Buddha Knows Customer Service

I came across a post on Facebook the other night that gave the 5 steps to happiness:

1. Smile more.
2. Think less.
3. Be present.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

The watermark on the photo indicated it was from a source called Buddha Heart.

I started thinking that while these were excellent steps for general happiness, they were also a nice, succinct guide to providing excellent customer service!

Smile more.

You cannot go wrong if you are genuinely smiling, whether you are answering the phone or talking to a customer.  A smile shows you are happy to be interacting with the customer.  That goes a long way to helping address customer needs and addressing problems when they arise.

Think less.

I think sometimes we are our own worst enemies when addressing a customer.  If we are busy analyzing "what she really meant" or "how can I get out of this situation" we are not focusing on the person and the issue in front of us.  If you ask many professional athletes, who are in the middle of a slump, what is wrong, many of them will say that they are thinking too much.  Like professional athletes, employees should develop the muscle memory to provide excellent customer service by instinct.  Without thinking.

Be Present.

A lot of excellent customer service involves problem resolution.  In order to help a customer resolve her problem, however, you must be present in the situation, you must own the problem as your own and you must take responsibility for ensuring that the customer leaves satisfied, or at least satisfied that you are trying to help her.  Customer service, and especially problem resolution, cannot be effectively put off until later.

Give More.
Customer service is all about giving.  Giving of attention , giving of status (you have my attention because you are important to me and to the organization) and giving of authority (the customer is always right.)   It is extremely difficult to give too much customer service.

Expect Less.
You cannot do excellent customer service with any payback in mind.  Customers should be able to expect good service.  Customers who have a problem will cease to exist as customers if they don't get some timely attention to their concerns.  At a restaurant, an excellent server does a ton of little things that you might not even notice to help make your dining experience special.  An excellent server is doing that because she wants to do an excellent job and help you have a special experience, not specifically with a tip in mind.

Buddha knows customer service!