Word Of the Week #538: Feed Egos
November 27, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word Of the Week #538: Feed Egos
Feed Egos: how you make your customers, guests, members, or clients feel important, valued and respected.
When was the last time a salesperson made you feel important? If I asked your staff or co-workers would they say you make them feel valued and respected? How often do you encounter a sales/customer service person who is rude, indifferent or incompetent?
This is #7 of my 7 Simple Steps of Service. In my book, The FUN-damental Secrets of Service, I wrote this about feeding egos, “People like to feel that they are important in the world; that they have value and that other people respect them. And I am going to share with you four ways to do just that.
- People like to feel good about spending their money. And my FUN-damental Service Secret #5 is “Make your customers feel
good about spending their money.” Spending money is a treat. It is a sign to yourself that you are a successful person, that you have achieved a certain level of status, that you have a certain amount of control over your life. Don’t make it a hassle for them to buy from you. - People don’t want to have their intelligence insulted. That means when you talk to them you use words and terms they understand. A resourceful sales/customer service person asks us leading questions, lets us do a lot of the talking, and points out the advantages of a product in simple terms.
- People want to be skillfully guided in their purchases. Buying is fun, but it’s also stressful, especially when we are making important decisions. We’re concerned about buying an inferior brand, or about paying too much, or about getting poor follow-up service. We don’t want to appear ignorant or make a mistake. We look to professionals to supply is with the information and choices, and then help us make decisions.
- People don’t like to lose arguments. A customer is neither an enemy nor an interruption. They are the reason for your employment. YOU WILL NEVER WIN IF YOU ARGUE WITH A CUSTOMER. You may score a momentary victory, but then you risk losing them as a customer forever and bad word-of-mouth.
One of my favorite quotes is “WHEN YOU LEARN TO FEED PEOPLE’S EGOS, THEY WILL SEEK YOU OUT AND FORCE MONEY INTO YOUR HANDS.” And boy was that true when I was a server!
This week focus on feeding egos. Do you listen to your customers, guests, members, or clients and help guide them with their purchases? Do you take the hassle out their buying experience by not being rude, indifferent, or incompetent? When was the last time a sales/customer service person treated you with respect and valued your business? How did that make you feel?
I LOVE feedback! Join my Facebook community on my FUN-damentals Fan Page.
Word Of the Week #537: Melpya Syndrome
November 19, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word Of the Week #537: Melpya Syndrome
Melpya Syndrome: what happens when you speak in a robotic way, very quickly, and create run on sentences.
Have you ever called a business or been addressed by a salesperson who talks so fast that you can’t understand what they are saying? How many times have you been waited on by a person who was “just going through the motions?” Have you ever been guilty of sounding like a “canned speech?”
This is #6 of my 7 Simple Steps of Service and I call it Change Your Tapes. It is very easy to fall into the “rut” of speaking on “auto pilot” where you repeat a lot of the same things day in and day out and have the tendency to do it “robotically.”
The first time it happened to me was in the south when a salesperson asked, “Melpya?” I had no idea what she said and not wanting to be rude I said, “I don’t care to be melped right now, but maybe later.” Well, I must say I heard Melpya more than once and it dawned on me that what they were saying was, “May I help you?” All four words were run together!
When you are in customer service and deal with people, a lot of the time you repeat the same information over and over. If that’s the case, you need to keep your message fresh! Change the way you say it from time to time so you don’t sound like you are on “auto pilot.”
My experience is that when you are on “auto pilot” you are not paying attention. Try this. The next time you go shopping and the sales clerk says, “Melpya?” Or “Can I help you?” Answer with, “No thank you, I’m just shoplifting today”. 8 out of 10 times their response is, “Well if you need any help, I’ll be right over here”. They are clearly not paying attention!
I have experienced servers who recite the salad dressings as if it is one long word, i.e., frenchthousandislanditalianbluecheese. I don’t feel any connection with them! Whether you are in person or answering the phone and people ask you to repeat what you said, then you are probably speaking to fast.
And this from a long time subscriber, “I recently stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City, Washington, D.C. for a week and found their staff in the same robotic mode. Their service line is “My Pleasure!” I love this service mentality, however when you hear them saying it so many times, it begins to sound like you are hearing them say “Mplsure”, which is what you were talking about. It takes the enjoyment out of being pampered. The service staff were all robotic in their thank you and my pleasure comments. After a while, it loses its meaning and then the Ritz Carlton becomes just like all other hotels. I would rather hear sincerity in service, where you permit your employees to infuse their personalities with your Club or Hotel Service Culture, without taking away the professionalism. I do not believe service is something that you “cookie-cut” because when you do, you take away from genuine service, creating a service staff of robots. When I dine, or travel, I like to listen to the service staff, in particular when they go to the next table, after visiting my table. When I hear them saying the same thing, over and over, I just want to stand up and say, “Excuse me, can you just be yourself and get out of the robot mode, you are really beginning to bug me!” I would like to say that just once to see how it feels, ha, lol. Of course if I did this, I would be concerned with what they would do to my food before they served me from the kitchen.” — Don
This week focus on speaking more clearly and slowing down your pace. How obvious is it to you when a salesperson is being repetitive and robotic? How could you change your message so it sounds fresh and lively? Do you allow your staff to infuse their personalities at work?
I LOVE feedback! Join my Facebook community on my FUN-damentals Fan Page.
Word Of the Week #536: Names
November 12, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word Of the Week #536: Names
Names – how you acknowledge, give recognition, and personalize contacts.
When was the last time you were addressed by your name when you were a customer? How did it make you feel? How many of your customers, guests, or members do you know by name?
This is #5 of my 7 Simple Steps of Service and one that I think is very important if your goal is to create a loyal following. Have you ever said, “I am terrible when it comes to remembering people’s names?” If you think that, then you probably are! Make a conscious choice this week to care enough to remember someone’s name.
One of the things I do is play a game and associate the person’s name with a rhyme, or an image, or a famous person. Example: If I meet someone named Marilyn, I would name associate Marilyn Monroe. And for Amy, I think of the song by Pure Prairie League.
Another very helpful tip I learned is to repeat the person’s name when you are introduced. Example: So nice to meet you Carol and welcome to … When I travel I also try to help others remember my name by saying, “I am Susan from San Diego” and they will usually tell me where they’re from and that helps me remember them as well.
I found this article “Do You Know Your Customers’ Names?” by Brian Cantor who writes, “Isolated experiences matter. One bad date can put the kibosh on a relationship. One bad interview can ruin one’s chances of getting a job. For major companies, a customer’s one bad experience with one employee at one single location can destroy his opinion of the entire organization.
That reality puts immense pressure on those tasked with driving the customer experience. Customers, inherently inclined to overvalue their individual experiences, will not necessarily be comforted by the knowledge that the company’s service is usually great. They will not necessarily care that most employees are not like that one who was rude and dismissive.
Customers are loyal to those organizations who they believe are acting in their best interest. Quality service and innovative ideas can be indicative of a commitment to improving the customer experience, but recognizing a customer by name confirms the importance the organization places on that customer.
And while one bad employee encounter can ruin a customer’s experience; one good one who cares, takes the time to acknowledge the customer by name, and create a personal relationship can turn it around.
This week focus on remembering names. Are you truly committed to creating loyal customers, guests, members or clients? How difficult would it be for you to repeat the person’s name when you are introduced? Have you ever played the name association game? Does everyone in your organization care about giving customers the best possible experience?
I LOVE feedback! Join my Facebook community on my FUN-damentals Fan Page.
FUN-travel: Reykjavik, Iceland – Day 2
November 10, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Reykjavik, Iceland – Day 2
Day 53 – Friday, August 21 – Reykjavik, Iceland – Full Day 2 – full on sun – balmy summer day – high 50’s on coast & low 60’s inland
Stokkur
What I LIKE
- 6:30 – wake up to good hot espresso
- – ready for big day of adventure
- 8:35 – pick up for Grand Circle Tour
- 8:45 – arrive main station to change
- 9:10 – depart – scenic drive
- – includes rolling hills w/rugged lava landscape
- – black volcanic jagged mountains in distance
- – occasional steam spouts from bubbling hot springs
- So clear can see huge glacier miles away!
- Having a heat wave! Sunny & 55
- 10:30 – 1st stop – Fridheimer
- – gigantic green houses growing tomatoes
- – 51 rows, each 90’ long & double sided
- – eat tomato soup w/nice seeded baguette 900 Kroner =$7.50
FUN-fact – They grow tomatoes all year round under artificial lighting in greenhouses yielding an average of a ton a day with an annual harvest of 370 tons!
- 11:15 – depart for
- 11:25 – 2nd stop – Geysir @ Haukadalur
- only erupts during earthquakes – last time in 2000
- – pretty impressive @ 200 to 250 ft high
- Strokkur erupts every 8 to 10 mins
- – impressive @ 75 to 100 ft high
- 12:55 – depart for
- 1:05 – 3rd stop – waterfall Gullfoss – really spectacular!
- – 3-step “staircase” abruptly plunges in two stages – 35’ then 65’ into crevice 100’ deep
Thingvellir National Park
- – crevice about 60’ wide & 1.5 mi long then plunges – 210 ft into canyon surrounding it
- – beautiful rainbow @ end – get up close & personal
- – really loud, ferocious & incredibly powerful
- 2:07 – 4th stop – Thingvellir National Park
- – pass site where Eurasian & American tectonic plates are pulling apart
- 3:15 – take nice walk to
- – Parliament – venue for general assembly
- – established in 930 – annual meetings held until 1798
- 4:00 – depart back to Reykjavik
- 5:08 – drop off not far from hotel – go shopping
- – need to find gifts – ooh! nice sweatshirt only 5900 Kroner = $50 – deal of the century
- & get VAT refund for one I got me yesterday! YEAH!
- 6:00 – room R&R
- 8:00 – dinner reservation Sushi Samba
- – Japanese South American Fusion
- – place is packed & on sound overload
- 8:15 – get seated
- 8:45 – bread w/basil cream butter arrives
FUN-food – Sushi Samba– 1) surf n turf roll = lobster tempura, avocado, beef carpaccio, spicy mayo, teriyaki, chili crumble = 3190 Kroner – 2) Hot Maguro roll = torpedo shrimp, tuna, avocado, jalapeno mayo, kimchee = 2990 Kroner – 3) under “Street Food” deep fried Cuban lobster cigar = chorizo, dates, chili jam, chimichurri sauce = 1990 Kroner – 4) reindeer mini burger on brioche, Portobello, manchego, bleu cheese sauce = 2590 Kroner – Viña Maipo Vitral Reserve 2012 Carmenere = 6590 Kroner
Gullfoss
- – By far the BEST meal we’ve had all trip
- – excellent mix of flavors
- & most expensive @ 17350 Kroner
- – Yikes! Thanks god it’s just monopoly money
- = $150 US
- – definitely hip, hop & happening – not just a meal but an event!
Puffins
What I DON’T LIKE
- Tried to restart my Netflix subscription @ home
- & told there is no service in Iceland – but coming soon!
- Only negative w/dinner all served at same time
- – should have ordered tasting menu – they will let you share an order for 1 – just didn’t want dessert
FUN-fact – Yellow Stone is the tallest predictable geyser in the world with powerful bursts between 150-200 feet. Its interval ranges from 6 to 15 hours, although recently, it has averaged 7-8 hours and eruptions last between 9-12 minutes
More FF – Iceland has a population of 320,000 with 2/3rds living in the capital city of Reykjavik.
The Sun Voyager Sculpture
FUN-travel: End of A&K Arctic Cruise – Reykjavik, Iceland – Day 1
November 5, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: End of A&K Arctic Cruise – Reykjavik, Iceland – Day 1
Day 52 – Thursday, August 21 – Reykjavik, Iceland – End of A&K Cruise – full on sun – balmy summer day – high mid 50’s
What I LIKE
- 6:45 – get up
- Ready for next big adventure!
- 8:00 – packed up
- 8:15 – out of cabin
- 8:20 – breakfast (closes @ 8:30)
- *9:15 – bus to city center
City Center
Cruise Recap – Really smooth well stabilized ship with good sized rooms for the price (and all with balconies). A&K is a 5 star experience and who we have gone with in Antarctica and Egypt. Both have been most favorite trips. The ship is French and the staff was for the most part friendly. The food was a bit disappointing. We had done a river cruise on Uniworld through the Burgundy and Provence region and the food was spectacular. We really expected to see a whole lot more wildlife and icebergs. Heard they were going to do this same trip next year one month earlier which I assume will make a big difference. We wouldn’t recommend this trip unless you’ve been everywhere else and really want to hunt for polar bears in the wild. Antarctica still wins as the “best vacation we ever had!” The abundance of wildlife is phenomenal.
- 10:30 – arrive Reyjkavik4You Apartments
Hallgrimur’s Church
- – get upgrade to 1 bdrm w/full kitchen
- –great to have so much space!
- –free fast Wifi
- 12:00 – plan out next 4 days
- – make dinner reservations
- – make tour reservations
- Front desk fabulous! Handles everything for us
- 2:00 – take off for stroll thru Old Town & city center
- 2:15 – coffee break @ Kigali
- – buy fresh ground espresso for morning coffee
- 2:30 – run into 2 couples from ship – doing same as us
- – self guided tour & lodging
- – while I like meeting new people it’s nice to be on our own
- 3:30 – wine store stop – Vinbudin – only retail place in town for alcohol
- 4:30 – snack break @ Durum Restaurant
- – Cajun chicken quesadilla ala Icelandic style
- – brown thin bread w/yogurt sauce
- 5:15 – check out restaurant on our list
- server recommends Icelandic Bar
- – so we cancel more formal dinner and go there
- 5:30 – grocery store just around corner
- – they have separate really cold room for the meat & dairy
- 6:30 – put name on list – go back to room
- 7:40 – get seated
FUN-food – Icelandic Bar – Loved the coziness! If you’re into beer this is the place to be. I like my wine and they had some of that too. The appetizers come in cute little jars. We had grilled minke whale (tastes like steak) and fried shrimp topped w/blueberry glaze and arugula which was divine! Fish & chips were good. Yalumba 2010 Cab – dinner cost = $80
FUN-surprise – 9 pm on Thursday nights in summer they have a vintage car show in town – 50’s- 60’s – 70’s & 80’s models – saw Mustangs, Cougars, Cadillac’s, Fords, Lincolns, Mercedes, BMW’s, etc – for over an hour they paraded past our window table!
Opera House
What I DON’T LIKE
- *only takes 15 mins to city but w/all drop offs takes 75 mins
- – then driver tries to drop off 2 blks from our hotel
- – cost of post cruise hotel outrageous!
- Trying to find deal on souvenirs impossible
- – too expensive here!
FUN-fact – Iceland was discovered by the Viking Eric the Red in 985.
