If we approach a counter for service, and are greeted with “Fill this out and go over there”, we feel unwelcome. On other hand, if person looks us in eye, smiles, and says, “Good morning. May I help you?....You will need to fill out this form and then hand it in over there. Let me know if you have any questions”, we feel valued. The procedure is same, but adding personal touch changes our perception and makes it a positive experience.

When our current personal needs are not recognized, transaction can lead to conflict. I recommend that you enter conversation on a personal level before doing business. This could just be a friendly greeting or smile.

During transaction, you can use something personal to diffuse anger. Karis Wuerth, VP Sales in Northern CA for Brook shows real concern if a piece of furniture arrives broken. She might ask: “Was anyone hurt? I hope you are OK.” This allows customer re-focus their attention and usually diffuse any anger.

When business is complete, there are effective ways to exit through personal level. The personal level is one we have most control over. Practicing these skills increases overall service consistency and team communication.

In presenting this material to hundreds of audiences, I have witnessed a powerful change of mindsets. Employees begin to realize they have a big impact and they have choices. They also realize that providing extreme service not only benefits organization, but also themselves. Giving service makes us feel appreciated, satisfied, energized, and renewed. When employees actually see benefits of extreme service, they are motivated to go extra mile.

Henry Luebbert, Partner of Synergy Relocations in San Ramon, CA, advises us to come up with innovative solutions and to encourage our employees to be creative.

Impact can happen in every point of contact. This concept, “Moment of Truth,” was first coined by Jan Carlzon of Scandinavia Airline Systems. At time Carlzon became president of SAS, it was losing $17 million per year. With his leadership, SAS was earning $54 million within a year. He made quality customer service paramount. He decided customer service wasn’t just a smiling attendant, but was culmination of every single encounter traveler had with airline. He called each encounter a “Moment of Truth”. Challenge your staff to treat each interaction as most important one for customer.

Bob Crawford says: “We intend to give that personal touch of extreme service at every point of contact.”

Every contact has a compounding and cumulative effect. It could be initial phone call, or having a friendly employee at counter, or service at time of delivery. We have no way of knowing if we are providing critical moment of truth for our customer.

Cherie Turner, Director of corporate housing for Irvine Company says: “Extreme service is a process. It’s a lot of small things. It’s way Brook treats me as a special individual by meeting my unique needs.”

To make your customer service programs unique and more effective, begin by addressing internal service and loyalty. Seeing employees as internal customers, improving both procedural and personal levels of service, applying Jan Carlzon’s “Moment of Truth”, and pointing out benefits that quality service has to offer employees, all increase awareness and insure that our organizations model consistent high levels of service and loyalty both inside and out. Keep your competitive edge.

Organizations need to thoroughly prepare their leaders and obtain their commitment up front. It is suggested to hold a few off-site facilitated meetings where leaders can “get on same page” and be coached in effective ways to communicate new direction to employees.

Hold a kick-off celebration management meeting. Top leadership should articulate clear and exciting vision for change. Map out process, timelines, champions, and benefits. Review past successes and learnings. What changes have worked well and why? Which have failed and why? Give people ample time to talk about resistance and fear that they may have as well as what they expect from staff.

Provide management with training. Building skills in change management, managing conflict, team building and coaching, is essential. Plan to have management skill building sessions throughout process.

Many organizations have invested vast amounts of money in new technology and quality or re-engineering programs and report little success. Leadership was not trained or ready. When significant change is implemented, weak management practices surface like wild fire. Invest in your leadership and their people skills. After all, people will either resist and sabotage change or get on board and be your champions.

STEP THREE: MISSION, VISION, GOAL CLARITY

Research supports that mission-driven organizations are more efficient and productive than rule-driven groups. Reexamine and revise your mission, vision and goals. If management is not well trained in strategic planning, get up to speed and take planning process down into all levels of company. Get full participation and buy-in. A well written strategic plan should include clear goals for each step of any major change. Again, as change preparedness process penetrates throughout organization, front line staff must be sincerely listened and responded to. Token input and lip service to this process are sure to encourage resistance, sabotage, and low morale.

STEP FOUR: FORMAL COMMUNICATION

The initial formal communication forum is a regular management team meeting throughout change process. The size of organization will determine how many teams need to be set up. Consistent meeting management should be adhered to. Again, training or coaching may be desirable. Everyone in organization should be clear about accepted meeting ground rules and procedures. People will greatly benefit from facilitation training which helps to empower more individuals.

Each department should hold “All hands meetings” at least quarterly. This is an opportunity to keep everyone informed, to celebrate successes, to offer some skill building, and to hold open dialog. No one likes surprises. Ask for lots of group input and demonstrate direct actions and follow-up from this. Some organizations create an internal newsletter which publicizes updates, benchmarks, and successes. Everyone throughout organization should have some formal communication link. People need to feel that there is an appropriate place to ask questions, express concerns, and deal with fears and anxieties as they arise. Well planned change has positive benefits for entire organization.

Marilyn Manning, Ph.D., CMC, CSP, has an organizational consulting, training and speaking business specializing in strategic planning, change and conflict management and team-building. Call (650)965-3663; M@MManning.com; www.MManning.com; 945 Mountain View Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94040. fax 650 965-3668.