thx…Quite Possibly My Favorite Word Ever

Take a look at this image.  Undoubtedly, if you watch any movies at all you have seen this image and you know the sound that comes with it.  It’s a powerful five second spot at the beginning of every movie.  I don’t like opening credits but I do love the THX part.  Even the Pixar ones that involve quirky humor are fun.

That being said, the word “thx” in an email from a customer is the complete opposite.  I recently had a customer support ticket that required a ton of work on my part in analyzing a customer’s account to get them the best deal possible.  In the end, I helped them save a bunch of money and was rather proud at the effort I put forth.  I capped it off by sending the customer a thorough review of everything I did.  When the customer responded, all I got was a simple “thx.”

For all of that work I just did, all I get is a simple “thx?”  This is a simple reminder that customer service is a job and often a thankless one at that.  I don’t know the stats on this but I venture to say that very, very few customers will go out of their way to say thank you when they receive excellent support.  If your motivation is extreme gratitude from customers, you’re not going to last long in this profession or any other for that matter.

Here are a few challenges for you today:

• Be Internally Motivated! Think about what truly motivates you in your job.  I suggest that internal motivation in the satisfaction of doing an awesome job is best.  Yes compliments from internal and external customers will come from time to time but let this best your icing on the cake.
  
• Be Thankful! If you are a customer and someone does an amazing job, don’t take it for granted.  Tell them, tell their boss, tell the Internet, etc.  We’re about making a difference in the world of customer service here.
• Be Professional! Don’t ever write “thx” to someone and expect your gratitude to be conveyed properly.  It’s careless, short and impersonal.  You can choose a better word and absolutely never write “thx” to a customer in a support email.

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