Lisa Ford is a speaker with over 20 years of experience presenting to businesses, associations and government. She speaks throughout the United States and internationally on topics of customer service, leadership, team issues and change. Lisa is best known for her work in the areas of customer service. She is the author of the videotape series How to Give Exceptional Customer Service, the #1 selling business tapes in the U.S. for over 5 years.
And it was NOT happy tears from being overwhelmed with an incredible act of service. Recently I had to order textbooks from a major publisher for my daughter. I attempted to do it online however I could not get through the security check. To order the algebra books, an account was required. At the end…
Customers want a consistent service experience. It seems like that would be easy to deliver yet it is not the norm. Since it is not the norm, consistency becomes a customer differentiator. Check how well you deliver consistency with these strategies. 1. Be reliable. Get it right the first time. Whatever the customer needs, they…
The customer experience is all about doing things that will be memorable and of value to the customer. Start with the basics and fundamentals. Once you have gotten them right, you will have earned the customer’s trust and repeat business. To keep them loyal, break out and be different. There are plenty of companies offering…
Customers are fickle, demanding and opinionated. Keeping your customers loyal, satisfied and saying positive things about you is crucial. There are plenty of things that must be done via your technology, people and processes to make your culture customer focused. Here are 5 strategies that need to be incorporated into your daily efforts. 1. Be…
Customers want to like you. They want to feel appreciated and do repeat business with you. With most products and services, customers want a relationship not a transaction. So what are you doing to show them a little love? Love is in the details. Here are recent interactions that created a memorable experience. 1. Delta…
Creating a customer-focused culture requires strategy and constant review. January is a time for resolutions, goal setting and organizing. Take the time to apply these same disciplines to your customer focus. I suggest going as far as renovation and retrofitting. I encourage you to look at two areas, processes and people, to strengthen your customer focus. Organization’s processes and systems can…
Organizations serious about creating a customer focused culture have spent time studying Zappos. Zappos has developed an unusual approach to serving customers and building loyalty. They have redefined empowerment. Team members have the ability to spend time on customer calls as they see best. Zappos measures total time spent on calls with the goal being…
All companies love the idea of keeping their customers loyal. They survey to assess satisfaction, create slogans to inspire and make promises to attract customers. However many have efforts and strategies underway that are roadblocks to loyalty. These roadblocks could be more easily removed if you put a monetary figure on loyalty. Increased revenue gets…
Customer experience is a tough concept to define. It is designed and delivered by the company yet defined by the customer. According to research and customer conversations, the experience can be the reason for defection or loyalty. You must make it your priority to keep improving the experience so you create an engaged and loyal…
Customers deserve respect. Their time and money are valuable and their loyalty is priceless. When you pay attention, you can elevate the customer experience. Here are some recent interactions that show the power of paying attention. Check your organization and identify if these happen at your company. When approaching a counter at a retail store, the…