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Going the Extra Mile for ASTONISHING Member Service!Making a memorable experience

for your members

INTENTIONS

Take-aways:

• Simple steps for you to use in the workplace that will help you provide great member service

• Things to always keep in mind in your day-to-day interactions with members

• Learn the effects that terrific member service can have

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ICEBREAKER/ BRAIN WARM-UP

DISCUSS:

1. What did you learn about yourself during this activity?

2. When did you realize you could ask for help, or use the things around you?

3 EASY STEPS TO 

ASTONISHING SERVICE

1. START WITH SOMETHING SIMPLE

2. ASK YOUR MEMBERS WHAT THEY WANT

3. GO THE EXTRA MILE EVEN IF IT’S A COMPLAINT

3 Easy Steps to Astonishing Service

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START WITH SOMETHING SIMPLE

•Happy birthday!•Remember someone’s name & use it frequently•Hand out business cards•Follow up when you say you will•Remember facts about their family or hobbies•Find ways to make "something extra" a regular part of your customer's experience.

STEP #1 for Astonishing Service

ASK YOUR MEMBERS WHAT THEY WANT

This is different than what they expect. What members expect is usually less (often a lot less) than what they want. But you need to know what they want.

Questions to ask yourself or your member:

What do they want in general? 

What are they trying to accomplish (or avoid)? 

Why did they choose you instead of your competition? 

What are their priorities and preferences?

STEP #2 for Astonishing Service

GO THE EXTRA MILE EVEN IF IT’S A COMPLAINT

The Golden Rule

Repeat and empathize

Avoid being defensive

Apologize quickly and sincerely

STEP #3 for Astonishing Service

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BRAINSTORM:WHAT ARE SOME

THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PROVIDE ASTONISHING

SERVICE?

3 THINGS TO ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND…

1. BE WILLING TO WALK THAT EXTRA MILE…FOR NOTHING.

2. GOOD SERVICE ISN’T 100% NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS.

3. EVENTUALLY, YOUR “SOMETHING EXTRA” ATTITUDE WILL BECOME A PART OF YOUR BRAND. 

3 Things to Keep in Mind for Astonishing Member Service

BE WILLING TO WALK THAT EXTRA MILE…FOR NOTHING.

Not everyone you walk that extra mile for is going to appreciate it. The sooner you accept this, the happier you’ll be.

You can’t go wrong making the extra effort.

One day, the reward could far exceed everything, every mile you’ve ever walked for all your customers or clients combined.

#1 Thing to Keep in Mind for Astonishing Member Service

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GOOD SERVICE ISN’T 100% NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS.

What else makes your credit union successful and competitive?  

Products?  Location? 

#2 Thing to Keep in Mind for Astonishing Member Service

EVENTUALLY, YOUR “SOMETHING EXTRA” ATTITUDE WILL BECOME A 

PART OF YOUR BRAND.

What is your “something extra”?It doesn’t take a lot of time to provide 

that “something extra”.   

#3 Thing to Keep in Mind for Astonishing Member Service

BRAINSTORM:

WHAT ARE SOME GOOD & BAD EXAMPLES YOU’VE 

EXPERIENCED BEING A MEMBER OR A CUSTOMER?

3 Things to Keep in Mind for Astonishing Member Service

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3 EFFECTS OF 

ASTONISHING MEMBER SERVICE1. The word‐of‐mouth and repeat business you’ll get as a result of providing 

excellent service is free. And priceless.

2. When you go the extra mile, you give your customers a positive and memorable experience. They’ll remember!

3. TERRIFIC WAY TO KISS UP AND LOOK GOOD.

3 Effects of Astonishing Member Service

BRAINSTORM: WHAT OTHER EFFECTS

CAN COME FROM TERRIFIC MEMBER

SERVICE?

REVIEW

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THANK YOU!

Ann Lohry Smith

Director of Professional Development

ICUL

515.221.3011

anns@iowacreditunions.com

You're in a meeting and a team member points out an error you made in a recent report. Instantly, you feel your face flushing. Your stomach knots up. Your mind starts to race. What you do next - and say next - says a lot about:

• how you see yourself • how open you are to learning and improving • how others will ultimately see you

Get defensive when someone is critical or trying to give you feedback, and it's like shooting yourself in the foot. Get upset with messengers delivering messages - whether they're flattering or not - and soon the messages will dry up.

• People will give you less and less feedback. Pretty soon you're operating with a self-perception that's flawed because it's not aligned with how others see you.

• Then your blind spots start to multiply. Eventually you'll get in trouble because you're operating with pieces of important information missing.

Most people don't enjoy giving even truthful and helpful feedback to a defensive person. It's not easy or fun. So they just don't.

If you know you're guilty of being defensive, change all that. (And hey, we all can be defensive at times, depending on how invested we are in whatever is at stake.)

1. When someone says something that makes you bristle, instantly think to yourself,

• "Wow, if there's even an element of truth in what they're saying, I need to know it. I could be making a problem for myself, and others, and this could be a way out. What am I doing to get this feedback? What can I learn from this feedback?"

2. Be curious. Sincerely curious. Like a scientist might be with a science experiment. If you can switch from:

• being defensive to being curious • focusing on your own feelings to focusing on the other person's perspective,

a calmness will settle over you. The racing thoughts will slow down. The strong emotions will subside. Your ears will open up and you'll be able to listen for any nuggets of truth in what's being said.

It all starts with your frame of mind. Is your mindset open or closed? Don't be like Groucho Marx who supposedly said, "People say I don't take criticism very well, but I say, 'What the hell do they know?' "

“Who, me? Defensive?” by Shirley Poertner in Leadership/HR

May 27, 2009

BEING CREATIVE WITH CHANGE EXERCISE

1. Ask people to partner up into pairs, standing up, with space to move around. 2. Have them introduce themselves, get a good look at their partner

3. Then they turn back-to-back (does not require their backs to touch).

4. Now, change 7 things (pick a number) about yourself that can be seen with the eye

5. Give them time to make those changes. When most folks have done so, give one minute

or so for remaining people. Encourage them to get all 7 things; “you can do this”

6. When all have 7 changes, tell them the other rule; “this is important, don’t change anything back; keep your changes”

7. Ask them to face their partner and identify their partner’s 7 changes

8. As they identify each other’s changes, make sure no one is undoing their changes/putting

things back.

9. Keeping those changes, go back-to-back with your partner. Make 9 more changes (keep your first 7 changes and make 9 more).

(repeat steps 5-8)

We continue this for a third round – CHANGE 13 THINGS THIS TIME - and then debrief with questions like: “what did you learn about yourself and how you do change?” “when did you realize you could use the things around you/ask for help?” COURTESY OF: Carnahan Smith & Gunter, Inc. 503.244.6701 /fax: 503.245.7260 /cell: 503.572.4051 Continuous Breakthroughs!