On
a rather busy Friday last year, I took a quick break from work and dashed to a
commercial bank to withdraw funds for the weekend. The cashier that “served” me
was not smiling and had a nasty habit of hissing once every 2 to 3 minutes.
Irritated, I urged him to hurry up as I had other things to do. He didn’t as
much as acknowledge me as he handed me my money in an envelope.
After
counting and signing to confirm completeness I started walking towards the
security doors, before I could exit I heard the cashier calling me back rather
hysterically, embarrassed I returned to the counter and with a puzzled
expression I asked “Is there a problem Sir?” Incredulously - this hiss every
minute non-smiling cashier - beamed a rather plastic but well-designed smile at
me and said in a loud voice “Thank you for coming today Sir, and please do have
a nice day” Then sensing my shocked expression he leaned forward and whispered
“Sorry about that Sir, but the CCTV’s in the banking hall have been fixed and
the MD has mandated us to smile and say that to every customer, I just forgot
to say that earlier on; that’s why I called you back”.
My
experience with that cashier is a true example of a lack of customer focus. A
lot of us have been through so many customer service trainings and still do not
get the concept! I can’t say that I blame them though! You can’t practice
customer service if you do not understand customer focus.
“Do what you do so well that they will want to
see it again and bring their friends.” - Walt Disney
Customer
service has to do with the “How” – the “what to do”, the “how to do” and the
procedures of serving your customers. On the other hand, customer focus has to
do with the “why” – the reason behind this service we are providing. You cannot
provide excellent customer service if you do not know why you have to. The
above cashier had been told the “what to do” by his MD, but his actions obviously
showed he didn’t understand the reasons behind these actions. The easiest way
to understand your organization’s customer focus is to take a good look at your
company’s Mission and Vision Statements. Those 2 statements provide you with
all you need to know about why you serve your customers in the first place.
Obtaining clarity on your company’s Vision and Mission will give you purpose and with that you can serve your customers even better. If your mission is to provide solutions to your customers’ business problems you will not be serving him/her by providing them with more problems in the first place! Like Charles H. Perkhurst said “Purpose is what gives life a meaning”. In this context obtaining clarity about what you do and where you are heading in your company will give you purpose in your work life and with purpose excellent customer service becomes second nature.
“Customer service is not a department, it is an attitude”…Nnanna Nduka-PMP
10
WAYS TO MAKE CUSTOMERS FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR BUSINESS (culled from https://blog.kissmetrics.com)
1. Treat your Customers Right – Genuinely
Interact
2. Don’t Come
on Too Strong – Respect Your Customers
3. Always
Listen – Hear What Your Customers are Saying
4. Continue to
Satisfy – Offer Ongoing Support and Specials
5. Treat a
Customer Like a Valued Partner – Communication is Two Way
6. Build Trust
– Alert Customers to Large Scale Changes, Good or Bad
7. Be
Transparent – Honesty is Crucial When it comes to Mistakes
8. Follow
Through on Your Word – Follow Up on Promises
9. Recognize
Responsibility – The Customer is Always Right
10. Always Say
"Thank You" - Kindness and Gratitude will Take You Far
BUTTOM LINE
If we don’t take care of our customers someone
else will!!!
