A Crucial Question: Can I Help You?

We all need help on occasion. Unfortunately, too many of us hesitate to ask for it or to offer it. It doesn't have to be that way, nor should it.

Don't wait for a customer or a coworker to ask you for help. Instead, approach them and ask this question: Can I help you? That's important because it not only puts you in the driver's seat, it demonstrates your willingness to be of service, and service is critical to the success of every company in the world no matter what it is selling.

When you, as an employee, consistently and sincerely ask if you can help a customer or a co-worker—or even a supervisor or manager—you are setting a standard that will get you noticed, and when you are noticed, you will be rewarded. Let every decision you make be influenced by the goal of standing out and moving up. Your reward will come in the form of a satisfied and loyal customer or a co-worker who recognizes your commitment to providing help wherever and whenever it is needed.

In many cases, when you offer to help someone, you are stepping outside your comfort zone. Self-imposed limitations are the biggest barriers to your success. Identify the things holding you back, and then attack them one by one. One way to do that is to look for examples of challenges successful leaders have faced and overcome and how they did so and then make their stories your story. You must be willing to take risks.

Believe in yourself. Self-confidence is power. Have confidence that you can—and will—handle anything that comes your way. That might be a customer who is dissatisfied with a product or service or a co-worker who is struggling to meet a deadline.

When you ask customers how you can help them, get as much information as possible so that you can serve them to the best of your ability. Actively listen to what the customer is saying. Apologize for the situation and ask the customer how you can solve the problem. Ask for their suggestions and offer others they might not have considered.

And remember this: Little things mean a lot. If a customer asks where he might find a specific product, don't just point down the aisle. Walk him down the aisle, show him the product, and ask him if he has any questions about it. Answer whatever questions he has, and then close the sale.

When you ask a co-worker how you can help him, I recommend that you lead into that question by asking how his project is coming along. If he answers honestly and says he doesn't know if he can meet his deadline, then it's time to ask: Can I help you? It's important that you are sincere and that you not insinuate that you are questioning his skills but rather that you are genuinely offering any help you can to ensure a successful outcome. Become a team player.

When you show you are willing to go above and beyond to help your customers and co-workers, you make yourself invaluable. When you are invaluable, you are indispensable. When you are indispensable, you will move up. And, when you move up, you always make more money.

John Tschohl is the founder and president of the Service Quality Institute—the global leader in customer service with operations in more than 40 countries. He is considered one of the world's foremost authorities on all aspects of customer service, often called the "father of customer service," and has developed 20 customer service training programs and eight books—including Moving Up—that are used by companies throughout the world. His monthly strategic newsletter is available online at no charge at customer-service.com. He can also be reached on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.