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Hi There! This is Shep Hyken Customer Service and Experience Expert and on this video I'm
sharing a customer service strategy which is To Serve and Protect. I've been writing
customer service articles for over 25 years and always appreciate comments and stories
that come from our readers. Jacques De Villiers responded to one of the videos, which was
about shifting your vocabulary. The concept was if we called our customers something other
than customers, how could that change the mood, feeling and even the culture of the
company? For example, an Ace Hardware store started calling their customers "neighbors."
That one word change in their vocabulary positively impacted the culture. While a simple change
of words may not have dramatic impact to a company's culture, it can at least contribute
to what the company is trying to achieve. There is a reason that Disney calls their
customers guests. Or a gym might call their customers members. It changes the way you
think about the customer. So, back to the comment that Jacques sent.
First, he wrote that he refers to his customers as clients. That's nothing new. When I think
of the word client, I think of someone who does business with a law firm, accounting
practice -- some type of professional services business. Well, the Merriam-Webster dictionary
definition of the word client confirms that and more. One of the definitions is "a customer
in a shop or hotel." So, a customer, in the traditional sense, can be a client, and thinking
of them as such may bring a different meaning or feeling about how you refer to and treat
your customers. But, Jacques said there was something even more interesting and worth
considering. The full definition included the following: "One that is under the protection
of another." Now, that's a twist on the concept of client.
What does that mean in terms of customer service? Here are a couple of examples.
To protect our client -- or customer -- we always put their interests first. It might
mean selling them what they need, versus what they think they want, even if it is less money.
You find that out the old fashion way, by communicating with them and asking the right
questions. It might mean making suggestions to buy additional
products or services. Some would call this upselling, but if it is about making sure
the customer -- or client -- has the best experience it's the right thing to do. For
example, if the customer is buying a can of paint, it makes total sense to make sure they
walk out with a paint brush if needed. It's our job to serve and protect our customers
from making bad decisions. The payoff is that we earn more trust and confidence from our
customers, which over time converts to coveted customer loyalty. Well, I hope you enjoyed
this short lesson. Please be sure to visit my website, which is www.hyken.com. There
you'll find more information about my speaking programs, as well as over 250 customer service
articles that you can read and share with your colleagues. Thank you very much for watching.
This is Shep Hyken, reminding you, to Always Be Amazing.