NEVER FORGET
There
are two things you should never forget. First, business is a social
activity involving people. Secondly, people like to be treated in
a certain way.
No matter how sophisticated your product or service, no matter how much knowledge
your people have, and no matter how powerful your brand, people want to be
treated decently. And if you don't do that, eventually you can kiss your business
goodbye.
It doesn't take much to treat people decently; that is to say, in a friendly
manner, with respect and politeness. Being helpful doesn't hurt either. But
it seems to take more than most business managers and owners can muster because
most of us encounter rudeness, abruptness or unhelpfulness on a daily basis.
For example, I telephoned an insurance company the other day to see how my
application for one of their financial products was progressing. I was told
that my application was held up because I had sent only one page of my financial
accounts whereas I should have sent the whole report. I suggested that the
simplest thing was for them to contact my accountant directly. His name was
on the page I had sent through. "I can't do that," I was told. "You
can't?" I asked. "It's not up to me to chase things up," she
replied. Sorry, I thought I was the customer! Even if I was asking too much,
there were more diplomatic ways of putting it.
On another occasion last week, I was looking at changing my internet service.
The fellow at the new company asked me if I had an interdigitalconnectingwhatdoyoucallit
on the back of my PC. I told him I didn't know. "That's like asking me
what brand of shock absorbers I have on my car," I said laughing. "Actually,
sir, it's like asking you if you have a blender in your kitchen." I guess
that put me in my place!
I could go on, and you could probably add to the list, too. The point is, someone
is not telling these people how they ought to behave. Most managers and owners
make the mistake of assuming their staff know how to treat the customer. "I
shouldn't have to teach people how to treat our customers, it's just common
sense," I am often told by exasperated bosses. Now, I have always believed
that 'common sense' is the label we attach to the way we do things. In other
words, 'it's just common sense' means 'that's the way I would have done it.'
Well let me ask you this, if you don't tell people how you would have done
it, how can they be expected to know?
Unless you have made it very clear to your staff how you want your customers
to be treated, your business is at risk. You must specify how you want your
staff to behave. Tell them you expect they will be friendly, courteous and
polite at all times, no matter the provocation. Tell staff to treat customers
with respect because they are paying the wages - including yours! Tell them
to take responsibility for helping your customers solve their problems. After
all, it is only because your customers have problems that you have a business
in the first place. Tell them to act with urgency because customers want to
believe their problem is important to you. They also want their problem solved
quickly. Then set standards, measure performance, recognise achievement and
deal with issues of non-performance.
Good customer experiences don't happen by chance. They are the result of good
management.
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