When was the last time you had really great customer service?
Perhaps it was when you bought something in a store, checked in at a hotel or the airport or even made an enquiry over the phone.
When I ask this question of participants on my seminars, people respond with all sorts of great customer service stories.
They say things like – “The lady I dealt with was really warm and friendly” or “The guy in the store made me feel really important” or “They always remember my name when I go back to that shop.” What al these comments have in common is that – they’re all Human Level responses.
We tend to base our judgement of great customer service on how we’re treated as humans. Very rarely do I hear – “The goods were delivered on time” or “They replaced my faulty items without a quibble.” We tend take these Business Level responses as a given. It’s the Human Level responses that influence us in terms of whether we’ll use the service again and/or recommend it to others.
When dealing with other people be they Internal or External customers, it’s important to open the conversation on a Human Level before doing the business; then say something during the interaction that is not about the business at hand. Then, when the business is complete, close the conversation on a Human Level. This is even more important when dealing with a customer who is upset.
It’s just as important to deal with our Internal customers on a Human Level before discussing business. Start thinking about making your emails a bit more Human.
People nowadays will tell you that there’s no time for Human Level responses and customers, both Internal and External, want you to cut straight to the business. However a short Human Level response can speed up the business and make your life so much easier.
So there you have it; human beings have a massive need for acknowledgement. We want to know that other people care about us, that we’re important and we’re accepted. If we satisfy that need in others by communicating on a Human Level as well as a Business Level, then all our interactions will be much more productive.
About the Author
Alan Fairweather – The Motivation Doctor – is a professional speaker, author and business development expert.
