The OSAT Renaissance Project
Episode #2
November 11, 2014
The Power of Acknowledgement
Good Morning
I have a daughter who is 15 months old, Eleni is her name. We just enrolled Eleni in daycare and this daycare has a lot of glass. Glass windows, glass doors everywhere there is glass. It makes it easy for the teachers to see things that happen. It also makes it easy for the kids to see things that happen too.
My daughter has become the “waver” She waves at everybody and everything that comes by her class. She stands at the door…she stands at the window…watching. Then she shoots her hand up in the air and yells “Hi” or at least that’s what we think she is saying. It’s hard to understand her but she is pretty good at “bye bye” and this sounds different so we think it’s “Hi”. She now has the nickname, “The Greeter.” That’s what the teachers call her - The Greeter.
As we meet parents of other kids in the daycare and introduce ourselves it is usually part of the conversation to ask what classroom your kid is in. When we tell other parents what class Eleni is in and what her name is a look of recognition comes across their faces, “We know her - she’s the greeter! She is always waving and telling us Hi!”
It is amazing to see the reaction of others as they tell us their “Greeter” story. They remember her…and it brings pleasure - to both them and us!
Eleni is always acknowledging everyone.
And we should be too.
I know it’s easy to find pleasure in a 15 month old’s wave but it is human nature to want to be acknowledged.
Being acknowledged as a customer is generally a nice thing don’t you think.
It makes you feel that you are valued, and that’s the experience a customer should have.
Being ignored, is an experience a customer should not have.
Acknowledge your customer’s presence
This seems too basic to even mention.
What breathing is to living, acknowledgement is to working with customers. You remember this type of statement from your SATs
What breathing is to living - acknowledgment is to working with customers.
So, why even have a rule that deals with it?
Because, as basic and fundamental as this idea is, it still gets forgotten on a regular basis. Every day customers are made "invisible" by our associates who are there to serve them. But rather than serving them, they ignore them. They act as if the customers doesn’t exist. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on their part. But either way, the problem is rampant and it’s dangerous.
Remember from your Customer Service classes from years ago - I remember talking about this during the ABC’s of Customer Service seminar - that 68% of customers leave because of indifference from our associates?
If a customer is ignored, how might they rate their service? Bad probably.
Customers who are ignored are one step away from being former customers, and unhappy ones at that. They will gladly tell anyone who seems even remotely interested why they left your business…or post it on Facebook - "The employees acted like I was not even there" is what they will post.
But there is good news.
Because the cause of invisible customers is also the cure. Customers become invisible because associates make them invisible. It is a conscious choice by the associates to ignore customers. That is the ONLY way customers can be invisible.
So, the solution is just as simple: Stop ignoring customers.
As the manager - and as the manager you own this - you need to understand what would make an associate ignore their customers. There are many reasons. Bad attitude, too "busy", misunderstanding what the priorities are, etc. You need to make it clear (with your policies and your own behavior) what the priorities are.
You - as the manager - need to make it clear with your policies and your own behavior what the priorities are.
"Customers first" should be burned into everyone’s brain.
The best way to honor this rule and avoid invisible customers is to make it a point to acknowledge every customer immediately. The second you see a customer, greet them and make eye contact. They need to know you know they are there.
They need to know you know they are there.
Even if you can’t help them at that moment, it’s critical to acknowledge them. Never wait to greet a customer. Make it a habit of greeting them right away.
Have you ever gone to a restaurant, hotel, a store, and stood there while the staff walks by you, apparently busy doing . . . something…and you felt invisible?
That’s not really the experience a customer wants to have, is it?
It is really not that hard to acknowledge people. You just make eye contact, say “Hello, I’ll be right with you.” And follow that with a smile.
A simple acknowledgment and smile will go a long way.
And when folks are waiting in line - you absolutely must acknowledge them. We're a time sensitive culture. Technology has driven us to expect things faster, easier and quicker.
Customers get impatient.
But if you acknowledge them…simply make eye contact, provide a smile and offer a nice greeting you can set up a positive customer experience by reducing the impatience and anxiety of the wait for that customer.
It’s never been more dangerous to provide bad customer service. There is way too much competition out there and the only real difference between us and them is the level of service we provide.
Let’s become “wavers”. Let’s earn the nickname, “The Greeter”
It’s so simple even a 15 month old can do it!
sources for this episode:
http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/operations-customer/12268784-1.html
http://www.myservicefirst.com/principle-2-acknowledge-your-customer/
http://www.iowabiz.com/2011/03/ackowledging-customers-is-first-step-of-great-service.html
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