SALTY Customer Service - A WINNING Guide to Successful Customer Service

In my book The SUPERFANTASTIC Principles I explore the principles of salt and how we can start becoming a "salt of the earth" person. When you are a salt of the earth person, you create the ability to do things most people cannot. Apply these principles to Customer Service and create a SALTY Customer Service. This will allow you to create an unfair advantage over your competition.

Step 1 - Keep Balance

Maintaining balance stems from understanding that following a design approach and recognizing the impact of your choice is the difference between a positive customer service experience and not. What is a design approach and recognizing the impact of your choice? I am glad you asked...

• Design Approach means that you understand and take responsibility that you can control the outcome of a circumstance (not the other way around). If your customer needs something, you make it happen. If you cannot make it happen, then you find something that you can do. Never let the circumstance define the outcome, you do what you can do to define the outcome.
• Impact of Choice means you plant right seeds with others. Seeds that you can nurture and grow. The only way to nurture a seed is to create positive experiences. Do positive things that customers will remember. Impact another customer's life through the experiences you can create with them.

Step 2 - Add Flavor

Flavor is what you bring to the experience. Anyone can bring bland or bitter flavor to an experience. That is default thinking. Bringing a custom flavor that your customer will savor is what elevates the customer service experience. And that is design thinking.

• Bring your Attitude to the encounter with your customer. And it MUST be a positive attitude. The moment you bring anything other than a positive attitude to your customer, then it is over. If you are not feeling positive, act your way into positivity. Actions will always work harder and last longer than feelings.
• If you are not Convicted that what you have and what you do is the best, then don't even do it. If you don't believe it, then your customer will not either. Believe in yourself 100%. Believe in your service 100%. Believe in your product 100%. Believe that what you can do for your customer is better than the competition 100%. Anything 99% and below will not work. PERIOD.

Step 3 - Share your Value

What make you valuable to your customer? Simple question, right? If you cannot answer that with a resounding yes and a list of values you offer customers, then let's re-evaluate how you can be valuable to your customer.

• Create Awareness of your customer. Listen, listen, listen. Watch, watch, watch. The only way to know how you can create value for your customer is to know what they want and need.
• When you know what your customer wants and needs, then it is your position to Influence them into what best fits their needs and wants. What solves their problems. What will make their life easier with your product or service.

Step 4 - Preserve Relationships

Having a customer should not be a one and done experience. If you want to create an experience that is balanced, flavorful and valuable, then you need to create a relationship.

• Maintaining Alignments with your customer is where you become the person that supports their needs beyond the initial sell. You help them find additional solutions to solve their needs and wants on an ongoing basis. If you can't do it, then you find someone or something that can.
• When your customer commits to the sell, then your immediate and ongoing Appreciation will maintain the relationship with your customer. It doesn't have to be extravagant, it just needs to be sincere. Do things for your customer that your competition will not. Do what it takes to maintain your gratitude and show appreciation for your customer.

Being SALTY is a principle for success. I am confident that if you follow the steps outlined above, then you will create greater success for you, your customer and ultimately your business. I believe in it and so should you.

If you want more of the SALT Principles, grab a copy of my book The SUPERFANTASTIC Principles available on Amazon now. This book will elevate your thinking! Create your SUPERFATNASTIC!