Happiest Customers

When you hear “Happiest Place on Earth”; do you immediately think of Disney World?   While Disney earns this reputation by bringing people from all over the world together at the parks and tells us that we can forget about the real world, even if it's only for a day; they truly stand out for the renowned customer service.  Read on for ways you can approach customer service like Disney to make your customers happy too. 

Empower Your Employees

First things first…empower your employees!  When your employees understand the guidelines of which you run your business, they can be confident in making decisions using their best judgement, acting on your behalf.  It’s important to identify your customer service guidelines and train your staff accordingly. This gives them buy-in, and they know how to act when a situation arises and more importantly the customer’s needs are met immediately.

Train Your Staff

Secondly, be sure to provide extensive training for your staff.  It starts with the hiring process ensuring friendly and positive energy representing your business.  Once the team is established, providing consistent training is key to make sure everyone is operating the same way.  You want your customers to enjoy the same service regardless of who happens to be working that day.  Keep in mind the training should match the role the person is hired for; more interfacing with your customers—the more training they should have.  It’s also a good idea to hold regular meetings, let your staff ask questions and possible role play.  The more comfortable they are the more this will come across with your customers.

Exceed Customer Expectations

Next, exceed your customers’ expectations.  Encourage and reward your employees any time they go above and beyond with a customer interaction.  If this is ingrained in your company culture; your staff should challenge themselves to find new ways to ensure a great experience for your customers.  When they have a positive interaction share this with the team—allow them to learn from one another.

Enact The LAST Model

Finally, a good rule of thumb is enacting the L.A.S.T Model.  This acronym stands for: Listen, Apologize, Solve and Thank.  If your staff is taught this model, they will know to first listen to a customer, sincerely apologize for what the customer experienced, solve the problem, and thank them for their business.  This shows the customer empathy and allows the employee to correct situation in the customers eyes.

While not every business can be referenced as the happiest place on Earth like Disney, following their guidelines to ensure a strong customer service model will make for the happiest customers.