I was in the public library the other evening returning a book and borrowing two more. (Yes, despite the Kindle craze and the ability to download a book onto my Smartphone, I still prefer the feel of a good book in my hands.) So there I was, walking among the stacks and browsing the titles when I was suddenly jolted into an environment that made me very uncomfortable. The man next to me took a call on his cell phone and launched into a loud conversation with an individual who was his soon-to-be ex-wife. How did I know this?  He was ranting and raving about her lawyer and what he thought about the unfair settlement. I was embarrassed for him and uncomfortable to the point that I stopped my browsing and moved to another area of the library to get away from him. He was oblivious to my departure.

I was always under the impression that libraries were places that were quiet, where one could go to think, study, contemplate, explore, and focus. What I have found recently is that these quiet places may be disappearing. The libraries I have been in lately allow cell phone usage as long as the conversation is being conducted in hushed tones. What? Now, when was the last time you heard someone talking on a cell phone in a hushed tone? They also seem to allow people to yell to each other across the room. I’ve recently witnessed parents yelling to their children to “hurry up and pick out a book because it’s time to go home!”  I guess the  days of the librarian holding her index finger to her lips and shushing us are over. Maybe it’s politically incorrect to shush these days?

But what about me? What about my rights and those like me who want to read, browse, relax, or enjoy customer experiences without the intrusion of people talking on their cell phones? Have we come to the point where we are placating one group of customers at the expense of another? Maybe it’s time for me to spring for a Kindle!!

Here is my question to all of your subscribers:

Should libraries be “No Cell Phone Zones”?

Let me hear your thoughts and there’s no need to whisper!

Many of Market Viewpoint’s clients ask me how to keep their staff, especially their superstars, engaged and excited about their work. Most managers, if they truly see themselves as coaches, will take responsibility for motivating their staff. But this can be a difficult task. What works for one individual doesn’t seem to work for another. When I am asked why this happens, my question back to the manager is, “Have you ever really considered who you are trying to motivate?” Employees come from different generational groups – all inspired to achieve by different things. Is it possible that you are taking a “one size fits all” approach to motivation?

Consider these steps. Segment your staff into generational groups (Traditionalists, Baby Boomer, Generation X, or Millennial). Know that the motivational hot buttons are different for each group, so be prepared to be flexible with your approach.

The Millennials on your staff are motivated by tangible and intangible rewards that represent immediate satisfaction. Think gift cards and free meals.

Generation X values rewards that give them freedom. Think relaxed dress codes and flexible leave policies.

Baby Boomers, on the other hand, are motivated by financial rewards and job recognition. Think bonuses and corner office space for this group. While the Traditionalists, or World War II generation are motivated by things such as abbreviated work weeks and alternative work schedules.

All of the generations are motivated by recognition. That pat on the back that lets someone know they are doing a good job is important for all.

Meet with your employees on an individual basis to understand what they value and where they are at this phase of their lives. Use your mystery shops to determine the things people are really good at and explore these areas in depth.

To find out more about how Market Viewpoint can help you motivate your employees, contact us today. A motivated staff is just a phone call away!

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Now that we are all grown up, some of us have become parents and we take that role very seriously. We understand that children model their behavior after ours. But here is the challenge I want to throw out to all of you. Think about how your employees look up to you as their manager. It’s similar to the parent/child relationship in that our subordinates are looking to us to provide them with the road map for how to be successful. You, as a manager or supervisor, are shaping your corporate culture each time you greet a customer by name and with a smile, straighten stock, pick up trash in the parking lot, or seek creative ways to manage difficult customers. You can have all the training manuals in the world available to your staff but if your actions don’t back up what your training manuals teach, you might as well just burn the manuals. Other areas of influence might be arriving at work on time or early, punctual start and stop times for meetings, always telling the truth, being positive and upbeat, and speaking well of the company and its management team. Actions speak louder than words. Walk the walk and talk the talk. And remember…the employee is always watching!

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The United States of America.

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]]> http://www.angelamegasko.com/creating-the-ultimate-customer-experience-enjoying-a-little-time-off/feed/ 0 http://www.angelamegasko.com/creating-the-ultimate-customer-experience-existing-customers-the-forgotten-bunch/ http://www.angelamegasko.com/creating-the-ultimate-customer-experience-existing-customers-the-forgotten-bunch/#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:48:00 +0000 Angela http://www.angelamegasko.com/?p=734 It happened again the other day and it drives me crazy! I bet it drives you crazy too. I saw an ad on TV for a company I do business with. I was thrilled to see them advertising but I was annoyed to see that they were offering new customers a special deal for signing up with them. What they were offering was a wonderful package aimed at showing the new customer how grateful they were for the business.

What?

Hey, what about me -the customer that’s been with you through thick and thin all these years? Is there no reward for my dedication and loyalty to your firm?

Why is it that companies reward new customers but forget about the customer they already have? A firm’s greatest profitability lies in repeat business, so why wouldn’t a company reward me for my loyalty? I am baffled by this phenomenon and I know a lot of other customers are too.

Here are some things to consider when it comes to your existing customers:

1. Treat them like gold. It costs less to keep this group engaged with your product or services than it does to find brand new customers. They already know and trust you and probably want to buy from you again. You just have to give them a  reason.

2. Find ways to reward existing customers. Quarterly coupons, discounts, free services, and recognition are ways to say thank you to that group of dedicated loyal followers.

3. Mystery shop on a regular basis to ensure that existing as well as new customers are being treated fairly and consistently.

4. Survey your existing customers to give them a chance to give you feedback on your performance as a corporation. Even if you don’t get a high response rate, giving people the forum to contribute their opinions counts.

5. Take a day each week and set aside an hour to make client appreciation calls. Each manager should be responsible for making a certain number of calls each month. You’ll be amazed what you learn from your customers.

What do you do to show your clients/customers/guests/patients/members that you care? Please send us your ideas and comments!

In the meantime, remember to thank your existing customers. They’ll love you for it!

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Market Viewpoint surveyed some of our clients to see how they manage to turn challenging customer relationships into long-lasting loyalty. Here’s what some of our clients had to say:

• Kill ‘em with kindness – always greet them with a smile and a great big “hello!” All customers appreciate compassion and understanding,
• Give difficult customers a little something extra – difficult personalities can be taken off balance when they get something they weren’t expecting especially if they were anticipating and argument from you,
• Truly listen to difficult customers. They can be a source of ideas and catalysts for change in your organization,
• Communicate with difficult customers often and early. Keep them in the problem solving loop, and keep them appraised of the solutions you intend to implement,
• Have difficult customers test your new products and services. They’ll feel honored that you value their opinion. Think of them as a mini focus group!

Difficult customers don’t have to ruin your day and avoiding them is not the answer. Difficult customers can offer insights, assurances, and guarantees that your organization is moving in the right direction. Encourage their feedback and engage them in providing solutions to the things they see as trouble spots in your operations.

So the next time you see Belligerent Bill, Complaining Carol, Wacky Walter, or Angry Andy approaching, take a deep breath and know that the next great idea for your business might be a customer conversation away!

How do you manage challenging customers in your business? Tell us your secrets!

As business professionals, we often deal with customers who can be demanding, difficult, and sometimes downright angry. Think about how you can apply the wisdom of Dr. Phil as you train your employees on the finer skills of dealing with difficult customers.

When an angry customer is in your midst consider taking the following action:

1. Stop what you are doing and focus all your attention on the situation at hand. Like a bomb, it has the potential to explode so focus and be careful.

2. Take a deep breath. This has a calming and centering effect on the employee who is being attacked.

3. Tell the employee to remind themselves that altercations present opportunities to discover not who is right and who is wrong in each situation but for finding solutions to problems that can lead to the creation of positive experiences for customers. Borrowing from Dr. Phil, the employee should ask themselves, “Do I want to be right, or do I want to keep this customer?”

4. Instruct the employee to ask what the customer sees as a reasonable solution to the problem. All too often, we are ready to give away the store when sometimes, all an angry customer is looking for is an apology.

5. Finally, let the employee know that they should always apologize for inconveniencing the customer. This is not an admission of guilt or blame in the problem, but an acknowledgment that, for whatever reason, the customer experienced some level of inconvenience. Saying, “I am so sorry you were inconvenienced by this,” in a very sincere manner can go a long way to calming down that irate customer and getting everyone in a space where problem solving can occur – and isn’t that where you really want to be?

So don’t shy away from those difficult customers. Use conflict situations to create positive customer experiences for your clients.

Do you have a favorite way of handling difficult customers? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment!

And in keeping with the spirit of Dr. Phil…..”Let me know how that’s workin’ for ya.”

Consider this example. A prospective renter  calls to make an appointment with a leasing agent at a popular apartment community. The prospect and leasing agent spend roughly an hour together touring model apartments and common areas of the community. They spend time talking about the prospect’s life style, the application process and fees, and the financial qualifications for living in this community. During the process, the prospect is giving strong buying signals. They are nodding their head in agreement, smiling, asking pertinent questions, and developing a relationship with the leasing agent. Then something weird happens. The leasing agent ends the transaction with a handshake and a, “thank you for stopping in today”- as if the prospect was making a social call! It’s almost as if the leasing agent is saying, “We don’t really want your business here”, when they don’t invite the prospect to complete the sales transaction. Psychologically, this has the potential to take the prospect back to the days on the school yard when they weren’t picked to be on the baseball team.

In today’s marketplace, many prospects are left to wonder why they are not being asked to buy, purchase, rent, participate, join, or belong. This is especially true if the prospect sought out your product or service. Keep in mind that during the sales transaction it’s all about the prospect, or at least it should be! If this is the case, it’s no wonder that many prospects are left to guess if it’s something they said or did to not be asked to buy. Disappointment and frustration are terms I’ve heard used by potential customers who walked away empty-handed from a sales encounter. It doesn’t surprise me when these potential customers described it as “poor” when ask to evaluate their experience.

If more sales agents saw things from the customer’s perspective, maybe they wouldn’t be so shy about asking for the sale. What’s holding back your sales team from improving that closing ratio? Consider introducing the customer experience component into your sales training to see if it makes a difference and don’t forget to mystery shop your sales team to make sure they are the best in your industry!

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Here are some things to think about as you approach these employee meetings.

• Think of the data contained in the mystery shopping reports as the starting point of a conversation. The data allows you to approach staff performance problems from a third party perspective.
• Lavish praise where employees have done well just like the judges. Be specific with the things you know the staff is doing well and spend time coaching your staff on how to improve. The mystery shopping reports will give you specific examples to cite.
• Give you staff specific things to work on until the next round of shops. This is what the judges do on Dancing with the Stars. They tell the competing couples what they want to see the following week in the way of improvement. It helps to know what your coach or the judge expects.

Are there any tips you care to share when it comes to having those tough discussions with an employee?

As you’re enjoying the next season of Dancing with the Stars, take a tip from their panel of judges and add some new techniques as you coach your staff on their way to delivering the ultimate customer experience.

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When I was a kid…

If you placed a call to someone and left a message, they called you back, usually the same day. Today, I am lucky if I get a call back at all. We seem to be playing a game of professional hide and seek. The important point here is that business can only be conducted through good communication, productive conversations, and mutual agreement. When we don’t connect, the business process gets stalled and frustration sets in.

When I was a kid…

People made eye contact. They sat in meetings paying attention and looking each other in the eye. Today, we find professionals slouched in their chairs, eyes downcast and focused on whatever electronic device they happen to be “plugged” into. Business is about trust and, as humans, we establish this on a very basic level with our ability to make and maintain eye contact and our use of body language.

When I was a kid…

People cared about their appearance. It was a sign that they respected themselves. I know that corporate casual is in vogue and I am not saying that I need my business meetings to be black tie affairs but at least be clean and neat with an appearance that says you care.

Do you ever wish we did things the way we used to? If you could turn back the clock, what business behaviors would you bring back that seem to be missing today?

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