Do you ever look at your business or workplace from the eyes of your customers? Each year, I perform dozens of customer experience evaluations for my clients in all types of businesses, schools, tourist communities, down town main streets, medical facilities, banks, airports, government agencies and manufacturing plants, with the objective pretending to be a visitor or customer.
From the driveway to the parking lot, from the sidewalk to the front door, from the entry way to the lobby or waiting area, from the elevator or stairway to the restroom, then to the showroom, merchandise aisles, restaurant dining area to the check out station and more to experience everything as a new or existing customer would see. Then I interact with the staff and managers, asking open ended questions about products, menu items, services, policies, displays, problems, benefits, business philosophy, their competition, challengers and frustrations to name a few. All again with the objective to evaluate the customer experience not just a shopper’s report.
By doing this for my clients, I share with them my first impressions. What did I see, hear, feel, smell and experience? We then partner together to create a training day to address the good, bad and ugly. When was the last time you looked at your business or workplace from the eyes of your customers? If you did, you might discover what needs to be cleaned, repaired, painted or made visually appealing? How prominent and clear your signage or product displays are?
If you were to call your business, would the person answering the phone enunciate clearly, enthusiastically, display empathy, be knowledgeable and informed to handle your questions or concerns? If you were to walk up and speak to an employee what would that experience be like? Is the person, approachable, professionally dressed, display a friendly and helpful attitude, knowledgeable about the product or service, caring and thankful for your business?
How often might your customers be inconvenienced by existing systems, structures, procedures or the lack of sense of urgency on the part of the staff? Are employees spending time on their phones or having meaningless conversations with each other while ignoring customers?
The customer experience begins on the inside and works its way to the outside. The experience becomes a series of detailed experiences and interactions. Start today! Don’t let another passing day go by not knowing what your customer experience looks like. Take a look at your business and workplace from your customer’s eyes. You might just be in for a big surprise. And while you are looking at it, see how you can make every detailed experience and interaction a little more “magical”! If you are too busy to do that, I would be happy to do it for you!