shoppers at a store , patrons at a bank , patients of a doctor , clients of a lawyer , or even other businesses as a whole . Because customers have their choice of where to obtain goods or services , the business has to convince the customer that they truly care . An engaged , caring employee raises the customer ’ s confidence that the business is looking out for the customer ’ s interests . When that employee suggests a new product or service , the customer trusts that his or her best interest is at heart . On the flip side , if the customer senses a lack of caring , he / she will question the motives behind any recommendations .
Every business has its jargon , so be careful to speak in a language that customers understand . Successful businesses speak the language of the customer , not the language of their own industry . Take , for example , the banking industry . Would a young couple buying their first house be looking through the same lens as a customer who buys and sells real estate for a living ? Of course not . That young couple purchasing their first house is excited and nervous – that is the lens with which they are experiencing this purchase . Therefore , they need loan officers who are excited for them , who explain the terms in everyday language , and who provide information that will make their buying experience easier . A bank that shows that level of care is likely to earn that young couple ’ s ongoing business .
The same applies for customer complaints , which can be frustrating for customers and employees alike . As employees , we often can ’ t understand why a customer is making such a big deal about a particular issue . Didn ’ t the customer read the contract ? ( Probably not .) Doesn ’ t the customer understand that researching a problem takes time ? ( No . They don ’ t .) Remember , it ’ s not the customer ’ s job to see through the business ’ s lens ; it ’ s the business ’ s job to see through the customer ’ s lens and show an understanding for the customer ’ s frustration .
Next time you are working with a customer , stop and ask yourself : “ Am I seeing this experience through the customer ’ s lens ?”
When it comes to a company ’ s environment , recognize that “ everything speaks ”
Imagine visiting a fine dining restaurant for a special occasion . You ’ ve been looking forward to the meal and you ’ ve heard good things about the restaurant . Then imagine noticing something crusty dried to your silverware and old lipstick marks on your water glass . Wouldn ’ t you begin worrying about the cleanliness and quality of everything else in the restaurant ? Everything speaks !
Now imagine a customer entering your place of business . She notices trash in the parking lot . When she enters the reception area , she sees delivery boxes stacked by the receptionist ’ s desk . She sees employees standing around eating and having personal conversations . All this detracts from your business ’ s image . It either consciously or unconsciously raises the customer ’ s antennae and makes them question , “ Do I really want to spend my money here ?”
The “ everything speaks ” philosophy means that all employees understand that even the “ little things ” count . So , pay attention to everything , including whether the physical environment is neat and clean , whether all necessary supplies are available and whether the employees are dressed appropriately . Anything that sticks out as “ wrong ” becomes an intrusion on the customer experience . These intrusions add up and result in customer concern . On the other hand , when customers sense an atmosphere of professionalism , care , and order , they feel a sense of confidence .
How many times have you seen employees in a business walk right by trash on the floor or a display that has been bumped out of alignment ? Employees who understand that everything speaks will take a moment to pick up some wadded paper and straighten the display because they know that such behaviors have a direct impact on the customer experience .
Take a moment to think about your company ’ s environment . Since everything speaks , what are the details saying about your organization ?
Create customer “ wows ”
Small gestures can create customer wows . Walt Disney World housekeepers have a tough job . Cleaning up after people on vacation is a challenge . Even in such a challenging job , housekeepers will do little things that make Disney guests say , “ Wow .” For example , while spending a day in the Magic Kingdom children will often leave their stuffed Disney characters in their hotel room . Housekeepers have been known to position the characters with playing cards in their hands or tuck the characters into the children ’ s bed to create a moment of magic .
Employees can do many things to create wows . Remembering a customer ’ s name is a huge wow , as it creates a feeling of family . Letting a customer know that another product may better meet their needs is another wow . Sending a goody basket with a handwritten note to that young couple who just took out their first mortgage is a wow . Some wows are small and some are large , but make no mistake about it – wows add up .
One of the most powerful ways to create wows is to share best practices with fellow employees . Hold a company meeting so employees can share things that they have done that dazzled customers . Just talking about these behaviors increases the likelihood that others will adopt some of the practices or create new ones of their own . It is also likely that some wows can become standard procedure , whether it ’ s a grocery store bakery handing out freshly baked cookies to children , or a vendor buying lunch once a month for salespeople . Next time you ’ re helping a customer , ask yourself , “ Will my behaviors make this customer say or think , ‘ wow ’?”
Take action now
Excellent service is not about policy manuals . Excellent service is about excellent behaviors . When employees focus on excellent service , the results can be magical . Customers are happy , employees are happy and shareholders are happy . Everyone wins . The key is to make service excellence a habit . Encourage every employee to internalize the above steps so they become habits . When employees focus on these principles , your company will achieve the most powerful result of all – intense customer loyalty . G
Dennis Snow is the president of Snow & Associates Inc . Dennis worked with The Walt Disney Co . for 20 years and now consults with organizations around the world , helping them achieve their customer service goals . He is the author of “ Unleashing Excellence : The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service ” and “ Lessons From the Mouse : A Guide for Applying Disney World ’ s Secrets of Success to Your Organization , Your Career , and Your Life .” You can reach Snow at 407-294-1855 or visit his website at www . snowassociates . com .
GearedUp | 2020 Issue 4
57