Meanwhile back at the woodshed…He got his comeuppins…

I was taken back the other day when a client called my boss and reported that I was short with her and she felt I was talking down to her. Now I am one to call a spade a spade (only if it is a card) and a shovel a shovel. Needless to say this has prompted me to re-think some practices and how to develop, a more sincere and empathetic approach to callers. I am adding improved customer satisfaction to my anual goals and hope I can get the "Right Feedback" from this and other clients. I have been keen to point out problems with calls and take little notice of my own ( even my ego gets in the way) I am not that great negative feed back) and really take it to heart when someone becomes upset over the way things are. I am Blunt, honest and straight forward in dealing with customers. I want the same from anyone I deal with, but I should go easy on BLUNT. So what have I learned? That feedback is good, Opinion matters (see my previous posts!)
My point is that collecting customer feedback isn’t just about finding out what your customers are unhappy about–instead, it’s about gaining a better understanding of what your customers want, need and care about most in order to create more and lasting value for them.

And, if you do happen to receive some negative comments along the way, don’t take them personally. Instead, view that feedback as an opportunity to improve. As Bill Gates, chairman and founder of Microsoft, once said, “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”. And he’s right. Talking to your customers and listening to their feedback is the only means through which you can gain clarity about what’s most important to them. Plus, if you listen closely, it may even show you where and how to gain a competitive advantage and retain that customer and more.

Thanks to http://blog.allegiance.com/ for a few words and inspiration.

Hurry up and .....Wait!

They tell me in the military you hurry to get in a line (chow or otherwise) to wait. Wait for something , anything to happen. Just like the Military I am waiting. I got stinky with the insurance adjusters the other day and they called back. That was the last I heard. I left them several voice mails and called customer service ( Trish is still neat) and Then it hit me! I will make threats!
I called the adjuster who is supposed to help me with that inventory and told him “ I have left you a voice mail twice a day, everyday for the last 8 days. This will be the last one I leave or the next one will be from the corporate headquarters of the insurance company to your supervisor!”
Two minutes later my phone rang. It was him! His excuse was “My voice mail has been messed up since I got my new number.” I explained I left the messages on Both numbers and there is no excuse for this treatment.
An appointment was made for Saturday. We counted and counted and exchanged lists of items that we had and he had and we are going through the evaluation process. I asked several times when could I start getting the trash (all of everything) out of the Garage and start rebuilding? Oh you can move things and add to the list if you forgot something but because there might be a dispute nothing can be removed.
Now I not only have a burnt out garage, I have two rusting, burnt beyond repair and smelly cars in the driveway with more trash on top of them in the driveway. I’ll bet my neighbors just love me!
So now I wait! He is going out of town this week and “Will work on the list” (If I may inject here) From Disneyland??
No matter what we have started the process and hopefully it won’t be too long. I’m waiting for the city maintenance department to put up one of those clean up or face penalties signs! No matter I got mad and it paid off.
Sometimes it takes getting upset to get something accomplished and in this case it paid off. If the people I have been dealing with in this case worked for me they wouldn’t for very long. We have clients who go out of their way to complain about the smallest of things. Luckily we are there to take care of the issues right here and now or have a place to get done what we cannot.
I don’t like getting mad or being the object of someone else’s anger. I want a peaceful co-existence with everyone from the team to the customer to the wife and kids too. This is a way of life and sometime difficult to maintain. Balance is the key. If we maintain a balance between being supplier and customer, Balance getting and dispensing advise We can overcome the waiting and lesson the pressure we have stored up based on our wants over the wants of others.