Pay Attention – Your Customer Deserves it.

Customers deserve respect. Their time and money are valuable and their loyalty is
priceless. When you pay attention, you can elevate the customer experience.
Here are some recent interactions that show the power of paying attention. Check
your organization and identify if these happen at your company.

When approaching a counter at a retail store, the employee ignored me. The
message is, “If I don’t look at you and make eye contact, then you are not there.”
Now check your customer interactions, is anyone guilty of this? Get people to pay
attention. Train them to be aware, make eye contact and be respectful.

On a recent visit to Trader Joe’s, I had two items on my list and had not picked
up a basket. Once shopping, my impulse list grew and my arms were full. I was
pleasantly surprised when an employee came to me with a basket. They simply
appeared and took care of my needs. How did that act affect my experience? Ask
your team to think, anticipate customer needs and make it easy.

I had placed a call to a supplier and when the representative answered, I gave my
name along with a concise question. She was so focused on her script and her
needs that she did not hear me. She asked for my name as if I had never said it.
Do you like to repeat yourself? Allow your people to connect first. Slowing down
will make the contact go faster.

When making a purchase at a national chain retailer, the salesperson asked for my
email address. I assured her that I was already on the list and did not want to give
it again. Her defeated response was, “The system makes me ask for it.” Wrong
response. If you must ask for the email, then train your team to respond
differently. Try, “Great, then you get our super offers and notices of sales”. What
are your team members saying that could sound negative and powerless? Make it
a positive interaction.

It is time to get your processes and training fixed so you can be fast, responsive and
personal. Start simple – Pay Attention.