No amount of money, employee benefits or policies and procedures can buy you or your business a magical customer experience. Take for example my recent airline experiences while flying to reach my speaking engagements.
As I boarded the many flights, and with very few exceptions, I was welcomed with a fake smile from an over tired, uncaring flight attendant. I did not feel welcomed and my perception was the last thing on earth the flight attendant wants, is to see me let alone serve me. There is no amount of money, employee benefits or policies will make these flight attendants smile sincerely or welcome me wholeheartedly. They either want to serve me or not.
The challenge of creating an exceptional customer experience and lasting customer relationships is dependent today more on the individual choices made by employees than on any other programs, mission statement or policy. You can’t force people, from top down management to smile sincerely. This is the employee’s choice.
Small business owners and managers need to create a culture and environment where people want to smile sincerely, take care of customers and make them feel like there is no place else the person serving them wants to be. The customer experience is an emotional connection and businesses are dependent on the employee’s choices to carry it out.
If the culture of your business is of mistrust, employees will treat customers as cheaters, whiners, complainers, and spoiled brats unless proven otherwise. Create a culture of caring and generosity and your customers will love you. Creating a culture of wanting to serve the customer will differentiate your business from the competition.
A business is the sum total of its people’s choices to care, engage, be sincere or be detached from the customer experience. What choice would you or your business make? I am sure you know which choice would be the right one.
As a former Disney cast member (employee), I saw first hand the importance of working in the right culture and how it affects the customer experience. Establishing the right culture is just as important in any small business as well. It defines who you are and your success. That is why I am so passionate about helping small businesses create and implement that positive culture. It’s not always easy but the results are amazing and well worth the effort. That is how your business can become Magical!