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Happy or Hectic?

This time of the year can be as hectic for insurance agencies as retailers as you prepare 1/1 renewals. Throw in the trappings and commitments of the holiday season and it's easy to see that providing customer service with a genuine smile on your face can be a challenge when you're stressed! Relax, there are a few things you can do as manager, producer, or CSR to make the season a little jollier, even if it's your busiest one.

For some of our customers it's the busiest time of the year. Holiday season for many companies means big opportunities and big stress. Many of you have waited all year for this burst in business so it's more important than ever to make sure that the customer's experience is delightful, outstanding, remarkable - whatever word reflects the "signature" experience you want them to remember.

Well now that's a challenge when you're stressed! Relax, there are a few things you can do as a leader, manager or a customer facing person to make the season a little jollier, even if it's your busiest one.

Set the intention. Intention is a force as strong as gravity - use it to your advantage. At the beginning of the day set an intention, such as, "Today I will remain focused, centered and calm in all my activities."

Write it on a card and keep it with you - especially if you have activities planned that challenge it. During the day, as you shift from activity to activity, refer back to your original intention and refine it for that segment of the day. (This works particularly well for me with meals. I often work through lunch and when I "catch" myself doing it I'll slow myself down and set an intention "For the next fifteen minutes I am going to eat my lunch quietly and calmly with gratitude.") Stating your intention out loud really helps all the cells in your body hear it.

Reminding yourself how important this customer is to your success and the success of the company will help you keep things in perspective. Our Monday Morning Motivation program delivers lots of positive self talk suggestions weekly. www.MotivationMadeEasy.com

Keep things in perspective. Every time I think about the people that work for UPS or FedEx right now I think "perspective." I imagine that each and every one of them have to keep their busyness at this time of year in perspective - it may be tough - but they're doing what Santa can't - getting all the gifts delivered. After the last two years it's joyful to see stores with people in them. Every customer's an important customer and more and more people seem to realize that. Be grateful for those customers - they make your paycheck possible.

Remember to breathe and to move. I know I sound like a broken record with this breathing stuff - but I'll continue to talk about it until I see people actually doing it. You can break the stress cycle easily by taking 3 big deep breaths. Deep - the breaths that go all the way down into your belly and inflate you like a balloon. Exhale deeply and force that air out of your belly - and if you want, let it escape through your mouth with a big "HA!" Makes me feel like a Samurai every time.

If you are sitting in a chair all day, remember to get up and move around to get the blood flowing and clear your head. And if you are one of the people that are on their feet all day long, find a few moments to sit and breathe and get re-centered after all that moving around. Remembering your own well-being is important since you're likely to be touching a lot of customers. Emotions are contagious - keep yours on the upbeat side by remembering to do simple and easy things for yourself.

Look for the Positive Aspects. Customers making you crazy? Remember when there weren't that many just a few months ago. Parking lot jammed? Great! You get to have a little exercise. Get can't on a plane to see relatives? Buy cheap webcams and learn to use Skype (it's simple) and enjoy the family almost "live" all year long. Brother-in-law bugging you? Sit yourself down and write down all the good things he's done for you and all the qualities in him you DO love and admire (C'mon - there are a few.) At the end of every day do the "What went well today and why" exercise and good to sleep with goodness in your mind and gratitude on your lips.

Remember that you do make a difference. Your emotions are contagious. How you feel matters - and it affects others. Scientists have found that when one person does a kindness to another - both those people experience an increase in serotonin (that helps us sleep better.) And then they found that if a third person happens to witness this kindness - THEY experienced an increase in serotonin too. The people giving, receiving or observing kindnesses get a biochemical boost. You can, will and do make a difference in another's life - make it a positive one. Making customer caring your personal signature.

Enjoy. Do remind yourself to get in the spirit. Use the less is more mantra this year and focus on the heart and spirit of the season and allow yourself the space to really feel the joy.

In joy,

JoAnna

JoAnna Brandi is Publisher of the Customer Care Coach® a weekly training program on mastering "The Art and Science of Exquisite Customer Care." She is the author of books such as "Winning at Customer Retention - 101 Ways to Keep 'em Happy, Keep 'em Loyal, and Keep 'em Coming Back" and "Building Customer Loyalty - 21 Essential Elements in ACTION."

A Speaker and consultant, she is publisher of the bi-weekly Customer Care Tips Bulletin. To receive her free bi-weekly tips bulletin, sign up at www.returnonhappiness.com. You can also reach JoAnna at 561-279-0027 or e-mail joanna@customercarecoach.com.