Episode 014: Handling Pressure, Jeff Toister, and The Customer as Hero

In this episode…     Handling Pressure in Customer Service An Interview With Jeff Toister of Toister Solutions The Customers are the Heroes     Handling Pressure in Customer Service     Jeannie and Adam discuss why the ability to handle pressure is so important for frontline customer service reps. Jeannie tells a story of a problem flight that was handled well by the team at Southwest Air.     Adam recalls a story about his wife’s experience with a frontline rep who completely folded under the pressure of a crowded store.     Discussion begins at 1:50.     Interview with Jeff Toister of Toister Solutions     Jeff discusses how employees are often not the most common reason for service failures. Jeff discusses 2014’s viral Comcast call, the cultural problems he found underlying it, and some background to the story.     Jeff points out the importance of attention and how many impediments there are to customer service reps being able to give customers their full attention. Jeff also points out the important distinction in customer service between emotional and rational needs.     Tune in to find out what Jeff thinks about how mental fatigue affects customer service agents.     Interview begins at 6:45.     Customer Hero, Customer Zero: The Customers are the Heroes   Adam shares the heartwarming story of Shirley Ratliff, whose customers loved her so much that they bought her a car.     Tune in to hear Adam and Jeannie discuss this incredible story and what all customer-facing professionals can take away from the story!   Discussion begins at 18:12.     People, Places, and Things of the Podcast   Jeff Toister is a consultant who helps customer service teams unlock their hidden potential. He’s the author of Service Failure: The Real Reasons Why Employees Struggle with Customer Service and What You Can Do About It. Connect with Jeff : Toister Solutions | Twitter Southwest Airlines Shirley Ratliff’s Story (video included) Bruegger’s Bagels       Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices