ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS you can do to advance your career is learn how to take care of customers.

“While supervisors should provide ongoing customer service training for employees and create a system that rewards employees for taking care of the customer, many companies faced with budget crunches shortchange their customer service training,” says Michael LeBoeuf, Ph.D., author of How to Win Customers and Keep Them for Life. “So, what can an employee do? Lots!”

LeBoeuf suggests acknowledging the following.

Customers Pay Your Salary
Realize that without customers, your company wouldn’t be in business, and you wouldn’t have a paycheck. If you visualize your customers putting cash into your wallet or purse each time you interact with them, you’ll be more likely to thank them with outstanding customer service.

You Are the Company
“You know you work for your company, but whenever you come in contact with a customer, to that customer you are the company,” says LeBoeuf. “Your customers are going to come away either feeling better or worse about your organization because of how you treat them, and that’s going to determine the success of the company.”

Complaints Are an Opportunity
One of the greatest opportunities to improve customer service perception is how you handle a complaint. When a customer complains, it may feel like an attack, and your immediate reaction may be to act defensively.

Don’t! Instead, say, “How can I make this right for you?” This way, your customer proposes a solution that will make him or her happy. Then, try to handle it on the spot. The faster you handle a customer complaint, the greater the chance you have of keeping that customer.

Expectations Should be Exceeded
One of the best ways to increase customer perception is to exceed expectations. We all go into a business with a certain expectation, and when the expectation is exceeded, we’re pleasantly surprised.

Friendliness Counts
Customers stay loyal to people they like and trust. Help your customers buy the product or service that’s right for them. Take time to listen and learn what’s important to them.

Make notes of your customers’ personal interests, so the next time you speak to them you’ll be able to say, “How is your son Brad’s baseball team doing this year?” or “Tell me about your Alaskan vacation.”

You Should Reward Yourself
Don’t be frustrated if your company doesn’t reward you personally. You can motivate yourself with your own reward system. Keep a detailed daily journal of your customer service experiences. Give yourself a point for every time you exceed a customer’s expectations. Give yourself extra points for handling difficult problems.

“Then make a list of rewards that you could exchange for the points, and reward yourself every week,” says LeBoeuf. “Save your journal to show your supervisor when it’s time for your employee review. It will illustrate your outstanding customer service and your value to your company.”

Harriet Meyerson spoke with Michael LeBoeuf, Ph.D., international lecturer and author of How to Win Customers and Keep Them for Life, Berkley Books, 2000, $13. For more information, visit www.michaelleboeuf.com.

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