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Knock Your Socks Off Answers: Solving Customer Nightmares and Soothing Nightmare Customers
"Knock Your Socks Off Service isn't just good customer service. It has become the gold standard. And customers everywhere have Ron Zemke and Kristin Anderson to thank for it.
For everybody who loved Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service, here's the sequel -- Knock Your Socks Off Answers, the latest in Zemke's best-selling series. Is it hard to imagine delivering superior customer service with a confused or irate customer breathing down your neck? The authors not only show how to maintain grace under fire, but actually give suggestions for fielding tough-as-nails customer questions...with aplomb. Whatever the comment or situation may be, readers will discover how they can:
* acquire finesse in negotiating win-win solutions
* ace those questions that have no easy answers
* allow the customer to feel in control of the situation -- even when the customer is wrong
The best way to handle customer nightmares, say the authors, is to interpret the actual needs, wants, attitudes, and fears implicit in the questions -- not to fire off a snappy retort. With Knock Your Socks Off Answers, service providers will be able to do just that, and put those nightmares to rest."
For everybody who loved Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service, here's the sequel -- Knock Your Socks Off Answers, the latest in Zemke's best-selling series. Is it hard to imagine delivering superior customer service with a confused or irate customer breathing down your neck? The authors not only show how to maintain grace under fire, but actually give suggestions for fielding tough-as-nails customer questions...with aplomb. Whatever the comment or situation may be, readers will discover how they can:
* acquire finesse in negotiating win-win solutions
* ace those questions that have no easy answers
* allow the customer to feel in control of the situation -- even when the customer is wrong
The best way to handle customer nightmares, say the authors, is to interpret the actual needs, wants, attitudes, and fears implicit in the questions -- not to fire off a snappy retort. With Knock Your Socks Off Answers, service providers will be able to do just that, and put those nightmares to rest."
- GenresBusiness
143 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 1995
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 12, 2017
10th book read in 2017.
Number 557 out of 575 on my all time book list.
Review Pending:
Number 557 out of 575 on my all time book list.
Review Pending:
September 10, 2021
This book builds on the principles in Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service with specific examples of answers to customer questions, requests, and complaints. It wasn't as substantial as I expected. There was a decent amount of humor, but I would have traded it for more substance.
It says that the best answers come from understanding the reasons behind the customer's tough questions, and from knowing what you want to accomplish with customer. To do that, you must figure out the wants, needs, attitudes, fears, and hopes behind their "tough question, sharp comment, or antagonistic retort."
Notes
Introduction
Killer comebacks can send customer packing for good.
Pat Answers to Peevish Questions and Provocative Comments
Q: "Why are you changing?"
Let customers see themselves as participants in the change. "We did an extensive customer study. We based this redesign on what we learned. I think you'll be surprised to see how much easier this is."
Ask customers to evaluate the changes you've made. "When you've had a chance to look at the changes, would you please give me your feedback? I really value your opinion."
Q: "What do you mean your price went up?"
Everyone understands rising costs. "I understand how frustrating it is when prices increase. That's why we work so hard to avoid it." Give concrete justification for price increase. "Paper costs have skyrocketed in the past year, and we've finally been forced to pass on some of that cost."
Comment: "You'll just mess it up again."
"You're right that we messed up last time. Our company promises 48-hour turnaround and it didn't happen last time. Today I am personally going to take care of your order. Here's exactly what I'm going to do. …"
Q: "What could you possibly know about this?"
Admit your shortcomings, but describe your qualifications, and end with "Please give me a chance to assist you."
Comment: "I'm so stupid. Did you ever see such a dumb mistake?"
"I've done the same thing myself. It's easy to get confused. Let me show you how I remember."
3 Helpful Phrases for All Occasions
"As you might expect." This suggest you and customer share a worldview and are on same side. Also allows you to share information with customer.
" … for you." This increases customer's cooperation and decreases frustration. "Just a moment while I pull up that credit record for you."
"This account shows …" or "Our records indicate …" This prevents customer from getting defensive, because you're not personally accusing them.
Smart Answers to Even Tougher Questions
Make certain there's an easy way for customers to exit or avoid automated systems and reach a real person. "Customer service is at its core a person-to-person affair. The harder we make it for that person-to-person transaction to occur, the harder we make it for our customers to do business with us."
Educate through personal discovery. Instead of saying, "You did this wrong, and see what happened?" which causes customer to resent and resist your conclusions, outline the situation and facts, then shut up and let customer draw his own conclusions. We remember best the things we discover for ourselves.
Questions with No Easy Answers
Offering a discount to customers who pay promptly is often more effective than penalizing late payment. Consider giving the dollar value of the on-time discount in a thank-you letter to clients who pay promptly.
Getting Service as Good as You Give: The Amazingly Simple Secret of the 10-Second Connection
Make a connection with the service person as a person. Show that you see them as doing an important, worthwhile job.
Establish yourself as unique or special in a positive sense.
Make small talk and a little eye contact.
Spin your request in the form of a short story. Create a vision of the end, without dictating the steps required to achieve it.
Seek ways to express gratitude or reciprocate, through tipping, telling supervisor, or praising service person loudly in front of others.
It says that the best answers come from understanding the reasons behind the customer's tough questions, and from knowing what you want to accomplish with customer. To do that, you must figure out the wants, needs, attitudes, fears, and hopes behind their "tough question, sharp comment, or antagonistic retort."
Notes
Introduction
Killer comebacks can send customer packing for good.
Pat Answers to Peevish Questions and Provocative Comments
Q: "Why are you changing?"
Let customers see themselves as participants in the change. "We did an extensive customer study. We based this redesign on what we learned. I think you'll be surprised to see how much easier this is."
Ask customers to evaluate the changes you've made. "When you've had a chance to look at the changes, would you please give me your feedback? I really value your opinion."
Q: "What do you mean your price went up?"
Everyone understands rising costs. "I understand how frustrating it is when prices increase. That's why we work so hard to avoid it." Give concrete justification for price increase. "Paper costs have skyrocketed in the past year, and we've finally been forced to pass on some of that cost."
Comment: "You'll just mess it up again."
"You're right that we messed up last time. Our company promises 48-hour turnaround and it didn't happen last time. Today I am personally going to take care of your order. Here's exactly what I'm going to do. …"
Q: "What could you possibly know about this?"
Admit your shortcomings, but describe your qualifications, and end with "Please give me a chance to assist you."
Comment: "I'm so stupid. Did you ever see such a dumb mistake?"
"I've done the same thing myself. It's easy to get confused. Let me show you how I remember."
3 Helpful Phrases for All Occasions
"As you might expect." This suggest you and customer share a worldview and are on same side. Also allows you to share information with customer.
" … for you." This increases customer's cooperation and decreases frustration. "Just a moment while I pull up that credit record for you."
"This account shows …" or "Our records indicate …" This prevents customer from getting defensive, because you're not personally accusing them.
Smart Answers to Even Tougher Questions
Make certain there's an easy way for customers to exit or avoid automated systems and reach a real person. "Customer service is at its core a person-to-person affair. The harder we make it for that person-to-person transaction to occur, the harder we make it for our customers to do business with us."
Educate through personal discovery. Instead of saying, "You did this wrong, and see what happened?" which causes customer to resent and resist your conclusions, outline the situation and facts, then shut up and let customer draw his own conclusions. We remember best the things we discover for ourselves.
Questions with No Easy Answers
Offering a discount to customers who pay promptly is often more effective than penalizing late payment. Consider giving the dollar value of the on-time discount in a thank-you letter to clients who pay promptly.
Getting Service as Good as You Give: The Amazingly Simple Secret of the 10-Second Connection
Make a connection with the service person as a person. Show that you see them as doing an important, worthwhile job.
Establish yourself as unique or special in a positive sense.
Make small talk and a little eye contact.
Spin your request in the form of a short story. Create a vision of the end, without dictating the steps required to achieve it.
Seek ways to express gratitude or reciprocate, through tipping, telling supervisor, or praising service person loudly in front of others.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews