I have been shocked by what I have seen recently at the financial institution that I visit to deposit funds for a nonprofit organization. The first shocking incident happened at the drive up window a couple weeks ago. While I was waiting for a teller, I had a clear view of the computer screens of the tellers inside. I noticed that one of them was on Pinterest. Really? I thought. You are on Pinterest in easy view of your customers?
I suspect she never thought about customers seeing her screen. Likely, she only worried about bosses seeing it.
The second incident was more shocking than the first. When I walked into the building, I noticed one teller helping a customer at the drive-up window. The other was engaged in a discussion with two people. As I waited, I heard bits and pieces of their conversation and gathered that the two were instructing the teller regarding a procedure. During their extensive exchange, not one of them glanced around or looked up to check for customers waiting for a teller. Even when they finished and the two instructors walked away from the window and saw customers waiting, they did not acknowledge us or apologize for keeping us waiting.
Meanwhile, the teller at the drive-up appeared to be having a personal conversation with that customer. She, too, did not check for additional customers or have a concern about customers waiting. Apparently, the place so seldom has customers that these tellers don’t think any might be waiting.
Or, perhaps the staff’s inattention has chased customers away.
This inattention shocks me. I am amazed that employees are not taught to make the customer their sole reason for their job. Customers ought to take priority over everything else. Internal instructions should be done in offices, not in front of customers. A customer should never wait for an employee to be given an instruction. Likewise, personal conversations or computer browsing should never delay taking care of a customer.
Everyday I work with businesspeople who are concerned about communicating with customers to get them in the door and spend their money with their businesses. Incidents such as these make me wonder, Are the customers getting attention once they arrive?
This week's marketing trivia challenge is What example of customer attention have you experienced? E-mail me your answer.
I suspect she never thought about customers seeing her screen. Likely, she only worried about bosses seeing it.
The second incident was more shocking than the first. When I walked into the building, I noticed one teller helping a customer at the drive-up window. The other was engaged in a discussion with two people. As I waited, I heard bits and pieces of their conversation and gathered that the two were instructing the teller regarding a procedure. During their extensive exchange, not one of them glanced around or looked up to check for customers waiting for a teller. Even when they finished and the two instructors walked away from the window and saw customers waiting, they did not acknowledge us or apologize for keeping us waiting.
Meanwhile, the teller at the drive-up appeared to be having a personal conversation with that customer. She, too, did not check for additional customers or have a concern about customers waiting. Apparently, the place so seldom has customers that these tellers don’t think any might be waiting.
Or, perhaps the staff’s inattention has chased customers away.
This inattention shocks me. I am amazed that employees are not taught to make the customer their sole reason for their job. Customers ought to take priority over everything else. Internal instructions should be done in offices, not in front of customers. A customer should never wait for an employee to be given an instruction. Likewise, personal conversations or computer browsing should never delay taking care of a customer.
Everyday I work with businesspeople who are concerned about communicating with customers to get them in the door and spend their money with their businesses. Incidents such as these make me wonder, Are the customers getting attention once they arrive?
This week's marketing trivia challenge is What example of customer attention have you experienced? E-mail me your answer.
No comments:
Post a Comment