Serve Like A Boss: Crush It In the Post-Covid Economy By Mastering the Lost Art of Customer Service

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PRINT ISBN: 978-1-963267-03-7

E-BOOK ISBN: 978-1-963267-04-4

AUDIOBOOK ISBN: 978-1-963267-05-1

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

SECTION 1

1.The Technology Paradox

2.Develop a Customer-Centric Mindset

3.View Profitability Through the Lens of Customer Service

4.Understand Your Ideal Customer

5.Leverage Buyer Personas and Customer Feedback

SECTION 2

6.Why is Good Help So Hard To Find?

7.Train Your Employees to be Customer-Centric

8.Customer-Centric Leadership and Culture

9.Manage Resistance & Create a Culture of Innovation

10.Build a Legacy of Customer-Centricity

Also By Donovan Garett

SECTION 1

Understanding The

Customer-Centric Business Model

The more you engage with customers, the clearer things become, and the easier it is to determine what you should be doing.

John Russell, VP, Harley Davidson Europe

Chapter 1

The Technology Paradox

In the world of internet customer service, it’s important to remember your competitor is only one mouse click away.

Doug Warner

It wasn't that long ago that we did business totally differently than we do today. A few decades back, a brick-and-mortar store was pretty much all you needed for commerce. Customers came in, and transactions were completed with cash, a smile, and a handshake.

Today, however, things are much different. Digital platforms have taken center stage in business — not simply from a transactional standpoint but also in how businesses interact with customers. This represents a fundamental shift in how business owners connect with people and deliver value to the marketplace.

As consumers, the rapid adoption of digital technology has also revamped the way we communicate with businesses. Now, I don't want to date myself, but I'm old enough to vividly remember the days when shopping meant walking into a store. Getting help meant finding a clerk, or dialing a number, and waiting on hold for what seemed an eternity.

Well, those days are quickly becoming a chapter for the history books.

In recent years, we can buy virtually anything with just a few clicks or taps. We can order dinner and have it delivered to our door, book a vacation, or even buy a car — all without leaving the comfort of our couch. This has affected our behavior, and dramatically altered our expectations of what service really means.

Then, in what seemed like an instant, the COVID-19 pandemic further challenged business paradigms and customer expectations. The pandemic became more than just a health crisis—it became a sudden wake-up call that turned that 'nice to have' digital strategy into a 'do or die' mission to figure it out quickly.

Amid lockdowns and social distancing, our collective world shrunk to the size of our screens. Online shopping, virtual meetings, and curbside service became the norm. For business owners (particularly small business owners), this meant rethinking how to reach and serve customers amidst ever-changing regulatory guidance and social chaos.

For most of us, it also brought loneliness, isolation, and a lack of social connections.

Rekindling the Art of

Human Interaction

As digital interactions continue to supplant face-to-face conversations, precise, skillful, productive communication is quickly becoming a lost art. Businesses increasingly rely on digital methods to engage with customers. But there's a growing realization that the essence of communication—personal connection and understanding—is being forgotten.

Today, consumers want not just fast service but also a personal touch. They want more from the brands they buy from. They want to feel understood and valued, not just as another number or sale.

This leads to an interesting paradox: as technology advances, and we are more connected than ever, we become increasingly isolated. Thus, the quality of each interaction is shallow and less meaningful. Sure, our emails, text messages, and social media posts convey information, but they often fall short of capturing the nuances of human emotion and the warmth of personal interaction.

Even our personal relationships seem to be quickly eroding, lacking the genuine warmth, empathy, and understanding that they once had. We have more platforms to voice our opinions, yet we struggle in life to truly feel heard and understood.

As technology advances, allowing us to become increasingly connected, the quality of our communication and the depth of our interactions becomes shallow and less meaningful.

In our fast-paced business environment, the depth and quality of our interactions have been all but lost. Remember the confidence of a handshake? The calming effect of a genuine smile? The reassurance felt from an understanding nod? Instant notifications, emojis, likes, and shares often act as counterfeit replacements.

As small business owners, this calls for a concerted effort to bridge the gap between digital communication and genuine human connection. It's about finding ways to inject warmth, empathy, and personalization into every customer interaction — whether through a screen or in person. Businesses that succeed in maintaining a human touch build lasting relationships with customers.

Despite being in an age where the quality of customer service can make or break a small business, most small business owners focus on the latest software upgrades, coolest apps, or technology solutions. Rather, they should focus on ways to form genuine connections with their customers. They risk missing valuable opportunities to turn a one-time buyer into a lifelong customer.

Now, this is not to vilify digital communication — but the challenge lies in finding the right balance. How do we harness the power of our digital tools without sacrificing the essence of human connection that builds trust, loyalty, and a sense of belonging? For savvy business owners, finding ways to weave these elements into digital interactions is crucial. It's about ensuring that a sense of genuine care and humanity comes through behind every email, chat, text message, or social media post.

The Importance of Empathy &

Personal Connection

Empathy, the ability to understand and share another person's feelings, is crucial in today's business environment. It transforms a routine customer service transaction into an opportunity to make someone feel heard, valued, and supported. Empathy can be the differentiator that sets a business apart, turning casual browsers into loyal customers and advocates. It's about seeing beyond the immediate transaction to the person behind the purchase, recognizing their unique needs, concerns, and emotions.

On the other hand, personal connection goes hand in hand with empathy. It's about creating a bond that transcends the digital divide, making customers feel like they're interacting with a friend rather than a faceless entity. This doesn't mean abandoning digital tools but using them to create personal and genuine connections.

Today's customers (i.e., COVID-19 pandemic survivors) are looking for more than just products or services; they're seeking experiences that make them feel understood and appreciated. They want to do business with brands that listen and act with compassion and understanding. This is where empathy and personal connection come into play, providing the opportunity to transform everyday interactions into memorable experiences that build loyalty and trust.

Finally, cultivating empathy and personal connections can lead to invaluable insights into customer needs and preferences, enabling businesses to tailor their products and services to truly resonate. Think of it as a cycle of virtue: the more businesses demonstrate empathy and build personal connections, the more they learn about their customers, and the better they can serve them.

Balancing Technology with Humanity

Today, we're bombarded (and therefore consumed) with technology. We stand in line for hours for the latest gadgets to be released. We can't wait for the newest movie release to be released to our favorite streaming platform(s). Even in business, we purchase technology simply for technology's sake.

Too many business owners are laser-focused on the technology they should be using—the platform, app, or hardware that promises to simplify their processes. In many cases, they are obtaining a solution in search of a problem. They often forget that technology exists to serve humans—not the other way around.

While technology can significantly enhance customer service, the importance of maintaining a human touch cannot be overstated. As digital interactions become the de facto standard, the warmth, empathy, and understanding gained from human contact become even more valuable.

No matter how advanced technology becomes, there are aspects of customer service that machines cannot replicate. The ability to accurately interpret emotional nuances, offer genuine empathy, and build rapport through conversation is uniquely human. These interactions foster a sense of connection and trust between the customer and the brand, contributing to deeper customer loyalty.

The most effective customer service strategies use technology to enhance, not replace, human interactions. The goal is to create a customer service ecosystem where technology and human interaction