‘I don’t know.’

These three words are DEADLY.

As a front line employee, you are the face and the voice of your company. As such, you must project an aura of competence, confidence and resourcefulness. That’s what approachable service is all about!

So, even if you really DON’T know the answer to a customer question, never let ‘em see you sweat.

Here’s what you say instead:

‘Great question! I’m not exactly sure, so let me ask someone who DOES know.’

This is the Phrases that Payses for several reasons:

IT REFRAMES. The customer is upset. Frustrated. Looking for answers. So, by immediately countering with a positive, even complimentary response, you reframe the context of the dialogue. They start to feel reassured right away! You’ve laid a foundation of positivity and approachability.

IT LOOSENS THE BLOW. By stating that you’re ‘not exactly’ sure, you come off as more competent and confident. Much better than, ‘I have no idea!’
After all, your credibility is on the line. The front line!

IT VOCALIZES COMMITMENT. It’s OK not to know everything. But it’s also OK to tell someone that their question is important enough that you will go out of your way to find the answer for them. See, without this display of commitment, you’re toast. Because customers only give you (and your company) credit for that which they SEE and HEAR you do consistently. And consistency is far better than rare moments of greatness.

Ultimately, your job as a customer service provider; call center operator or PDX rep is not only to provide approachable service, but to CHANGE PEOPLE’S MINDS.

About their problem.
About your company.
About your level of service.
About YOU as an individual!

So, next time you get stumped by a tricky customer question, just remember: customers want answers. Solutions. First call resolutions! And even if you’re not exactly sure what those are, that doesn’t mean you can’t respond in a confident, competent and approachable manner.

If you control language, you control thought.
If you control thought, you control conversation.
If you control conversation, you control outcomes.

Here’s a sample of several Phrases That Payses™ to use during your phone conversations. NOTE: I suggest writing them on sticky notes to post above your phone:

1. You don’t know me, but. Be honest. Don’t pretend to be someone’s best friend, especially the gatekeeper. When you call, help someone know right away that you are calling as a stranger who hopes to become a friend.

2. Consider it done! Three simple words and your customer is already thinking about a positive future. It’s confident. It’s reassuring. It’s beautiful. COOL NOTE: in 2004, Gaylord Hotels, Inc., received industry-wide acclaim for their new PBX system, appropriately called, ‘Consider It Done!’

3. Excuse my annoying typing; I just want to get all this stuff down! Polite, humorous way to subtlety demonstrate active listening while on the phone.

4. Fortunately, I work miracles! When a customer comes to you with a problem, say this immediately. First of all, it’s funny. The humor will diffuse the customer’s anger. Secondly, it’s positive. Lastly, it’s reassuring. I recently had a problem with a vest from Old Navy. When the customer service rep told me she ‘worked miracles,’ I was immediately excited and confident that she could help me. Interstingly enough, we never found the right size. But I almost didn’t care due to her positive, friendly response.

5. Hang on; I want to write this down. Great in person, greater on the phone (since they can’t see you.) It’s the difference between showing and telling. This phrase lets them know you’re listening, taking notes, and encourages them to offer more detailed answers.

6. I am at your service. Not just for customer service professionals any more, but for everyone! All business professionals are at the service of somebody, be it their customers or coworkers. Say this phrase to reassure your client that you’ve got their back. Remind them that they can ask anything of you. NOTE: especially effective great phrase to use with new customers or coworkers.

7. I think I can help. It’s awfully hard for someone to turn down an offer. However, take caution when adding the word ‘you’ to the end of this sentence. Make sure people know you want to help their situation, not them as a person. They might become defensive if they think YOU think there’s something wrong with them.

8. Right away. Two simple, amazing words. Wow! It shows that people don’t have to wait. They get it now. Few phone operators use this, but when they do, it’s amazing. Way better than ‘as soon as I can,’ ‘as soon as possible’ and ‘immediately.’ Right away.

9. Personally. A single word with amazing power. For example, ‘Mr. Sanders, I will take care of your incorrect order,’ vs. ‘Mr. Sanders, I will PERSONALLY take care of your incorrect order.’ You’ve committed. You’ve made it personal. You’ve instilled confidence in Mr. Sanders that you’re accountable for the mistake, even if it wasn’t your fault. Use this word daily.

10. Say no more! A fantastic response to any customer request. It shows customers that you’ve taken immediate ownership of their needs. It’s fun. And it builds excitement. In fact, it almost makes you sound like you’re about to perform a magic trick!

11. The best way for me to help you right now is. Customers don’t want to hear you say, ‘I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do,’ they want answers NOW. So, even if you can’t fully solve their problem that very moment, preface your response with this phrase. It demonstrates immediacy and positivity.

12. We can fix that! This tells your customers that you’re solution-oriented and partnering with them for success. (Key word = partnering) Try using this phrase instead of ‘no problem.’ In fact, the word ‘fix’ almost implies that it’s no problem. That you’re on it. ‘Fix’ reduces the severity of the problem, no matter how big. It’s reassuring.

REMEMBER: when working on the phone, you must try even harden to project approachability. By using these Phrases That Payses™, you’ll be sure to WOW your callers ever time.

LET ASK YA THIS…
What are your best Phrases That Payses™?

1. Get descriptions of the people coming in for appointments. When you recognize them you can say, ‘Welcome in Mr. Jackson! Have a seat and Steve will be with you shortly.’

2. Get business cards, nametags and nameplates with cool job titles. For example: ‘First Impressions Director,’ ‘Chief Hello Distributor’ or ‘Greatest Receptionist Ever.’

3. Brainstorm a list of the most common candies, snacks and goodies that every receptionist in the world uses. (You know, the ones that every customer expects.) Then, go out and buy really delicious, unexpected candy that nobody else offers.

4. Have a ‘Trivia of the Day’ for each guest. Challenge them to solve the answer by the time they go in for their appointment.

5. When a guest checks in, offer him a sticker while he waits. Not only will this be fun, it will spark conversations between other guests! Offer a choice of custom stickers like, ‘Next Victim,’ ‘I’m here for the free food’ and ‘I came to meet Mark.’

6. Instead of falling victim to the First Word Farce, (asking for name, information, number, etc.,) create an unexpected, unique greeting. Try something like, ‘Welcome to the best __________ in the world!’ CHALLENGE: brainstorm twenty-five different greetings and using a new one every day for a month! Let the customers vote on which one they like best!

7. Four words: warm chocolate chip cookies.

8. Make your reception desk into a DJ booth. Ask guests what their favorite song is. Set up a pager system. When someone’s song comes up, say, ‘And this next tune is dedicate to our newest guest, Mr. Hansen! Here’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ by Journey…’ (You laugh, but Shoe Carnival actually does stuff like this. It’s great.)

9. Do what Australian Dentist Paddi Lund did: chain saw your reception desk in half and serve tea to your clients in bone china cups.

10. Bring your dog.

11. Bring an assortment of treats and bones for other people’s dogs.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What makes someone a great receptionist?

I used to address the issue of smiling in my talks.

Then I realized how overdone the subject was.

So I took it out.

Not that smiling wasn’t important. After all, it’s the #1 symbol of approachability in the world!

But I just figured that most people were tired of hearing another author, speaker or manager talk about ‘the value of a smile.’

Smile, you’re on stage!
Smile when you answer the phone!
Smile for three seconds when you enter a room!

OK. We get it! Smiling is important. Thanks.

But the other day I had a thought.

After my speech, I was bumming around New Haven, waiting for my cab to pick me up. To kill time I walked into this cool looking coffee shop on Orange Avenue. Electronic Indian music blasted from the speakers. A few customers milled about. But for the most part the place was empty.

I approached the counter. Saw the barista across the room, working on his laptop.

He didn’t see me.

So, I thought for a second, ‘What would most customers say in this situation?’

‘Um, excuse me…could I get some service?’
‘Doesn’t anybody work here?’
‘Hell-oooo?’

Of course, I didn’t say any such thing. That’s not how I roll. I like to think I have a little more patience than that!

So, I just smiled.

That’s it.

No words. No flailing arms. Just a big fat, friendly grin. Directed right at the Barista.

Sure enough, he looked up from his laptop.
Sure enough, he offered a friendly smile right back at me.
And sure enough, he walked over to my side of the counter and took my order.

Because if you smile, they will see you.

It’s just that easy.

I’ve been practicing this technique (gosh, do I even have to call it a technique?) for a long time.

Anyway, it’s called the Patient Smile. Here’s how it works:

1. You smile and patiently wait.
2. Positive energy is sent to the other person.
3. They ‘sense’ that a customer is beckoning their attention. (People can just TELL when you’re smiling at them. It’s weird, but it works.)
4. They look up to meet your gaze.
5. They smile back.
6. They approach you.
7. You get (or give) better, more approachable service.

Smile and they will see you.

Give it a shot.

I triple dog dare you.

In 2006, a study of 2,300 British consumers conducted by Harris Interactive revealed the general public’s frustration with poor phone service. According to their research, 65% of consumers withdrew their business due to poor service experiences.

Wow.

Well, it’s 2007. How many customers are you going to lose from poor phone service this year?

Hopefully, zip. But let’s explore five keys to UNFORGETTABLE phone service just to make sure.

UNFORGETTABLE Openers
Customers will form an impression of you – and your company – within the first few seconds of their phone call. That’s why the first words out of your mouth are absolutely crucial.

What’s your present opening line? ‘Hello?’ ‘Good morning?’ Or is it some other boring, corporate handbook greeting that fades into the unmemorable multitude of every other phone call your customer will make that day?

FACT: phone greetings are opportunities to make the mundane memorable. To make the customer on the other line smile before she even asks you a question. You must project positivity, uniqueness and approachability within seconds. You can do better can ‘Hello?’

PERFECT EXAMPLE: for years, I’ve been answering my phone the same way: ‘HELLO, my name is Scott!’ It’s nothing fancy, but nobody else uses it. And that’s the key. It’s fun, quick and usually gets a laugh 90% of the time. More importantly, those five words also happen to be the name of my company, the title of one of my books and the essence of my branding.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are your first few seconds UNFORGETTABLE?

UNFORGETTABLE Callers
OK, now let’s switch roles. You’re the caller. Making an important sales call to the VP of Marketing. And her assistant prompts you with the ever popular, ‘May I ask who’s calling?’

When you hear those beautiful five words, you should get excited. Why?

FACT: this is (yet another) two second opportunity to make the mundane memorable and project your uniqueness to someone new.

PERFECT EXAMPLE: ‘Yes. Tell Mrs. Freidman that it’s The Nametag Guy,’ I usually say.

In most cases, three things happen next: 1) The gatekeeper chuckles and transfers me, 2) The entire company hears over the loud speaker, ‘Mrs. Friedman, you have The Nametag Guy holding on line 7,’ and 3) The person I’ve called picks up the phone (already laughing) and says, ‘Hi Scott!’

Score!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you have the balls to say something other than your name?

UNFORGETTABLE Waiting
When I was working at the Ritz Carlton, the phone light would start blinking rapidly after thirty seconds of hold time. If an employee was in the area and didn’t pick up the phone to assist the guest, he was written up.

Sure, it was harsh. But you better believe we picked up every call within thirty seconds! Dominoes would have been proud.

Look. Hold time is still a tough issue. I’m not going to get into the technical side of it, i.e., on-hold jazz music, advertisements, wait time and the like. However:

FACT: callers become more frustrated with every passing second.

Unless.

PERFECT EXAMPLE: my friend Dave is a pro at lessening hold time. Whenever he has another call or needs to put me on hold, he doesn’t say, ‘Can I put you on hold?’ or ‘Would you mind holding for a minute?’ Instead, Dave says, ‘Scott, do me a favor: count to ten and I’ll be right back!’

I still count every time. And Dave almost always comes back as promised.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What words could you use to make hold time more fun and engaging?

UNFORGETTABLE What?
In 2006, RainToday released a scintillating study called How Clients Buy: The Benchmark Report On Professional Services Marketing And Selling From The Client Perspective.

The study gathered data from nearly 200 decision makers nationwide who purchased $1.6 billion in professional services. They were asked about their biggest pet peeves when working with service providers.

And the winner went to (drum roll please)…

‘They didn’t listen to me.’

FACT: when it comes to the phone, you must remember these three things:

1. Listening is not waiting to talk.
2. You have two ears and one mouth. Listen and speak proportionately.
3. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

PERFECT EXAMPLES: here’s a sample of several Phrases That Payses™ to use during your conversations. NOTE: I suggest writing them on sticky notes and posting them above your phone:

*Excuse my annoying typing; I just want to get all this stuff down! Similar to the above example. Polite, humorous way to subtlety demonstrate active listening while on the phone.

*I am at your service. Not just for customer service professionals any more, but for everyone! All business professionals are at the service of somebody, be it their customers or coworkers. Say this phrase to reassure your client that you’ve got their back. Remind them that they can ask anything of you.

*Personally. A single word with amazing power. For example, ‘Mr. Sanders, I will take care of your incorrect order,’ vs. ‘Mr. Sanders, I will PERSONALLY take care of your incorrect order.’ You’ve committed. You’ve made it personal. You’ve instilled confidence in Mr. Sanders that you’re accountable for the mistake, even if it wasn’t your fault. Use this word daily.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you growing bigger ears with every call?

UNFORGETTABLE Attitde
More than anything we’ve talked about today, your attitude is what most determines the success of every phone call. Let’s explore two examples: smiling and emotion.

First of all, I don’t need to waste your time talking about the value, the power and the necessity of smiling. You should know that already. However:

FACT: the customer will HEAR your smile over the phone.

PERFECT EXAMPLE: the best piece of advice I ever got on phone service was to buy a little mirror and stick it above my phone. Forced me to smile every time! I suggest you try this for one week.

The next facet of an UNFORGETTABLE Phone Attitude is emotion. If you want to watch a classic movie on phone service, check out Boiler Room. My favorite scene is when the office manager (Ben Affleck) preaches to his neophyte stockbrokers how to connect with prospects during cold calls:

‘Get your ass out of the chair! Walk around! Motion creates e-motion!’ he yells.

Great point, Ben. In other words:

Motion = Emotion = Enthusiasm = Approachability = UNFORGETTABLE Service

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Would you want to talk to you over the phone?

Whether you’re answering, chatting, listening or putting someone on hold, the phone is your friend. When used in an approachable fashion, it can mean the difference between a prospect and a customer. The difference between a lead and a sale. The difference between a one-time customer and a long time relationship.

Do it right. Be UNFORGETTABLE. Don’t phone it in.

Let’s say a customer comes to you with a complaint.

Maybe in person, via email or over the phone.

What’s the best approach?

It’s simple: SSTOP!

No, that wasn’t a typo. You read it right: SSTOP. And it represents a five-step process for approaching problems, diffusing anger, changing minds and winning the customer back. Let’s take a look.

S is for SURPRISE.
Psychologically, if you respond to a problem, complaint or accusation with surprise, three things happen. First, you begin to diffuse anger. Secondly, your reactive response comes off as natural and sincere. Lastly, the customer is more willing to forgive you.

PHRASES THAT PAYSES: ‘Really?’

Really is one of the most versatile words in the English language. It exudes both concern and curiosity. And based on the severity of the problem, changing the inflection of your voice indicates numerous emotions. For example, stop reading right now. Try saying the word really two times: first with a low pitch and second with a high pitch.

Two totally different meanings, right?

CUSTOMER: ‘Hi, this is Miss Jackson from room 2321. Um, I asked for a non-smoking room, but I think Joe Camel must have stayed here last night.’

YOU: ‘Really?’

OK. Great job. You’ve immediately displayed concern for the problem. Let’s move on to step two.

S is for SORRY.
Customers don’t want apologies, they want solutions. Still, saying you’re sorry never hurts. You still need to take ownership of the problem. And an effective technique for doing so is to combine ‘Sorry’ with its polar opposite: thank you.

PHRASES THAT PAYSES: Sorry + Thank You.

CUSTOMER: ‘Hi, this is Miss Jackson from room 2321. Um, I asked for a non-smoking room, but I think Joe Camel must have stayed here last night.’

YOU: ‘Really? I’m sorry about that Miss Jackson, thanks for telling me.’

Good. You’ve showed surprise. You’ve thanked the customer. Now Miss Jackson is reassured that you’re on top of the problem. Let’s continue on.

T is for THAT’S.
Step three is absolutely crucial. This is where you ensure the customer that her problem isn’t normal. That it’s an anomaly. And whatever happened to her is inconsistent with the type of service your company traditionally provides.

PHRASES THAT PAYSES: ‘That’s not normal,’ ‘That’s horrible!’ ‘That’s strange,’ or, if possible, ‘In all the years I’ve been working here, that’s never happened!’

CUSTOMER: ‘Hi, this is Miss Jackson from room 2321. Um, I asked for a non-smoking room, but I think Joe Camel must have stayed here last night.’

YOU: ‘Really? I’m sorry about that Miss Jackson, thanks for telling me. You know, that’s not normal at my hotel.’

Excellent! You’ve showed surprise, thanked her, even taken ownership and reassured Miss Jackson that her problem isn’t the standard of service. Now it’s time to win her back.

O is for OFFERING.
When I worked at the Ritz-Carlton, every employee was empowered up to $2000. It was pretty amazing. If a guest was so upset that an apology wouldn’t even scratch the surface, we had the power to offer them a free night (or weekend!) stay at our hotel. Sometimes the guest would be SO delighted at the offering, they’d actually come out better than if there hadn’t been a problem in the first place! (This is known as the Customer Recovery Paradox.)

PHRAES THAT PAYSES: Combine one of the following reassurance responders with your offering, ‘The best way for me to help you right now,’ ‘Here’s what I can do,’ (or if you want to have some fun), ‘You’re in luck!’ ‘Well, I have good news for you!’ ‘Today’s your lucky day!’ or ‘Fortunately I work miracles!’

CUSTOMER: ‘Hi, this is Miss Jackson from room 2321. Um, I asked for a non-smoking room, but I think Joe Camel must have stayed here last night.’

YOU: ‘Really? I’m sorry about that Miss Jackson, thanks for telling me. You know, that’s not normal at my hotel. Fortunately, I work miracles!’

Perfect. You’re almost done SSTOPing this problem!

P is for PROMISE.
The three most beautiful words of Approachable Service are PERSONALLY and RIGHT AWAY. Not someone else. Not your boss. YOU. And not ‘as soon as I can.’ Not ‘as soon as possible.’ RIGHT AWAY. As in, I promise to take care of this problem now.

CUSTOMER: ‘Hi, this is Miss Jackson from room 2321. Um, I asked for a non-smoking room, but I think Joe Camel must have stayed here last night.’

YOU: ‘Really? I’m sorry about that Miss Jackson, thanks for telling me. You know, that’s not normal at my hotel. Fortunately, I work miracles! And I will personally get you a new room right away.’

CUSTOMER: ‘Wow! Thanks for taking care of this problem quickly. That’s why I love this hotel. In fact, I am going to recommend that you be promoted to General Manager.’

Wow, GM? Look at you! Well done.

OK. Let’s do a quick review of SSTOP:

SURPRISE – respond as if the problem is news to you.
SORY – apology PLUS thank you.
THAT’S – inconsistent with your service.
OFFERING – to win them back.
PROMISE – to do it personally and right away.

Next time you need to approach a disappointed customer, remember these five steps, and you’ll be sure to SSTOP the problem!

A reporter from a Food Service/Hospitality Journal recently asked me about the importance of first impressions for restaurant owners. Although she posed questions I’d written about before, I never thought about the idea specifically in terms of restaurants. So, this article sums up our discussion with 5 first impression tips for anyone whose job is to wow their guests not just with great food, but with unforgettable hospitality.

How important are first impressions to restaurant owners?
First impressions are formed based on the primacy effect, which states that information people see or learn about you is more powerful than what is learned later. Therefore, when people initially see a small piece of you, that’s all they know about you – and the restaurant, for that matter.

So I think no matter how delicious the food is, how ambient the room looks or how reasonable the prices are, if a guest walks in and some small behavior rubs him the wrong way, he may never eat there again. I can recall several times in my life when I’ve walked out of a restaurant and stated, ‘I can’t believe what just happened – I’m never coming back!’ And I never did.

What do your recommend companies do to make a good first impression for guests?
Have a meeting with your employees and create the following list: ‘Top Ten Reasons A Guest Would Leave Our Restaurant and Never Want To Come Back.’ Then think of solutions and ways to prevent those problems. You can even site specific incidents from past customer problems. Once the list is finished, make copies for everyone and post an abbreviated list in the kitchen, the bathroom stalls, the break rooms and the smoking area.

What can result in a BAD first impression for a restaurant? How do you avoid making those mistakes?
I spent several years working in food service/hospitality, and too many of my coworkers made bad first impressions because of one simple error: they forgot that the job wasn’t about them. It’s common place – mainly for a server – to be in a bad mood, stressed out or upset. (Hey, it’s part of the job!) But sometimes a server will ‘spill’ his emotions on his customers instead of sucking it up. Not cool. The bottom line about first impressions in the hospitality industry is: it doesn’t matter if you have a bad day. It only matters if the guest has a good day.

Can you differentiate between the things restaurant employees should do to make a good first impression when 1) seating 2) taking phone orders/answering the phone 3) interacting with new guests at the table?
When seating guests, why not take the few seconds you have while walking them to their tables to strike up a conversation? In so doing, the host may discover that there’s an anniversary or birthday to be celebrated. And wouldn’t it just MAKE THE GUESTS’ DAY if the waiter came over, who’s never seen the guests before, and said, ‘Happy 35th! My name is Jack and I’ll be taking care of you tonight.’?

Anyone who answers the phone needs to know the entire menu, hours of operation and most importantly, directions on how to get to the restaurant from all parts of town. A good suggestion is to post directions on the host stand, or have an easy-to-grab reference available so hosts can avoid the ‘Let Me Find Someone Who Knows How To Get Here’ trap.

When a new guest comes to your table, the worst thing a server could ever do is not tell the guests his or her name, or not wear a nametag. Some restaurants think they’re too nice or to fancy for nametags. They’re wrong. Nametags are vital tools for service providers. A nametag makes it easier for customers to gain the attention of an employee from whom they need service. Without it, the customers will either find someone else to help them, or won’t get what they need. And if someone’s mouth is burning hot from too much crushed red pepper on his pizza and he needs a refill, nothing will make a worse impression than hearing that person say, ‘Hey, what was our server’s name again?’

How quickly are first impressions made?
I’ve read hundreds of books and articles on first impressions and not a single one offers consistency among increments of time in which you must make a first impression. You only have three seconds…Connect in under a minute…People decide if they like you within the first ninety seconds…Make the sale in the first five seconds…You get the job within four minutes…Always make a friend in less than 30 seconds…

Ahhhhhhhhhh!! Which one is right!?

There’s no need to adhere to a specific number of minutes, hours, days or milliseconds to which your words and actions must adhere in order to ‘wow’ the other person. The bottom line is this: every situation and every person is different. Only you can decide how much time you’re allotted before the guest thinks you’re fabulous!

Can you apply some of your Front Porch philosophies to restaurants?
The front porch is a idea that means, ‘Any object or behavior that increases approachability.’ Front porches create comfort, break the ice, engage and build rapport with customers. Here are examples of both types as they pertain to restaurants.

• Nametags – Sigmund Freud said that a person’s name is the single context of human memory most apt to be forgotten. By wearing a nametag you put customers at ease because they know your name. As a result, you are more approachable to them. Macaroni Grill actually teaches its servers to write their names UPSIDE DOWN in crayon on the tables, which makes an unforgettable first impression, not to mention keeps their names in front of the guests during the meal.
• CPI – this stands for ‘Common Point of Interest.’ If you want employees to connect with guests, they need to get to know them. Not their entire life stories, but enough so that common ground can be established. The most effective way to discover the CPI is by asking open ended questions allowing the guests to share a little bit of who they are, i.e., What are you gentleman up to this weekend? What a great way to break the ice and engage with people!

After all, a front porch is a symbol of approachability and the key to making unforgettable first impressions. The question is: are you going to build one in your restaurant?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are there any restaurants you REFUSE to go to? Why?