Aww...

Yes, that's the reaction I was expecting.  

Last week's post about putting on your positive pants received a lot of great feedback so I thought I'd share more tips from Jane McGonigal.

Tip #3: Emotional Resilience

Looking at pictures of baby animals changes your frame of mind in an instant. Didn't you have a reaction when you saw the seal pup?  We added this picture but it'd be a good idea to have a picture at your desk of something or someone that makes you smile.

Tip #4: Social Resilience 

We need human connection. Find someone and shake hands for 6 seconds.  This positive, personal interaction is said to increase oxytocin in the brain and make you feel better.  

Now you have all four resilience tips from Jane: Physical, Mental, Social and Emotional.  And yes, there's an app for that: https://www.superbetter.com/  

Choose the one that you need when you need it and send me (well, Karen, actually) a picture of your favorite baby animal.

Another Opportunity to Say "Thank You"

Q: What do you do if someone blogs bad news about your company?

A: Say thank you.

Huh?

It's natural to get defensive when you get a negative online post.  But take a moment and instead of reiterating your company policy and explaining your procedures, say "thank you".

After that have a conversation with that unhappy customer, but have it over the phone. 

Listen to their story, empathize and offer to make it right. In fact, sweeten the offering so much that you can go back later and ask them to take down their post or at least repost a positive. 

A negative post is an opportunity to shine.  Respond don't react.

Sound available

You are busy, but you shouldn’t sound busy.

If you slow down and don’t interrupt your caller and they will feel heard, cared for and like you better.

Wow, that’s quite a promise, you say! 

But it’s true.  When you fully listen to your caller and act as if they are the most important person in your world (right now) they can feel it. 

Tips:

Choose to speak at a slower pace to indicate you have time for them.  Need help?  Say this tongue twister “Around the rugged rocks the ragged rascals ran.”  That’s the pace and nice job with the enunciation! 

Choose not to interrupt.  Snap a rubber band on your wrist as a reminder to let them finish their sentence… completely.  Resist the urge to help them along. Just listen.

You know that feeling you get when you help someone?  When they say ‘thank you’ and you know you earned it?  Ya, that feels good and these techniques will help you experience that more often.

What business are you in?

A: We're all in the 'Customer Service' business. 

Recently, the TSA has been in the news for their lack of customer service.  Oddly enough, lines winding out of airport doors don’t lead to positive Yelp reviews.

But wait, the goal of the TSA is to make flying safe for all of us.

If you scan their budget presentation, you’ll find 4,338 words and the phrase "customer service" only appears twice.  

Guess which word popped up most in their word cloud?  Security.

So, despite the fact that we count on the TSA for security, we rate them on their customer service. 

Your customers are doing the same.  It’s not what you do - it’s how you do it.

Be kind to your customers this week, they might have spent their summer vacation in a long TSA line and be short on patience.  

Keep your eye on the prize

Have you been watching the Olympics? The athletes are achieving great feats, breaking records and winning medals.

Do you ever wonder what it took to get there?   Sacrifice.

Olympians have been so focused preparing for their event that they’ve given up vacations, parties, hobbies and even participating in other leisure sports.  They’ve kept their eye on the prize.

Do you ever get:

1. Thrown off your game by an upset or intimidating caller?
2. Frazzled when someone asks about price?
3. Upset when they threaten to leave?

Today, when you get that tough caller, keep your eye on the prize by being patient, actively listening and offering empathy. 

The prize?  Happy Customers. :-)

Smile and the World Smiles with You

Smiling, like yawning, is contagious. 

When someone comes into your office, your cube or the company kitchen, look up and smile at them. 

Bet they smile back, betcha it goes viral faster than Pokemon Go!

Tip:  If they don’t, be extra kind.  They might be having a tough day and need a little extra care.

It's Monday...

and due to recent events in Orlando, it might be tough to focus on offering friendly and upbeat service today.

Rather than trying to make yourself happy so that you can make customers happy, do the opposite.

Choose to make someone else happy.  The world could use some extra empathy right now.

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift someone else
”

— Booker T Washington

Got Millennials on your team?  Looking for a way to work better together?  We can help.