Professional Development

Four customer service reminders from my friendly Alaskan tour guides

Alaska is an amazingly beautiful, awe-inspiring place. It’s hard not to be reflective on life as you observe the beauty and majesty of the land.

So, why then was I thinking about writing this post on the train in Skagway?

I don’t know. ( I’m guessing fellow bloggers can relate.)

But, while I was looking at this:

I was thinking about tour guides.

Yes, tour guides. You see, I had been carefully watching our tour guides as we went on helicopter rides, bus trips, kayaking outings, and whale watching tours. And, I noticed a clear difference between the ones who got tips and the ones who didn’t. The ones who got the tips followed a distinct pattern of four actions: know your stuff, treat ‘em like kings, really get into it, and have a personality. The ones who didn’t get tips, well, they were boring.

Know your stuff.

I learned a ton of stuff about Alaska I would’ve never known had it not been for those tour guides. Stuff like how killer whales spend their whole lives with their mothers and what a sea cucumber looks like (Even though, I feel like I could’ve been just fine without having ever seen one. Google it.) and even where the Wal-Mart is located in Juneau, a town  of about 30,000 people. See? That’s a lot of stuff.

While it is their job to know and to educate, those who knew more (or at least shared more) received the best tips. That’s because they knew what their customers wanted – to get the most out of their trip. When one of us stumped them with a question, they didn’t  let that stop them – they radioed their fellow tour guides for help. Which leads me to the next action…

What this means for you: You are the expert in your field. Even if you don’t happen to consider yourself an expert, it’s often likely that you know more about your product than your customer. Don’t forget this. Assuming your customer knows what you’re talking about could be a mistake. How do you know what they know? You ask questions. With the right questions, you’ll quickly figure out where your customer’s knowledge lies.

Really get into it.

The best of our tour guides had passion. They were just as excited as we were to see mama humpback whale with its baby or to spot a bald eagle flying high above as were. Even more, they genuinely wanted to make the experience enjoyable for us. They understood that it really was all about the customer. They went out of their way to make the happen – whether that be slamming on the brakes so we could see a bear or showing us where the only hairdresser in town lives (not that that’s critical, but you know what I mean), they did what they could to make the trip special.

The guides who didn’t take this action usually ended without a tip and without leaving any impression on us tourists. Perhaps they were fine with that. Or, maybe they didn’t realize how far a little passion could go.

What this means for you: If you love what you’re doing, let your customers know about it. They may not exactly share your passion, but they’ll certainly notice yours and they’ll know who to call when they want your product or service.

Treat every customer like they’re the most exciting person you’ve ever met.

I noticed a trend among the guides who seemed to receive the largest tips: They complimented the customers. They said things like, “You guys are a great group.” “It’s so great to have a group of people who are so excited about Alaska.” “Thank you for being such great participants. I do this everyday, and you guys were awesome.”

Doesn’t it make you feel all warm inside?

I have a sneaking suspicion that these brief phrases did wonders for the guides’ tips. These words made us feel special – consciously or unconsciously.

On the hand, I couldn’t help but wonder sometimes: Were we really that great? We seemed pretty normal to me. But, in the end, I went with it. (And, I’m pretty sure everybody else did, too.)

What this means for you: Be genuine, but don’t be afraid to flatter.

Don’t be afraid to show your personality.

Some of these guides were true characters. Others were admittedly annoying. Regardless, personality counted. People relate to people.

What this means for you: It’s okay to show your personality to your customers. In fact, they’ll probably appreciate it.

© 2009 Girl Meets Business.