Chaos to Class Act: An Exceptional Service Experience in 7 steps

93% of customers are likely to make repeat purchases with companies who offer excellent customer service (HubSpot research 2024)

Americans tell an average of 9 people about good experiences and tell 16 (nearly two times more) people about poor experiences. (American Express Survey, 2011)

• Mindset Matters: Your mindset can make all the difference even in difficult situations.
• Exceptional Service: Great service can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
• The Power of Connection: Building genuine connections with others can improve your overall well-being.

I want to share the 8-step Dale Carnegie Complaint Resolution Process that I saw each of these providers model so well:

1.????? Greet

2.????? Listen

3.????? Question

4.????? Empathize

5.????? Address the Issue

6.????? Test Questions

7.????? Offer Additional Help

8.????? Follow Through

It was the end of June, and I was sitting, fully engaged, at a conference in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL when I received a text message from my neighbor. His exact words were: “Are you home? Someone hit your car in the parking lot. I didn’t see it, but I was walking to the pool, and the car is wedged into yours.” My heart sank. I purchased my favorite car just a few months ago, and it was brand new! And I was in FL while this was going on at home in NJ.

But, my mindset remained calm. I walked out of the conference and called my neighbor to find out what had happened. I actually laughed when I saw the photos and heard what happened. My words, “Wow, that took EFFORT to hit my car like that and I’m not sure how that was accomplished” (yes, I laughed).? ?I could do nothing except get the facts, do what I needed, and get back to my conference, which coincidentally was all about mindset. I realized it, in so many ways, was a divine intervention for the goals I was setting in the room just minutes before. The message from the conference that resonated with me in that moment: "Things happen for us, not to us.” When I arrived home, I so clearly knew why this happened.

So, let's talk about service. Customer service, internal or external, is something we all experience and provide, whether at work or in our personal lives. Are we providing an exceptional experience, a good experience, or a poor experience? I do believe it starts with mindset. When it's a negative experience, we should always focus on empathy in order to de-escalate.? In our Dale Carnegie Training, we dive into a simple 8-step Complaint Resolution Process, which works like magic.? Each one of these service providers, Police, Insurance Agents, and Auto Body shop, did this flawlessly.? The seven steps I experienced were Greet, Listen, Questions, Empathize, Address the Issue, Test Questions, and Follow Through.? Step #7 wasn’t needed because they handled the rest beautifully!

Experience #1: .? Working with my local police, who are amazing. ?If you've ever had an experience with the South Brunswick Police Department they are exceptional. Absolutely top-notch. ?Always there to help, provide information, and try to help and answer questions, and super professional. Not only did the officer (and the records department) handle the situation so calmly, but I did not know what to do when I was not physically present during the accident. They headed over very quickly and followed up with me with multiple phone calls and voicemails to ensure I had the directions and report number and to explain the next steps. I was incredibly grateful that they followed up because I had not had a situation like that before, and it helped me figure out my next steps with insurance.

Experience #2: Next was their insurance company. I don’t know many people who say their customer service experiences are positive, but they were professional and calm and answered all my questions. Shout out to Autumn Keane Autumn was kind, compassionate, and empathetic.? From the insurance company stating things like “I understand you don't know what to do, it's something that's a very stressful situation”.? She was just a great listener and very empathetic. I was impressed with her follow-up, the emails and phone calls, and understanding that my schedule was challenging to schedule a call, but they still followed up and called me back multiple times until we connected. I was so grateful for that. She was professional, compassionate and clear.

Experience #3: The icing on the cake was calling the dealership and getting a recommendation to do the repairs at Heavenly Bodyworks Llc in Woodbridge NJ.? I say this because my interactions with Krystle were nothing short of extraordinary. She explained everything so clearly and listened to me with all my questions; she was calm and patient. It was so clear that she understood that her customers are often stressed out by circumstances they don't expect. She did a fantastic job of being calm and methodical while super compassionate.? She clearly picked up on my communication style being email first and followed up with me many times with a great attitude. You could sense her positivity through written and verbal communication.

Krystle’s demeanor was confident, quiet, calm, and empathetic. It was clear that she takes pride in what she does and loves helping people and ensuring their experience is positive. ???I had to reschedule because of meetings and travel, and her response was sure; no problem.? What she demonstrated was empathy. She said it happens to all of us, so do not worry.? She made a typically painful process simple and positive. She has picked an industry (or it picked her) where she can positively impact people.? I arrived this week to drop my car off, and not only did Krystle continue to model the process, but I also watched and listened to all the other things she did while I waited for my rental arrival.? She immediately called me by name when I walked in and proactively addressed the customers and the phone calls she took as I waited. ?

So, I had to ask: How long has she worked here, and where had she worked previously? She has worked in some challenging industries, so it was even more impressive to experience such great service. I started to ask her questions and had to share with her how amazing she was and that I wanted to write about her for this week's newsletter!? What she did so well was create connection.?

Principle #9: “Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely.”-#Dale Carnegie

When we apply this principle, we create connection. I then noticed the photos of her kids and asked about her children, and it made me think of the importance of doing everything possible to lead and communicate with kindness and compassion. Our days would be wonderful if we spent more time connecting with people, even in our day-to-day business.? We are all aware of when we are using our phones as a distraction and not connecting with others.

Where are daily opportunities to try our best to slow down and connect?? #Connection helps us reduce stress, boost our feelings of positivity, and contributes to our overall well-being.? What can you do to increase your positive interactions each day?

Want to learn more about providing exceptional service? Send me a message, and I'll be happy to share the #CustomerService #ComplaintResolution Ebook that dives deeper into the 8-step process.

Let's find ways to create more positive interactions in our daily interactions. Have a great weekend!

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