I spent an hour with a “live chat” support person today trying to sort out some software stuff.
I say spent, and not wasted, because while it wasn’t exactly productive time I did re-confirm something my friend and mentor Nic has been preaching for years.
“That they key to success in marketing is not to be understood by your customers, but to make your customers feel understood by you.”
(If you’re even slightly interested in marketing or Facebook Ads then Nic’s book is a must read: http://amzn.to/2hgSZN3)
Here’s the deal.
Customer services issues are never fun. You know it. I know it. Everybody knows it.
But the way to deal with an issue, a crisis, or just an unsatisfied customer should be the same as dealing with any current or potential client or customer.
Seek first to understand, then to be understood (another classic book: http://amzn.to/2f1yGTr)
And this company did just that. They sought to understand. They calmed my fears, handled my issues, and sent me on my merry way.
Sure, it took an hour. But the problem is solved. They owned it. And while I wasn’t angry, rude, or even that upset, I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be spending my Monday morning stuck on a live chat. And they did a good job of making it as pleasant as possible.
So my challenge to you this Monday is to “smile and wave”. No matter what gets thrown at you. Just smile and wave.
The reality is that I can directly relate hundreds of thousands of dollars to times where I bit my tongue, smiled, and did my best to understand where the other person was coming from.
