Inspiring Workplaces: Inspiring Customer Service Ideas

Published: Wed, 05/13/15

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Humor at Work ISSUE 582 - May 13, 2015
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      Inspiring Customer Service Ideas  
   
 
Customer service is everything, and everything is customer service. It's potentially your number one competitive advantage and in a changing world full of uncertainties it's one of the few things you can actually control! Here are a few examples of inspiring customer service...
  • To make everyone feel welcome the entrance door to a shoe store has three door handles - all at different heights! How can you ensure everyone who does business with you feels welcome? 
  • Speaking of catering to different sizes...the J.W. Marriott Marquis Hotel in Miami has redesigned some rooms to cater to larger-sized athletes. What niche market could your organization tap into with a creative offering? 
  • A Holiday Inn I visited put out water bowls and dog biscuits during "Yappy Hour." (Hey - if you make the dogs happy, you'll make the dog owners ecstatic!)
  • A golf course offers to shine customers' shoes while they're out on their rounds. What can you do to surprise your clients with an added-value free service?
  • Zappos on-line shoe business uses the mantra: "We are in the service business, we just happen to sell shoes." What mantra or slogan can you create to remind everyone that service is everything and everything is service?
  • Nike offers a service where they will add a personal ID label onto your sneakers - what can you do to personalize objects or services for your customers? 
  • Vinnie's Sub Shop in Chicago closes their shop down when they run out of the freshest bread. What are you doing in your organization to demonstrate that you'll never compromise on your core values or commitment to your customers? 
 
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    Mike's Fun at Work Tip
 
As I'm sure you're aware, some health experts call sitting the new smoking - yes, they think we are all sitting far too much and that it's doing horrendous things to our bodies, such as, you know, slowly killing us. So here's an insanely simple idea to add a bit of fun to your meetings while also encouraging everyone to get off their duffs: "Stand up/sit down" meetings where everyone stands up for every other agenda item.  (And for bonus health points you can always throw in the occasional "stadium wave" and end your meetings with a one-minute fun dance.)  
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    Quote of the Week
 

"In the most innovative companies there is a significantly higher volume of thank-yous than in companies of low innovation." Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School
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    It's a Wacky World
 
Some more accidental humor found lurking in newspaper headlines:
  • Lingerie Shipment Hijacked - Thief Gives Police the Slip
  • Patient at Death's Door - Doctors Pull Him Through
  • Stadium Air Conditioning Fails - Fans Protest
  • Women's Movement More Broad-Based
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The Humor Advantage
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Ideal for new supervisors, veteran managers interested in shaking up their workplace, HR professionals, and anyone who gives a darn about their workplace!  A 2-minute video delivered to your inbox each day for 30 days. Team discounts available!  
 
 
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mike@mikekerr.com