Customer Service Archives • Page 4 of 6 • Laurie Guest

Learning How to Handle “The Overs”

Learning how to handle “The Overs” is a skill. What do I mean by “The Overs”? An “Over” is a guest who is over-friendly, over-researched, or overbearing. The Over-Friendly Although it doesn’t sound bad when you first mention it, many people may feel uncomfortable with over-friendly guests in the workplace. I find it especially true for…

Dealing with Angry Customers

Nobody wants them, yet we all have them: angry customers. It doesn’t matter what position you hold in the office, knowing how to handle the dissatisfied consumer is crucial. Let’s take a look at the twelve steps to best handle the angry customer you’re sure to encounter someday. 1. Stay Calm. Most of the time…

Creating Fun in the Workplace

How do you create fun in the workplace? When it comes to a business environment, fun is a relative term. You might be part of a team where boisterous laughter or lots of teasing is appropriate while other industries may require a very serious environment. Some places might even fool you because they are so…

Attitude, Initiative and Engagement

There are three facets of workplace participation that can make all the difference in productivity and results: attitude, initiative and engagement. These characteristics may come naturally to some, but often they must be cultivated in a workplace. Here’s an excerpt from my article on the subject; use the links below to get the full PDF.…

Winning Back Guests You’ve Lost

Winning back guests you have lost is not an issue people like to talk about, but it is a necessary topic in staff development. What skills do your team members need in order to thwart a customer defection? It begins with being totally present in the encounter in order to realize the guest is unhappy…

Teamwork Essentials

If you are a member of a team, working with your team is essential. Team building is one of the most frequently requested topics in my work with organizations. I always ask the client to first reflect on what teamwork means in his or her environment. Does it mean that the staff get along and…

Compliance and Accountability: Make it Known

What does a business that’s doing well have? What does the staff of a business need in order to be satisfied in their jobs? Because I’ve worked with hundreds of businesses over the course of my career, I have learned that businesses with strong compliance and accountability do well and have staff who are satisfied…

The Appreciation Formula

When I was in my early 20s, I left a job solely because I felt undervalued and under-appreciated. When I look back on that experience, I realize that may not have been true. I probably needed a little maturity to understand what was really going on. Regardless, I left a field in which I received…

(Re)Introducing Guest Encounters

It’s finally ready! Over the last several months, I’ve re-tooled my Guest Encounters services to make them easier than ever to put to use in your office, business or store. Now you can access this content online through a virtual, entirely customizable customer service and staff development e-learning tool. My passion for the topic on…

The Secrets to Retaining Good Staff

During my years as a professional speaker and trainer, I have paid close attention to the actions of successful business management teams. One factor that seems consistent is the ability to retain good staff. I have a few common sense ideas, often overlooked by employers, for retaining good people and building long-term professional relationships. Want…