“Mindset change is not about picking up a few pointers here and there. It's about seeing things in a new way.”
Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
In the customer service classes I teach, we cover some of the things you'd expect to see associated with such a subject: how to analyze your customers, how to show empathy, how to deal with disgruntled people, etc., etc.
But I always start the class by talking about adopting a service mindset.
Simply stated, a mindset is the mental lens of attitude and assumption that colors the interpretation of our experiences.
Some people have a fixed mindset, assuming they can never change it. For example, they see everything through a lens of blue and it will always be that way. "It is just the way I am," they say.
Others have a growth mindset, one they know to be pliable. They believe that their perspectives can evolve with awareness and practice. They view life through a kaleidoscope of color. "I can see things differently," they say.
(I'm betting that the people who are reading this blog subscribe to the growth mindset.)
To strengthen your service mindset, look at your job as a service provider through these powerful lenses:
1. Gratitude: Appreciate the opportunity to interact with customers and coworkers.
2. Helpfulness: Relish helping others find solutions to their problems.
3. Expertise: Commit to learning about your job, company, and coworkers.
4. Empathy: Pledge to understand another's point of view.
5. Responsibility: Recognize the importance of being the face of your company, regardless of your title.
6. Leadership: Be a role model of great service.
Try each mindset on and see how different your service looks.
See?
We start at the very beginning.
Great service doesn't start with a smile.
It starts with our mindset.
mw