March 20, 2023 – Repertoire Magazine recently sat down with Shep Hyken to discuss how sales leaders can meet the rapidly changing environment head on and deliver better results for their customers and their businesses. The founder and CAO (Chief Amazement Officer) of Shepard Productions, Hyken is a customer service and experienced speaker.
“Customer service is not a department, it’s a philosophy.” For Hyken, this is one of the biggest areas where sales reps miss the mark. “When you tell them you’ve got to give better customer service, they think, ‘Well, my customers aren’t calling me to complain or ask questions.’ But that’s not what service really is.”
The biggest hangup here is the difference between the terms “customer support” and “customer service.” According to Hyken, when sales reps get this terminology wrong, they can completely misunderstand how to deliver a better customer experience.
Hyken works with companies to help build confidence in their sales leaders. It starts with seemingly simple concepts like being polite and doing what you say you’re going to do, followed by being proactive with communication. If there’s an issue, call the customer. If it’s bad news regarding the availability or functionality of one of your products, contact them before they have a chance to contact you. If something goes wrong, fix it.
He said, “Here’s what you want your customers to say about you: they’re always knowledgeable, always friendly, they always call me back. They always do what they say they’re going to do, even when there’s a problem. I know I can count on them. That we’re always followed by something positive is what we’re looking for. More confidence builders, being proactive.”
Read more in the latest issue of Repertoire Magazine.