Patience is a Song

By on August 14, 2006 in Brain Stew with 4 Comments

Patience. That’s the tune we should be humming in customer service situations.

The relationship between a customer and a customer servant is one often taken for granted – by both parties. Interesting when you think about it. We all play both roles at various times.

I’ve stood behind retail counters and beside a dining table. Served on the sales floor and on the phone. Hopefully, the service was outstanding. Sometimes, the customers were a nightmare.

I’ve also been a customer of each situation. Hopefully, I was an outstanding customer. Sometimes, the service was a nightmare.

Patience. That’s the music that should play when we do the customer service dance – and if you don’t mind, I’ll take the lead each time. Whether in service or being served, I’m positive I can set the tone. Do you do the same? And is the one your dancing with in rhythm with you?

One thing we forget is that each customer service situation is brand new. Never been faced in this particular setting, on this particular day. This may be the first time you’ve danced with this partner.

Yet, too many times, we bring previous experience to the mix. We rush to judgment about how this exchange will go, quickly script out our conversation and…oops…forget to give our partner their copy of the script.

The only time impatience works is at the florist – but then, that would be impatiens, wouldn’t it?

Servers wait on customers. Customers wait for service. Bloggers wait on comments. Set the tone. Be with the one you’re with. One at a time. Like it’s the very first time. With patience.

Related Posts at CustomerAreAlways Hostess of the Carnivale of Customer Service:
Thank You for Your Patience
How to Handle a Long Line
An IHOP Experience

Follow on Twitter or Facebook or on Google+

Find Your Social Media ROI

I hear it from a lot of business owners: “Where is the ROI with all this Social Media?“ If this is a question you ask yourself, maybe we should work together a bit more. We can work together solo, or via a professional learning community. Find and increase your ROI. There is a “there” there.

About Mike Sansone:

All Posts by
  • http://www.customersarealways.com/2006/08/carnivale_of_customer_service_1.html CustomersAreAlways

    Carnivale of Customer Service: First Edition!

    Im thrilled to announce the first edition of the Carnivale of Customer Service! Sit back, relax, and take some notes because each of these bloggers featured for this first edition have much wisdom to share! It is my hope that…

  • http://www.customersarealways.com/2006/08/carnivale_of_customer_service_1.html CustomersAreAlways

    Carnivale of Customer Service: First Edition!

    Im thrilled to announce the first edition of the Carnivale of Customer Service! Sit back, relax, and take some notes because each of these bloggers featured for this first edition have much wisdom to share! It is my hope that…

  • Kalivo

    Carnivale of Customer Service: First Edition!

    I

  • http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=-87134 Susan Cergol

    ah, patience is a thing at the surface of my consciousness these days. Just this week I’ve had my water, phone landline, electricity, and internet connections all switched off intermittently, without warning or the slightest hint of when they might be turned back on. I have learned that you will get far better results flinging yourself out of a speeding vehicle in rush hour traffic than being rude and impatient with a Kuwaiti government employee.
    People have the tendency to see similarities between new situations and previous ones, and then respond as if they were exactly the same. By remembering that each customer service situation is new, as you point out, you can break the cycle and start generating better results.
    This is true whether you’re dealing with a dissatisfied customer or a civil servant who is anxious to break for tea.

Stop SOPA