I always tell a story about visiting a well-known printing company. I walked into the reception and on the desk was a sign that said director of first impressions. My first impression was wow, then I had the thought that it would have been even better if someone was at the desk!!!!
After waiting I remember a lady coming out from a door behind the reception counter (when I am sharing this story face to face, I try and imitate her tone) her tone was quite gruff, not bright and cheery and absolutely no apology for keeping me waiting. She just said, “Ýes”.
I responded letting her know I was there to meet John, she then asked me. “John who?” for the life of me I could not remember his last name in the moment. Her raised eyebrows said it all. I said he’s English.
She told me to take a seat note and said, I will let him know you’re here. I remember sitting in reception thinking sh#t, I would hate to see the director of second impressions if that was the director of first.
The funny thing was, when I went and met with the board, I said, here’s my first experience of you and I shared this experience. Their immediate reaction was to justify my experience by saying the person was just a temp. I suggested in the nicest way possible, to remove the sign.
My first impression if you stand in my shoes was what the hell’s going on here?
I’ve been invited to meet with the board to discuss how I can help with customer loyalty and improve their customer experience. And this is how I get met.When you promise something, you must deliver as discussed in last week’s blog What’s it like to stand in another person’s shoes. How does it feel when someone says they’re going to call back, and then they don’t, what it’s like to have to wait longer than expected, what it’s like when you over promise and under deliver and what it’s like to deal with people who are just going through the motions, there is no enthusiasm.
Take the sign down. I love the idea, but you have got to deliver on it.
About a week later, I was in Sydney visiting another business, again to discuss how I can help with customer loyalty and improve their customer experience. I walked to the reception again no one was at the desk. I remember looking further into the office area behind and I can see people sitting at desks, they looked up, but no one came up to greet me. Then this guy who was standing at the photocopier came and greeted me. The funny thing was, he was the Xerox repairman. He took it upon himself to greet me because nobody else got out of their seat to come up and see if they could help me.
So again, I shared my experience with the owner when I eventually got to meet with him. I said, what’s going on? You have a reception desk and an arrow telling me to go to the desk and no one to greet me. Imagine standing in my shoes, I can see employees sitting at their desks looking at me, yet not one of them bothered to get up, walk across the room and greet me. Yet the person who did take the time to greet me was the repairman for the Xerox machine.
What is the system for greeting customers on arrival?
I understand that many businesses can’t have a person at reception all day but then what do you do if people do come to your office. It is about being interested and understanding the customer from looking at it from their view.
We must stand back and see what the customer sees. It is good to get other people to walk in or call your business or go to your website and ask them to tell you what their first impression is.
What’s your customers’ experience? What is it like to walk into your reception area, or office? What system do you have in place when your reception desk is unattended?
Some businesses use a bell but if this is your system, that bell better be extremely obvious.
From a distance customers form a number of impressions
These initial impressions may be even more significant than the service itself, which can be very brief. Initial evaluations certainly create expectations of the service that will follow. Good or bad impressions can effectively form the basis of customers’ judgements of staff performance, as well as your own.
It is the consistency you and your team provide ‘every time’ that will not only have your business stand out but ensure your customers come back.
Space – Ambience – People at a Distance – People Close Up (SAPP)
The following information is relevant if you are in Retail, Hospitality or any other industry where your customers will come into contact with you face to face.
80% of the customer experience can occur before they get served, we call this SAPP.
Space: Location; Traffic Flow; Personal Space
Is there plenty of parking? Is it easy to enter the business? Does it follow a logical traffic flow? Does it allow for personal space etc?
Customers can be frustrated before they are served if these things are not right.
Ambience: Colour; Lighting; Music; Nice Touches
These all create an initial feeling. Does your music match the feeling you want to create or are you playing the radio which could have advertising of competitors?
People at a Distance: Personality; Attitude; Appearance
Personality – Is this person caring, motivate, attentive, warm and friendly?
Attitudes – Does this person enjoy serving as well as enjoy their job? Are they confident and well-trained? Is there a good relationship between staff and employees?
Appearance – Is this person well-groomed and clean? Do they have tidy habits?
People Close Up: Relationship skills; Product Knowledge; Technical skills
Relationship skills – Posture, Eye-Contact, Facial expression
Product Knowledge – do you know your product? Can you answer product related questions?
Technical skills – can you use the cash register, can you use all technically related tools and systems that are required within the transaction?
Your team members must be well-trained in all these areas and good at these skills, it is not enough to be a nice person.
Think about the best person on your team to meet and greet your customers
Teams are made up of many individuals and different skill sets, all come together to create the whole.
Who is the person or persons on your team that shine in the area of customer engagement?
They are bright and uplifting naturally in their manner and tone of voice.
They have great posture stand upright and directly face the customer when meeting and greeting.
They naturally hold eye-contact.
They smile with a natural toothy smile.
They are well groomed.
They have a great personality and people skills.
It is important at that this person or person/s is able to let your customers know:
The care you have taken.
Any changes in the way your business now operates.
What they can expect from you and your team.
And Why.
Remember you are ‘selling a feeling’ it must be consistent, so ensure you have your best people in the right places when interacting with your customers. Aces in the right places!
Need more information? Have a look through my previous Blogs, located on The Loyalty Zone website or contact me, I look forward to hearing from you.
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to share with someone else you know will find this helpful.
If someone has forwarded you this email, you are welcome to join The Loyalty Conversation, I appreciate your commitment to the conversation.
Warm Regards,
Craig Cherry