But in these super-charged, 24/7 information-overload times, more often it’s the personal experience rather than the professional review that tells us what’s worth our money. I was recently planning a birthday dinner for a friend, talking to a colleague over coffee about her new restaurant, when a young man at the next table leaned over and said, “Don’t go there! The food is overcooked or too cold. The staff ignores you and it’s way overpriced.”

Amused, I thanked him and figured he’d had a bad experience, as a high-end restaurant couldn’t be that bad. But it was. Even worse, the manager was unsympathetic when I mentioned the problems. Multiply my experience, and the young man’s, by dozens of others, all with Twitter and Facebook friends, and you know how far our no-star ratings could spread. Kudos from your professional colleagues are great, but have you checked with your customers to see if they rate your service as five-star value?

How do you ensure that your customers think your product or service is top-notch?

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?

But they had, and not by luck or timing but sheer, repetitive effort. Their savvy coach worked the players so hard, their resentment and desire to “show him” helped them jell into a team. Pride pushed them to display ever-greater effort. Fine tuning their game plan, they didn’t consider the possibility of defeat because they were staying on point, building on each day’s efforts. After the thrill of beating the Soviet team, they remained focused, with a single opponent remaining between them and the gold medal. (Impress your friends by knowing this answer: After beating Russia, the US team beat Finland for the gold!) Their remarkable feat remains unmatched. Today, those former players still cite pure perseverance as the key to their success.

When your customer service efforts seem to be going nowhere, do you refocus like an Olympian on your goal of a better connection? It can be closer than you think.

• If you manage an apartment complex, maybe you could offer to pick up items at the grocery store or pharmacy for some of your senior residents.
• If you manage a bank, maybe you could offer hot cocoa or cider for those who come in to make deposits on the days it snows, or give out ice scrapers at the drive-up window.
• If you manage a retail operation, maybe you could wrap customer packages extra carefully so they make it to the customers car without getting wet or falling in the slush in the parking lot.
•  If you run a child or elder care operation, think about making snow days extra fun with a unique activity that you only do on the days it snows.

There are tons of ways to surprise your customers with that “little something extra”. Snow days are the perfect time to do that because they make us slow down and think about what really matters to our customers.

How can you turn a snow day into a positive customer experience for your customers?

What’s the rush? Why are we all in such a hurry? Why do we all seem to be moving at the speed of light and what does this have to do with customer service?

It seemed like I was in every store within a 50 mile radius of my home last week. Grocery stores, the dry cleaners, a local consignment shop, a gift store, and the local sporting goods store. Ok, so I exaggerate…maybe not every store within a 50 mile radius but I was busy shopping. One of the things that struck me was how, at each of these venues, I felt rushed. Rushed to get my purchases on the belt or countertop, rushed to pull out my frequent buyer cards, rushed to complete the financial transactions, and rushed to collect my receipts and put my change back into my wallet. Before I had my pennies safely tucked away in my purse, the next customer in line was being helped and I was being moved off to the side to make way for the next person. I hate when that happens and so do many of the mystery shoppers who are are part of the Market Viewpoint secret shopping team. The aspect of feeling rushed makes us feel less important and in a world where it is becoming increasingly more difficult to have meaningful exchanges with those who are serving us, this is a big deal, especially when it comes to meeting my expectation as a customer. So here are my recommendations as a consultant in the field of customer satisfaction:

• Take a deep breath before each new customer – center yourself
• Visualize the transaction going smoothly
• Smile and greet the customer and be sure to make eye contact
• Make small talk with the customer
• Give the customer time to collect their purchases and put their money or credit cards away before moving on to the next customer

Your customers will feel more relaxed and valued as their leave your store, business, office, organization, or end their telephone call with you and you will have increased your chances for repeat business if you simply slow down and focus on the customer you are serving – at this moment.

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]]> http://www.angelamegasko.com/creating-the-ultimate-customer-experience-whats-the-rush/feed/ 4 http://www.angelamegasko.com/creating-the-ultimate-customer-experience-generational-motivation/ http://www.angelamegasko.com/creating-the-ultimate-customer-experience-generational-motivation/#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:12:57 +0000 Angela Megasko http://www.angelamegasko.com/?p=780 Have you ever wondered what it takes to get and keep a staff motivated? We are hearing from more and more clients that it is becoming a challenge to keep individuals interested in their jobs and motivated to achieve high levels of performance. Your customers know which employees are motivated and which aren’t, so from a customer satisfaction perspective, it pays to focus on this issue.

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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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.”

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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Besides a distinctive truck, this cupcake business relies on instant communication to, excuse the pun,  drive traffic. Tweeting her locations and the day’s flavor choices, adding a personal touch—“don’t cry, Joan, you didn’t miss us and we’ll see you very soon”—the cupcake provider brings her sweet wares to  customers  hungry for more.

They could choose a vending machine,  a nearby coffee shop for a pastry, into a deli or drugstore for a packaged snack—for less cash. Why head for the cupcake van, like kids chasing an ice cream truck on an August day?  “When I want a fresh cupcake, I can tweet her and run out to get just what I need,” said one woman. “I was at off-site meetings last week and felt I really l missed something. Not just my cupcakes, but someone catering to ME.”

There’s the key.  By interacting with customers, making them part of the process—“We’re offering red velvet and vanilla tomorrow, what’s your favorite flavor?”—the cupcake maker pulls in support and enthusiasm.  Advertising reaches out, but the new, two-way connection pulls in, as a speedier way to take the pulse. Need to add stops to your route, or cut a slow-seller? Those tweets and texts will tell you.  Customers may offer suggestions, or place advance orders, and feel you’re doing them a favor.

Tapping a simple want and adding trendy twists baked up in a business boom.

What’s the fresh ingredient in your own taste for success?