The November 2011 issue of Inc. magazine had some interesting information about how we communicate our customer service experiences:
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The average number of people a customer will tell about a good customer service experience is 9. That’s right. When we have a fabulous experience with a store or company or website, we tell an average of 9 people about it. That’s pretty good advertising for a company who offers their customers a little bit more, or goes above and beyond the norm.
However….
What does that say about us? We’re a bunch of complainers!
I realize that in the last few years we’ve seen unemployment rise, the economy waiver, the ability to get a loan become nearly impossible, and many people finding themselves upside-down in their mortgages. It’s not the best environment for optimism and going out of our way to pat someone on the back. However, we’re not going to get anywhere complaining about it.
When I read the statistics above, I became acutely aware of how guilty I’ve become in this respect as well. The recent issues we’ve had with building our home have left me quite bitter about it…and I don’t mind telling everyone! (I’m surprised I haven’t written about it yet.) Anyway, that realization made me think that it might be time to change my mind set.
If you take a moment to look around you, I know you can find something positive to say. The more we focus on the positive, the more easily we’ll begin to recognize it on a daily basis. For instance, I just had a great meeting with the building department. The gentleman I spoke with took the time to walk me through his feedback so I could be clear on exactly what I needed to do for my follow-up. That conversation alone saved me a lot of time. See…things are looking up!
For the new 2012 year, my challenge to you is to help reverse those statistics above. When someone goes out of their way for you and provides some excellent customer service, I want you to tell at least 16 people. Can you do that? I look forward to hearing about it :)
Happy New Year!