If you're serving the public, your pace
should be timely but not rushed. In other words, you should serve the customer
with all due haste, not undo haste. It's a delicate balance, of course, but one
that you must learn to manage. Here are some tips:
1. Never let the customer think you're not interested:
even if everything is going wrong, and even if you'd rather crawl under a rock,
don't turn away from the customer.
2. Don't complain: Even if you're overworked, underpaid, overwhelmed and
under pressure, don't turn your time with the customer into a gripe session
about the ills of working for your current employer. It's unprofessional.
3. Don't panic: Even if you're rushing from Point A to Point Z, don't
lose your composure. After all, a hundred years from now, what difference will
it make?
4. Do keep the customer informed: If things are going to take longer than
expected, keep the customer informed. It's the right thing to do, and customers
appreciate knowing where they stand.
5. If things are going poorly, make it up to the customer if you can: A
small freebie can make a big difference to your customers.
Most
Customers Appreciate Service That Is Fast But Not Rushed
"Quality service means meeting or exceeding the customer’s
expectations."
James H. Donnelly, Jr
"The customer doesn't expect someone to work miracles. What the customer
expects is someone to care."
J. R. Freeman
"It is even better to act quickly and err than to hesitate until the
time for action is past."
Karl von Clausewitz
"Don’t hurry, but don’t delay."
Bill Criswell
"Dispatch is the soul of business."
Lord Chesterfield
This page was written and compiled by Criswell Freeman
