STEP SIX

Aggressively Solve
Problems—the Bigger
the Better

People who excel at their jobs solve problems. Nothing is more indicative of success in the workforce than solving problems. As Ron Willingham (2005) states in Integrity Service: “In a real sense, each of us controls our success level by the problems we choose to solve.”

Investigate the Root Cause of Problems

Problem solvers are highly respected. They usually move up the career ladder because of the value they bring to their organization. With information changing every nanosecond, learning and problem solving are critical. Nobody can know everything about his or her job. However, if you can find out where to access information and how to use it, you’re a goldmine.

People who get recognized at work deliver results. To reach desired outcomes, you have to investigate the issue or problem, look at reasons for the problem, discover ways to fix the problem, and act on your insights. Often, this process takes place naturally, without a definite structure. We learn how to solve problems early in life for survival and because of inborn curiosity. Infants are all over the place solving problems, often to their parents’ dismay. On the other end of the spectrum, in business, top-level executives have the desire to solve problems and the curiosity to uncover creative solutions.

Although problem solving is, in part, second nature, solutions are not always well thought out. A famous company once ran a Superbowl ad about a special promotion (good thinking on the part of marketers), but neglected to tell the workforce about it. Thousands of calls the Monday after Sunday’s game caught frontline staff by surprise. Instead of increasing sales, problems were created, not solved. There are countless stories like the Superbowl fiasco. You probably have some of your own.

Problems are caused by

• lack of information
• misinformation
• lack of communication
• faulty equipment
• failure to listen
• failure to follow through
• oversights
• change
• role confusion
• lack of teamwork
• underlying motivations
• technology.

Refer to Worksheet 6.1 to continue the “problems are caused by” list.

WORKSHEET 6.1

Identify Causes

Instructions: Work independently or with your team to finish the sentence: “Problems are caused by. . . ”

The term root cause is equivalent to the “root of the problem.” When professionals are looking at reasons for process failures or product malfunctions, they want to uncover the real source of the problem. When working with customers, root cause is also what you want to discover. If Mrs. Jones doesn’t have any water, is it because she didn’t pay her bill, or is she part of the neighborhood where a water pipe burst?

Define “Problem”

A problem occurs when there is gap between what is expected and what actually happened. For instance, if someone ordered a book, expected it to arrive on January 5, and that did not occur, there is a problem. If NASA expected a spacecraft to reach land by January 5 and it did not do so, there is a bigger problem involving more people and more resources. The root cause would have to be explored for both problems.

Follow the Model for Problem Solving

A model for solving problems helps avoid the “shoot from the hip” approach. It affords you a systematic way of investigating and solving a problem. The following model has the elements necessary to accomplish your goals.

1. Describe the problem.

Express the problem by clearly describing it. This could be to the customer, to your boss, to your employee, or to a co-worker. Describe the gap between what exists and what you want. Review the following example of a problem at a doctor’s office.

What exists: “We have a referral, but that doctor is not available.”

What you want: “We need to find another doctor.”

2. Research and Clarify the Issues.

Determine the reasons for the problem. Research what needs to be done to correct the gap. Redefine the problem if necessary.

Research: “In addition, it looks like that doctor is not on your plan anymore.”

3. Offer an Outcome.

After researching and clarifying the issues, an outcome should emerge as being viable. Or, the outcome may require further exploration.

Outcome: “I found a doctor on your plan who can take you tomorrow! I heard he was nice as well!”

4. Imagine Other Possibilities.

You have solved the problem this time; however, the next phase of problem solving involves thinking about what can be done if the problem arises in the future, or imagining new systems or techniques for problem resolution. For instance, it might be great to have a personal computer available that patients can use to find the names of doctors and the insurance plans they accept. Giving a patient the name of a back-up doctor would also help in case he or she needs help for a similar problem in the future.

5. Plan for Success.

Planning may be for improvements or to ensure that the current solution is accomplished. In this scenario, giving the patient directions to the physician’s office would be a way of planning to ensure that the outcome is achieved. It is also providing additional information. Providing additional information and ways to prevent problems are two of the most important ways to gain customer loyalty.

Use Worksheet 6.2 to practice solving a problem you would like to address.

WORKSHEET 6.2

Solve the Problem

Instructions: Identify a job-related problem. Work individually or with your team to solve the problem using the model presented in Step 6.

Listen to Complaints

Jane Barlow and Claus Moller (2008) wrote A Complaint Is a Gift: Recovering Customer Loyalty When Things Go Wrong. The title expresses what the authors hoped to convey: When customers complain, they are giving you a gift—their feedback. They are also giving you the opportunity to fix a problem. If you can frame a complaint in that manner, and you know how to solve problems, you have many opportunities to show your expertise. Listen to complaints and solve as many problems as you can—the bigger the better. You will reap the rewards in customer appreciation and in your own career growth.

Customer Appreciation

The following commentary is from an appreciative customer. When she spoke about what occurred in the story, she was aware that many customer service providers would help in the same way; however, she was also aware that some would not, and that “procedures” would get in the way of service. See how one gesture captured the loyalty of a customer.

The speaker feature in my cell phone died a few days before I was going to a conference where I needed speaker access. I went to the T-Mobile store where I purchased the phone and asked if they could exchange it for me. The agent said she was unable to make the exchange, but she called the company and asked if it could send me a new phone. We were heading into a holiday weekend. Monday was a holiday and I was leaving town on Wednesday. The agent stressed that I needed to receive the phone by Tuesday and asked the representative to waive the shipping fee, which the staff member agreed to do. I thanked the agent and asked her if she could give me the phone number of her supervisor. I wanted to relay how helpful she had been. I reached the supervisor, who agreed she was indeed a wonderful employee. I asked if the agent could get special recognition for her service. I was told that, in fact, there was going to be a banquet in which one exemplary employee would be awarded a trip for two to Hawaii. I later found out that the agent who has been so helpful to me was awarded the trip. I was thrilled and impressed with T-Mobile’s follow through.

Take Action to Give Customers Satisfaction

The poem below was written by my dad, who owned Flair of Miami, a dress manufacturing firm that had the longest tenure in the city of Miami, Florida. For more than 40 years, he provided outstanding customer service based on his belief in “doing the right thing.”

Use the Fantastic Service Equation

In order to have a satisfied customer, you need to start off on the right foot, anticipate needs, solve problems, and appreciate the customer. Following these steps will give you the tools you need to please customers and experience positive relationships. The “Fantastic Service Equation” in Tool 6.1 can be used to remind yourself of what you have learned and help you follow the steps for excellent service.

Two of the Fantastic Service Equation components, “Checking Results” and “Leaving the Door Open,” are designed to prevent problems from occurring and to reassure the customer that you have a proactive mindset.

TOOL 6.1

The Fantastic Service Equation: How to deliver fantastic service every time

Equation Components

Greeting the Customer

Responsive service starts with a responsive greeting. You only get one first chance to impress a customer, and that first chance lasts only a matter of seconds.

Customers expect a friendly greeting, complete with eye contact, a smile, and receptive body language. It’s basic. It is recognizing a person’s worth right off the bat. A greeting establishes rapport. It immediately says, “I’m here to serve,” which is what service is all about.

Greetings come in all forms. It’s the parking lot attendant, who says, “Glad to see you today!” It’s the security guard who opens the door for you in the morning, walks you to the elevator, and pushes the button of your floor for you. It’s the librarian who says “hello” and smiles before you do. It’s the customer service representative who answers the phone with a smile and means it when she says, “How can I help you today?”

Determining Needs

Finding out what a customer really needs determines the rest of the interaction. Listening and asking questions are fundamental to this part of the equation. When you listen, you are giving the customer your undivided attention and respect. Listening can help with sales, customer concerns, and problem solving. Proactive listening is the key ingredient in providing responsive, empathetic service.

Listening involves your total concentration, the ability to paraphrase, to understand thoughts and feelings, and to work together with the customer for the customer and the company’s benefit.

Meeting Needs

Once needs are determined, it’s time to act. Responding entails being reliable and assuring. It’s acting quickly, with confidence, and figuring out what you can do to make that customer happy. It is giving the customer what was promised, finding out information, delivering a product or service on time, having someone available to answer a question or answer the phone, and guiding the customer toward a solution.

Making the Moment Memorable

Here’s where your creativity comes into play. This is where you do something special. It could be something big. It could be something little. Whatever it is, it makes the customer feel good. A memorable moment could be as simple as walking someone to his destination rather than pointing or telling him where to go. It could be staying after hours to complete a transaction. It could be calling a customer to see if the solution you agreed on worked. It could be a sales rep coming to check the installation of equipment she sold. It’s the “wow” factor—the surprise of an unexpected act of kindness.

Nordstrom, is a department store that is well known for outstanding service, once had a disgruntled customer come in with a defective tire. The store gladly took the tire back and refunded the customer’s money.

What’s so unusual about this story? Nordstrom doesn’t sell tires.

Checking Results

This is an easy and on-going way to see if you are giving fantastic service: Just ask.

Companies and organizations spend a lot of money on surveys, comment cards, and other types of data to get customer feedback. But, you can be the first to get feedback, just by asking. Even the simplest question, “Is there anything else we can do for you?” said with sincerity is a way to see if all the customer’s needs have been met. Or, “How was our service today?”

You can also promote other services when you check results. If you see that you can offer an option of another service, or you can tell customers something they didn’t know about your organization that can help them in the future, you have helped to solidify that relationship and your organization’s image in the customer’s eyes.

Responses might not always be positive. Customers may complain. A complaint, however, is just an opportunity. As discussed earlier in this step, a complaint points you toward ways to make things better or to improve. Handling a complaint can be a memorable moment.

So, involve customers in your organization. Ask them their opinion. Pave the wave for customer loyalty.

Leaving the Door Open

There are many ways to encourage customers to do more business or to feel comfortable coming back to your organization. Customers like to be appreciated. It is a way to recognize them and support their patronage. Leaving the door open is a way to say, “Please come back” or “Thanks for your support.” You might say: “Thanks for being our guest here,” or “Hope you come back to buy your next birthday present,” or “Call me personally if you have any more questions,” or “I’ll be looking forward to seeing you when you come back with the information we talked about.”

(Used with permission, Maxine Kamin, Customer Service Training, American Society for Training & Development, 2006)

Review Tool 6.2 to reinforce your service expertise. Use Tool 6.3 for suggestions on how your organization can ensure customers are receiving excellent service.

TOOL 6.2

FSET Survey–Fantastic Service Every Time

Instructions: Put the number you choose in the space provided.
1 = Almost Always 2 = Most of the Time 3 = Sometimes 4 = Rarely

FSET Survey

Review each category to see if there are improvements that you want to make. Are there any questions where “almost always” or “most of the time” may not be enough?
      For each category, list ways you can continue to demonstrate excellent customer service skills and ways you can improve.

(Used with permission, Maxine Kamin, Customer Service Training, American Society for Training & Development, 2006)

TOOL 6.3

Ways for Your Organization to Check Results

Instructions: In addition to checking results personally, your company may use other ways to ensure that customers are receiving fantastic service, including:

Put It All Together

Step 6 presented the Model for Problem Solving, a step-by-step approach that will help you define the real issues and develop solutions. Using the “Fantastic Service Equation” tool ensures excellent service in all parts of the customer transaction. Step 7 conveys the importance of an apology, and the necessity to fix the problem as soon as possible to recover from mistakes gracefully.