While working with my coaching clients and delivering training to their front line staff, I usually ask them this question. “Do you value your customers”? Of course they say they do. I mean who wouldn’t say that? Especially if their boss is around.
However, when dealing with customers you usually have two choices.
- You can choose to focus on what you like about them, or
- You can choose to focus on what you don’t like about them.
If often comes down to a simple choice you make. Just the other day, while traveling for a speaking engagement, I was eating in a nice restaurant by myself. A family was seated at the table next to mine. The waitress came over to their table and said, “So how’s the wonderful Adams family doing today? You all look good and these little ones are precious and getting so big by the day!”
She then sat down next to them, put her arm around the mother and said, “How have you been feeling since your car accident?” It took only a few seconds for her sincerity to impress me. The women brightened up and for a few minutes gladly shared her feelings. The waitress patiently and empathetically listened. Watching all of this, I was amazed just how much this waitress really cared about how she’d been feeling. It certainly wasn’t an act.
Momentarily, the waitress excused herself to help another customer and then returned to take their order. All the time I couldn’t help thinking about this customer experience. Here was a family, whose needs weren’t just to have a nice meal but to be noticed, cared for and felt important. How nice it was to have someone listen and show genuine concern.
Why do you think the Adam’s family chose to eat at that restaurant? Was it because of the menu or the food? I believe it was because this restaurant had a gem of an employee and a great asset. She enjoyed her job and sincerely focused on what she liked about her customers. Building relationships. It was a choice she made.
In my experiences, most businesses don’t value their customers. In fact, many don’t even know what business their in. Most think they are in a business to deliver a product or service, when in fact they are really in people and relationship business.
Spend a little time getting to know your customer’s stories. A jewelry store salesperson, isn’t there to sell people rings and diamonds. They are there to identify people’s needs and what occasion they want to celebrate, realize their dreams or to make other people happy about their purchase or gift. How are you going to know that unless you ask and sincerely listen to their stories.
So take a moment with your customers and ask them to tell their story and focus on what you like most about them. Once you understand that you will ask yourself this question each and every time. “How can I cause each customer to remember me and feel good about their experience.” I promise you the results will be “MAGICAL”!
Need help? Contact Coach John for a FREE 45 Minute Strategy Session Call. I would be happy to help you in any way! https://go.oncehub.com/DiscoverySessionCall