physics to figure out that she was totally ignoring my humble attempt to be friendly so I too immediately responded to her icy tone with one of my own. I gave her the information regarding my prescription and was told curtly that I was at the wrong counter. I was at the "PRESCRIPTION OUT" counter when I should be at the
" PRESCRIPTION IN " counter. How silly of me to make such a mistake. Maybe that's why she was so unfriendly to me. I had committed a huge unforgivable sin in Pharmacy Land.
As I approached the proper counter I once again saw the sign, " Let's Talk." and decided to give the place a second chance. I looked at the lady waiting on me and said once again in an upbeat and friendly tone, " The other woman who waited on me wasn't really in the mood to talk so I came down here. So "Let's talk."
Again stone cold, icy silence followed by " Can I help you?" If you can't beat them, join them so I too became cool, abrupt, assertive and said, " Mike Moore/ Doctor Quinn/ asthma medication/ repeat required please. She checked the computer and found that I did have 4 repeats left. I told her that I would be in at 10:00 a.m. the next day to pick it up and I left. I know I shouldn't have responded in kind but I was ticked off at the way a paying customer was being treated.
I wanted to hand the woman my card and tell her that I spoke to companies and organizations on customer relations and would be more that happy to conduct a seminar for their employees on the topic. But I didn't.
I'm not saying that dealing with the public is easy. It isn't. In fact it can be very stressful but you can neutralize the stress with a simple smile and a bit of humor. All these people needed to do when I responded to their invitation to talk was smile and say in a friendly tone, "OK. Let's talk. What can I do for you?"
Simple, easy, effective and it leaves your customer wanting to return to do business with you. Isn't that what customer service is all about?About the Author: Mike Moore is a speaker/humorist who speaks on " Humor and Stress" Humor in the Workplace" and "Customer Relations" <A href="http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?motplusarticles"><a target="_blank" href="http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?motplusarticles">http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?motplusarticles</a></A>Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/isnt-that-what-customer-service-is-all-about-8191.html" title="Isn't That What Customer Service is All About?">Isn't That What Customer Service is All About?</a>

Last week I went to a local pharmacy to have a prescription filled. As I approached the prescription counter I noticed a sign beside the cash register that said, " Let's Talk." Considering it an invitation I said in a friendly, cheery voice, " OK let's talk." and proceeded to say " How are you today?" The woman waiting on me was not amused. She looked at me in frigid, non-responsive silence and finally said cooly, " Can I help you?"

It didn't take a degree in nuclear physics to figure out that she was totally ignoring my humble attempt to be friendly so I too immediately responded to her icy tone with one of my own. I gave her the information regarding my prescription and was told curtly that I was at the wrong counter. I was at the "PRESCRIPTION OUT" counter when I should be at the

" PRESCRIPTION IN " counter. How silly of me to make such a mistake. Maybe that's why she was so unfriendly to me. I had committed a huge unforgivable sin in Pharmacy Land.

As I approached the proper counter I once again saw the sign, " Let's Talk." and decided to give the place a second chance. I looked at the lady waiting on me and said once again in an upbeat and friendly tone, " The other woman who waited on me wasn't really in the mood to talk so I came down here. So "Let's talk."

Again stone cold, icy silence followed by " Can I help you?" If you can't beat them, join them so I too became cool, abrupt, assertive and said, " Mike Moore/ Doctor Quinn/ asthma medication/ repeat required please. She checked the computer and found that I did have 4 repeats left. I told her that I would be in at 10:00 a.m. the next day to pick it up and I left. I know I shouldn't have responded in kind but I was ticked off at the way a paying customer was being treated.

I wanted to hand the woman my card and tell her that I spoke to companies and organizations on customer relations and would be more that happy to conduct a seminar for their employees on the topic. But I didn't.

I'm not saying that dealing with the public is easy. It isn't. In fact it can be very stressful but you can neutralize the stress with a simple smile and a bit of humor. All these people needed to do when I responded to their invitation to talk was smile and say in a friendly tone, "OK. Let's talk. What can I do for you?"

Simple, easy, effective and it leaves your customer wanting to return to do business with you. Isn't that what customer service is all about?

Mike Moore is a speaker/humorist who speaks on " Humor and Stress" Humor in the Workplace" and "Customer Relations" http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?motplusarticles

Rate this Article:

0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)

Re-Publish

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/isnt-that-what-customer-service-is-all-about-8191.html

Article Tags: Customer Service, Business Relationships, Customer Relations

Related Articles
Related Q&A

Latest Management Articles
More from Mike Moore

Build Your Salespeople’s Strengths And Use Them As Launch Pads For Better Sales Success

By: Ralph Burns | 22/12/2009
I used to work for a company that tried to change me into someone I just was not. In an interview, the HR manager said, “This company will help you overcome your weaknesses by thrusting you into different kinds of situations. We will help you grow to become a completely different person.” Here is the thing. There’s nothing wrong with “overcoming your weaknesses“. But to turn me into a “completely different person,” that’s something else.

Get Your Sales Reps to Sell Like Corky

By: Ralph Burns | 22/12/2009
What is the highest performing stock in terms of total return over the over the course of the past 40 years? It's not Microsoft. No, its not Cisco Systems. It's not GE. It's not even Intel.

How a Top Sales Manager Gets Their Salespeople to Sell More Stuff!

By: Ralph Burns | 22/12/2009
When do you do your best work? When you feel bad or when you feel good? The obvious answer is when you feel good. No one feels like doing much of anything when they feel bad. When people don't feel so good, they end up doing very little... not a good situation for you. So it begs the question: does the salesperson brimming with confidence sell more than the salesperson who lacks confidence?

Why a Sales Manager MUST Evoke the Law of Reciprocity

By: Ralph Burns | 22/12/2009
For our purposes, the Law of Reciprocity states: If you do something nice for someone, human nature dictates that the recipient will feel compelled to do something nice for you in return. It is in essence: "you reap what you sow".

Why a Top Sales Manager Must Always "Tune Into the Right Frequency"

By: Ralph Burns | 22/12/2009
It's definitely cliched, but I think this is one of the most critical elements to successful sales management and that is to make sure you are tuned into the right radio frequency with your salespeople. There's only one radio station that your sales executives like to listen to and that radio station is: WIFM. (You might say WIIFM, but let's not get too technical here...).

Setting the Bar Higher As a Top Sales Manager

By: Ralph Burns | 22/12/2009
If you do what "everyone else is doing" then as a manager of a bunch of salespeople, you'll get what precisely what everyone else is getting...namely average, mediocre, conventional sales results. As a sales manager who craves top sales performance, you need to zig when the others are zagging and do things unconventionally, you need to set the bar higher.

Why Sales Managers Need to Make Regular Deposits in the Trust Account

By: Ralph Burns | 22/12/2009
In your bank account, you have an ATM card that only you have the PIN number to access the account funds. Every week, you make regular deposits and withdrawals into your account. Base salary deposits go in regularly through automatic deposit, while bonuses and commission checks go in periodically with expense checks and other deposits. You make cash withdrawals, debit card purchases, write checks, and make other payments.

MBA - Is It The Way To Go With Your Career?

By: Minglebox.com | 22/12/2009
The decision to study MBA is an important one and everyone considering the same as an option for themselves must be completely sure that it is the path along which they want to progress in their life. This Checklist below can help assess and guide you towards the right career path.

How to Share Your Hard Earned Expertise for Huge Fees

By: Mike Moore | 05/12/2005 | Business
How to share your knowledge and experience with others for terrific fees