From the course: Customer Service Foundations

Making a difference for customers

From the course: Customer Service Foundations

Making a difference for customers

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- Think about a time when you received outstanding customer service. There's a good chance that an individual employee went above and beyond to make it happen. Maybe a barista took the time to remember your usual order or a clothing store associate helped you pick out an outfit for a special occasion. Or perhaps a veterinarian called to check in on a sick pet. Have you ever wondered why they give that extra effort? People go above and beyond because they get something out of it, even if it's just the satisfaction of knowing they made a difference in someone's life. Let's explore some of the ways you, your coworkers, and even your organization can benefit when you make the effort to provide outstanding customer service. You can download the Value of Outstanding Service Worksheet to help with this activity or just use a blank piece of paper. A good place to start is how you personally benefit from providing your customers with outstanding service. Make a list of what you gained from putting in that extra effort. It may help to think about a specific situation where you went out of your way to delight a customer. Here's some examples that might be on your list. You enjoy helping people. Happy customers are easier to serve. And you feel a sense of accomplishment when you are able to help someone solve a problem. You can also have a positive impact on your coworkers when you provide outstanding service. Try making a list of ways your extra effort might benefit the people you work with. This time, it might be helpful to think about how you felt when one of your coworkers delivered outstanding service. Here's some examples that might be on that list. Your coworkers will have to fix fewer problems. Great service brings positive energy to the entire team. And you can be a positive role model to your colleagues. Customers often look at the people who serve them as representatives of the entire organization. As a third step to this exercise, make a list of benefits your organization receives when you provide outstanding customer service. Your list might include increased profits, retained customers, and positive word of mouth from customers who refer your company to others. Customer service isn't always easy, but the important thing to remember is that you can choose to make a difference in other people's lives. Whenever you have a tough day, I encourage you to reread the list you've just created, and reflect on why you work so hard to help your customers.

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