5 Easy Ways To Give Great Customer Service.

I ordered new running shoes from Zappos the other day. If you've ever ordered from Zappos — you'll know they sometimes don't have the best prices. But they do deliver the best customer service.

When I say "CUSTOMER SERVICE", it isn't specific to business owners. If you work in corporate, CUSTOMER SERVICE is critical — you have CUSTOMERS above you, along side you, and below you. When you work at an organization, it's formal Human Resources name is "interpersonal communication".

To survive, you need to keep your customers engaged, happy, and wanting more of your products and services. So without further ado — here they are:

1. Deliver WOW during the whole process.

From the initial screens, to the multiple angles, to the highly-descriptive videos Zappos makes you feel right at home choosing your merchandise. Everything is clear, and open and they really don't try to hard-sell you. In addition, they promote their core values at the bottom of every page to let the customer know what philosophies are guiding every business interaction.

When I say WOW, I want you to look at everything you do for your boss, customer, or client. At every juncture, how can you do a little bit better? How can you elevate every touchpoint and anticipate their needs? How can you reach out and make every interaction more streamlined and pleasurable?

2. Make the customer feel special by personalizing the process.

Zappos remembers ALL of your purchases. A year after I bought a pair of Merrell Jungle Mocs, I received an email to let me know it's been a year and if I'd like to buy another pair. Although my pair is in good shape and I didn't need another pair just yet — the thought of receiving a card is impressive.

When was the last time you reached out to your current client base to remind them of a service or product? How about a new service or product? How about a simple card appreciating their business? You can do almost anything and make the customer feel special.

3. Be responsive. 4. If something goes wrong, ask questions and listen. 5. If you screwed up, give them a token of appreciation.

I had a slight snafu with one of my orders — I ordered it on the regular Zappos site and not the VIP site (we order a lot of shoes). The end result — shoes I thought were arriving that day were delayed by a few days. On the phone, the Zappos representative was helpful and was able to expedite the shipment. In addition, they sent me an email with a $25 credit to apply to my next purchase. WOW.

If something goes wrong — fix it immediately. Don't wait for it to 'go away'.

First, you need to be instantly accessible to allow your clients to access you. All of my clients have a direct line to me — so they can either call or email me. If it's an emergency, I get back the them ASAP. If it's just a question, 24 hours is fine. But I am there — they don't sit in my inbox for weeks or are relegated to my voicemail for eternity. I get back to them. And they can access me instantly.

Second, if there is something wrong, ask questions and then LISTEN. Most people try to fix the problem without listening to the entire story. Your customer first and foremost want you to empathize with their situation. So your job is to ask questions for clarification and listen to them until they run out of steam. Then empathize with them — "I'm so sorry to hear that happened." or "Let's see what we can do to solve your problem."

Finally, if YOU screwed up — apologize and give them a token of appreciation. A discount, a gift, flowers, take them out to lunch, whatever. A small token of acknowledgement and a gift will not only go the distance, they will be your customer forever.

How To Deliver GREAT Customer Service.

I use shaving soap. Not shaving cream from a can. That's for kids. I'm a serious shaver — I use a shaving brush (Burma-Shave, antique), with a Merkur Model 180 razor, shaving cup with shaving soap.

I thought I would try a different company for my shaving soap. Since I like the smell of Bay Rum in the morning, I checked out Ogallala Bay Rum Company out of Nebraska.

I ordered their sampler for $6.25 which included six different shaving soaps — all made with bay rum, they included — Plain Bay Rum, Sandalwood, Sage & Cedar, Limes & Peppercorns, Lemon Grass, and Sweet Orange.

Now their site isn't great — but it gets the job done. Immediately after my order, I received the customary email letting me know that my order has been processed and it's on it's way to me. The next day, I received another email including these lines:

"If we have the pleasure of serving you again in the future, please remind us that you are a returning customer….and you’ll get a little something extra with your shipment! (Actually you will this time as well!)We not only have good old-fashioned products…but good old fashioned service and customer appreciation!" (Additional products for free on my first order!)

"On another note, it is very much appreciated when someone lets us know how they discovered Ogallala Bay Rum. Was it a search for a specific product on EBay or Google… or some other search engine or web site referral? And if so, what product were you searching for? Such information will help us in our marketing efforts and help keep costs down for our customers. Any information you can provide by replying to this email is greatly appreciated!" (It doesn't hurt to ask — and it probably saves them a lot of money and frustration understanding where their customers are coming from).

"We have special sales on our products through our store on occasion and like to let our customers know as soon as they are posted so they can be among the first to get a shot at some great bargains. Please send a blank email to the address below and you will be added to the list to get a "heads up" when such listings are posted.: (A polite way to ask for your email and retain you as a client).

I received the package within a few days (normal) and opened it up. What did I receive?

• The six soaps. Not only were they bigger than expected, they were individually wrapped to keep them dry and fresh. Most soaps aren't wrapped. Remember, these are samples.
• A free bottle of their Bay Rum Air Freshener. Not only did it smell great, it's made of two ingredients - Bay Rum and Water.
• An up-sell postcard — alerting me of their Cream Can Supper products. Not only did it have a specific web address, it had a QR code which I used to learn all about it. (sounds yummy!)
• A small thank-you card hand-signed — thanking me from a person named John. He said he "appreciated my business".

How do you think I feel about Ogallala NOW? 

• I will tell everyone I know about their products and customer service (this post is an example).
• I will buy from them again (guaranteed).
• I will have a good feeling about their company.

Don't you want people reacting like me about YOUR brand? Sit down today and think about how you interact with your prospects and clients:

• Do you communicate frequently to keep them abreast of what's going on, what is happening, and when everything will be delivered and complete? OVER-COMMUNICATE.
• Do you give away free stuff or more service than what the customer expected? START TODAY.
• Do you communicate related offers and products? GET GOING ON THIS.
• Do you send/give them a personalized and handwritten thank you note when the transaction/service is complete? IT'S EASY AND SIMPLE - DO IT.

Maybe you should try.

P.S. By the way, if you felt I was directing this only to entrepreneurs or company owners, you're mistaken. Every corporate worker should also take note — when I say 'customer service', replace it with boss, peers, or team. It still works.

YOUR COMMENTS ARE APPRECIATED — LEAVE THEM BELOW — Rich