Where have you received the best customer service lately?

I think I shocked everyone at the breakfast meeting with my response - “Canada Post.”

We have a small Canada Post outlet at our local Shoppers Drug Mart, where you can wait forever in line as this grumpy employee slowly serves you.  

So no, this was not where I received the great service.

I had several copies of One Red Lipstick to ship out and with time to spare ventured into the main post office in Guelph, where the two staff both worked on the best and cheapest way to ship the books out. 

They checked around and found the perfect size envelopes which were on sale if I bought a box.  They helped do the labels and generally got the books lovingly sent out.

One looked up my Venture One card number and wrote it down for me, so I could continue to access discounts.  As a result, saving me $5 a book compared to what “grumpy lady” had charged me. 

Now that was not only great service, but saved me money too.  In other words, they put the customer first.  They cared.  They also took an interest and where curious about the book and what it was about.

Here’s some of the conclusions we reached as we brainstormed about good customer service. 

• ·      It’s about going that extra mile to make sure the customer is satisfied – in fact when you wow them, you become memorable, like my ladies at Canada Post.

• ·      It’s also about follow up, doing what you said you would do and when you said you would do it. 

• ·      Taking an interest in your customer, remembering small details, tells them that you care.  

• ·      Sending articles that might be of interest also keeps you top of mind.

• ·      Hand-written notes to say thank you, especially if they make a referral.

My Canada Post ladies could just as easily just shipped the books out and charged me the highest price.  Instead, they took the time to work out what was best for me as the customer.  They put my needs first.   

Often we try to persuade customers to do what we want to offer, rather than looking at what they actually need.  When we listen and then deliver the goods, we all win.

Getting to WOW

Can you remember when you had a WOW experience? 

What was it about the experience or product that captured your attention and led to such a high, memorable rating?  That’s just one of the questions asked by Michael Hyatt in his new book Platform.  Get Noticed in a Noisy World:  A Step-by-Step Guide for Anyone with Something to Say or Sell.

As I reflected on the question, a couple of occasions immediately came to mind, and each time it was the attention to detail, coupled with the atmosphere created that blew me away. 

One was the first ATHENA leadership conference that I ever attended, where its high calibre speakers impacted my life, creating a defining “ah ha” moment.  Based on that experience, I have since tried to replicate those inspiring moments in the conferences I have organized.  The second was a building, a club – the Verity Club - with its bursts of colour  (orange walls), beautiful artwork and atmosphere of acceptance.

So often the WOW factor is about going the extra mile; doing the unexpected that will grab the person’s attention. In both these instances, efforts were made to make the space or learning environment not only women-friendly but warm, with those little touches such as fresh flowers, that tell you someone cares, and that unquestionably a woman is involved in the design.  (Sorry guys)

So what can you do to create that same level of WOW in your business? 

Part of the secret to a WOW experience, explains Hyatt, is truly knowing your audience and not only talking in their language but demonstrating that you understand their challenges. As a result, you choose to provide a service or product that really addresses those needs, remembering always that it is not about you, it’s about them.

But it is not just about knowing your target group, it is also knowing and believing in your brand; and nailing down the detail to best message what you offer.  Doing your homework and checking out popular trends as well as your competition helps build that foundation.

As Hyatt says “you won’t get a second chance to make a first impression.”  So you need to make sure that your package captures their attention straight away.  But, he cautions, let your designers have some leeway to create something innovative and different.

His favourite designs are simple and elegant and I would concur.  When we make the message too difficult to decipher, we lose out and dilute the impact.   Short, punchy and to the point says it all.

However, he also warns that we have to be clear on our messages and stick to our gut instinct and not let the designers get too carried away in the design element.  Last but not least, check in with your fans, he advises, they will quickly tell you if you are on track, or not.

Bottom line, the more clear you are on what you want to create – be it product or service – the better able you will be to provide that extra WOW factor.

And that is what we all want and deserve.