“No problem,” and “Not a problem” have made their way into widespread use in our culture. Like a virus, these phrases have infected the English language and I believe are having a detrimental effect on our customer service consciousness -- in all businesses.
When I first heard them used, it really didn’t bother me. It was sort of refreshing to hear a different response to my request for another glass of tea, an insurance quote, or checking a book out at the library. Gradually though, it began to grate on me. I began to wonder when my request might become “a problem”. Was I being left to guess where the line might be? Was this okay to ask for this and not that? And, what would happen if it was a problem?
I began to feel that I, the customer, was doing the person an enormous favor by just coming to their place of business, their station, or their cubicle, and that it was okay to remain there as long as I didn’t cause a “problem”. At best, I felt tolerated.
This is not a good time for our customers to feel alienated. We live in an extremely competitive economic environment and every one of us must pay attention to those things we can control if we are to succeed in our chosen professions. There are only so many hours in the day and we already are putting in much more time at the workplace than did the generation before us.
We face downsizing, outsourcing and shrinking margins in this increasingly flattened world. Our best opportunity for success is to work on those things we have some control over -- primarily customer service.
It is deeply important that customer service be viewed in the broadest possible definition. Businesses which are healthy and growing are doing just that. Doctors have to look at patients as their customers, business executives have to look at the internal people they serve as their customers, members of teams and committees need to look at those they serve, collaborate with and report to as customers. And so it goes, up and down the organizational chart.
Examine your responsibilities in your life and see how many people rely upon your customer service, depend upon you hitting your deadlines, keeping your commitments, and doing your part as a member of a team or even of a family.
Then, take an inventory of your behavior in this role. Do this beyond your level of expertise and how well you perform in your job. How pleasant are you to be around? What kind of attitude do you bring to your role each day? How much do you contribute to a genial atmosphere or positive environment at work?
This isn’t to say everyone must be a Pollyanna, exuding light and sunshine. It is important to stay within your personality type and comfort level. However, we can get so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget our attitudes and intentions can have a profound affect in the experiences of those around us.
So, to those who have “No problem” and “Not a problem” ingrained into your speech patterns, I have an empowering and rewarding idea for you. If you want to give your customers a more positive response or if you merely want to separate yourself from the service herd, try answering a request with, “My pleasure” or “Happy to do it.” You will be delighted in how your customers respond.
And even more importantly, when you act as if it is a pleasure for you to do your job and that you are happy to give great customer service, your attitude and your entire environment will be uplifted. An engaged, customer service oriented person is a tremendous asset to an entire organization.
Make no mistake – pleasant, civil, customer service-oriented people have much greater productivity and will have a positive impact upon the balance sheet of your organization. Great customer service is great for business. It’s great for your co-workers. And, it’s great for you.
Dennis Tardan is a communications consultant and empowerment trainer. His passion is helping people to communicate their core messages with greater clarity, effectiveness and confidence. His company is Tardan Professional Development and he is based in Texas, USA. www.tardanprodev.com. Write to Dennis at .
