Going on vacation is generally regarded as a break from work and the business realm — a time to reset and recharge. However, getting out of your comfort zone by doing something fun and exciting with your time off can also be a learning opportunity. Being exposed to new places and people is always educational, but those providing the services throughout your trip can teach a thing or two about business as well.
On my latest vacation, I took a train to the mountains of Montana. Taking an alternate form of travel to a new place was eye-opening in more ways than one. Here are some of the business lessons I learned from my experience.
1. Customers want to know what's happening
The best part of traveling by train was not having to worry about getting there. I wasn't driving or dealing with the TSA's airport security lines. As long as I was on the train, I was getting somewhere. The first night of the trip, I was glad to get some rest and pretty thrilled at the idea of waking up in a different part of the country.
The next morning, we were more than a little surprised to wake up in the same state. Everyone looked confused when the announcement came, and the rest of the morning had its fair share of grumblings.
It wasn't until several hours later that a restaurant employee let it slip that the delay was caused by a storm ahead of us. Apparently, a tornado had blown debris from a home across the tracks, and we had to wait for it be cleared before moving on. Most passengers were understanding once they heard the news, but many said, "I just wish they would have told us."
And that brings me to my first lesson: Customers want to know what's happening. Whether it's the state of your company or other disruptions, customers will be more accepting if they know about it.
Steve Nguyen, Ph.D., at Workplace Psychology shared a similar story in which a consultant "failed to keep clients informed about problems or issues that might delay delivery of services." Rather than getting out ahead of the problem, this consultant made excuses and blamed others after the fact — resulting in the loss of the client.
SuperOffice says there are several ways to keep your customers in the loop. Whether it's as simple as informing your customers that you've received the complaint and you are working on it or a ticketing system, all will make a customer feel heard.
It all comes down to this: "If you keep your customer well informed of all the trouble you're going through to try and fix the problem, then you build loyalty and create customer relationships that stick."
2. Be responsive but not robotic
While all of the passengers were trying to figure out the reason for the large delay, I checked social media. I found the Twitter account of the company with which I was traveling and tried to find posts regarding the delay. I didn't find any updates, but what I did find was another customer service lesson.
This company's Twitter page was very active, replying to nearly every direct mention. That's great — except nearly every reply was the same. Many customers were asking questions about delays, fellow passenger behavior or baggage limits. All of the replies from the company sounded like, "We are sorry to hear about your problem. Please talk to your car manager, and they will be able to assist you."
While it's always refreshing to see a business engaging with customers on social media, there is a line between being responsive and being robotic.
VentureBeat explained the problem perfectly: "When people say 'I hate talking to customer support at company XYZ,' they do not mean they dislike talking to a human or talking on the phone per se. They are implying that they do not like the amount of time and energy that goes into the entire experience for getting a question answered or a task done."
The frustration other passengers were feeling from the company was understandable. They sought out the company directly on social media hoping for a response that was helpful, but instead they were told to ask someone on the train, which feels like a canned response. It's not the personalized conversation social media is designed to support and customers expect.
So how can a business balance being ultraresponsive to customers and still retain their humanity? Carolyn Mae Kim with the Institute for Public Relations outlines four ways businesses can use social media to maintain credibility.
- Personable interaction: Kim argues this is the most significant, since social media is designed to be a way for individuals to interact. When customers reached out to this business, the responses felt like they came from a robot, since they were the same as all other responses. This is frustrating because customers expect a more personal response on social media.
- Expertise: Businesses can also use social media to prove themselves the experts in their field. By providing industry-specific content and specific, meaningful answers, they are set apart from the competition. Telling customers to "ask your nearest employee" gives the impression that the business doesn't have the answers on a larger scale. That response makes passengers feel like they shouldn't have wasted their time reaching out through social media. The potential for a mutually beneficial interaction is missed entirely.
- Invitational rhetoric: Having invitational rhetoric means a business "crafts and sustains two-way dialogue with intent to listen, respond and incorporate the publics' comments." Instead of just answering questions with cookie-cutter responses, a business would benefit from engaging with customers on social media in a more sincere manner. Although the conversation may center on business, one doesn't have to remain strictly professional on social media.
- Trustworthiness: This seems like an obvious tip, but it is not easy to be transparent and reliable, even on social media. A few ways businesses can do this is by not concealing problems, showing ways they have followed through on promises and maintaining openness that the social media platform provides, even in the face of adversity.
These are just some of the ways businesses can be credible on social media, but I personally like how Jeff Haden puts it when writing for Inc.: "Keep it clear, classy and consistent."
Know what your brand is, and make that message clear across all channels. While responding the customer inquiries, be polite even if they are not. Don't respond rashly, but be consistent in the delivery of exceptional service.
3. Team communication is key
This one should be a no-brainer, but in the absence of this communication, there are big problems. While riding the train, we experienced several examples of poor team communication.
First, some of the intercoms were not working. This resulted in lots of confusion with passengers not hearing any announcements, and several almost missed their stops.
The team communication was at a breaking point during one of our stops in Missouri. The conductor was instructing the team members to close the doors, but no one was listening. We looked out the windows to see the rest of the team sharing a joke on the platform.
The conductor repeated her message several times, even shouting at one point. It wasn't until almost 10 minutes later that all of the doors were closed and we started moving again. I don't think I'll ever forget this example of failing team communication.
The Houston Chronicle says the biggest benefit of effective team communication is effective action. My experience on the train is a clear example of this. Had the team established smooth lines of communication, they would have been able to enjoy their break while getting back to work on time and keeping things running smoothly.
Another benefit of fluent communication is that a team is better prepared to handle new situations. They can easily create an actionable plan when things change, which is a truly invaluable skill in a constantly changing business environment. EasyProjects also argues that efficient team communication not only boosts productivity, but also morale.
So no matter what the goals of a team are, the importance of communication is clear: It is the biggest factor in whether the team accomplishes its goals.
4. There will always be negatives
While most of us were enjoying our trip, one man refused to have a good time. This passenger was sitting in the observation car and talking loudly into his phone.
I couldn't help but overhear his tale of how some of his luggage was lost, and he had trouble finding a solution while on his cross-country trip. He made it clear that he didn't think his service was adequate, and he felt something more should have been done for him. I heard this story nearly four times through, as he called several people to complain.
At one point he exclaimed, "I swear, if this ruins my vacation!" — and this really struck me. His situation is not unique; plenty of people have trouble with their luggage while switching flights or trains. But his refusal to accept any positive experience, whether it be customer service or the beautiful countryside just outside the window was staggering.
This occasion reminded me of the negative online reviews that businesses never seem to be able to escape. Even though some people will never enjoy the positive parts of an experience, there are some ways businesses can get the most out of reviews, even negative ones.
It doesn't ever feel good to get a poor review, but — with the right attitude — they bring an opportunity. Fast Company says having a thick skin when it comes to negative reviews can help a business analyze the situation and gain a new perspective. If the situation has already occurred, then the company should review and use it as a lesson in how to handle similar situations better in the future.
By being proactive, businesses can use the "service recovery paradox" to their advantage. Parature explains this phenomenon as a situation in which a customer "can leave a service failure more satisfied and loyal to the company than they would be if no failure occurred." Although these situations are rare, having a plan for how to provide exceptional service to an angry customer will make good use of the paradox.
Even though it is sometimes our gut instinct when seeing a negative review to believe the customer is being a jerk, GrooveHQ makes the argument that sometimes that is indeed the case. Although businesses should use this as a last resort, it is possible that the customer is just having a bad day.
Some behavioral scientists think stress most commonly manifests itself as anger. If an interaction was handled well but the bad reviews still happen, keep this in mind. When it comes down to it, just keep killing them with kindness — and excellent customer service.
