The first few months after the Christmas Season can prove to be a trying time for those working in the customer service industry AND for those that are in need of customer service!

Here are 3 tips to remember when the going gets tough: (for whichever end of the phone you’re holding)

1. Be Kind. Sure, the situation could be stressful, but remember that kindness can go a long way. Do not allow your frustrations to escalate into your words! Always be polite and professional- it really is the fastest way to reach your desired outcome!
2. Don’t Make Assumptions. You know what they say about assuming! Ask the person you are speaking with to be as descriptive as possible. Ask clarifying questions until you are certain. It might take more time and effort up front, but it pays off in the long run. We promise.
3. Be Patient. Whether you are the CSR trying to quickly resolve the problem, or you are the customer that wants your problem to be resolved quickly, understand that sometimes more complex problems take time to understand and fix the right way. Remember that sometimes a quick fix only solves a problem temporarily. Have the patience to follow the needed steps to solve the problem or issue correctly and hopefully  there won’t be a second time!

*Do you have any tips you’d like to add, or stories of your own customer service experiences? We’d love to hear from you! Please comment in the section below!*

Image Source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

One of the biggest weekends of the year for customer service professionals has come to an end… until next year. PHEW!

Here’s a tip for your company to try now that Cyber Monday is officially over: Do a SURVEY NOW! If you want to find out from your customers how they really feel about your customer service under pressure, this is the perfect time. You could send an email, call, or post one on Facebook, Twitter, and your website.

Your customers will love to be heard after putting so much effort into shopping ’till they dropped this weekend, and you’ll gain valuable insight into ways to make your holiday customer service techniques even better.

Here’s one great way that Target let their employees have fun and spread joy on Black Friday - Click on the image above from The Q411 Blog- How fun!

As National Customer Service Week comes to a close, all MSN employees can go home full and comfortable! Day Five started out with warm and delicious Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and a cold Juicy Juice Juicebox delivered to each employee via the “Lin & Sue Breakfast Cart!”

Today was also “Favorite T-shirt & Hat Day” and our staff members did not disappoint! Pittsburgh Pirate Mascot and Shark hats, and of course, Pittsburgh Steelers T-shirts were very popular today!

We would like to thank each and every one of our employees for the personal and professional care they deliver to each of our clients and their customers. We would also like to thank our clients and business partners! Your success is our success and we are blessed to work with you! Happy National Customer Service Week! Have a great weekend!

Marketing Support Network loves National Customer Service Week because we love taking this opportunity to let our employees know how much we appreciate the excellent service they provide to our clients and their customers! Every staff member enjoyed a fabulous lunch by Arthur Cohen’s All The Best Catering. Their boxed lunch is spectacular and they don’t miss a thing! We were delighted by their excellent customer service and fresh quality ingredients. Lunch was delicious! From all of us at MSN to All The Best Catering: THANK YOU!

We also delivered winning prizes from our Super Mega Treasure Chest drawing. The drawing included exciting prizes such as gift cards to restaurants and shopping, broadway tickets, and much, much more! It was a great day!

What surprises await our employees for Day Five? Check back in with us to find out!

All The Best Catering by Arthur Cohen is located on Banksville Road in Pittsburgh. Click on their logo below for more information on catering your next event!

Day Three of National Customer Service Week at Marketing Support Network was all about pampering our staff! MSN’s “WELLNESS WEDNESDAY” included starting the morning out right Panera Bread style with their fresh-baked Pumpkin Pie Bagels and Limited-Time Cherry Vanilla Bagels to support Breast Cancer Awareness! These incredibly delicious bagels were served with an array of delightful cream cheese spreads including Plain, Hazelnut, Wild Blueberry, and Honey Walnut flavors. YUM!

Next, all of our employees were offered wellness consultations and a 10-minute shoulder relaxation chair massage compliments of the Scott Medical Health Center, P.C. as an added bonus to “Wellness Wednesday!” We are so thankful for the excellent care and service provided to our employees!

If you are interested in their current special offer, visit their website HERE for more information! There are two office locations for added convenience in Scott Township and Wexford, PA.

What surprises await our employees for Day Four? Check back in with us to find out!

We look forward to every chance we get to celebrate our employees and reward them for delivering excellent customer service! This morning, every employee was surprised with a $5 Subway gift card and a decadent Sarris Chocolate Candy Bar delivered via the MSN Candy Cart! Subs and sugar highs will be enjoyed by all!

What surprises await our employees for Day Three? Check back in with us to find out!

Today our employees were surprised with goodies from the Philly Pretzel Factory! We enjoyed their original party trays with Cheddar Cheese, Yellow Mustard, and Cinnamon Pretzel Dipping Sauces! They were delicious! We were also blessed with Cathy’s famous southern sweet tea to pair with the pretzels! Thank you to the Philly Pretzel Factory in Bridgeville, PA for providing us with excellent customer service as well!

What surprises await our employees for Day Two? Check back in with us to find out!

Across the country, businesses and organizations in every industry come together to celebrate their customer service professionals. At Marketing Support Network, we take providing excellent customer service very seriously and love to celebrate our employees for the outstanding and personal care they deliver to our clients and their customers!

Last year’s Customer Service Week at MSN was nothing short of a week-long celebration! Every day we had something inspiring for our employees including daily treats, a special “Treasure Chest” drawing with amazing prizes including gift cards, concert tickets, Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins tickets (just to name a few), and a catered lunch from Roadside Ribs!

As we look forward to next week and the surprises that await our wonderful employees, here are a few pictures from last year:

Here’s a good laugh from DailyCleanJokes.com “filed under” Tech Support Nightmares:

Back in the early days of the Internet, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) would provide a disc (CD) with an installation program so that the user could connect to the Internet with their company. Those were the days where you had to use a phone line and a modem! (shudder)

Customer: I’m trying to connect to the Internet with your CD, but it just doesn’t work. What am I doing wrong?

Tech support: OK, you’ve got the CD in the CD drive, right?

Customer: Yeah….

Tech support: And what sort of computer are you using?

Customer: Computer? Oh no, I haven’t got a computer. It’s in the CD player and all I get is weird noises. Listen…..

Tech support: Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!!

Have YOU been there? Pass this on with the icons below for a good laugh, or check out their daily jokes Here!

Delivering excellent customer service in every industry is crucial. It’s easy to pass tips back and forth to each other on different ways to provide it, but sometimes the best way to learn is through real life experiences as the customer. Dr. Shannon Reece is an entrepreneurial strategist that asked business owners this question in her blog:

“What’s the story behind your favorite customer service experience, where you were the customer, and what did you learn from it that you’ve applied to the way you do business with your customers?”

The results of her question were 21 real life examples that leave you feeling motivated to do more for your customers. Check out Example #1:

Love The Lagniappe

A lagniappe is a small, unexpected gift. My lagniappe was provided at a beauty salon, for which I had a gift certificate for a massage. The massage was wonderful. Equally wonderful was the presentation of a long-stemmed rose as I was leaving. Needless to say, if I had felt like a queen for a day during the muscle-relaxation treatment, I felt like the Queen Mother herself when I walked out! The lagniappe probably cost the salon a dollar or two, but they got hundreds of dollars’ worth of free PR as a result of my total satisfaction.”                                                                                  -Dr. Marlene Caroselli

To read 20 more excellent examples, visit 21 Customer Service Tips from Real Life Examples, written by Dr. Shannon Reece of Reece International, LLC. Learn more by visiting www.DrShannonReece.com

*If you have a real life example of customer service excellence, please share in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you!*

Image source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net