by Barry Moltz on March 8, 2010
I am horrible on putting things together. So when my son wanted a new basketball hoop I shivered.
I dutifully ordered it from Walmart and it came a few days later in the mail. One night, my son and I embarked on the journey called “Assembly Required.”
We tried to follow the manual and checked each step. Every time we hit an assembly roadblock we’d smash through it. We even confidently completed one step that the manual said that could not be undone. We knew we had it right! High Fives.
The time came to attach the backboard and the hoop. We then realized in one sinking moment that we had assembled the poles wrong- the one step that could not be undone!
I had a great experience calling customer service at LifeTime. Here is why!
1. No Blame. When I called, they didn’t make me feel like an idiot. The rep said that so many people make the same mistake.
2. No Huge Cost. They did not charge me for my mistake. They only billed shipping.
3. Follow Through. They followed up to make sure I got the shipment and the assembly went well this time.
Have any good “I called customer service stories?”
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by Barry Moltz on March 4, 2010
I mostly hate taxi drivers. They are one of my favorite customer service rants.
Living in Chicago, I take taxis a lot. My general experience is one of dislike. Most taxi drivers in Chicago are almost oblivious to me getting into their taxi and taking me somewhere. They talk on the phone and most will not get out of the taxi to help with luggage. Whenever I tell them to take a certain route to my destination, they act as if I am interrupting them (that is, them talking on the phone).
But when it comes to paying and giving them a tip, they scowl when I give 10% (I am usually a 20% tipper for good service otherwise).
But enter Ahmed, the taxi driver I met on a recent trip to Nashville to speak at Belmont University. When he picked me up at the Marriott he asked me, “Where can I take you?” Throughout the whole trip, he was not on the phone. He tried to engage me in conversation without being intrusive. He jumped out of the taxi to get my luggage.
At the end of the trip, he asked me, “Do you need a ride back?” He then handed me his card with his cell number on it. If I would call him, he would be there in 5 minutes.
I loved his card. The title was “Self-Indulgent Yellow Cab” and on his card were phrases like:
“low prices with 15% off roundtrips”
“24/7″
“you can call after midnight!”
“We love u always come back sooner or later”
Needless to say I called Ahmed for the return trip and gave him a big tip. That’s what I call “BAM!-good customer service.”
Do you have any good taxi driver stories?
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by Barry Moltz on March 1, 2010
Do you dread calling customer service like I do?
The folks at The Oatmeal are funny people. They diagram what it’s really like to call customer service (see their graphic). Here are the truths they mention!
From The Oatmeal
1. First you have to find the phone number. It’s usually next to a beautiful woman (not a real depiction of who you are really talking to).
2. Once on the line, you can speak your selection. This never really works.
3. Once you give up on that, you dial your choice after a very long list.
4. Then they put you on hold and then tease you (by the phone ringing again) into thinking that a person is coming on the line soon.
5. When you finally get a person, they ask you all sorts of ridiculous questions which don’t get any closer to solving your problem.
6. They want to send you a replacement which takes weeks…and then does not work when you get it!
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by Barry Moltz on February 23, 2010
One of my favorite universities for entrepreneurship is Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Dr. Jeff Cornwall has a fantastic program. Every few years, he invites me down to speak to 100 eager students. They also focus on the “business side of the music business” (being in Nashville), and sponsor students in live on campus start ups to give them experience.
I recently presented BAM! where the audience ranged from the ages of 18 to 85.
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by Barry Moltz on February 18, 2010
Today’s guest post is from Terry Starbucker
Terry Starbucker
I’ve always been a big Winter Olympics fan. I vividly remember when I was 8 years old watching Peggy Fleming win a gold medal in figure skating in 1968.
So it’s no surprise I’ve been glued to the TV set watching this year’s competition in Vancouver. Once again I’m intrigued by the figure skating – it’s one of those unique sports that is not only judged on technical ability, but on “artistic impression” as well.
As I was watching the skaters this week jumping, spinning and generally giving their all to impress the panel of judges, it dawned on me that what these athletes were doing on the ice was very much like what my teammates in our service business do every day.
Yep, customer service is a lot like figure skating. In both cases, the people involved are trying to impress judges with technical and artistic prowess. In customer service, the “judges” are the customers.
And like those figure skating judge panels who can confound us with their wildly varying scores, so it goes in the customer world as well. Every customer will “judge” our service differently, with great subjectivity. That’s where the “artistic” part comes in.
For example, in my business I’ve seen many instances where we’ve done everything technically perfect for a customer, but when we ask them to rate the experience, we get a bad grade. Why? Perhaps the service was delivered with a bad attitude, or with a sloppy looking uniform. Or we left footprints on the carpet.
It all comes back to that word “impression”. That’s the key. Great customer service, like a great figure skating routine, must “present” itself with a unique flair, a positive energy, and a passionate purpose.
That’s what will make a huge difference on whether the overall “score” will be good or bad. I’ve seen many occasions where a great overall presentation can even overcome technical errors, much like you see in figure skating with those who have artistically superior routines.
And there’s one more thing worth noting here – smart customer service providers, like champion skaters, know how to tailor their performance to particular judges. Like the skater who knows that the Russian judge loves fancy spins and consequently incorporates more into the routine. Or the plumber who knows the customer is a neat freak and puts on booties without being asked.
So if you are looking to learn a few more things about BAM! good customer service, you might want to pay a little closer attention to the figure skating.
But don’t try a double axel in your office. 
Terry Starbucker is a service company executive and a founder of SOBCon who writes about leadership, personal development, and social media in his blog, Ramblings From a Glass Half Full. He also shares his love of music and learning on Twitter as @starbucker.
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