1. The document provides 10 commandments of customer service that emphasize putting the customer first, being proactive, and going above and beyond to solve problems and ensure customer satisfaction. 2. It stresses the importance of listening to customers, acknowledging their perspective, and finding win-win solutions rather than being reactive. 3. Internal customers (coworkers) are also important, so the document recommends regularly thanking and praising coworkers.

1. TEN
COMMANDMENTS
OF CUSTOMER
SERVICE
Lisbeth Calandrino
redhotcustomerservice@
nycap.rr.com
―

2. WHAT‘S IMPORTANT
FROM THE CUSTOMER‘S
POINT OF VIEW?

3. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS
PERSONAL
• Treat the customer the way they
want to be treated.
• Is the customer always right?
Certainly not but if you want the
customer you will make them
right.

4. 1. THE CUSTOMER IS THE
BOSS
• Customers want to be
in control.
• You may not be able to
make them right but
you can help them feel
better, save face and
not feel stupid—like
you won and they lost!

5. WHAT TO DO?
1. Listen carefully to the customer‘s
complaint.
2. Write it down.
3. Acknowledge the customer‘s
complaint, that doesn‘t mean you
agree.
4. Look for a win, win situation.

6. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
• Reflect:
The listener briefly states in his/her
words the core of what they speaker
has communicated.
The speaker says what he thinks
and feels, not what ―I‖ the listener ,
thinks and feels about what the
speaker said. ―I think that this can
definitely be a problem…I think you
made it into something it isn‘t.‖

7. SEARCH FOR THE CORE
MESSAGE
• Be brief
• In your own words
• ―Did I get it right?‖

8. 2. BE A GOOD LISTENER
1. If customer is angry, refrain
from saying ―calm down.‖
Saying ―calm down‖ will
take you out of rapport.
2. Take notes.
3. Use the same tone of voice,
if customer‘s angry,
increase your volume but
not the tone.
4. Resist the temptation to be
right.

9. 3. BE PROACTIVE
• This is the most important skill
you can have in life.
• People who are reactive don‘t
take the initiative-each new wave
catches them off guard.
• Proactive is the same as
reactive—only you‘re reacting
―ahead of time!‖

10. BEING PROACTIVE
REDUCES STRESS FOR YOU
AND THE CUSTOMER
• Proactive people see the big picture,
reactive isolate the incident.
• Proactive anticipate, they think
ahead.
• They can adapt because of their
ability to ―think‖ before it happens—
they anticipate the future.

11. STOP PLAYING VICTIM!
• ―I don‘t know what to do‖
• ―The customer was so
angry, I was afraid to
make them even
madder!‖
• ―I was afraid..I‘m gonna
eat some worms‖
• Being ―reactive is victim
mentality‖

12. WHAT TO DO?
1. Ask yourself, what‘s likely to happen
and react before it happens. Product
not coming on time, determine what
else you can do, get your plan and call
the customer
2. This takes energy, rise above the
difficulties and see what needs to be
done and do it
3. Even if you don‘t have the energy see
that it gets done, take a minute and
think

13. BECOME A ―PROBLEM SOLVER‖
NOT PROBLEM MAKER
1. Examine critically how you might perform
those tasks more efficiently.
Create a plan or procedure
2. Develop a mindset that looks to solve
problems instead of dwelling on them
3. Know which tasks are priorities and which
can wait
4. Write out daily lists of tasks and head the
list, ‗I will do‘ and not ‗to do‘
5. Keep this list close at hand and let it direct
your actions

14. THINK AHEAD!
• Try to anticipate needs.
• Can you prepare in
advance?
• A small amount of future
stability can be self-
generated by planning
ahead and being ready for
those things over which
you do have some control.

15. 4. MAKE CUSTOMERS FEEL
APPRECIATED
• Learn their names and their likes and
dislikes
• Find something about them you like and
focus on that; not everyone is likeable!
• Don‘t avoid conflicts
• If you say you‘re going to do it—do it!
• Hold yourself accountable
• Thank people that help you, send out
notes

16. 5. EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS
BEFORE IT‘S A PROBLEM
• If it has to be ordered on Monday
to get delivery on Friday, say so!
Don‘t apologize say it with
conviction and concern.
• ―I know it‘s important and you
need it so let‘s get it ordered
within our time frame.”

17. HAVE A ―CAN DO, RATHER
THAN A CAN‘T DO ATTITUDE.‖
• “Let‘s see how we can fix it.‖
• ―I understand what you must be
going through, let‘s see what
solutions we might have.‖
• ―Tell me exactly what has happened
and let‘s see what avenues are open
to us.‖
• ―Let me get right on the phone with,
or let‘s do a three way call to handle
this immediately.‖

18. 6. DON‘T SAY WE CAN‘T, SAY
HOW DO WE FIX THIS
• “This is a
tough one,
let‘s see what
we can do.‖
• Have your
solutions at
hand.

19. 7. I‘M SORRY GOES A LONG
WAY
1. Start with‖ I‘m sorry‖
2. Ask your customers for complete honesty
and prepare yourself for tough answers.
3. "Look at this as an opportunity to greatly
increase the effectiveness of the entire
organization.‖
4. Fix the problem, and clean up the mess. This
isn't always easy, and you can't expect
instant results.

20. 8.GO THE EXTRA MILE
1. Plan ahead of time
what you can do for
customers.
2. There should be
answers for all
problems—it‘s
doubtful that
anything new will
occur—you should
be ready and have
things you can do to
add value.
3. What can you do?

21. WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Repeat business is the most
profitable, make it happen.
• How can you thank them even if
they don‘t buy?
• What would be totally unexpected
that would delight? What is your
―signature idea?‖

22. 9.GET AND GIVE REGULAR
FEEDBACK
• Determine what needs to
be fixed and ask, how are
we doing?
• Send out surveys on
things that are problems,
not on things that work.
Stop doing things to feel
good and do things that
matter.
• Ask the hard questions…

23. HOLD REGULAR MEETINGS
• What could we have done better?
• Where do we slip up?
• What do we do that infuriates
customers?

24. 10.INTERNAL CUSTOMERS
ARE YOUR FIRST
CUSTOMERS
• When was the last time
you said ―thank you to
a co-worker?‖

25. CATCH SOMEONE DOING
―SOMETHING RIGHT‖
• Check your ―praise meter,‖ 5
―attaboys for every 1 not so
good.‖
• Vote for the employee who went
above and beyond..be generous.

26. HOW TO THANK
CO-WORKERS
• Praise something your coworker has
done well. Identify the specific actions
that you found admirable.
• Ask your coworkers about their family,
their hobby, their weekend or a special
event they attended. Your genuine
interest - as opposed to being nosey –
causes people to feel valued and cared
about.

27. HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN?
• Think about how your
behavior will affect
others.
• Be proactive.
• Know all the situations
that can occur and
have solutions on hand.
• Have ways to delight!

28. OLD COWBOY WISDOM:
• ―Courage is being scared to death
but saddling up anyway‖

29. Lisbeth Calandrino
Helping businesses build
loyal relationships with
their customers
www.Lisbethcalandrino.com
Redhotcustomerservice@nycap.rr.
com
518-495-5380