Customer Service Blunders & Solutions Part 1: Power Tripping

Achieving excellent customer service every time appears next to impossible because emotional human beings are involved and we can't always fake a reaction when feelings get in the way. But, if we practiced enough, we could definitely raise the bar and keep it raised.

I once worked as a driver for a small printing company and I didn't really like doing it, but I made a point to be the best representative possible when it came to customer service. The drivers saw many of the customers in the field because the company serviced quite a few architectural firms and graphic designers who couldn't keep running to a shop every time they needed something done. So, with the larger companies, there was always a chance we would pick-up the job, drive away and get called right back to pick up a job from someone in a different department of that company.

If we were less than half way back to the shop, we'd turn around and go back when we got paged (a code number would appear which told us a certain company needed a pick-up). Frequently, we'd also call in to double check when we got paged and let them know if we had rushes on us, then let the dispatcher decide where to send us.

The Problem - A Power Trip

One day I phoned in and the dispatcher told me that he got a call from the place I was just at, but to forget about them because, as he said: "They had their chance and now they can wait." I told him that I wasn't too far away and I could just go back and get the job so we could avoid wasting time with another full trip. He said: "No! Come back and let them wait! They do this to us all the time!"

I ignored the dispatcher and went back to pick up the job because, in my mind, they were the customer - the reason why we were all working in the first place. When I finally made it back to the shop, the dispatcher got angry at me for not following his orders and I told him that it was a big account and we couldn't expect a busy firm to call all departments to see if the printing company pick-ups can all be coordinated to please us. Then, I reminded him of who the customer was.

Was I worried about my 'job'? No! My integrity is more important than any job and if a bully-dispatcher cannot recognize that, they should be worried about their job. If everybody listened to him, he may have one day lost the account because of his little power trips.


The Solution - Rational Judgments by Front-line Representatives and Clear Directives
It's up to the front line worker (or 'representative') to assess any situation involving customer service, productivity and safety. They must show a leadership role even if they are the newest employee, especially when a person in a superior role stops making sense.

This is not to say they should be credited for 'failing to carry out direct orders', but they should be able to make common sense decisions based upon the needs of the customers and recognize when a superior is making a questionable decision. We've all had to do a Captain Kirk occasionally, but for the purpose of benefiting all involved, not for personal ego trips.

Having a clear set of directives is essential for a company to avoid common customer service blunders and when that breaks down, companies should have meetings and also consider sending problem employees to seminars on 'Common Sense for Customer Service'. It would be for the benefit of the company and for the livelihood of the staff.

- Buck Moore

Stuck in a Rut at Work? Own It, then Change It!

Everybody seems to experience a low point at work, whether they chose their career or fell into it. Back in the 1990's, I used to hang onto Sunday nights as tightly as possible and wish that the clock would just slow down so I could savor every last moment before facing Monday morning. Then Monday morning came and I was off to the rat race.


I didn't like what I was doing but I needed the work, so I showed up every day. Eventually, I realized the the future of the position would end up being the 'same old thing' every day and I decided to leave. I actually knew I was going to leave within a couple of years, but I had to wait for the right time - when it felt right, that is.

I began to get cards printed up for cheap because I worked for a printing company and because I was listening to inspirational and entrepreneurial materials as I drove around all day. I would hand out cards when I ran into potential leads and I also dressed up more than needed because I wanted to own the position.

Changing the way I did things and listening to tapes put me in a state of mind that if I was going to drive, I would be the best I could partly to represent the company, but mostly to represent myself. The changes also kept me happy there until the bug to leave finally bit hard enough. Almost two years later, it did. There was nothing that could keep me there any longer and I began a new, exciting career.

Better Bossing: Tips from the Front Line #1

Here are some of my bossing methods that work and have worked for many years:

1) Be nice, but firm -being a nice boss will help motivate people and keep things going as a great team. But, don't be too nice and let people take advantage of you. Let them know why it is important to arrive on time and adhere to the right processes. There is a delicate balance here, but it works wonders when the balance is right.

People who work for you must respect you, then like you. Years ago I worked for a fellow who was a great boss in that he was fair but firm. I could not see myself hanging out with him after hours, but I always did what he asked because he wasn't wishy-washy about anything and he'd recognize any hard work done by giving whatever rewards he was able to - no good work went unnoticed.

On the other hand, there was a new hire who showed up late on his first day and I watched as my boss said: "You're late, you're fired!". The poor guy just stood there in shock, then asked why. The boss said: "You live less than five minutes away and you still could not show up on time for your first day. You're fired." I stood there with my coding gun and worked away while watching the guy just stand there and slowly walk out of the place.

2) Laugh off a silly mistake - when somebody messes up for the first time and it's not a major catastrophe, chuckle with them and show them the right way to do it. Anything that has the potential to BE a major catastrophe should have a very comprehensive training system involved.

The person who made the mistake will feel better and not feel like they are stupid (even though they may call themselves that). If they keep making the same mistake over and over, there must be changes made in order to restore the desired level of productivity. You may have to train them for something else or suggest that they should look for employment somewhere else. Be sure to have a closed door meeting with them to explain everything in detail.

3) Talk about 'changes' face to face - explain to the person who is directly involved in a process why something must change. Explain it in a reasonable voice and let them know why it is so important for them to comply. Don't yell at them or tell them they are an idiot.

I learned this when I was a young supervisor and always got things done the way I wanted them - on behalf of the company, of course. I kept doing it for years and I still do it and it rarely fails. If it does fail, the person responsible must be replaced.

I took this technique with me when I was working with musicians on stages. If something wasn't right (ie: too loud, usually), I would walk right up to the front of the stage and mention that something wasn't quite working. With my goal in mind, I would offer suggestions and let them know it was for the benefit of the audience - so that they could enjoy a great sounding show.

I got positive results over 95% of the time when I was working with rock musicians full time. Now, bear in mind that I was working with some of the biggest egos around and even an 80% success rate would have been astounding. But, many sound people are not so nice because they become jaded over time, having to deal with the same issues over and over, night after night.

The best practice, no matter how jaded or egocentric you think you are, is to put yourself in the shoes of others and explain things the way that you would like to be told. It simply works! If you want positive results, treat people like people, not numbers.

- Buck Moore

Communication Tips at Work: Voices of Reason

#1: Don't be Afraid to Speak Your Mind, But Think About it First
Reacting hastily in a pressing situation can have disastrous effects. If something is really bugging you and it has bottled up, you are much better off thinking about how to deal with it until you cool down. Emotion is always present, but it can be suppressed to the point where it doesn't interfere with the results you want to achieve.

Going through the proper channels should be a relatively painless task that won't get you into trouble, after all, you should be able to speak your mind at work. If your superiors are not as rational as you and you can't get anywhere with them, you should consider moving on - but, not in haste! Follow my guidelines on a previous blog: "Rule #1 - Phase it Out!" (from June, 2009)

#2: Rumors and Hearsay Can be Avoided Through Direct Contact
The rumor mill has been and always will be in full operation at any place of work. People simply like to be 'in the know' ahead of others and at the expense of someone else's privacy. Information leaks happen even in the tightest-lipped workplaces and rumors give people something to talk about. Or, maybe there is a troublemaker who likes to spread false rumors because they think they are really funny, but they're just cruel.

Quell the rumors by approaching the person who started them and let them know the real story. If they are unreasonable and vindictive for no apparent reason, go to a superior and discuss the situation. You could also try to ignore the rumor until it goes away, but some troublemakers will probably spread more than one because they have something against you.

On one occasion years ago, I worked with a person who I rarely spoke with, but I wasn't 'in' with his crowd. He loved to say things behind my back and try to make my job miserable. I fought fire with water. I ignored him for the most part, but put up with his petty banter, did my work the best I could and maintained a pleasant demeanor every day. Eventually, everybody on staff knew who the one with the problem was. Oh, and I got promoted over him by just being nice and doing my job. I took it easy on him, though, but me being in charge of him was enough to keep him on his toes.

Laugh a little at the rumor if you hear it. Act as if it so ridiculous, it deserves to be laughed at, but then move on like you have better things to do. You will be seen as someone who doesn't put much thought into silly rumors and so you can't really be bugged.

#3: Put Out the Fires and Keep them Out
I once had the opportunity to supervise a person who had quit, then come back to work a while later. I took over his previous position and he became my helper. He had previously been against me and did a few rude things just to look cool in front of others. When he came back, I treated him like a pal and we got along great after that. I could have given him the worst jobs ever, but that was never my style - and, it would have made him miserable and created tension. Once the fire was out, I saw the benefit of keeping it out for good.

It's funny how the team changed and we were able to handle the most insane loads of work without me worrying about lazy people hiding in a room, shirking work.

By putting some forethought into tough situations and coming up with win-win solutions, one's work won't suffer because of insensitive co-workers who haven't got their mind fully on their work. Perhaps through these tips, they can learn to stop disrupting the process and join the team again.

- Buck Moore
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