How many times have you visited a new business and then were wowed beyond belief? You were probably lucky to get the best server, the best customer service representative or just the overall best combination of customer service, atmosphere, and the product or service you were buying. You said to yourself, “I’m coming back here,” and then you did; but, the repeat experience was nothing like what you had before, and you walk away bitterly disappointed. What happened? A lack of consistency is what happened.
I have experienced this many times. We all have. I remember many years ago, my family and I were vacationing in Florida and we visited a restaurant that was recommended. We had an outstanding waiter with incredible personality. He knew what we wanted, and he engaged everyone with friendliness and we felt very welcome and happy being taken care of by him. The atmosphere and décor of the restaurant was perfect. The food was excellent. We walked away very happy vowing to return.
We did return and the experience was not the same. We got a server who did not seem to want to work there and did not engage in a friendly way. She was a robot. We walked away disappointed, and I don’t believe we have returned.
Obviously, there was a problem in consistency with the experience from one year to the next. What happened to make this vast difference? It is possible that the second server was having a bad day and a personal issue, but whatever it was, her performance affected the outcome of that business.
“What do you want to make special for your customers?” -Stephen McLain
Here are a few issues to consider in shaping your best offering to your customer:
- Defining the Experience. What do you want to make special for your customers? It really depends on what you provide. It should be a combination of atmosphere, décor, customer service, and obviously a great product and/or service with superior value. What kind of “wow” you want to give to your customers will define the experience. In defining the experience, are you trying to build a third place, a special community gathering spot, like Starbucks accomplishes every day?
- Hiring and Managing Your Staff. This is where you determine your real success. Find the people who match the ability to deliver the experience you have defined. If you make a mistake, let them go as quickly as you discover it is a mismatch. Your team members who interact with customers must have a great personality and fit the requirements. It is easy to talk about restaurants in this situation. If you have ever been to a Waffle House, you don’t go there for the great customer service, even though the regulars are treated somewhat special. You go to Waffle House for a cheap, filling and value focused meal made in timely manner. Waffle House is not about the décor, not atmosphere, not superior service but, cheap food that is available 24 hours a day done in usually a friendly way. I have heard they make great waffles, but I don’t eat waffles.
- Training. Set the standard for the experience you want to deliver. Build scenarios to train and reward those who deliver the most “Wow.” Establish consistency and coach what to say and how to say it. Enforce that no deviation exists between the expected delivery and what is delivered, unless individuality is your brand.
- Performance Counseling. Work with your team members on how they interact with the customers. Correct and re-train those who have the best potential and great attitudes. Use many tools to assess and never make it personal. Offer honest feedback and a way to correct for your team members who miss their performance goals. Reward those who perform at the highest level. Give them the better shifts, more money and/or promotions. Figure out what works for your business and your team members for rewards. Be fair and consistent with rewards, retraining and admonishment.
- Execution. Support your staff during a customer service setting and engagement. The entire team, depending on what your business is, should be focused on the best experience for the customer even if it is only deciding on wiper blades for their car. Deliver the best recommendation and best service on behalf of what the customer needs. You want her to return again and then deliver a great experience each time. Evaluate what happened and make the proper corrections.
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
-Steve Jobs
I encourage you as the business owner or general manager to teach your team to exceed expectations every time they engage the customer. Your team’s engagement has the most profound and prolific affect on the experience your customers have. It may very well determine repeat business or not.
How are you defining and establishing the experience you want for your customers? Please comment or email at comment@stephenmclain.com. Please share your thoughts.
Copyright 2016-Stephen McLain