Learning from a Master: Customer Service

Customer Service

M, a master of customer service with solid boundaries, goes out of his way when appropriate or fun.

I learned appropriate customer service in a whole different way watching him operate.

Understood, Mr McCandless

I watched M listen to a dissatisfied customer. As he nodded to the person over the phone M said, "Understood, Mr McCandless."

M listened to the frustrated customer, in this case a parent who abdicated their responsibility and were looking to blame someone other than the person in the mirror.

I knew who's fault the situation was because I observed it from the outside over the week: the McCandless' screwed up. M and M&W's company were 100% in the right.

I pulled their file and tried to hand over the evidence.

M waved it off while smiling. He knew.

M could have said, "Now hold on Mr McCandless...who did not do their parental work and read the two page pamphlet from the state on what exactly was required of the them? That's right: you."

He also could have done the old, "I'm sorry to hear and I understand your frustration," horseshit trained into robotic call center personnel.

Instead, M gave Mr McCandless space to vent and listened for ways to improve internal systems just in case there was a nugget of value in the conversation.

I knew Mr McCandless wasn't being a jackass because M would have shut him down with guillotine precision.

M&W's company's online reviews — constantly on the rise — contained rebuttals when people slandered or took zero responsibility for their own failures during 1-star rants, M and/or W would chime in with accuracies and counterpoints which I believe sold more than straight positive reviews.

When off the phone M said, "Mr McCandless couldn't hear anything right now."

M gave Mr McCandless future space to apologize and thank the team the next time he came in. Don't know if Mr McCandless did however an astonishing number of other folks did.

Not Wanting to Want Strokes

One of the most difficult human OS bloatwares to uninstall is wanting to prove I'm right.

This ego-less state M set for himself allowed Mr McCandless to vent, M to deeply listen, and to keep any need-to-be-right at bay.

M, while right, did not need to gloat, did not chime in or take a potshot. He did nothing but listen.

Silently professional, this behavior from leadership attracted better behavior from both customers and staff.