Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Hit the Ball. Drag Charlie.

This post is for all you golf lovers out there! Unfortunately, I don’t have a whole lot of time to spend on this sport, but when summer rolls around, I often think of a good friend of mine who is a scratch golfer. Now, for those of you who may not be interested in, or know much about this sport, suffice it to say, my friend Jim is a very very very good golfer. He practices daily. When he is not playing a round of 18 or 36 holes, he is at the driving range or putting green continuing to perfect his swing and his short game. Jim is so intent on this sport that it is actually painful for him to play with someone who is not as good as he is. If I happen to be talking to Jim and I know that he played that day, I’ll often ask him how his game was. If Jim had been playing with someone with only meager ability but a huge love of the sport, he will often say, “Any day playing golf is great but today, I hit the ball and then…I had to drag Charlie.” I guess it’s tough for some people who are really good at what they do to tolerate those who struggle.

As I think about good golfers and the lesson they have to teach us, I am reminded that in our own corporations, we have people like this. Most of our staff, for example, is performing adequately. They do their jobs, no more – no less. Then there’s that smaller percentage who struggle. They may have been selected to do a job for which they are not prepared or in which they have no interest. And then finally, we have our “Jims”, the superstars who seem to excel no matter what we throw at them by way of a task or challenge. I really worry about this group, because the superstars, like my friend Jim, have a tendency to get really frustrated when they see management accepting less than the best from their employees. We run the risk of losing this group if we are not managing all three areas of the skill set spectrum. Superstars, in particular, do not want to spend their day “hitting the ball and dragging Charlie.”

As managers, know that you have tools available to you to help you with the skill set management task. Mystery shopping, for example, is a great tool to use to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the performance of individual staff members. It will allow you to recognize and reward your superstars and at the same time, it will give you the information you need to identify those who may need more training or coaching. It is also a useful tool to help you determine if you have the right people in the right positions on your staff. You may need to consider moving some people to jobs that better suit their skills and talents. Your mystery shopping reports will help you determine this.

How do you keep your superstars from getting frustrated?

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Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Why Aren’t You Asking for the Sale?

What is it that stops sales representatives in their tracks when it comes to asking the prospect if they are ready to buy? Here at Market Viewpoint, we see it all the time in the mystery shopping reports we compile for our clients – professional sales agents letting perfectly qualified prospects “escape”.  Now we all know why this happens. It’s the fear of rejection that holds sales consultants back from closing the sale but can we just stop for a moment and take a look at this from the customer’s perspective? It’s important to understand how this failure to ask for the sale impacts the customer experience.

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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Mystery Shopping: What Do Mystery Shopping and Dancing with the Stars Have in Common?

When the results come in from your latest round of mystery shops, some of your employees are going to feel like the latest contestants who won Dancing with the Stars. Others…not so much. Ok, I am officially busted. You now know that I am a huge Dancing with the Stars fan. I am a devotee of the beautiful costumes, fabulous music, and very talented professionals who coach the celebrity contestants to become the best dancers they can possibly be. But the thing I am impressed with the most are the professional judges who rate each routine.  They love lavishing praise, (and as managers and supervisors, don’t we all?). But when it comes to rating those dancers who are clearly not going to seeing the mirror ball trophy anytime soon, you can actually see how difficult it is for them. I think it’s the same for us as managers when it comes to meeting with our staff and sharing the results of the latest round of mystery shops. It’s easy to share the news when it’s good and much more difficult when improvement is necessary.

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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Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: When I Was a Kid…

It’s happening. I am becoming one of those people who looks back in time with fondness and wishes we still did things certain ways. I’m not saying I’m not open minded and willing to change with the times. No, I’m not saying that at all. What I am saying is that we are losing sight of some of the things that make for strong business relationships and great customer experiences.

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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Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Cheers to All the Quirky Waitstaff Out There!

Customer experiences and breakfast are not usually two topics that I would logically pair, but I have to share the experience I had at a networking breakfast the other morning with a good friend and colleague of mine. We went through the usual mechanics of emailing each other trying to find a day, place, and time that worked for both of our schedules. We finally decided to meet at one of the popular national chains that specializes in breakfast because it was conveniently located at a half-way point for both of us. We had been there before and while we had a productive meeting we found the food to be bland, the waitstaff to be sleepy and disinterested, and the general decor and environment to be “corporate blah”.

At the last minute, something happened that was going to take one of us in the opposite direction after we met for breakfast so we decided to change the venue to a little mom and pop place that serves up breakfast and lunch and a fabulous customer experience.

Here’s how they do it:

This great little cafe understands the value of food that has personality. They have items on their menu that are different, unique, fresh, and fun.

The other thing that the owners of this cafe understand is the importance of having a fun quirky waitstaff. Our waitress, on this particular morning, was memorable in a very good way. Her appearance and personality were fun and funky and her demeanor indicated that she is as definitely a “morning person”.

And the environment…what a great place to hang out! The decor of this cafe is “island shabby chic”. It’s a visually enjoyable environment that invites the customer to chill out and relax.

My friend Jane and I left that cafe and meeting feeling a sense of accomplishment and so much more. It affected the rest of our day. The infusion of delicious creative food, a beautiful environment, and that quirky waitress into my day was so memorable that I can’t wait to go back for more! The choice of the national chain is out and the quirky cafe is in!

So let me ask you…what are you doing to be a little bit quirky in your business? What are you doing to be memorable?

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Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Gem of a Sale

You know when you’ve just gotta have it now, whether it’s pizza, a new outfit or an answer? Instant gratification is everywhere.  Why wait, when you want—NEED—it faster than five minutes ago? I spotted a prime example of instant gratification in action just last week.  A new item, advertised as the perfect accessory for spring, created a buzz in the stores that make up a small chain.

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!

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Business Plan

Unless your work takes you to the far side of the moon, you recall how the late-night talk show shuffle turned Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien into players in a melodrama.  Whether you prefer Jay, Conan, or an early bedtime, you know the fallout was ultimately about business decisions. Bad business moves are easy to see in hindsight, but sometimes, they’re defended as “taking a chance on a new idea.”

It all reminded a reporter friend of what her former newspaper tried. “For some reason, it was decided that merging three distinct, successful, weekly sections would be a great idea,” she said. Each section—separately featuring travel, food and entertainment– carried ads skewed to a specific readership.  The paper’s sales force fretted over pitching the new product, advertisers protested the blurring of their niche markets, and focus groups suggested that the paper might lose readers.

When prototypes of the “super section” appeared, staffers from every department offered feedback. ”But management didn’t want critiques, just compliments,” said my friend.  Negative comments were brushed aside and the new section was launched, amid expensive, extensive promotion.

The super section was a super disaster, disliked by readers and shunned by advertisers. Less than a year later, after tweaking its format and shrinking its staff, the paper quietly dropped its “great idea.”  The disappointment could have been dodged, along with resources saved. Yet those in charge ignored all instincts but their own.

Ever been so wedded to an idea that you overlook the caution flags from colleagues or customers? One last look before taking the plunge may bring an early glimpse of welcome hindsight —and the foresight for success, not regret.
Consider using a focus group of your customers before the launch of a new idea, product, or service, or survey customers to see if there is a need and interest in what you are trying to sell. Your customers will be happier and your bottom line, more robust!

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Customer Communication and Spring Cleaning!

Believe it or not, spring cleaning and customer service have something in common. The urge to purge, to spruce up and air out winter’s doldrums hits all of us this time of year, from critters thinking of nests to homeowners pondering paint.  Even the phrase “spring cleaning” evokes images of fresh breezes and crisp organization, as blessed by Martha Stewart.  Why limit that sweep to the basement storage bin or linen closet?  Sometimes business benefits from a little springtime shakeup too.

For several years I’ve been on the mailing list for a monthly e-newsletter. Except it’s no longer monthly, more like bimonthly, or quarterly. Or whenever it pops up.  The publisher always slips in a slightly apologetic note explaining its late arrival, or lack of a promised article. She thanks readers for their patience and promises that the next one will arrive right on time. But it never does. The latest, for January, came more than a month late. It includes a discount coupon good though Feb. 1. And in her haste to get this first newsletter of 2010 out, the publisher neglected to change the template, which is still dated 2009.

When it launched, the e-newsletter held promise, with easy updates and timely tidbits. Because it came via email, it never cluttered a mailbox or wastebasket, thus saving trees and postage. But its publication became just one more chore for the harried editor putting it together.  She allowed it to grow stale instead of updating its look and promoting it via more current avenues.  Instead of a business tool, it stagnated into an antique, largely ignored. The editor admits to rarely receiving feedback.  And her monthly discount coupons? Unused.  In this economy, a customer skipping the chance to save money, because he didn’t see it? Definitely, time to spring clean that e-newsletter out of there.

Maybe you’ve got an outdated “newsletter” of your own that worked just “then”.  But a fresh approach will give you a better handle on “now.”

Give Market Viewpoint a call and we’ll be happy to take a look at your newsletter and offer suggestions for how you can spring clean and spruce up the most important vehicle for staying in touch with the most important people in your business- the customers!

Mystery Shopping: I Spy

Mystery shoppers are like secret agents. They’re on a mission, and they’re invisible to the general public. They swoop in, size up the situation, gather the info, and vanish. You’d never know a mystery shopper was on the scene.

Except when she announces her presence to the world, or at least, the store she’s surveying.  In the swirling aftermath of a post-Christmas sale, I heard the loud clear tones of a woman telling someone that she was “here to do a mystery shop, you know, look at everything and report about customer service and whether the store is clean.”  Her voice carried like a referee’s announcing a first down.  The woman standing closest to her, pushing a packed shopping cart, had mistaken her for a store employee, so she was busily explaining a mystery shopper’s tasks. “I look at everything, and if someone’s not wearing a name tag, I write it down,” she said. “Later I’ll go to the food court.  Last time I mystery shopped here, the pizza was cold.”  The woman with the cart asked a question and our mystery shopper replied, “Oh, the money isn’t great but I get to buy things and I can keep those. Plus they’ll reimburse me for the food. I mystery shop for [another store] too.  It adds up.”

She might have continued but her cell phone summoned her. “I can’t talk, I’m mystery shopping,” she told her caller. By now, several store employees were nearby.  They adjusted their facial expressions from “when’s my next break?” to “how may I help you?”

The temptation to grab her and deliver a lecture on the do’s and don’ts of mystery shopping was too great.  I left the store with increased respect for mystery shoppers who Do It Right, never even THINKING to behave as Miss Loud did. Hey, when there’s one like this on the loose, the high road is the only place to be.

As you consider your choice of a mystery shopping company, ask lots of questions about how they choose their shoppers and how they train them. It may mean the difference between a successful mystery shopping program or a failed one for your organization.

Creating the Ultimate Customer Experience: Be the Action Hero of Problem Solving

When your customers want action, you’re on the case, focused on getting results.  It should be so simple and basic, but sometimes, in the crush of too much, too fast, the basics get overlooked.  Not to malign any industry, but we’ve all spent too long on hold, or dealt with a rep who parrots a response without hearing our plea.  One company lost me for good last week, a  reality-check reminder of What Not To Do.

What does a customer hope for? Okay, a full-scale Congressional investigation, triple refund and lifetime discount may not be the best answers! But there are others…

A calm oasis: some customers themselves are so agitated, they’re loud, confusing, annoying. Instead of escalating to match their tone, take it down a notch. Let their waves of frustration wash out, and respond in the calmest, “I’m-a-supervisor-and-I’ll-fix-it” tone.  Oh, and please turn off the speaker phone, where the volume feels aggressive and less than personal.

Yes, the personal. The friendlier you are,  the easier it is to find out just what’s wrong, and make a connection. Simple way to do both: use the person’s name. In a respectful but friendly tone, remind that customer that you not only know his demand, you recognize his value.

The solution to his or her demand may be elaborate or easy, but instead of waiting for the customer to tell YOU…propose your own course of action. “I’d recommend we do this to resolve it,” you say. Once you state exactly what you believe will make that person happy, you’ve become the problem solver who saves the day.

If they hesitate, bring their input into the process.  “What would YOU suggest to take care of this?” puts them in the position of agreeing with your proposal, or telling you why they won’t. The dialogue gives you an added chance to personalize the solution—and keep them as a future customer who recalls the individualized attention of someone who believes in basic good business.

For more information on Dealing with Difficult Customers and Action Hero Problem Solving, contact Market Viewpoint.

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