Life Lessons Mom Taught Us About Customer Service
by Teresa Sinel, VIPdesk -
November 8, 2011
 Life Lessons Mom Taught Us About Customer Service, by Teresa Sinel, Email: tsinel@vipdesk.com, Phone: 802.334.5321
What would we do without our moms? They taught us right from wrong, how to sew up the holes in our socks, and made sure we knew we were loved. They also imparted a lot of valuable lessons about working together and getting along with each other, which are the building blocks of customer service. Let’s look closer at some of these timeless lessons from mom:
Service Delivery
- Treat Others as You Would Like to be Treated Yourself. You can never go wrong by following the Golden Rule with customers, clients, coworkers, superiors, and subordinates.
- Mind Your Manners. Always say “please” and “thank you” and use good grammar.
- Smile. Put a smile on your face and a smile in your voice. Your customers will notice it.
- It’s Not the What You Say, It’s the Way You Say It. In other words, watch your tone of voice because everyone will pick up on it.
- Never Write Anything that You Would Be Embarrassed to See on a Billboard (or the Internet, or Facebook, etc.). Before you ever hit the SEND button, reread everything you write. (Hint: Read it out loud if you can – it will really tell you a lot about how your words will come across to the reader.)
- If You Can’t Laugh, You Will Miss Out on a Lot of Joy. Never be afraid to have fun in an appropriate and relevant way when you’re interacting with other human beings.
Going the Extra Mile
- Go Out of Your Way to Help Others. Knowing you’ve made a difference in someone’s day (or life) is pretty powerful and heady stuff. Make going above and beyond a regular practice and see the good that can happen.
- Pay It Forward. Offer a customer something they weren’t expecting; anticipate a need and fulfill it; open a door for someone; help carry a box…the list is endless. Don’t be afraid to do something nice for someone (or a lot of someones) today and every day.
Teamwork
- To Get Anything Done, You Need to Work Together. The biggest successes usually come from team efforts.
- Appreciate a Job Well Done. Don’t forget to recognize excellence and thank those around you for the big and little things they do.
- Work Hard and Play Hard. Whether you’re on the job or on the field, give it all you’ve got. Be the best at whatever you do.
Ownership, Responsibility, and Empowerment
- If You See Something that Needs to be Done, Do It. Take the initiative to solve a problem on your own rather than having to be asked. Exercise your empowerment skills in positive ways to help your customers and those around you.
- No Whining and No Excuses. It just annoys people. If something doesn’t go your way, suck it up, learn from it, and chalk it up as a life lesson.
- When You Have a Bad Day, Shake It Off and Move On. Bad days happen to everyone. What matters is how we are able to pick ourselves up and move forward.
- When You’re Wrong…Apologize. If you make a mistake, be willing to own up to it and say you’re sorry. No backhanded apologies, either, like “I’m sorry you feel that way.” A simple, sincere “I’m sorry” goes a long way.
- Do What’s Right Even When No One is Looking. Doing things right is about process and procedure. Doing the right thing is all about ethics. Shoot for both.
Finally…
- Have a Good Attitude. A positive mindset is a powerful tool and it’s also contagious, so don’t be afraid to spread it around!
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