Improve your service instincts with this simple technique

Anyone can say theyu2019re good at service. 

Itu2019s easy to describe what we would do in a hypothetical situation. What really counts is what we actually do in the moment of truth when weu2019re serving a customer.

Itu2019s in that moment that customer service is largely instinctive.

Our personalities, training, and experience combine to guide our instinctive behaviors while serving customers. We donu2019t pause to recall five step acronyms for handling upset customers; we just try to make the person feel better. We donu2019t stop to ponder the various communication components that enhance our likeability; we attempt to be likeable. We donu2019t browse through our mental database of hero-worthy actions; we simply seize the moment to go the extra mile.

These instincts serve us well when they guide us in the right direction. They can also be a liability when we instinctively make a wrong turn. 

Research from my book, Service Failure, reveals that our instincts often do push us in the wrong direction.  Here are a few examples:

• The customer isnu2019t always the top priority 
• Our experience can make us blind to customer needs
• Why employees donu2019t want to take ownership

 

Changing instinctive behavior

Itu2019s hard to alter our instincts in the moment when thereu2019s imminent pressure to perform. However, we can influence our instincts before or after experiencing a moment of truth.

An experiential learning model developed by David Kolb and Ronald Fry provides a simple way to hone our customer service instincts.

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Anyone can say they’re good at service.

It’s easy to describe what we would do in a hypothetical situation. What really counts is what we actually do in the moment of truth when we’re serving a customer.

It’s in that moment that customer service is largely instinctive.

Our personalities, training, and experience combine to guide our instinctive behaviors while serving customers. We don’t pause to recall five step acronyms for handling upset customers; we just try to make the person feel better. We don’t stop to ponder the various communication components that enhance our likeability; we attempt to be likeable. We don’t browse through our mental database of hero-worthy actions; we simply seize the moment to go the extra mile.

These instincts serve us well when they guide us in the right direction. They can also be a liability when we instinctively make a wrong turn.

Research from my book, Service Failure, reveals that our instincts often do push us in the wrong direction. Here are a few examples:

Changing instinctive behavior

It’s hard to alter our instincts in the moment when there’s imminent pressure to perform. However, we can influence our instincts before or after experiencing a moment of truth.

An experiential learning model developed by David Kolb and Ronald Fry provides a simple way to hone our customer service instincts.

All of us have experience to draw from. Itu2019s the addition of the three other steps that inspires learning.

1. Reflect upon what went well and what didnu2019t in your experience.
2. Decide what to do differently the next time you encounter a similar situation.
3. Experiment with your new approach.

This cycle leads back to experience which gives you an opportunity to start the process all over again.

A client recently asked me for some advice on getting their frontline employees to stop saying u201CNo problemu201D in place of u201Cyouu2019re welcome.u201D In the midst of discussing this challenge, a member of my clientu2019s management team caught herself reflexively saying u201CNo problemu201D in response to a co-worker. It was then she realized this was an instinctive response for her too.

Hereu2019s how I used the experiential learning model to advise my client:

1. Reflect on the reasons you should avoid saying u201CNo problem.u201D
2. Decide what youu2019ll say instead the next time a customer says u201CThank you.u201D
3. Experiment with your new phrase at the new opportunity.

Thatu2019s it. Setting the intention to try something different can help guide our instincts the next time a customer thanks us.

 

A Note for Leaders

If you are a manager or supervisor, you can use this experiential learning model to help your employees hone their customer service instincts. Thereu2019s just one caveat:

Avoid telling employees what to do.

Itu2019s much harder to change instinctive behavior if you just tell people what to do. Thatu2019s because telling someone to do something doesnu2019t require their brain to process the information. You can get much faster results by playing the role of a coach or guide when using this model.

Hereu2019s how:

1. Ask your employee to reflect on their experience.
2. Help your employee decide what to do differently in the future.
3. Encourage your employee to experiment with their new idea.

As a leader, itu2019s important to add a fourth step and follow-up with employees to understand their experience when trying a new approach.

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All of us have experience to draw from. It’s the addition of the three other steps that inspires learning.

1. Reflect upon what went well and what didn’t in your experience.
2. Decide what to do differently the next time you encounter a similar situation.
3. Experiment with your new approach.

This cycle leads back to experience which gives you an opportunity to start the process all over again.

A client recently asked me for some advice on getting their frontline employees to stop saying “No problem” in place of “you’re welcome.” In the midst of discussing this challenge, a member of my client’s management team caught herself reflexively saying “No problem” in response to a co-worker. It was then she realized this was an instinctive response for her too.

Here’s how I used the experiential learning model to advise my client:

1. Reflect on the reasons you should avoid saying “No problem.”
2. Decide what you’ll say instead the next time a customer says “Thank you.”
3. Experiment with your new phrase at the new opportunity.

That’s it. Setting the intention to try something different can help guide our instincts the next time a customer thanks us.

A Note for Leaders

If you are a manager or supervisor, you can use this experiential learning model to help your employees hone their customer service instincts. There’s just one caveat:

Avoid telling employees what to do.

It’s much harder to change instinctive behavior if you just tell people what to do. That’s because telling someone to do something doesn’t require their brain to process the information. You can get much faster results by playing the role of a coach or guide when using this model.

Here’s how:

1. Ask your employee to reflect on their experience.
2. Help your employee decide what to do differently in the future.
3. Encourage your employee to experiment with their new idea.

As a leader, it’s important to add a fourth step and follow-up with employees to understand their experience when trying a new approach.