A Little Known Way to Increase Customer Interactivity

Gene stopped me as I walked past him.  “I’ll be a little late getting to the bus,” he began.  “I’m waiting to talk to the manager about my waitress.  She was just superb!”

“That’s wonderful,” I replied.

“Our dessert was so delicious that I asked her if she could bring me another,” he volunteered.   “She didn’t just bring me one.  She brought me two!”

I smiled broadly.  “I’m glad you are taking the time to praise her to her boss.  Don’t worry.  We’ll hold the bus for you.”

As I continued toward the bus, I thought about how little it takes to make a customer happy.  Since a couple of people had not been able to make the trip but had paid for the meal, I knew the restaurant had extra desserts.  The waitress didn’t have to make more to fulfill Gene’s request.  She had extras right at her fingertips.

The dessert was a very rich decadent small piece of brownie in a shooter glass topped by raspberry sauce and brandy whipped cream.  While it may have been small, its impact on me had been filling.  An hour later, I wondered how Gene felt.

This incident has stuck with me.  I have been mulling over an additional lesson from it that I want to share with you.  Giving employees feedback on their work, both positive and negative, is critical to having them understand their jobs and perform their work well.  Since customers’ interactions are varied, teaching employees the parameters, understanding, and responsibility to handle customer requests on the spot is important.  As shown by Gene, this immediate response can make or break the customer’s attitude toward the experience at that restaurant.  What would Gene have thought if the waitress had politely said, “I’m sorry, sir; I cannot do that.” 

At the very least he would have been disappointed.  He certainly would not have been praising the experience.  He may even have complained to the manager.

Some days do you feel that all you hear are complaints?  How do you get the customers who have positive experiences to praise employees to their faces and to yours?  How do you stimulate more customers to have Gene’s reaction?  How do you increase customers’ interactions with your employees that leave a lasting impression on both the employees and the customers? 

Encourage customers to praise employees.  Make it a priority.  Print this encouragement on materials that go on the table, doors, and bathroom stalls.  Create buttons for all personnel that prompt customers to praise employees.  Celebrate the stories of customer praising in your staff meetings, at the entrance of your business, and on your Web site.  Show that interactivity with your customers and that their praise is important to your organization.

This week's marketing trivia challenge is How have you celebrated customer praise?  E-mail me your answer.  

Setting Customer Interaction Parameters

“I’m working too much,” my client stated.  “Six days a week every week is draining.  I can’t get a weekend off.”  She paused and then continued, “Neither can my staff.”

“Why can’t you take Saturday off?” I asked.

“Because Saturdays can get very busy,” she replied.   “We are only open from nine to noon, but we often get a rush around ten and frequently end up staying later than noon.”

“Can’t you rotate who works Saturdays?” I wondered.

“Not really,” she responded.  “Often both of us are needed, especially during a rush.”

“Do you know who is responsible for your situation?” I questioned.

Searching for the “right” answer, she thought for a couple of minutes before replying.  “It can’t be my customers,” she began.  “They are just showing up during my posted hours.  I had considered making Saturdays by appointment only, but I don’t know if I can do that.”

“Which customers come on Saturdays?” I returned.

“The ones that require a great deal of time because they are making a big purchase.  I usually know they are coming,” she finished.

“Then why not ask them to come at an appointed time,” I stated.  “That gives you the opportunity to focus your attention during the time you are with them.  You can still handle those who walk in without an appointment, but spreading out the appointments for those that require a great deal of attention is better for the customer and for you.”

“You’re right,” she agreed.  “I want to give those making a big purchase plenty of time.  Sometimes lately two or more of them come at the same time, and I don’t feel I give each of them enough attention.  If they had appointments, that would not be a problem.”

“Exactly,” I concurred.  “In addition, you can give yourself and your staff some Saturdays off.  You select the Saturdays for appointments.  Take one completely off every month.”  I paused and then continued,  “You need to establish parameters for how you interact with your customers.  Most businesspeople don‘t realize that they set the parameters for customer interaction, either deliberately or by default.  By default means no parameters have been set so the customers do whatever they want.  Businesspeople react to what the customers want and often are not happy with the situation. 

“Rather than being reactive, set the parameters for your customers.  Control the situation.  Give yourself time off.  Your customers will follow the parameters you set.  You have only yourself to blame if you do not like the parameters, and you are the only person who can change them.”

She smiled and replied in a determined voice, “I am implementing this change immediately and putting it on my digital sign today.  Thanks!”

Take a look at how your customers interact with your business.  Have you set the parameters for that interaction?  Are some situations irritating you?  Do you wish to eliminate these situations?  If so, you are the one who can change it.  Set the parameters that create a situation you want.

This week's marketing trivia challenge is What interaction with customers irritates you?  E-mail me your answer.

Are Your Customers Getting Attention?

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.

Focused Attention

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.