Leadership and customer service
"You are serving a customer, not a life sentence..." Laurie McIntosh
“I told her we close at 5pm and she was like, all upset.” I’m standing at the checkout counter at a store this week listening to this associate complaining as she swiped my items and tallied up my total purchase. Her attention was not on me as she mindlessly swiped each item and stuffed it into the big plastic shopping bag. “Those pesky customers – always wanting to shop here and spend their money. So inconsiderate!” I stated in a joking tone. She and her co-worker laughed with a slight look of shock on their face. “I wish they would just leave us alone,” I continued. They laughed again but seemed a bit taken by what I said. Perhaps their inappropriate comments were beginning to sink in – my humorous way of teaching them a serious lesson. Never. Never talk bad about the very lifeblood of your organization – patrons. Especially right in front of one.
There is a saying, “common sense is not all that common anymore.” So too, customer service is not all that common. This is not an ‘grumpy old man’ comment. As a business owner and consumer, I’m speaking from experience. I find myself on guard when I enter stores or call to schedule a service. Often, I’m presented with their problem or shamed in some way. “We are really busy today.” Or “We close in 15 minutes.” There are, indeed, many associates who display kindness and empathy, placing total focus on your needs, making you feel like the reason for their being, but I find that to be the exception, not the norm. Bad customer service is too common and it’s too bad.
In my blinds company, as we interact with each other (away from customers), we do indeed have our complaints and frustrations. We want each sale to be easy and for our customers to emphasize with us. It is a natural phenomenon – the ego at work. I’m cautious of it though. This kind of behavior and attitude will find its way to the customer if left unchecked. “Gosh! Mrs. Jones is wearing me out with this quote…” a teammate of mine (or even I) might say. “She is about to spend $5,000 of her money with us. She has the right to wear us out,” I counter.
What that young lady and her co-worker failed to realize is that I’m paying their paychecks. I, and others like me are keeping their business afloat and their job intact. I, and others like me are the reason their jobs exist. They have ownership of their behavior, but I blame their leader(s). If the scenario played out differently – if I were an aid worker or a first responder present before them to protect them from harm, I would have their full attention and respect. They would drop everything and focus completely on me, looking me in the eye, and listening to my every word. They certainly would not be talking bad about aid workers or first responders in front of me. The two scenarios are the same. I am there to protect them from harm – from losing their company and with it, their job. I’m not wearing an EMT badge, but I might as well be.
In my first book, I share a bad customer service experience and I tie it to failed leadership. Failed leadership is the breeding ground – the fertilizer for bad customer service. If I led that young lady and her co-worker and I witnessed their behavior, I would have quickly reeled that in. I might have stepped in to take over the purchase showing them how to behave, how to treat the lifeblood of our business. I would talk daily about customer service. I would foster a spirit of empathy, respect, and good manners. I would demonstrate this behavior often to set the example for them. I would fire people who could not abide by and espouse good customer service. I would indeed, participate in the behind-the-scenes rants about customers but I would remind my people of who they are. Of course, I would never allow my people to be mistreated. The customer is not always right, but I would go the extra mile to ensure each customer experience was one they will remember. I would recognize and reward my people for great customer service. I do exactly that and my blinds business reaps the benefits of it. Have a look!
Lead them well. Teach them what is right. Protect them when threats appear. Hold them accountable. Love them. Your customers respond.
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Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell