Acknowledgments xi

Introduction 1

Before We Get Started 5

PART ONE: GREAT SERVICE IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD

Chapter 1: The Customer Is Always ____________ 7

Chapter 2: Winning Is Not a Customer Service Goal 10

Chapter 3: Do You Know Your Mental Rules? 13

Chapter 4: Be Proud, and Then Swallow Your Pride 15

Chapter 5: Keep Your Cool When the Ball Comes at You 18

Chapter 6: Are You Renting Customers Space in Your Head? 21

Chapter 7: It's True: Your Attitude Does Determine Your Altitude 24

PART TWO: THE MIND OF THE MODERN CUSTOMER

Chapter 8: Customers Have Mental Rules Too 27

Chapter 9: What's In It for Me? 29

Chapter 10: All Customers Are Irrational 31

Chapter 11: Everyone Is Rushed, Everyone Is Stressed 34

Chapter 12: You Don't Know Your Customer's Story 37

Chapter 13: Everyone's Been Burned Before 40

PART THREE: THE SEVEN SERVICE TRIGGERS

Chapter 14: Introducing the Seven Service Triggers 43

Chapter 15: Service Trigger #1: Being Ignored 46

Chapter 16: Service Trigger #2: Being Abandoned 47

Chapter 17: Avoiding Service Triggers #1 and #2 50

Chapter 18: Service Trigger #3: Being Hassled 55

Chapter 19: Service Trigger #4: Being Faced with Incompetence 58

Chapter 20: Service Trigger #5: Being Shuffled 62

Chapter 21: Service Trigger #6: Being Powerless 66

Chapter 22: Service Trigger #7: Being Disrespected 68

PART FOUR: BE A GREAT TEAMMATE

Chapter 23: Why Teamwork Matters 71

Chapter 24: Rise Above, Don't Stoop Down 73

Chapter 25: "It's Showtime” 75

Chapter 26: The Clothes Make the Rep 78

Chapter 27: Always Be Professional 80

Chapter 28: Set the Next Shift Up for Success 82

Chapter 29: Five Reasons Customer Documentation Matters 84

Chapter 30: Document Quickly and Effectively 87

Chapter 31: When to Help a Teammate with a Customer 90

PART FIVE: OWN THE SERVICE FLOOR

Chapter 32: Make That First Impression Count 93

Chapter 33: How Are You Today? 97

Chapter 34: How to Handle "I'm Just Browsing” 99

Chapter 35: Don't Be a Helicopter Rep 102

Chapter 36: Can You Remember One Thing? 104

Chapter 37: The Name Game Is No Game 107

Chapter 38: Judge Not, Lest Ye Miss an Opportunity 109

Chapter 39: Become the Customer's Personal Detective 112

Chapter 40: Never Talk Badly About Customers with Customers 115

Chapter 41: WOW Customers in the Blink of an Eye 117

PART SIX: COMMUNICATE LIKE A PRO

Chapter 42: Customer Service Lessons Grandma Taught You 121

Chapter 43: Give Your Customers Your Undivided Attention 123

Chapter 44: Is Your Body Language Saying the Right Things? 126

Chapter 45: Smile When You Dial 130

Chapter 46: The Phone Is Different, and the Same 132

Chapter 47: Use BRWY Communication 135

Chapter 48: Want to Help Your Customers? Shut Up 138

Chapter 49: Ask Questions, Lots of Questions 141

Chapter 50: Jargon Is a Wall Between You and the Customer 143

Chapter 51: 10 Power Words You Must Use 145

Chapter 52: Assure Accountability 149

Chapter 53: Always Get Buy-In for Your Response Times 153

Chapter 54: Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep 155

Chapter 55: The Art of the Pivot 157

PART SEVEN: MASTER DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

Chapter 56: Complaints Should Come with Bows on Them 161

Chapter 57: Listening Is a Start, Understanding Is the Goal 163

Chapter 58: CATER to Your Customers with This Service Process 165

Chapter 59: Focus on What You Can Do, Not on What You Can't 167

Chapter 60: Making It Right Is More Important Than Being Right 170

Chapter 61: Let Upset Customers Punch Themselves Out 174

Chapter 62: What to Do When the Customer Won't Stop Talking 178

Chapter 63: The Art of Framing 180

Chapter 64: Sales Techniques That Help Close the Deal 183

Chapter 65: Use Your Authority 186

Chapter 66: Don't Blame the Policy for the Problem 188

Chapter 67: Fine Print Isn't Always So Fine for Customers 190

Chapter 68: Handling Customer Service "Experts” 192

Chapter 69: When a Complaint Is a Scam 194

PART EIGHT: HANDLE NIGHTMARE CUSTOMERS

Chapter 70: Applying What You Know When the Heat Is On 197

Chapter 71: There's No Silver Bullet for a Hand Grenade 199

Chapter 72: 13 Go-To Tactics for Defusing Angry Customers 201

Chapter 73: How to Draw the Line with a Customer 205

Chapter 74: How to Handle Customer Threats 208

Chapter 75: What to Do When a Customer with an Audience Goes Crazy 214

PART NINE: UNDERSTAND THE DIGITAL FRONT LINES

Chapter 76: The Channel Impacts the Message 217

Chapter 77: Privacy and Security Are the New Triggers 219

Chapter 78: Good Email Is an Art 222

Chapter 79: The Social Customer Is Here to Stay 225

PART TEN: BE YOUR CUSTOMER'S HERO

Chapter 80: What Really Makes a Hero-Class Customer Experience? 229

Chapter 81: Adopt the Mindset of a Hero 233

Chapter 82: Be Your Customer's Hero 235

Putting What You've Learned into Practice 237

Index