August 23, 2012

Perception Is Reality

published this at 2:04 pm

by
Rosemary O’Neill

Success in Life, Business, and Golf

Perception is Reality

“Our policy is clearly written on the website.”
“Did he read the product manual?”
“That’s in paragraph 3c of the contract.”

And yet he is still disgruntled. Disappointed. Upset. Irate.

When it comes to customer service, perception is reality.

You can be right all day long and lose a customer for life. Or you can let the customer be right and gain an evangelist.

This is a key differentiating factor for the human-centered organization. In the traditional business, the representative simply points to the sign that says “no refunds” and closes the window. They shield themselves in the armor of policy.

In the humanized, socialized business, the representative is empowered to acknowledge the customer’s pain, and do something to alleviate it. There is a level of recognition and trust that the interaction between customer and business is a human to human relationship. There is a level of vulnerability that is often uncomfortable for a business.

If the customer feels that she has been wronged, then she has been wronged. And the 10 friends that she tells will share in her perception. In the end, that’s all there is.

Does that mean you have to cave to every customer demand? It’s worked out pretty well for Nordstrom over the years, but you have to do your own calculus. If you choose to “armor up,” do it with the knowledge that you are making a choice about your business. In that moment, you are deciding whether that person fits your customer profile or not.

You are building the perception and the reality.

Are your organization’s representatives empowered to build an awesome reality?

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for social strata — a top ten company to work for on the Internet . Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee


Thank you, Rosemary!

You’re irresistible!

ME “Liz” Strauss

Buy the Insider’s Guide to Online Conversation.

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