This self-service practice, seemingly everywhere, saves money for the companies who pay fewer employees to deal with customer concerns, but what does it do for customers? “I went into a store where I’ve shopped for years and found new management,” a busy woman said. She’d stopped in, planning to buy a baby gift for a friend having twins, but she couldn’t find what she wanted and none of the employees offered to help. “I finally left because the manager was too busy talking on her cell phone to answer my questions,” she said.

This scenario could be repeated in any chain store coast-to-coast, with profits up and customer service scarce. “But we take care of the customers in my business,” you say. Can you anticipate what a customer may want or recall a service you provided a year ago? The gap between saying you value your customers and demonstrating how you value them is the difference between the customer who migrates elsewhere and the one who takes to heart the notation “we heart our customers.”

What new ways can you show your customers their value?

If value is intangible, especially in business, the memory of value is even more elusive, but is the key to success. A returning customer recalls that he’s been treated well and values the ease of today’s transaction. In a crazy-busy world, the value of that reassurance beats any treasure on Antiques Roadshow. How do your customers rate their repeat experiences with your business?

She plunged ahead with a small but bright storefront sandwiched between two offices. Her grand opening brought a huge crowd, virtually all out-of-towners. She’d invited her online customers for a special weekend of shopping and fun, and had issued invitations months earlier, even arranging for hotel and restaurant discounts, offering those merchants discount vouchers for her business in return.

The bustling crowd created a buzz and curious local shoppers stopped in, too. The shop was a go, a companion to her virtual store. Even when faced with predictions of negativity, she’d stayed true to her vision. With long-term prep and a touch of imagination, her perseverance paid off.

When a new idea for improving customer service draws thumbs down from those around you, can you try another angle? Then go for it! Your own instincts are the best map for staying the course.

He said that our work generally falls into one of three categories:

A Job – something we do for the money,

A Career – something we do for the perceived opportunity for advancement,

A Calling – something we would do for the sheer love of doing it regardless of whether or not we get paid.

As you look around and observe your staff next week, see if you can spot those who are there for the love of the work.  If you are able to spot them, so can your customers and customers enjoy working with employees who have a passion for their work.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. How can I keep these employees at the front of my operations and in touch with my customers as often as possible?

2. How can I create more opportunities for employees to experience their “calling”?

Enjoy the week ahead and may you be one of the lucky ones, who truly loves what you do for a living.

1. “There’s nothing I can do.” We all know there is something someone in the organization can do. A better response would be, “Let me see what I can do”, even if they don’t think they can do anything. Employees should allow the customer to walk away feeling as though they were listened to, even if the problem can’t be resolved to their full satisfaction.
2. “Now just calm down.” Not the best statement to make when a customer is in the midst of a fit of frustration. Let them vent, ask them to follow you to an area away from other customers, empathize with them – just don’t tell them to stop feeling what they are feeling. There comes a point in every tirade that an employee can assure the customer they are being heard and indicate what the next step would be.
3. “We’re out of that, sorry.” Period. No other offer. In all likelihood, most places aren’t out of anything FOREVER. Have your employees call another store, look up the date it will be back in stock, take a number to call when they come in. Anything to honor the fact that you want this person’s business.

No business is immune from employees who do not have the training or insight into understanding how to best treat the customer.

Would you like to know what your employees are telling your customers? Contact Market Viewpoint and we’ll set up a mystery shopping program where you can ‘listen in’ on the conversations your staff is having with your customer!

As a morning ritual, consider starting each day by asking yourself, “What can I do today to make the life of my customer easier?” Encourage each member of your staff to do the same. Establishing this as your daily mind-set will generate customer loyalty, respect for you and your organization, and will automatically make you more profitable through the power of repeat sales.

Do you have a morning ritual? What is it and how does this serve you, your organization, and most importantly, your customers?

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Now go from the macroscopic view of the marketplace to the microscopic view of the brands we have to choose from. The last time I needed to buy laundry detergent, there had to be dozens of choices for me, as a consumer, to consider. Laundry detergent isn’t the only product that sends the consumer into analysis paralysis! Seems every product and service on the market has its share of competition – and lots of it!

The point of this line of questioning is to get you to stop and think – as a consumer- about what it is that makes you loyal to a business or brand.  What do they do that keeps you coming back for more? For most of you, the answer will be service since little else differentiates businesses in today’s marketplace.  The businesses and brands that strive to keep the customer at the center of their focus will be the ones capturing the lion’s share of the business out there. Providing a service oriented approach – in other words, constantly asking yourself – “Is there anything more I can be doing to make my customers’ lives better (easier, simpler, etc.)?” – will create an environment of doing business with your customers that will make them eager to engage in their next transaction with you.

As a business leader, take the lessons you learn from each of the companies you patronize and the brands that have captured your loyalty and begin to transfer their customer retention strategies to your business. Keep in mind that it’s important to have a solid customer service plan in place that is clearly communicated to each member of your company and don’t forget to mystery shop several times a year to ensure that your plan is being followed. Your customers will be sure to let you know if you are on the right track when it comes to getting their repeat business!

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• Market Viewpoint …helping you see your business through your customers’ eyes.
• Follow Angela Megasko, president of Market Viewpoint on Twitter today!
• We love it when you share! Digg, Stumble Upon or Tweet this post!

The item, a delicate pendant spun from multicolor threads and embellished with tiny silver charms, was a surprise hit for the chain.  The buyer who liked it, underestimated its appeal, so the small order quickly sold out.  The trendy “gotta have it now” item of the moment was on backorder, much to the annoyance of those who fell in love with its design.

“We’ve been to every store,” one customer said. “They all say to place an order and we might get it in a month.” At the store where I stood, one saleswoman wore the necklace, its pastel-toned shadings enhanced by her simple black blouse.  “How many could you sell, if you had them in stock?” I asked, and she rolled her eyes. “No one wants to even look at anything else.  We could move hundreds, along with coordinating accessories. It’s like trying to sell pink flowers for Fourth of July.”

I watched as she patiently explained to yet another young teen that no, there were no more in the back.  “She really wants one,” the girl’s mother pleaded, waving a platinum credit card. “But not for herself.  It’s for her friend’s birthday.” The teen explained, “Jen’s dad‘s been out of work since summer, and she’d never be able to afford one. “

The saleswoman unclasped her own necklace, discreetly placing it in a small box, while the teenager’s face lit up like a sunrise.  When the happy sale was complete, I looked at the clerk, who shrugged. “I really hate disappointing customers,” she said.  “My grandfather ran a clothing store, and he always said, if you make the customer happy today, he’ll come back happier tomorrow.”

True, no matter what you’re selling—even, or especially, when it’s a surprise order of instant gratification.

Have you ever done anything really special for a customer? We’d love to hear about it!

Generational marketing is huge right now. Many companies are tapping into understanding the various generations in an effort to make more of an impact on the marketplace and capture more  market share. But so what if there are four unique generations working and making purchases in today’s companies and marketplace?

Who cares?

You should. That’s who!

For the first time in history we are dealing with four generations that have very particular needs and patterns of behavior when it comes to making purchases, being managed, being motivated, and being hired. Successful companies know that forging strong relationships with our customers is the key to profitable business because long-term customer loyalty pays off in the form of repeat sales, referrals, and positive word- of-mouth advertising. We create strong relationships with our clients when we truly understand their needs and wants. We all like dealing with people and companies that “get it” when it comes to understanding who we are.

Let me give you an example. I can not begin to tell you how frustrating it is for me, as a Baby Boomer,  every time I am in line at the checkout at the grocery store. I always make an attempt to engage the cashier in conversation. It’s usually about little things like the weather or the price of eggs. I find it frustrating when the Millennial (a person born between 1981 – 1999) at the register fails to make eye contact or laugh at my silly jokes. I feel left out of the transaction somehow. I sometimes even go so far as to look for a cashier who is about my age before I pull into a register station so that I might make a connection. You see, as a Baby Boomer, it’s all about connecting and I will go to great lengths to patronize businesses who understand that part of who I am.

Making your staff aware of the things that are unique to each of the generations can go a long way to creating customer experiences that are positive and enduring. Isn’t that what we’re all after? If you haven’t checked out Market Viewpoint’s Generations in the Workplace Seminar series, it’s not too late. Contact us to get the latest on this popular series and how it has helped other businesses.

Market Viewpoint wants to hear from you! What are some of your most frustrating encounters with people from other generations?

I bet we have a lot of talk about!