Hi! Betsy, here.
Thank you for exchanging a valuable part of your day for the benefit of absorbing the ideas that I wish to express about a subject that is very dear to my heart.
Please notice that I chose the word SATISFACTION over the word SERVICE. Customer service is the daily routine of performing due diligence to maintain the status quo. Customer satisfaction is about listening and being willing to change and evolve in order to provide more true value wherever possible. This is what leads to increased standing in the marketplace and ultimately, an astounding bottom line. But profit is neither the correct motivation, nor end goal. It is simply the byproduct of doing what you are good at with a natural passion. It's a "state of flow".
This leads us into the art aspect of exceptional customer satisfaction. The "state of flow" has been a common term in arts and human potential circles for probably a century or more. It's a timeless concept. In the martial arts, the term is "kata". It's a series of choreographed movements, when repeatedly performed with the correct focus, becomes an actual extension of who you are. Thus, a repeated series of customer satisfaction objectives eventually becomes the hallmark of your business. It's who you are. It is all about doing the "right thing".
Let's return to the "state of flow" terminology for a moment. I love to refer to my favorite quarterback of all time, Joe Montana, when describing the "state of flow". Joe and countless artists, musicians, actors, writers and even jugglers, describe their best performances or works of art in the same way - "it's like the entire ( play, painting, score, scene, chapter, event...) was already created perfectly by some higher power and I was merely channeling it into the here and now." Armed service members have also described the same type of phenomena. It's universal. It's a way that we can connect with one another on a deeper level. Some would call it poetry in motion.
I would like to revisit the idea of "doing the right thing" at this time. Customer satisfaction is not about giving in and giving the customer whatever they say they should have. Honestly, the customer is NOT always right. The customer is not actually always going to benefit by getting their way, and neither will the company. In enter the Managers (The deal makers, the treaty signers and peacekeepers.) May the Great Spirit keep them in good sorts always. Shout out to middle management in every business (and family) on earth. They have the customers and front end workers on one side and the admins on the other. I will forever cast flowers of kindness and gratitude upon the road of all souls walking the path of middle management. Their role is absolutely underpaid for what it means to the company's bottom line. It's a crunch.
When I refer to doing the "right thing" some would think it is always benevolent. Not at all. The "right thing" is the same as what Ted Andrews refers to as "right action". It is that which is in accordance with what the law of universal justice would have us do. It's blind. It's not about pity or discounts for whomever has the inability to pay. It's about what "feels" correct and just for all concerned. And then moving on - with an appropriate amount of sensitivity.
IN CLOSING - I would like to present a few bullet points that can be utilized for immediate results (cuz if you don't know me now - you will know soon that I am the results Goddess!!! lol)
*LISTEN TO EVERY CUSTOMER* no matter how you feel about them - get out of yourself - tune IN - and never judge*
*Understand that your business is SERVING needs and needs are understood by the daily process of attentive LISTENING*
*If you are coaching business clients, make it a point to actually look at their website and gather information about their business before you get on the call - DO the research! - and then, by Golly, follow up after the call*
*No matter what, take time out for daily introspection and personal growth. You will never serve others if you are not first paying attention to being the best YOU that you were put on this earth to be*
If this article has been helpful or inspired any "aha moments" feel free to leave a comment and share the article with anyone else you think may appreciate it.
Big Hugs and All The Best
- Betsy Daggett (Creator, Businessperson, Whippersnapper!)
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