When Customer Service Sucks
Let’s face it; we’ve all had bad customer-service experiences. We are more likely to remember these over the great ones.
For small-business or franchise owners with staff, it can be a challenge to maintain the “wow” factor in the customer-service experience. I believe it starts with providing great customer-service training from day one, especially when a new employee comes on board. The next challenge is to maintain service standards on a regular basis.
It is also important to remember we are all human. Everyone has a bad day now and then. Even the best employee will have difficult days. This week, I was in line to buy produce at a place I frequent. The customer service at this place is really hit and miss depending on the person you get and the vibe of the day.
On this particular day, the woman who was serving me was relatively new. I was curious how she was going to respond to me. Initially, there was no eye contact and her energy was low so I asked her how she was doing. After my question, she perked up slightly, looked at me and said she was struggling with her energy due to not feeling well. I acknowledged her frustration (and made a mental note to wash my vegetables when I got home) and ended up having a lovely conversation with her for the rest of the transaction. She even gave me a complimentary organic apple which had not made it on to the scale when she was ringing in my order.
My point is this: We often get what we anticipate is going to happen. If we think someone is going to give us crappy service, it is very possible they will. When we take the time to connect with the person who is helping us and treat them like they are more than a number – that we truly care about our interaction with them – the likelihood of a great customer-service experience can be much higher.
Are you maintaining exceptional interaction with staff, contractors and those you buy from and sell to?