I was pleasantly surprised at the grocery checkout counter the other day. As the cashier began processing my purchases, she looked at the flour I was buying and said, “What are you making today?”
Caught off guard, I replied, “Apple crisp.”
“Mmmm, that sounds good,” she returned. “The apples have been so tasty this year.”
Our conversation about apples and crisp continued as she checked out my items. As I walked out the door, I thought, I cannot remember a cashier ever opening a conversation based on an item I was buying.
I was not expecting such a focused comment. Often, cashiers don’t say much beyond “Hello.” Some have been trained to ask the same question over and over again. That question usually is “What are you doing today?” Before she could ask her question, she had to look over my items, choose one that stimulated a question in her mind, and ask me that question. All this required focused attention on the customer.
One of the tips I learned as a salesperson was to look at a customer’s attire, office, or vehicle and ask a question based upon something I saw. An easy one in an office was to look at the pictures on the wall and ask a question in reference to one of them. This could involve an interest, a family member, or a pet. If a person was wearing a piece of clothing with a logo, the logo was basis for a question. As to the vehicle, simply referencing the make and asking how he liked it worked well.
The trick was to make the question personal without being probing. The intent was to show focused attention on the customer. This was an excellent way not just to open a conversation but also to establish rapport. When you show interest in a person by taking the time to ask him something relative to his life, you set yourself and the business you are representing apart. We all like to discuss something relative to our lives. We like to be noticed as individuals. When someone takes time to do that, we appreciate it. We trust that person. We feel good about our interaction with him.
The cashier’s question prompted an interesting exchange that engaged me. Do you and your staff engage customers? Do you look for something to discuss that relates to their lives? Do you give your customer focused attention?
This week's marketing trivia challenge is Describe a situation where you received or gave focused attention. E-mail me your answer.
Caught off guard, I replied, “Apple crisp.”
“Mmmm, that sounds good,” she returned. “The apples have been so tasty this year.”
Our conversation about apples and crisp continued as she checked out my items. As I walked out the door, I thought, I cannot remember a cashier ever opening a conversation based on an item I was buying.
I was not expecting such a focused comment. Often, cashiers don’t say much beyond “Hello.” Some have been trained to ask the same question over and over again. That question usually is “What are you doing today?” Before she could ask her question, she had to look over my items, choose one that stimulated a question in her mind, and ask me that question. All this required focused attention on the customer.
One of the tips I learned as a salesperson was to look at a customer’s attire, office, or vehicle and ask a question based upon something I saw. An easy one in an office was to look at the pictures on the wall and ask a question in reference to one of them. This could involve an interest, a family member, or a pet. If a person was wearing a piece of clothing with a logo, the logo was basis for a question. As to the vehicle, simply referencing the make and asking how he liked it worked well.
The trick was to make the question personal without being probing. The intent was to show focused attention on the customer. This was an excellent way not just to open a conversation but also to establish rapport. When you show interest in a person by taking the time to ask him something relative to his life, you set yourself and the business you are representing apart. We all like to discuss something relative to our lives. We like to be noticed as individuals. When someone takes time to do that, we appreciate it. We trust that person. We feel good about our interaction with him.
The cashier’s question prompted an interesting exchange that engaged me. Do you and your staff engage customers? Do you look for something to discuss that relates to their lives? Do you give your customer focused attention?
This week's marketing trivia challenge is Describe a situation where you received or gave focused attention. E-mail me your answer.
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