Having a clear picture of who you are, what you do and why you do it can increase your customer service skills like nothing else. When your purpose is clear in your mind, you will live up to the calls to provide exceptional service.
A great example of how defining purpose can increase customer service skills comes from an acquaintance of mine. Patrick Atkins is Senior Manager for Agency Training of a major insurance company. When people asked what he did for a living, he used to reply, “I sell life insurance.”
In his second year of selling, a customer died in an accident and he went to visit the widow. She was distraught, of course, but she spoke to Patrick after the funeral.
“I always resented the money my husband spent on insurance,” she said. “I thought it was wasted money that we could have used for something else. But now your insurance payment is going to allow my children to stay in school and give us enough money to keep living in this house. You’ve saved our family.”
Today, when people ask Patrick Atkins what he does for a living, he says with sincerity and pride, “I save families.” Talk about a purpose that can bolster customer service skills!
Patrick Atkins saves families for a living. What about you? What do you do that helps people enjoy, grow and live a better life? What’s the motivating power in your purpose?
Key Learning Point To Customer Service Skills
Providing great service to others can be hard work. Your customers may be upset, demanding, problematic – even mean. You need an uplifting purpose to keep you going, bring you up when times are hard and inspire you to keep your customer service skills high.
Action Steps To Customer Service Skills
Clarify what you do and how it helps other people live a better life. Then, the next time someone asks what you do for a living, give them the real answer.
—————————————————————————————————————————–
You may use this article in your free newsletter, website or publication providing you include this complete statement (below) with active links to the websites:
Copyright, Ron Kaufman. Used with permission. Ron Kaufman is the world’s leading educator and motivator for upgrading customer service and uplifting service culture. He is author of the bestselling “Uplifting Service” book and founder of Uplifting Service. To enjoy more customer service training and service culture articles, visit www.RonKaufman.com.
For commercial use of this article in a paid newsletter, publication, or training program, please contact us.
