Providing Exceptional Service?

I was reading an article earlier today and it mentioned something that rang through in my ears several times and very loudly...EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE... In today's market we, as Realtors, must go above and beyond just doing transactions. We must figure out what niche we can discover that sets us apart from our competition. I believe that niche is exceptional customer service. Working in a service industry for several years and seeing the deterioration (let's have an automated attendant answer the phones and believe it would be better than a live person) and experiencing the frustration of phone calls I've made myself sent to purgatory, customer service is something I think about with every transaction I experience. Not only just in my business, but the business I do with everyone else around me. Like the cable company, the local fast food restaurant, clothing stores, etc...everything we touch, involves this lost art. It is truly hard to find "good" customer service now days, let alone EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. I don't appreciate the grrrrs at a drive thru when I've said thanks and have a good day. Sorry, if you don't like your job, but don't take it out on me.

I think each and every one of us, at some point, has probably been guilty of forgetting the "customer is always right", our customers are the very reason we are in business, our customers are how we pay our bills and provide us with our livelihood. So how can we go about our day and not provide EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE? I try look at things like this...The people I deal with day in and day out deserve exactly what I would want if I were in their shoes. What has happened to customer service? Maybe we expect too much?

It has gotten so lackadaisical, in my opinion, I carry around a stock of thank you cards and try to make a point to hand out (but usually not at the drive thru) to those that I think have gone above and beyond what our customer service has become. I'm hoping to inspire more of that behavior and let the people know that I noticed and it made a difference to me. Encouraging them to please keep up the good work. Take pride in your service or product and it will take care of you in return.

Have you had any terrible or terrific customer service experiences that you would like to share?

Melissa Moore - your Morrisville, NC REALTOR - this is just my opinion and in general, not specific.