Want to Make More Money? Read On

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 17, 2007

Contact: John Tschohl
E-mail: quality@servicequality.com
Web: www.customer-service.com
(952) 884-3311
Note to Editor: Feel free to use all or parts of this news release. John Tschohl also is available for personal interviews.

WANT TO MAKE MORE MONEY? READ ON
By John Tschohl

A colleague tells me that her son, now in the second year of his career as an auto technician for high-end cars, occasionally complains to her about his boss. While she views that as somewhat normal for many employees, especially younger ones, she became concerned when her son began to complain about the company’s customers. For example, he told her, they bring in their cars just before closing and want repairs done while they wait.

“Without those customers,” she told him, “you wouldn’t have a job. You should be honored that they trust you to solve whatever problems they might be having with their cars. You should treat them with respect, do whatever needs to be done to solve their problems, and do it quickly. That same is true of your dealings with your boss.” Her son listened and nodded. She hopes he was nodding in agreement and that what she had to say made an impact.

During more than two decades of developing and delivering customer service training programs to thousands of people throughout the world, I have been amazed at the lack of focus on customer service. What I preach during my seminars and workshops, as well as in the books I have written, is this: Organizations that make customer service a priority will succeed—and employees who do likewise will be rewarded by being promoted and making more money.

If you want to jumpstart your career, I offer the following six steps to help you do so.

Write a personal mission statement. Set a goal—it might be a specific job or salary—and then establish strategies to achieve that goal. Break down that goal into a series of steps, and set a realistic deadline for each. If you don’t reach your goal, re-evaluate it—and yourself—and then set a new one.
Identify what you need to know. What skills and training will make you promotable? Ask your supervisor or manager to help you with this task. Talk to the person who currently holds the job you would someday like to have. What skills are needed to do that job? Then visualize yourself in that position. You might even take a photograph of yourself sitting at your boss’ desk, or his boss’ desk, and post it somewhere in your home where you will see it every day. Remember: What your mind can conceive, you can achieve.
Focus on customer service. While technical skills are important, the ability to connect with customers on a personal level and to provide the best service possible are crucial. Good service is many things. It is a good attitude, courtesy, integrity, reliability, helpfulness, efficiency, availability, and knowledge. It is being responsive to a customer’s needs and being resourceful in meeting those needs. If you go out of your way to provide exceptional service, you will be noticed—and the payoff will be great.
Develop a positive attitude. Your attitude not only determines how you feel about yourself, it determines how others feel about you. Don’t associate with coworkers who constantly complain; they will drag you down. Give yourself pep talks during the drive to work and pat yourself on the back during the drive home for the many things you did well that day. Develop a healthy self-image, remembering that the way you see yourself determines the way others see you.
Educate yourself. Take advantage of every training opportunity the company offers. It not only will provide you with valuable information, it will let others know you are serious about your career and that you are eager to do whatever it takes to drive the company’s business. Don’t rely on the company to train you, however. Invest in yourself. Enroll in seminars and workshops and learn as much as you can about your company and industry. Read everything you can about customer service and self-improvement. Since I was 22, I have read an average of two self-improvement books a month and can testify to the power of doing so. Educating yourself is the best investment you can make.
Do more than you are paid to do. Get to work early and stay late, if necessary, to get the job done well and on time. Identify problems and seek solutions. When you “over-fill” your position, you will earn the respect of your coworkers and your boss. And develop the ability to shift gears. Once you have demonstrated capability and credibility in your current position, ask for more responsibility. If you go above and beyond the call of duty, you will be noticed, you will be promoted, and you will make more money.

John Tschohl is an international service strategist and speaker. Described by Time and Entrepreneur magazines as a customer service guru, he has written several books on customer service, including Ca$hing In: Make More Money, Get a Promotion, Love Your Job; Loyal For Life; Achieving Excellence Through Customer Service; e-Service; and the Customer is Boss.

You can contact John at 952-884-3311 or e-mail him at quality@servicequality.com .