Invisible Customers

As a kid I wanted to be invisible, but I grew up and got over it. As an adult, when I’m attempting to spend my money at a business, I do not want to be invisible. I want service. If I were to judge based on the reaction of many sales associates and servers, there must be times when I am completely invisible.

My husband and I recently went to a nice chain restaurant, one with table service and a good reputation. The hostess seated us, handed us menus and left. And there we sat. For almost 10 minutes. Nobody greeted us. Nobody brought us water. Nobody even made eye contact. Plenty of servers and even a manger walked by. I tried to make eye contact with someone, anyone, after sitting there all that time. The restaurant wasn’t even busy. Servers were standing behind a counter several feet away merrily chatting with each other. Nobody even looked at us. I finally got up, walked back to the hostess and told her we were still waiting for service. She immediately apologized and tracked down the problem – the server didn’t know it was her station. That really didn’t matter to us if they had an internal communication breakdown. We were still hungry - and getting more unhappy by the minute. Someone should have noticed that we were sitting there for much too long without service.

I understand how busy servers can be and how chaotic the business is at times. However, it's everyone's job to still be aware of what’s going on. I experience this in retail stores, too. Frequently employees walk down the aisles and purposely avoid making eye contact with the customers. Do they hope the we won’t bother them if they don’t make eye contact? They might get their wish when the we decide to spend our money elsewhere.

Here are some of the keys I teach my customer service clients that will help you and your employees provide better customer service and build loyalty in your customer base:

1. Pay attention. Heads up! Know what’s going on all around you. Notice what needs attention even if it’s not specifically your job or your section. Your customer doesn’t know who is assigned to do what. Like us, they only know they’re being ignored. I know it’s tough to always be vigilant when things are busy. But I often experience worse service when a restaurant isn’t busy than when it is. Do you lose your edge when things slow down? Just making eye contact to acknowledge the customers, saying hello and offering to help as you’re passing them in the aisles can make a big difference to your customers, and to your bottom line. People will spend money where they feel welcomed.

2. Apologize. If you realize that a customer has been ignored or is upset about the service, apologize immediately – even if you don’t think it was your fault. Your customers want someone to acknowledge the problem. They want to feel that someone cares. Our server and the hostess both apologized a few times throughout the meal. We believed they meant it.

3. Make up for it. If your customer thinks it’s a problem, it’s a problem. Do something to make up for it. Our server took the cost of our appetizer off our bill. She was extremely attentive once she realized the problem. It doesn’t have to be something big, just something to let your customer know you want them to come back.

The customers who are treated as if they’re invisible will soon become truly invisible around your business. They’ll spend their money somewhere else. Surveys show that when people quit doing business with a company, over two-thirds of the time they leave because they were treated poorly, not because of the product or price. That’s something you can control. In these economic times, your level of customer service may be the thing you need to set you apart and help you survive. Your bottom line will reflect it if you quit treating customers as if they’re invisible and consistently provide exceptional customer service.

Lynn

Best Buy's Customer Service

On a recent trip to Best Buy, the sales associate definitely did not meet my expectations. He far exceeded them. In fact, if this had been a baseball game, Trevor would have hit a bases-loaded, walk off home run. I have to admit that I didn’t have high expectations when shopping at Best Buy. I stopped at the north Scottsdale store before Christmas and couldn’t even get a sales associate to look at me. I was sure I was invisible. I was looking for a camcorder and decided I’d have better luck at a camera store. I was disappointed by the service at the camera store, so went around the corner to the Best Buy on Camelback and 20th Street in Phoenix. With my expectations set low, I was amazed at the service Trevor provided to me.

Since I train organizations to provide exceptional customer service, I'm always aware of the customer service skills (or lack of those skills) from the service people I deal with. I recognized in Trevor outstanding skills in serving customers. Trevor is a pro. He should be training Best Buy's other sales associates how to really, truly deliver exceptional customer service. Here’s what Trevor did that impressed me so much.

1. He asked me probing questions, in great detail, about how I would use the camcorder. He asked things that I had never even considered since this is my first camcorder. His questions demonstrated his extensive knowledge of the products. He asked questions for five to ten minutes before he even walked me over to look at the selection of products.

2. He listened – thoroughly, not just superficially. I knew that he listened because as we looked at each camcorder he kept bringing the conversation back to how I’d responded to his questions.

3. He used his critical thinking skills. He translated my answers into recommendations that would truly meet my needs.

4. He was knowledgeable and confident in his product knowledge without an ounce of arrogance or an attitude of superiority. He never talked down to me even though I knew nothing about camcorders. His confident attitude gave me the assurance that he did indeed know what he was talking about. He was able to build my trust that his recommendations were worth taking.

5. He informed me; he didn’t “sell” me. After about an hour of discussion and looking at accessories I might need, I wanted to buy a camcorder from Trevor. He never pressured me. He just willingly and competently educated me and let me make an informed decision.

I was elated with the whole experience and spent more than I ever intended when I walked into the store. I even decided on impulse to buy a couple of CDs while Trevor was finishing up the transaction. It is clear to me that he is not one of those employees who only trades his time for a paycheck. He is not just taking up space. Trevor encompasses the best qualities of a sales person and will go far in whatever field he chooses. He has taken the initiative to know his products, and combines this knowledge with excellent people skills. These are skills that I teach to my clients. Some grasp them more easily than others.

As managers and supervisors, you may not always have customer service naturals like Trevor in your workforce. The good news is that these skills can be learned. To continue to grow your business and remain profitable, exceptional customer service is the answer. Do your employees exceed your customers’ expectations? If so, how are you accomplishing that? If not, what can you do about it? I’d love to know your thoughts.

Lynn Murphy