We don't always think of customer complaints as opportunities, but that's just what they are..
It has probably happened to you. You get an email or even a phone call from someone who is upset or unhappy with this or that about your business. Most of us don’t really care to deal with whiners or complainers, but, if you’ll just take a deep breath and take some time to think about it, many times they offer you some solid insight into your business that you would not have seen. If you just react to their complaint without taking the position that their concern might be legitimate, you will lose many valuable insights and may very likely lose a customer.
After all, they are on the receiving end of your business, and you can’t disregard this. Whether they are just irritated or are really upset for some reason, you need to be prepared for how to respond. Take a deep breath and keep the following in mind the next time you have a run-in with a disgruntled or upset customer.

1. They often identify potential problem areas.

The cause of most customer complaints is failed expectations. It could have been something you said, or failed to say. It could have been something you did or didn’t do. Or maybe your customer is simply confused. Whatever the case, customers are usually unhappy because they expected something from you that didn’t occur, and from their perspective, needs to be remedied. If the cause of their dissatisfaction is reasonable, guess what? They just helped you see something you missed, and now you can take care of it and make your business even better. And that is a blessing. It’s best to make sure you make things right by giving your customer what they expected (if it is reasonable) and then do something else – give an extra gift of value to your customer and a genuine thank you for bringing it to your attention. Their jaw will usually hit the floor. You would be absolutely amazed at how this will turn even the most dissatisfied complainer into an extremely loyal and perhaps even a lifetime (and happy) customer.

2. The complaining customer represents others who won’t say a word.

If you have a customer who makes a complaint about something related to your business, you should assume the there are others who probably had the same issue, but never said a word to you. It’s a well-established fact that the majority of your customers generally won’t utter a peep. They typically prefer to avoid confrontation, and so they will just leave and start doing business with one of your competitors. You want to avoid this like the plague. The best way to do that is to make sure you ask your customers regularly for their candid feedback. And then be sure to make adjustments and let them know what you did.

3. A complaint is often a wake-up call for what your customers really need.

It’s one thing for you to figure out what you think your customers need, but it’s even better when they tell you. Since most customer complaints are based on failed expectations, a complaint is an excellent opportunity to assess how well you are actually meeting the needs of your customers. If more than one customer makes the same suggestion or complaint, guess what? That’s a clue you probably should take a closer look at an issue. You need to figure out if you need to tweak your sales message, your product or service, or the way you provide service and support. Whatever it is, its bound to improve your business because you will be responding to the stated needs of your customers.

Here are 22 questions to ask yourself about how you are performing as a leader. You may wish to pass these questions on to your team. How well are they performing compared with the other team members?

There’s a big difference between just being a leader and leading so that people will willingly want to follow you. The test is influence. What if you were employed with a volunteer organization and your employees’ livelihoods, perks and benefits were not based on whether or not they did what you asked? Would they still admire, respect and trust you as a role model and mentor? Here are 22 questions to ask yourself about how you are performing as a leader. You may wish to pass these questions on to your team. How well are they performing compared with the other team members?

Leadership Test

How do I show that I am honest? Do I always do what I say I am going to do?

How do I make competence, character and credibility priorities?

Do I effectively listen to others with an open mind even when I may disagree?

How do I demonstrate honest yet tactful communication with others?

Do I have good people skills?

How am I thoughtful and considerate of others in the department?

How do I demonstrate my vision and the organization’s vision in a way that others clearly can understand?

Do employees see how this vision applies to them and to the big picture?

Do I understand my own goals and how they tie in with organizational goals?

Are the company goals and my individual goals specific, measurable and in writing?

How do I take responsibility for my own job?

Am I proactive in taking on or looking for additional responsibility?

How do I tactfully suggest better ways of doing things?

How do I offer ideas for improvement?

Do I show up on time for work and begin work immediately in a way that contributes to the team?

Am I “mentally” present for work?

How do I work to promote better morale with my team and other departments?

How would I grade the overall quality of my work?

Do I complete assignments on time and without being negative?

Do I put forth my best in producing a product or service in which others can take pride?

Have I been trained in conflict resolution?

Am I open to training in the areas of personal and professional development? How do I specifically apply the training techniques I’ve received?

Your organization is like an engine - and you are the switch that can ignite excellence..
In today’s competitive marketplace, extending excellent customer service is essential to the survival of any business. I hope by now most of us understand the importance of taking care of the customer and exceeding their expectations.

If some of you are like me, you spent your leisure time reading books like “Raving Fans” by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles, or “In Search of Excellence” by Tom Peters. I read these books and took them as gospel because they offer sound principles for creating a vision of what excellent customer service should look like.

I truly believe that these books and a few others really help us to delve into the principles for taking care of the people and maintain our customer’s loyalty.

We have great examples of companies that live by the customer loyalty principle by constantly striving to be on the cutting edge of services and products. Such companies that come to mind are Starbucks, Nordstrom, The Four Seasons, and Virgin Atlantic. These are companies who set the mark for creative and enlightened organizations that are always finding ways to make the customer say “wow”. Consumers brag to others about the services they receive at these customer centered organizations and therefore create a word of mouth buzz that creates exponential growth and success.

As managers you have probably tried to instil certain campaigns or slogans at your company. You made sure your employees understood and practiced the following procedures:

- Greeting the guest with a smile and a salutation.
- Looking for the “moment of truth”, the opportunity to make an impression on your customer with each interaction.
- Soliciting feedback from the guest or customer.
- Employee empowerment.
- Taking care of the “internal customer” (teamwork)

There are some character traits that cannot be taught in Customer Service..

If we could, we would because it would make the whole world a better place, not just Customer Service. We can't, therefore we work with people whom we believe to most exemplify these traits. Here are 5 you cannot teach.

1. Enthusiasm. We see it, we feel it and boy, do we wish everyone had it.

Many people don't though. It is often reflected in their faces when a request is made and reinforced with a sullen "just a moment" that does nothing to help us believe that we are about to receive a Service which we so desperately hope is better than what Mr. or Ms. Sullen face has just prefaced us with.

Enthusiasm is infectious, contagious and outright fun. It seems the Enthusiast is everywhere, ready and willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that we have a fantastic Customer Service experience. It is reflected by the pride they take in doing the job right, the care they take making sure everything is just so and the delivery of "Is there anything else I can do for you Mr. or Ms. Customer?"

The Enthusiast is nearly extinct these days. The victim of "Faster, More, Cheaper" Customer Service.

Are you exemplifying "Faster, More, Cheaper" or are you trying to grow Customer Service Enthusiasts?

2. Happiness. A feeling of pleasure. I have come to believe that Happiness is sometimes misused for the word Enlightened.

I know, now you think I am really off my meds. Let me ask you something. Have you ever met a person who was Happy? I mean really, really Happy? Really, when? Where do you think "Happy Hour" comes from? My point is that when people feel Happy, it leads to the ending of Happiness, or a state of Unhappiness. In other words, there is a limit.

I don't think there can be a limit to Enlightenment. Either way you think about it, it is not something you can teach. You can feel it. You can see it when another person really has it. You just can't teach someone to be Happy or Enlightened. They have to find it themselves.

3. Commitment. The feeling one has when one decides to do something no matter the cost or the journey. The ability to see it to the end. People who have commitment are not easily swayed. They keep putting one foot in front of the other, keeping their eye on the prize, the goal, the end.

Oh, they have trials and tribulations, and when you ask them about it, they shrug and say things like "That's the way we do it" or "It needed to be done." They have little concern or care for the thoughts of others who can't see the world through their eyes. They shrug and say "It's got to get done, and I'm the person to do it." You can't teach that.

4. Belief. The thought that someone feels completely, through and through that resonates deep inside them and tells them that they are on the right path. They don't need your beliefs, and are quite content to let you have yours.

Submitted by: Customer Service Associates
Customer Service & Quality Assurance Contancy
email: customerserviceassociates@gmail.com

Instead of introducing a new concept when it comes to customer service, it's time to re-introduce an old twist - kindness..

Back in the "day," if you wanted to be successful in business, it was all about kindness and the way people felt after leaving your establishment or after a business transaction. That is what truly kept them coming back, even if you product was mediocre.

Let's face it, we all want to be treated kindly in every circumstance of our life. But this seems to have gotten lost in the technologically advanced and fast-paced corporate world.

But consider this, there is a way to conduct business under these stressful conditions by adopting a new "old" philosophy that will set you apart as different and unique and it doesn't cost a dime. In fact, it saves money as people who are kind and happy are more likely to show up for work and more likely to stay with their company.

Start by incorporating empathy and compassion into your daily work life. By having the ability to look at business from the human side of things, this new business model based upon an old one can be reborn. But now it will appear fresh and new. Use the simplicity of kindness as the guide.

If you are on the fence about this, ask yourself this question: Is there a reason that each day cannot be the best possible experience for you and everyone you come into contact with? After all, the bottom line is that we are
human beings dealing with other human beings who have needs that must be filled. So why not fill them quickly and happily?

By putting a new twist on "service," everyone wins. And when people feel that they are being treated well and with respect while they are doing business with you, chances are that it will run smoothly, efficiently and expediently.

What is a customer?

A customer can be a person, company, or other entity that buys or exchange goods and services produced by another person, company, or other entity. So, then it is safe to say that a customer/client is someone with a need to be satisfied.

A customer is the most important person ever in a company-in person or by mail.

A customer is not dependent on us, we are dependent on him.

The customer is not an interruption of our work he is the purpose of it
We are not doing a favor by serving him; he is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.

A customer is not someone to argue or match wits with-nobody ever won an argument with a customer

A customer is a person who brings us his want-it is our job to handle them profitably to him and to ourselves.

The truth is that we all are customers and we all change roles by serving others. Who is your customer?

If you think that starting your own business is the answer to your problems; whether it's money, child care, illness or a desire for more free time, then you MUST choose wisely.

Too many individuals eagerly leave their paying jobs in order to pursue their own business only to return to the unemployment arena looking for work and carrying a massive debt from their ventures.

How can you find the answer to your quest for self-employment without failing?

DESIRE
DISCRETION
DISCIPLINE

DESIRE ----

If you think that running your own business is merely a matter of using your brains then you are sure to be disappointed. Successful entrepreneurs have a common thread no matter if they run the run a country gas station or a Fortune 500 company - DESIRE. If you don't have the drive and determination to work for yourself - if you can't give up the security of a regular pay cheque - you will have great difficulty working for yourself.

Scotiabank Jamaica CEO William 'Bill' Clarke, angered by opposition to his proposed amendments to the constitution of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), yesterday withdrew the bank's membership in the group, effectively ending his bid for the presidency.

JAMCL is of the opinion that Mr. Clarke should reconsider his position since it is better to effect change from within than to be an outside observer.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited completed its purchase of Pullmantur SA. The pruchase valued US$900 Million.

Break Down of the US900M

US$552.8 Million equity
US$347.1 Million debt

DB&G’s DIRECTORS RECOMMEND ACCEPTANCE OF SCOTIABANK’S OFFER

On Friday, October 20, Scotiabank and Scotiabank Jamaica, announced their intention to make a joint take-over bid to acquire at least 75% and not more than 80% of the shares in Dehring Bunting & Golding Ltd. (DB&G). The Offer, which is a cash bid priced at J$21.08 and TT$2.00 for each share, opened on October 23.

To communicate the response of DB&G’s Board of Directors to the Scotiabank Offer, DB&G’s Executive Chairman, Peter Bunting, held a media briefing at the DB&G Merchant Bank offices on Thursday, October 26. At the briefing, Mr. Bunting, on behalf of DB&G’s Board, recommended that DB&G’s shareholders accept the Scotiabank Offer.