Six Steps to Customer Satisfaction

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>By:2'> David Chilcote12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>

Listening

to an executive vice president as he discussed an unprecedented service

initiative, I began to reflect upon items that could guarantee customer

satisfaction in any type of business. Years as a psychotherapist have provided

me many opportunities to hear customer dissatisfaction. I offer these six steps

to help simplify how you can better examine your own customer service policies.

tab-stops:list .25in'>mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Action Step 1: style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Recognize this truth: Only

you control how you feel, not the people, events or things around you. Control

how you feel, and decide to feel positive.

How

you feel at any particular moment is related directly to how you think about

the events occurring around you. You allow an emotion to grow -- anger, resentment,

peace, love or kindness -- based upon your assessment of how important a matter

is. For example, if you are pushed from behind, you might initially become

angry, until you discover that the person pushing you is sight-hindered and

couldn’t help it. Instantly, your anger could turn to sympathy when you learn

that the push was unintentional.

mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>The truth evident behind this emotional change is

that you control how you feel based upon how you interpret any stimulus. If you

don’t control your feelings, those around you will try to do so. They probably

won’t do as good a job as you could.

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Business Application:style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'> If you control how you feel, you will control how you act and

respond, significantly reducing the possibility of emotionally charged

exchanges with unruly employees and angry customers or superiors. Interpreting emotionally

charged issues as opportunities for growth allows you more control in all

business situations.

tab-stops:list .25in'>mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Action Step 2:style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'> Seek first to understand

and then to be understood.

Most

of us enjoy the moments when someone else pays us undivided attention,

particularly when we are bothered or troubled. We find it particularly annoying

if someone says he or she knows how we feel or what we are trying to say. We

also don’t appreciate those who say, “Oh, you shouldn’t feel that way,” or,

“No, that’s not what happened.”

mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>When hearing a complaint or concern, try to approach

the situation from an understanding standpoint: “How can I make this situation

better?” I always have loved the statement that we were made with two ears and

one mouth for a reason! When we listen twice as much as we speak, we will

surely develop a better understanding of our customer’s world.

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Business Application:style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'> Both employees and customers have the need to be heard and be

understood. Employees of the greatest leaders will tell you that their bosses

allowed them to do their job, asked what they could do to remove barriers and

asked for their opinions. Listening helps the astute manager guide his or her

company to greater success.

tab-stops:list .25in'>mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Action Step 3:style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'> Every single event happens

for a reason.

Dan

Millman, author of The Way of the

Peaceful Warrior, believed that every event happened to us just because it

was supposed to happen the way it did. This belief can allow you to accept

difficult matters with less pain and negativity. If we look at our experience

as a tool for our life’s growth, then all things have important meaning to us. Believing

that what is happening is for your growth allows you to place positive meaning

on not-so-positive events.

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Business Application:style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'> In business, managers and owners must hone their skills of

interpretation and adaptation, especially in today’s ever-changing environment.

Events that occur provide opportunities. Problems are cleverly disguised

opportunities for improvement.

tab-stops:list .25in'>mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Action Step 4:style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'> Learn to forgive and

remember.

Most

people believe the statement should be “Forgive and forget.” I think we should

forgive and remember. If you believe others have hurt your feelings and you

harbor negative emotions toward them, the problem that they created now exists

with you. Your negative feelings do not hinder them in any fashion, but those

feelings hinder you.

mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>You could choose to forgive yourself for harboring negative

thoughts, and you could remember not to allow those things to affect you in the

future. Your interactions with employees and customers will be with a clean

mind and a healthier outlook. And a healthier, cleaner experience is

interpreted to be satisfying -- which is what we are after!

style='mso-tab-count:1'> Business

Application: We all make mistakes

and shouldn’t necessarily be harmed by them. However, making the same mistake

twice can lead to problems in credibility. Use action step 4 to allow growth in

your employees, and you will see growth in your company. Document workplace and

customer service errors in such a way that allows recollection and teaching. Set

a limit for how many times certain mistakes are acceptable.

tab-stops:list .25in'>mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Action Step 5:style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'> Learn to create as much

happiness as you want.

Happiness

is created when people practice appreciation. Learning the art of appreciation

will help no matter how unhappy you may be. You can appreciate the material

world or abstract principles. Repeatedly tapping into thousands of things for

their content of joy can bring happiness into your workplace.

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Business Application:style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'> A happy work environment allows employees the opportunity to want

to work. By teaching the fact that we create our own happiness and expect

employees to share in their happiness at work, a business owner or manager will

reap the rewards beyond measure in customer service. It’s wonderful for a

manager to hear an employee say, “I needed to come to work to rest.”

tab-stops:list .25in'>mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Action Step 6:style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'> View every contact as a

customer.

This

last step is simply a stretch in imaginative thinking. If you view every business

contact as a potential buyer, you are more likely to work diligently to create genuine

respect, kindness and generosity within your company.

mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>You might greet with more enthusiasm. You might put

off a certain task to assist a potential customer. You might thank him or her

for the opportunity to serve and ask if there is anything else to do for them. You

might congratulate him or her on a success. Each of these simple actions will leave

an impression on customers -- or even potential customers -- and create a

desire to return. This will undoubtedly provide positive feedback to all others

with whom they associate.

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Business Application:style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'> Do this or expect your business to whither the next decade!

style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>David Chilcote II, ACSW,

LCSW is administrative director at Community Home Services, Inc., a non-profit

home healthcare company owned by the Naples Community Hospital Heatlhcare

System. The company provides 55,000 medical care visits per year to patients

who are homebound with medical needs.