Customer Service Insight-Competing for Our Attention
Who is next? Who was I dealing with first? Who needed what? Sounds like a lead to a comedy sketch about baseball.
Many businesses and organizations struggle with the phenomenon every day. A customer is at the desk. The phone rings. The pager goes off. The golden envelope indicates that email has arrived and it has a red exclamation point attached. These decision points say a great deal about service culture and commitment to customers.
First, think about the message that we send to a customer when we ask them to hold while we speak to another customer. Do they feel second rate? Do they think they are somehow less important than the new call? Do they think that you would risk their business and loyalty for another potential relationship? Yes, yes and yes. Some customers will express understanding and even implore you to take the other call but they are still feeling the same thing. What they are really telling you is that they want you to eliminate the distractions and give them your undivided attention again.
The highest compliment that a customer can pay to us is to visit our operation. When they come in, especially in larger metropolitan areas where travel and parking is stressful, we need to treat them like royalty. The message that is sent when we interrupt that interaction by answering the phone is one that we do not value their visit. Winning organizations with a high degree of customer visits have separated phone functions from customer greetings to eliminate just such dilemmas.
Wal-Mart probably pioneered this separation of function but in recent years, companies like Bank of America and Washington Mutual have adopted the strategy. Clearly this allows customers receive the uninterrupted attention they deserve when visiting in person and telephone customers receive an unhurried attention when calling.
Many organizations also need to better utilize technology when customers are competing for our attention. Some companies still use the “please hold” method when another call is coming through. This insures that neither caller receives good service and the original caller will always feel like their issue secondary and will contribute to a decreased tone with that customer.
Even the most entry level telephone systems provide a busy or online option that greets customers when we are already talking to a customer. The correct greeting for that system will include a leading apology and request to remain on the line. In that message, avoid any language that talks about “helping other customers.” Usually after a two minute interval, a second greeting chimes in that allows for the option of leaving a message or waiting to be greeted.
One final scenario revolves around mobile communication devices. With the increased popularity of Blackberry type devices as well as the ever-present nature of cellular phones, interruption potential is now just an arm-length away. Certainly, we would not consider answering our mobile phone in the presence of a customer but what is the message when we just glance at the screen and check to see who is calling? What is the impact on our listening skills?
Again, many organizations have addressed this by not allowing cellular phone use at work. In field service, where one of our team members is visiting a customer, some progressive service providers have remanded cellular phones to remain in the truck and not come along into the customer transaction.
A very influential politician shared this story about a young bull and his father standing on a hill overlooking a herd of attractive cows. The young bull tells his father that they should run down the hill and hook up with a cow. The father bull pauses for a moment and says that they should walk down the hill and hook up with all the cows.
The most important customer is the one standing in front of you. The most important phone call is the one to which you are currently connected. Emails can wait. Phone messages can be returned.
