Well, the Holiday Season is upon us and we're madly shopping, which means we're exposed to all types of Customer Service. One of the key challenges that I find at this time of year is being served quickly, because I'm in a hurry and there are crowds of people, and still receiving quality Customer Service. Last week I was on a longish domestic flight - I arrived at the airport with several thousand other people all going their own way.... Read the rest of this entry »
My Customer Service Challenge is progressing - I'm still hunting for Excellence in Customer Service and it pops up in the most unusual places. Today I'm sitting on a train, admittedly looking a little the worse for wear thanks to a head cold. I'm fighting off the dripping nose and ticklish throat to go and view some new telephone headsets - there's some really interesting telephone headsets around and even half-dying I'll check them out when I have a chance!... Read the rest of this entry »
This week we've been interviewing prospective new employees for Customer Service positions at Headsets.com. Now, to get a job with Headsets.com you don't need to know a lot about headsets, at least to start with - we'll train you. You do, however, need to know a lot about Excellent Customer Service. I've been intrigued what people think Excellent Customer Service is. Have you ever thought about it? I do, a lot! I've asked a few people around me what they... Read the rest of this entry »
Recently, on a work & play vacation in a developing country, I was reminded of what the Customer Service experience once was. Being a headset fan & a Customer Service Fanatic I thought I'd combine a bit of both with a shopping trip "downtown". There were hundreds of small stores selling literally millions of electronic devices - i-pods, bank note verifiers, fingerprint scanners, robotic vacuum cleaners that clean your floor then automatically park themselves in their recharging base, & your... Read the rest of this entry »
Okay, normally I blog about Customer Service. Not today. I'll keep my fetish for Customer Service restrained - Have you ever thought about why telephone headsets are becoming so popular? Yes, I admit it. I am biased. I really, honestly, do think that they are great. Okay, here's how it goes. I get up in the morning. No, even before that. The phone rings and I grab the wireless headset that I have beside my bed. I don't have to... Read the rest of this entry »
Last Friday, I went into the local store of a very popular computer manufacturer (no need to name names) in order to purchase a new laptop. I pretty much knew exactly what I wanted and after briefly going over my needs with a Customer Service Representative I had made my selection in what took no more than 7-8 minutes. Naturally, I was critiquing my Customer Service Experience the entire time — it's what I do. The young man who helped... Read the rest of this entry »
Okay, so I'm a Customer Service Fanatic - I admit it. Customer Service fascinates me. I love telephone headsets too - you know that already! What you may not know is that I'm also a great fan of the English language. After all, the use of language is one of the biggest challenge facing Customer Service. Sight the following- An Australian friend was with me last week and he wanted to buy some clothes to swim in. We went into... Read the rest of this entry »
We've done it; we've turned a new leaf and created a headset blog. We're not exactly sure what the headset blog will mean to us, but we have a few ideas. My biggest hope is the Customer Service aspect of the blog. Our Customer Service Team will make posts to the blog on various subjects ranging from "How to pair your Plantronics CS50 Headset" to "I had a great Customer Love experience today." If any of you have ideas on... Read the rest of this entry »
3pm Friday afternoon - the week is almost over and I have just a few things to finalize, including the return of a faulty electric fan. It'll be a piece of cake. I don my wireless headset and call ahead as I pack the fan back into it's box. I write a note - I love being handsfree. An hour later I arrive at the store. Customer Service is always something that I'm interested in so I'm keen to see... Read the rest of this entry »
Hooray, after playing with outsourcing Customer Service to save money over the past few years, the number one PC maker, Dell is going to start bringing back Customer Service to the America's. OK its Canada. But i don't mind. they speak English and they get Customer Service. I've never been again outsourcing, or foreign lands doing work. its not a political issue for me. it's a Customer Service quality issue. And India, (I have Indian friends, I'm OK with anywhere... Read the rest of this entry »
Recently I was waiting in a, appropriately named, "Waiting Room", for a dentist in a foreign country to fix my aching tooth. How much worse can things be than needing a dentist whilst overseas? You all know that I'm a Customer Service Fanatic - I'm also a realist so I don't expect Customer Service Excellence everywhere that I go. Images of a messy, oily haired dentist with a hand drill raced through my mind. My spirits lifted when I saw... Read the rest of this entry »
I recently needed to travel to parts far flung & it amazed me how geographically specific Customer Service can be. Thanks to the marvels of modern air transport I was fortunate, or unfortunate, enough to experience Customer Service in New York and the Deep South - in the one day. New York - as I walked into the "glitzy, ritzy" office I was greeted by an officious receptionist wearing a wireless headset, handling 5 calls simultaneously, toting a PDA and... Read the rest of this entry »
Recently I attempted to set up a VOIP system for my personal use at home. The provider's publicity said things like "Easy as 1-2-3", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "So simple an adult can do it" - I must admit that I really did liked that one! Having attempted 5 times to use the "Easy as 1-2-3" manual and not being able to get my headsets to work with it or even to dial out on a normal telephone, I attempted to contact... Read the rest of this entry »
Why Special Deals Do Not Equal Customer Service Yesterday, I went into a national drugstore chain to buy a pack of gum and some candy for the office. (I don't want to say the store's name, but it did have green walls, if you catch my drift.) I grabbed the store circular on the way in which was advertising a great deal, 2 big bags of candy for only $3! I went to the candy aisle, picked out some bags... Read the rest of this entry »
Have you used THANK YOU as a power tool in delivering Customer Service? Try it. Send a thank you card. Write a letter with a thank you in. (mail is MUCH better than email, despite the easy draw of email). Call someone to say thank you, (and nothing else, or you'll destroy the impact). Earlier this year at my Company Headsets.com i send over 100,000 letters to headset buyers, saying thank you to them. I stripped out all the sales... Read the rest of this entry »
My friend Ivan Levison (www.levison.com )is full of praise for people who "stick to their knitting" as he calls it. We spoke earlier this week and were discussing companies that do this tend to have better Customer Service. Why? Often because by doing less, they're able to focus more on what they do better, and get better results. Better operations, better marketing and better Customer Service. Almost sounds like a winning combination. In Ivan's case he's one of the worlds... Read the rest of this entry »
Headsets are getting more common, nearly every time I go into Starbucks I see someone wearing a headset and talking away on it. Despite my being in the headset business, I'm not sure how great people look chatting away in line for coffee with a headset on their head. Nevertheless I'm looking for pointers to famous people wearing headsets, or movies in which people are wearing headsets. Please provide any links or names of movies with details of where I... Read the rest of this entry »
In fact Customer Service leads to profitability. Last night i went to Chutney's Indian Restaurant with my wife. We ordered a meal to go. While waiting at the counter having a drink my wife blurted to the owner it was my birthday. Well first of all the drinks became free. On the house. Then they put together a special lentil dish for us on the house. And to finish it off he brought out a special potato dish for us... Read the rest of this entry »
My wife's friend Kim Lemon is staying with us, she's here from the UK. What's different about Customer Service in the US? Our expectations for Customer Service and its delivery. Its just so much higher thinks Kim. Yesterday, when she had breakfast in Mendocino, it struck her how helpful the waiter was, how he asked what else he could get her, how he wanted everything to be right for her. Unusual? Not for us here in the US, but more... Read the rest of this entry »
Several tiimes a week i ride my Segway to downtown Danville and back. Since Thursday the 7 or 8 minute trip has become at least three times that. Everyone seems to have heard about the recall and has an instant fascination with stopping me to ask about it. Boy what a marketing coup. Apparently only two Segways have ever had the 'unintended reverse' problem arise. That means that statistically there's more chance of winning the lottery. I'm still riding mine,... Read the rest of this entry »
I like my dry cleaners. I don't get much dry cleaning done there, but I do get my shirts done. love to have them neatly pressed, I learned that from Daniel Robins. So how much does it cost? Heck if i know. Despite many dry cleaners having prices for shirt laundry splashed across their window, I'm not buying on price, or even questioning it. I think (comments welcomed please) that many people are like this. They go to the dry... Read the rest of this entry »
The word Customer should be upper case. There are few words that are more important. Why wouldn't you capitalize the most important word in your business? Forget grammar, this is business. We all know that marketing trumps correct grammar anyway. (ok i'm going to have a few stones thrown at me by teachers on this one! :-) ). Please let me know if you do the same, or if you spot another business that does the same. I'd like to... Read the rest of this entry »
The recent pop business book "The Long Tail" looks as if it's creating a lot of interest. I like pop business books, simple to read suits a guy like me. But I think I believe in the short tail, not the long tail. The long tail is a theory that says that due to the internet, companies can now do better by selling a wider range, and having thousands of items that they don't sell a lot of, but add... Read the rest of this entry »
Being a Vegan, (no meat or dairy), I find Whole Foods a great place to shop. But is it just me that finds the staff there kind of, full of themselves. Some are great and helpful, don't get me wrong, but I'd say at least half the time, the cashier is talking to another staff member and they manage a begrudging "hi" at the minimum. Often there is no "thank you." It's kind of like they feel I should be... Read the rest of this entry »
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Mike Faith
President & CEO
Headsets.com, Inc.
Here's where you can view my Top Ten Tips for great Customer Service. To purchase laminated copies click here!
Here is a link to simply the best and most useful headset I've ever used. Walk, talk and work totally wire-free and hands-free, up to 300ft from your desk.
Compare your reading list with these all-time, taught me loads, made me money, must read again and again, business books.
I don't have enough time to accept all speaking engagement requests, but if you're passionate about Customer Service, and I can be of help, contact me and I'll try to be there.
Customer Service relies upon feedback! So please spare a couple of minutes to give me your thoughts about this site. They would be most welcome. Thanks! |
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