• No matter how rude a customer can be……..
• No matter how grumpy a customer can be……
• No matter how demanding a customer can be…….
• No matter how uninformed a customer can be……
• No matter how unreasonable a customer can be……

You can satisfy the vast majority of them and keep them loyal to your business.

Here is all you have to do:

• Keep your mouth shut!
• Listen to what they say!
• Send your fragile ego out to lunch!
• Solve their problem!

You solve their problem by thinking. Thinking is manipulating symbols or data in your brain. Thinking is not “recalling” a list of things to do. Manipulating symbols and data in your brain helps you come up with new and novel ideas and solutions. This is what you must do when dealing with customers. You can classify them all you want, but every single one of them is unique in some way. This is why you can’t rely on a one-size-fits-all customer service policy. A written customer service policy is only effective as a starting point. The uniqueness of those customers will require you to think when dealing with them. If you or your associates stick to a “policy”, without being flexible, you will not satisfy a lot of them. You’ve got a customer service policy but you’re back to square one with customer satisfaction.

This is why customer service doesn’t get a whole lot better. Inflexible customer service policies don’t work. Consumers are unique and they change. I call that flexible. The people dealing with that must also be flexible! In too many cases they’re not allowed to be. Thus, the never-ending story!

Contrary to popular belief, creativity is not reserved for artists and inventors. Most people use creativity much more often than they think they do. If you allow people in service positions to use that creativity more often, the benefits to your business will be greater than you may know!

Their is a solution to every problem! Are your associates allowed to “manipulate symbols” to come up with those solutions? Do you “manipulate symbols” to help make that so?