Make 'em Laugh Customer Service
Make 'em Laugh Customer Service
Shawn was using humor to provide customer service, “I could have simply ignored selling the higher-priced tickets, but I got a kick out of seeing the customers laugh. I don’t recall anyone not buying the upgrade after I gave my little sales pitch.”
Shawn was selective. He didn’t try up-selling on everyone. “The people I asked were people who I thought would have a use for Business Class travel,” Shawn revealed. He probably had a knack for recognizing people that had a good sense of humor as well.
Humor and laughter are great aspects of customer service. When people are laughing they’re having a good time. If people equate fun with your service, that’s fantastic.
Reggie Wilson drives a bus for Seattle Transit. It could be a thankless job filled with stress, time pressures and difficult customers. So, why does he love it? And, why would busy people actually wait for him to serve them? Because Reggie makes his customers smile!
Reggie’s bus becomes his stage as he performs for his customers. He uses a combination of bad jokes, childish songs, and a sign that says, “Smile!” Reggie says, "There are days I don't feel like smiling or putting up the smile sign, but I have to make a choice about where I want to be with my attitude.” It works for him and it works for the people that make a point of riding his bus.
SunShower Learning produced a customer service training video called Smile! The training video highlights how Reggie uses humor to deliver great customer service.
“SMILE! Shows how positive attitudes can be the primary factor in every customer service interaction – for the sake of the customer AND, most importantly, for your own quality of life.”
- Ad copy on the jacket of the Smile! Customer Service Training Video
The video has some great shots of people riding the bus, Reggie greeting them, and everyone laughing and having a good time.
“Buzzy” is another person who knows about humor. His employer started issuing name tags to their employees, Buzzy decided to choose a nickname, rather than his own. “I figured, who could ever get mad at someone named Buzzy,” he smiled. “People almost always ask about my name. They ask if that’s my real name. I tell them no, my real name is Sparky.”
Does humor always work? No, nothing works 100%, but it’s good to have the odds in your favor and humor helps those odds. Buzzy says, “I once had a customer come back the day after a customer service incident. He came up to me and apologized. I was shocked. I had never seen that happen before. I doubt if he would have done it if my name were Michael, or Tom. I had leveled with him the day before and kept my cool.” People just expect to like Buzzy and they do. Would Buzzy lie?
Being in a good humor and staying in a good humor is part of the job of customer service. We want people to enjoy their experiences with us. When things go right, it’s outstanding. When things go wrong, good humor and attitude can get us over the rough spots.
Make em Laugh Customer Service - To learn more about this author, visit Don Doman's Website.
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“It was almost like a game,” said Amtrak ticket clerk Shawn. ”I’d single out individuals I thought I could sell business class to over coach. They’d ask what the difference was and I’d tell them. You get more room, you get early boarding, you get a $3.00 coupon for the Bistro Car, AND more importantly, you get our respect. I acted really deadpan sincere when I said respect. They always laughed.”
Shawn was using humor to provide customer service, “I could have simply ignored selling the higher-priced tickets, but I got a kick out of seeing the customers laugh. I don’t recall anyone not buying the upgrade after I gave my little sales pitch.”
Shawn was selective. He didn’t try up-selling on everyone. “The people I asked were people who I thought would have a use for Business Class travel,” Shawn revealed. He probably had a knack for recognizing people that had a good sense of humor as well.
Humor and laughter are great aspects of customer service. When people are laughing they’re having a good time. If people equate fun with your service, that’s fantastic.
Reggie Wilson drives a bus for Seattle Transit. It could be a thankless job filled with stress, time pressures and difficult customers. So, why does he love it? And, why would busy people actually wait for him to serve them? Because Reggie makes his customers smile!
Reggie’s bus becomes his stage as he performs for his customers. He uses a combination of bad jokes, childish songs, and a sign that says, “Smile!” Reggie says, "There are days I don't feel like smiling or putting up the smile sign, but I have to make a choice about where I want to be with my attitude.” It works for him and it works for the people that make a point of riding his bus.
SunShower Learning produced a customer service training video called Smile! The training video highlights how Reggie uses humor to deliver great customer service.
“SMILE! Shows how positive attitudes can be the primary factor in every customer service interaction – for the sake of the customer AND, most importantly, for your own quality of life.”
- Ad copy on the jacket of the Smile! Customer Service Training Video
The video has some great shots of people riding the bus, Reggie greeting them, and everyone laughing and having a good time.
“Buzzy” is another person who knows about humor. His employer started issuing name tags to their employees, Buzzy decided to choose a nickname, rather than his own. “I figured, who could ever get mad at someone named Buzzy,” he smiled. “People almost always ask about my name. They ask if that’s my real name. I tell them no, my real name is Sparky.”
Does humor always work? No, nothing works 100%, but it’s good to have the odds in your favor and humor helps those odds. Buzzy says, “I once had a customer come back the day after a customer service incident. He came up to me and apologized. I was shocked. I had never seen that happen before. I doubt if he would have done it if my name were Michael, or Tom. I had leveled with him the day before and kept my cool.” People just expect to like Buzzy and they do. Would Buzzy lie?
Being in a good humor and staying in a good humor is part of the job of customer service. We want people to enjoy their experiences with us. When things go right, it’s outstanding. When things go wrong, good humor and attitude can get us over the rough spots.
Make em Laugh Customer Service - To learn more about this author, visit Don Doman's Website.
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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