After action review - how did I do that?

We tend to review the situation when things go wrong, but how about when things go right? The "after action review" is a great technique to use when your customers are elated so you can figure out how to do it more often.

Here's how it works:

Step 1: Identify situations where customers are obviously very happy with the service they've received.

Step 2: Determine what you did to contribute to the customer's outstanding experience. (You may also want to take note of any factors that were beyond your direct control, such as a special sale or the customer was in a great mood to begin with.)

Step 3: Decide what you will do to get a similar result that next time you serve a customer in the same situation. The idea is to deliberately repeat what's working rather than leave it to chance.

Customers (not you) determine the extra mile

Your level of effort does not necessarily match the quality of service you provide. That's because your customer, not you, decides whether your service is good, poor, or outstanding.

Sometimes, you'll give every ounce of effort you have and employ every customer service technique you know, but the customer will still be unhappy. Other times, you'll barely lift a finger and your customer will be ecstatic. Here's a simple way to ensure you are truly going the extra mile:

1. Learn your customer's expectations
2. Find ways to exceed their expectations
3. Repeat

Avoid assumptions

We tend to stop listening as soon as we start assuming. It's easy to assume you know what a customer is asking for if you've encountered a similar situation many times in the past. The danger is that your customer may want something just a little different.

You can avoid assumptions by listening intently and trying to understand what each individual customer needs. Once you know what they need you can find ways to exceed their expectations.

Email trick: anticipate the next question

A great way to provide outstanding service via email is to anticipate the next question and answer that one too. For example, a customer might email to ask if you have a particular item in stock. A good customer service professional would reply quickly with the answer.

A great customer service professional would reply quickly with the answer along with ordering information (such as a phone number or website) if the product is in stock or suggested alternatives if the product is not in stock. This avoids additional emails and makes it easier for your customer.

Listen for emotional needs

Customers often have underlying emotional needs that need to be met for them to feel they've received extraordinary service. For example, a customer may describe a problem they've had with your product or service. A good customer service rep will try to fix the problem. An outstanding customer service rep will understand the customer also has the emotional need to be acknowledged for the time they've wasted and the disappointment of experiencing the problem.

The next time you serve a customer, particularly someone who is experiencing a problem, see if you can uncover an emotional need. Be careful -- customers rarely tell you about these needs directly. You'll need to use a strong sense of empathy to discover them!

Avoid multitasking

Did you know that multitasking hurts customer service?

That's because humans can only process one conscious thought at a time. We work slower and make more errors when we try to do more than one thing at a time that requires our attention.  

Here are some common examples of multitasking that can lead to service failures: 

• Trying to type an email while speaking to another customer
• Talking to a co-worker while serving a customer
• Responding to a text while having a conversation

A great way to experience how multitasking can hurt performance is to try a Stroop Test. Give it a try and see how you do.