Laura Nicholson, Executive Director/CEO

That was the message that resonated with me as Doug Lipp, a motivational speaker and customer service expert, spoke at Yuba College this past month.

The event was the first for the Yuba-Sutter Business Consortium, a group of about a dozen business service organizations that work together to help local businesses. The Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce is a member of the consortium, formed just over a year ago to give these groups a way to meet and work on common interests and goals.

The initial discussions of the group led to the “Yuba-Sutter Presents” idea and our conversations often came back to a basic need in this community – customer service training.

Doug is the former head of training for Disney University and was in charge of opening the Disneyland in Tokyo.

For an hour he took us on a roller coaster narrative of behind-the-scenes stories about Disney and how it achieves its “magic,” and how it promotes its culture of stellar customer service.

He noted that the customer, guest, visitor, etc., arrives at a destination such as Disneyland, or your business, anticipating what they want and with an expectation of what they will get. If that expectation is not met, a negative experience becomes the result.

Needless to say, too many negative customer service experiences add up to trouble for a business. That’s why business owners must be ever vigilant and creative in their customer service efforts.

The Chamber is very interested in hearing from you about your customer service successes and any tips or programs you may have that enhance your customer service.

The recent business2business update produced by PIP Printing and Document Services in Yuba City outlines four critical areas you should look at in assessing the customer service of your business.

The first area to consider is your entryway and lobby. Are they clean and inviting? What does the décor say about your business? Is the message positive. And, if people have to wait, is there somewhere comfortable with appropriate reading material.

Next, consider the first person the customer usually sees, the receptionist usually. Is that person’s attire and demeanor professional? Do visitors get greeted promptly and warmly. If someone must wait, are they quickly acknowledged so they do not feel unseen.

On this point, I’d like to note one of my favorite small customer service ideas that really adds up big. At Rush Personnel Services, the first person you see at the reception area has a name plate on the desk. It says, “Director of First Impressions.”

Next, the telephones. The suggestion is, “Answer within three rings, smile, ask permission to put callers on hold, don’t screen calls and eliminate transfers when possible. If you have an automatic phone answering system, make sure it is user friendly and easy to navigate.

Last, according to PIP’s business2business update, look at all your collateral materials and assess them to make sure they convey a powerful and positive impression. These materials can include your website, business cards, letterhead, advertising, etc.

The Small Business Development Center can also help you with a self-assessment of your business, both internally and externally. Their Business Self Assessment form walks you through a process of looking at various areas of your business with multiple questions about such areas as external and internal appearance, customer service, business policies and employee training.

The assessment results in an overall summary of the business and offers suggestions for areas of improvements. Consultants at the Small Business Development Center are available to assist you with this assessment. Call them at 822-0140.

The Chamber is also working on getting the assessment online for your use at www.yubasutterchamber.com.

So, as you can see there is plenty that you can do to make sure your business is operating at peak efficiency. Please share your tips and personal customer service experiences with us and we will print them here to help other businesses in the Yuba-Sutter area.

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