It's Not Just a Department, It's An Experience - May 2009
Welcome to the May issue of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience." As the warm weather approaches, many of us are planning on making improvements on our home or calling in service providers to perform maintenance on our existing systems. What kind of experience are you having with these companies? Are you being delighted or disappointed? I'd love to hear your happy stories as well as your horror stories. Which ones do YOU think there are more of?
In this month's newsletter, we'll talk about recognizing your employees that provide outstanding service. We address the view you're giving your customers when they come into your business. And I'll share with you what happened during a a recent shopping experience. I'm curious if you experienced what I did.
Welcome to our new subscribers and new clients, and here's wishing that all of your customers remain your customers!
In This Issue:
Recognize Outstanding Customer Service | Five Words Every Customer Wants to Hear | How's the View?
Recognize Outstanding Customer Service
Providing great service every day to all customers requires a variety of skills. Employees must have patience and the ability to listen and empathize. They must know how to deal with customers who are not always rational. As a leader, manager or supervisor, acknowledge the people on your team who do their very best to care for your customers each and every day. This acknowledgement could be something as simple as a hand-written thank-you note, an e-mail or verbal praise. Recognizing people for their tireless service to customers will go a long way toward improving the performance of your team.
The Five Words Every Customer Wants to Hear
Unfortunately, we sometimes never hear them. So when we do, we sit up and take notice. You may not hear it in every Home Depot; however, it happened at the one I went to this weekend.
It started when I walked in the door. I was greeted by a Home Depot employee who made eye contact with me, smiled, and said hello to me. Wow. As I walked around the store, there were no less than ten Home Depot employees wandering around the store, each one stopping me to ask if I needed any help, or if I had found everything I was looking for. I thought I was dreaming at that point. Actually seeing a salesperson in the aisle was cause enough for celebration. Then it happened. I was looking for a bucket and sponge to wash my car.
I couldn't find them after wandering around the store for awhile. So when the next employee asked me if I found everything I was looking for, I asked him where the sponges and buckets were located. That's when it happened. Out of the blue. He said those five words we wish all store employees would utter, "Let me take you there." I couldn't believe my ears. Here was an employee actually taking ownership of me and ensuring that I found what I was looking for. After he escorted me to the area and made some recommendations on which items to purchase, I commented on how nice it was that he escorted me and ensured I found what I was looking for. He said it was his pleasure and that he was glad to be able to help and that's what he was there for.
I walked out of that Home Depot thinking that this is what customer service should look like in all stores. Yet, we all know it isn't always like that. And many of us want to know why!
Later that night, I stumbled upon an article online entitled, 'Home Depot Retrains Store Workers in Turnaround Push'. It seems that all 300,000 employees took a mandatory crash course in helping customers earlier this year. That could explain the experience I just had. In a recent University of Michigan's customer satisfaction survey, Home Depot came in last place among specialty retailers. Starting in January, Home Depot instituted its two- to three-hour course on customer service basics.
Cashiers, for example, learned that if their checkout line is empty, they are to go find a customer waiting in another line and ring up their order. And actually, that happened to me. I was waiting on line to pay for my purchases with a live cashier, as opposed to a "self-service register". I had a lot of items and thought it would be easier if the cashier rang them up. While waiting on line for my turn, another cashier came over to me and said I should come with her. She took me over to the self service area and told me that she would scan my items for me on the self-service line. Wow.
When was the last time that happened when you were shopping?
Additionally, it was noted in the article that workers gathering shopping carts in the parking lot are required to assist customers hauling bulky purchases to their cars. Associates restocking shelves are also supposed to help customers.
Training wrapped up last month. A Home Depot spokesperson said the effect of that re-education was noticeable on internal customer satisfaction surveys within a week. It was noticeable by this customer service trainer and promptly shared with her newsletter readers.
Well readers, have you been the recipient of improved service at a Home Depot near you? Or was this just a dream?
How's the View?
You only have one chance to make a good first impression. We've all heard that saying before. What is the first impression your customers and prospective customers have when they approach your place of business?
Is the glass on the front door clean, or are there fingerprints on it? Is there debris on the floor, or is it broom clean? Are there boxes everywhere, or are they hidden out of sight in the back room?
Have you seen the view that your customer has when paying for a purchase at your establishment? When is the last time that you stood on the other side of the counter? You might be surprised at what you see when you do!
We see our surroundings all the time and might not really see what's there. Think - tangled cables, used staples and paper clips, old pens and pencils, rubber bands and just about anything else you can think of. The worst part is that all of these things look even worse when they are coated in dust...which they usually are.
We make buying decisions based on many different factors. Need, product availability, price, ease of doing business with a company, and how things look.
Make sure the view you are providing your prospective customers and current customers is pleasing to the eye, inviting and CLEAR that you take pride in the environment you are providing.
In Conclusion...
Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience". It is our hope that you not only get the customer or client, but that you also hold onto them! If you have clients, colleagues or friends who wants to hold on to their customers too, do them a favor and forward them this newsletter.
Until next time, take good care of your customers, or someone else will! See you next month!
Sincerely,
Randi Busse
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