What Game of Thrones Can Teach Us About Customer Service

From the opportunism of Bronn to the complacency of Ned Stark, the characters in the Game of Thrones can teach us a lot providing great customer service. 

Game of Thrones fans understand the importance of power in the Kingdom of Westeros. But, there are also a variety of other characteristics that can help individuals survive in this brutal world.

Similarly, in the world of business there are numerous strategies a company can employ to satisfy their customers and grow their organization.

With the season finale of Game of Thrones airing a few hours ago, I wanted to reflect on some of our favourite characters from the show and see what they can teach us about great customer service.

Learn to Be Opportunistic Like Bronn the Sellsword

When Bronn first enters the world of Ice and Fire he is nothing more than a common mercenary. But thanks to his guile, cunning, and fighting prowess he ends up as the lord of a castle.

Bronn did get lucky by being at the right place at the right time, but it was his opportunistic nature that allowed him to seize the moment.

Similarly, when serving customers you must do your utmost to find ways of making their live easier. Even when they come to you with a specific question, you must be prepared to seize the moment and offer something more.

For example, when Peter Shankman tweeted jokingly that he wanted a steak dinner from Morton’s Steakhouse, he didn’t actually expect it to show up.

Lo and behold upon landing, there was a limo and steak waiting for him at the arrival gate. Not only did Morton’s pick up on the tweet, they immediately acted on it and earned a customer for life.

Pro Tip: Always be on the lookout for when you can provide that extra something.

Don’t Become Complacent Like Ned Stark

Casual watchers may have forgotten the original “hero” of the series, the impressively honorable Ned Stark — Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. At the start of the series Ned Stark is summoned to Kings Landing by his childhood friend and the reigning king of Westeros, Robert Baratheon. Shortly after arriving Robert dies of an “accident” and his last wish is that Ned become the future king.

Ned, expecting everyone to accept Robert’s wishes, is betrayed and treacherously executed. While everyone was plotting behind his back, Ned neglected to solidify his position and consider the future.

Constant innovation is an important principle in any business, but it applies equally to customer service. Complacency in customer service is a sure fire way to frustrate your customers and lose their business. Always consider how you can improve your service levels and think about alternative methods of WOW-ing your customers.

Pro Tip: Keep training and retraing your customer service agents and make sure they are always prepared.

Go Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Like Brienne of Tarth

Brienne starts out in Game of Thrones as an uncertain character. After the king she was charged to protect dies, she goes on the run and has adventures of her own. What is constant throughout her story is her unwavering commitment to complete the mission . Even after she realizes her mission is hopeless, she still perseveres.

Such loyalty is rare in the world of business and so, it’s refreshing for customers when a company is able to go above and beyond what was originally asked.

For example, an employee of Zappos, a company renowned for their customer service, once spent a record-breaking 10-hours on the phone with a customer. According to reports, the customer wasn’t even asking complicated questions, they were merely chatting about what it was like to live in Las Vegas. The phone call did eventually lead to a sale of Ugg boots.

Pro Tip: It’s important to put the customer first and do whatever it takes to help them out.

Control your Image Like Tywin Lannister

Tywin Lannister is the puppet master behind much of what happens in the Game of Thrones. He might seem to be a traditional villain, however his only motivation is the success and growth of the Lannister name. To that end he maintains complete and utter control over his friends (he doesn’t have many), his family (they don’t like him), his underlings, and even his enemies to some extent.

Similarly, Apple is a company famous for controlling every aspect of its brand, including customer service. In fact, one of its leaked training manuals demonstrates the near-dictatorial control the company exerts upon its employees.

But when used the right way, this level of control is not always a bad thing. Despite being a massive brand with profits in the billions, Apple has managed to maintain a consistent image globally. This is in large part thanks to the meticulous training each and every one of its employees receives. They are taught how to deal with every possible situation and are rarely given the chance to improvise.

When a customer walks into an Apple Store anywhere in the world they know exactly what to expect.

Lord Tywin would be proud.

Pro Tip: As your company grows, you need to keep a close eye on your customer service team and maintain its standards.

Game of Thrones can teach us a lot about human motivation, business acumen, and above all hubris. It’s still just a television show, but there are many parallels with customer interaction and everyday life.

As Cersei Lannister said to Ned Stark shortly before the latter’s demise, “when you play the game of thrones, you win or you die”. Customer support might not be quite so ruthless, but if you fail your customers your business won’t be around for very long.

Can you relate to Game of Thrones?