Some
of my favorite articles to read are compilations of business and motivational
quotes from successful people. As I was reading one the other day, I realized
that I’ve never written an article that shared some of my favorites. I’ve
written eight books and have included many quotes from very successful and
famous people, so there is a lot to choose from. There are plenty more I could
have chosen. Based on the feedback of this article, I may write more. So for
now, here are ten of my favorite customer service quotes followed by my
commentary.
1. Sam
Walton, Walmart’s founder, said, “There is only one boss— the customer. And he
can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending
his money somewhere else.” I included this quote in my very first book, Moments of Magic: Be a Star with Your
Customers and Keep Them Forever. I don’t think anyone could
have said it better. We ultimately work for our customers, for without them we
don’t have a business.
2. Donald
Peterson, former CEO of Ford Motor Company, said, “If we are not
customer-driven, our cars won’t be either.” This is another quote
from Moments of Magic that emphasizes the importance of
being a customer-focused organization. In the automotive industry, just like
many other industries, customers have choices. They will choose to do business
with the companies that take care of them best.
3. Akio
Morita, cofounder of Sony, said, “In the long run, no matter how good or
successful you are, or how clever or crafty, your business and its future are
in the hands of the people you hire.” This is the perfect quote
to emphasize how important it is to focus on employees first. I always preach
to my clients that what is happening on the inside is going to be felt on the
outside by customers.
4. Roger
Staubach, former professional football player, member of the NFL Hall of Fame
and entrepreneur, said, “At a car dealership, the person who sells the car is
the hero, and also gets the commission. But if the mechanics don’t service that
car well the customer won’t return.” This goes to one of my
favorite lessons to teach and preach: Customer service is not a department, but
a philosophy to be embraced by everyone. Even though the mechanics may never
see the customer, if they don’t do their job, the customer may not come back.
It’s important to show how everyone, regardless of their position, has an
impact on either their internal customer or external customer—or both.
5. Scott
McKain, bestselling business author, and award-winning keynote speaker, said,
“If you want customers to know they matter to you, show it by being interested
in what matters to them.” What matters to customers? Their success,
which can be defined in many ways. Maybe the customer is buying clothes and
wants to look good. Maybe the customer is buying an expensive piece of
machinery to streamline their manufacturing process. When you start to
understand what the customer wants, needs and what matters to them, and you
keep that front-of-mind, you are no longer just a salesperson or vendor. You
become a partner. Care more about your customers and their success over the
sale, and you’ll win more sales and repeat business.
6. Bill
Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, said, “Your most unhappy customers are your
greatest source of learning.” Don’t be afraid of
complaints. Instead, embrace them. Even seek them out. They are your best
opportunities to learn how to make your products better, your process smoother,
your customer service better, and more. Complaints are some of the best
feedback and marketing information you could want.
7. Jay
Baer, bestselling author and motivational business growth expert on marketing
and word-of-mouth, said, “Customer service is the new marketing. It’s what
differentiates one business from another.” It also gives our
customers something to talk about to their friends, family, and colleagues at
work. Doing customer service right creates brand evangelists who will sing your
praises to others.
8. Walt
Disney, entrepreneur, writer, film producer, and much more, said, “Do what you
do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.” That’s what Disney wanted.
He wanted a theme park that would bring his guests back again and again. When
you can create a consistent and predictable experience that customers love,
they will be back and bring their friends and colleagues. What does “so well”
look like in your business?
9. Horst
Schulze, former president and co-founder of the Ritz-Carlton, said, “An
organization can’t please every human being every time. But it never hurts to
try.” Nobody and no organization is perfect. It’s
impossible to please everyone. But making the effort to do so is what can help
a company achieve an excellent reputation.
10. Warren
Buffet, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, said, “It takes 20 years to
build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll
do things differently.” This is the perfect quote
to end on. No matter how long you’ve been doing business with a customer—even
20 years or more—as soon as they have a complaint or a problem with you or what
you sell, it’s judgment day. The way you handle the problem will help keep your
reputation—and the relationship with your customer—intact.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and customer
experience expert, keynote speaker, and New York Times, bestselling business
author. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training
programs, go to www.thecustomerfocus.com.
Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
This article was originally published on Forbes.com.
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