I went into a side-walk restaurant/bakery and ordered a coffee early this morning. Before I placed my order and politely asked whether they could make the takeaway coffee quickly or would I have to wait.
The staff member behind the checkout counter called the two coffee makers and called out to them,”Takeaway coffee, please hurry”. The two coffee makers stared at him and me with a look on the faces that said, “Don’t think you going to make us hurry”.
I very politely said to the staff member behind the till that I would rather not have a coffee and thanked him for his trouble.
Straight after this I went into a supermarket that makes fresh bean coffee and behind the cash register were two assistants one of whom politely asked me for my order and quickly set about making my takeaway coffee.
What a difference!
Customer service is something that you experience every day and with every transaction you make buying services. However, how often have you found that customer service is lacking?
If customers can’t motivate employees of retail outlets, how can their own bosses or managers?
Customer service is about having the right attitude. It’s about being willing to assist the customer in a friendly and swift way. A customer isn’t some inconvenience while continuing to chat about the morning or checking social media messages. It’s about customers and serving them that’s all.
Of course, your impolite customers may make extravagant demands and when they are not met they can start to make a fuss. Staff don’t need treatment from customers like this. In fact, some managers and business owners would rather turn away smouldering customers than allow their staff to be treated impolitely.
Instilling the customer service ethic begins with hiring the right people. Training can be helpful. Bringing up customer service in team meetings before the business opens in the morning assists in reinforcing positive behaviour. Linking customer service to performance bonuses helps too.
Whatever business you are planning to open or presently running, customer service needs to be a high on your agenda.
