As I am pursuing this passion of photography and developing my business I am starting to take things I have learned from other experiences and applying them to my shooting. To be successful, I think you need to be able to wear different hats. Mine are ever transforming One thing that I am grateful for is working in retail... I know many of you may not feel that way but let me explain.
Customer service can be a scary thing for someone, and being an introvert doesn't radically improve a situation either. I have been working in retail for about 7 years now and finally enjoy engaging with others and helping them with their needs. I genuinely enjoy providing a great experience for a customer, and I think that stems from enjoying the job that I have. Believe me it didn't happen over night, and I still struggle sometimes to put my best face forward for the customer. I have worked hard to be able to work with a stranger one on one, it wasn't easy for me. I have mentioned before that I work for
Life is good, a clothing company that started as two brothers who lived out of their van selling t-shirts. It's a great story and we do a lot of great things, especially for kids in need. The brothers, Bert and John, are still very active in the company and always wanted to give back. They started the Life is good Kids Foundation and raise money through festivals and proceeds from the sale of specific products. Having the
Life is good Kids Foundation is another reason why I feel strongly about doing a good job for my company, and ultimately the customer. It's more than just a clothing store, it has a great message and gives back to those in need. Only recently have I notice a change in my persona when I am working, even though it probably has been going on for a while.
When in a large group or in public I tend to keep to myself, however as soon as I put the service hat on I am very outgoing and seem to connect easily with others. A very strange thing, but when talking to our UPS delivery guy, he said he is the same way. I think it has to do with your commitment to the group you are working for, whether it be a large corporation or your own small business, there has to be a level of commitment to that group in order to break out of that shell. Another factor may be comfort. If you are comfortable in your environment and skills then you can devote more energy to the customer. When I am dealing with clients on a shoot, I have noticed a similar transformation. It got me thinking about some past experiences I have had at other businesses and some recent blog posts about customer service.
Scott Kelby recently
posted about is bad experience with a airline and was about ready to throw in the towel and move to another. His second
response revealed that business' reaction to what happened as a result of poor customer service the first time. That I feel is a waste of energy and time. If done right you shouldn't have to go back and try to patch the pieces. We all seem to hear the horror stories from bad customer service experiences, well here is one that really changed my perception.
I was just placing a routine call to order for receipt paper... I know not really something write home about. The woman on the other end of the phone was very pleasant and I proceeded to tell her where I was calling from. Then, which took me by surprise, she asked who she was speaking with. Not something I was expecting; I really just wanted to place the order and get off the phone. It instantly changed the tone of the conversation and made it more personal. I felt she was being genuine and we actually had a little conversation before ending the call.
Now for you to weigh in. Tell me some of your GOOD experiences in customer service, or what are some tips you have to make a costumer's experience more enjoyable? Check out the related posts as well, I guess Jack and I were thinking about the same thing. His posts are a little more refined than mine. I'm working on it. :)
Related Posts:
Jack Hollingsworth:
I AM INVISIBLE, and
I AM GREATNESS
