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Is customer service an afterthought?

I have written a variety of posts about restaurant and small business marketing and how to get customers in your doors.  Often I gloss over what happens once they hit your sales floor – but a good friend reminded me recently that we all need to refocus from time to time on customer service.  When we take customer service for granted or assume someone knows how to take care of customers, we walk a dangerous line.

The worst thing you can do

Think about the time, effort and money you’ve invested in getting a customer in house. You’ve beaten the system, outfoxed the competition, put together the best offer, built a terrific call to action.  Now think about wasting all that because you or your staff turns off the customer with their actions, attitudes and/or performance.  CRAP!

We live in the real world, here, so I’m not about to tell you that you will please every customer – you won’t, and frankly you shouldn’t.  You will lose some for various reasons; but if you treat customers with care and concern, you can minimize that loss.  The adage varies, but it’s something like “a happy customer tells one person, an unhappy one tells <x> people.” I would put the number around 10 for ease of discussion.  If you treat them right, they may not come back – but they are less likely to spread negative stories.  They just realize it wasn’t a fit for them.

Great customer service people are born, not made

For some people, customer care is a part of them; for others it has to be worked at.  As a small business manager, you have to recognize that while you can improve someone’s skills, you will never turn a bad customer service person into a great customer service person.  You may turn them into a good or acceptable customer service asset, but that’s the best you can hope for.  Some people just don’t like or relate well to others.  That doesn’t make them bad employees inherently – you just have to find the right role for them.

So there it is, the nature vs. nurture argument.  As an example, I have always been very successful with, and pride myself on, providing excellent customer service.  At the same time, I am not a natural salesperson.  I don’t cold call well and am not great at breaking the ice in large networking formats – but once I get past that I can relate to almost anyone and make them feel cared for.

Fine, how do I take care of customers then?

First thing is, you have to separate every other little thing going on in your day from this customer service experience.  Is that hard?  Hell, yes, sometimes it seems impossible.  As a small business leader, you are wearing a lot of hats, juggling chainsaws, putting out fires, <insert your favorite phrase here>.

But remember this – the customer you are about to speak to cares exactly zero about your day, the vendor who just hosed you, any of those things.  Sorry to break it to you, but they are not concerned with your headaches – they want you to solve their problem.  Whether it’s “I’m hungry” in the restaurant or “my car is broken” or whatever your business model may be, their purpose in patronizing you is to solve their problem.  So… GET OVER YOURSELF!  Do whatever that entails.  For a while, I was in the habit of actually stopping and taking a deep breath before answering the phone or walking up front to greet the customer.  It cleared my mind and let me refocus.  If that works for you, great!  If you need to pinch yourself or force a silly giggle or do a backflip or whatever the hell it is for you – do it.

Step 2 – put yourself in their shoes

In most industries there is jargon, technique, etc. which the insiders know and the regular folks don’t.  This doesn’t make them ignorant, stupid or a waste of time – it makes them customers.  Don’t bury people with jargon and don’t talk down to people who don’t know the jargon.  Consider their perspective.  Joe just wants to get his document printed.  Tina just wants a tasty lunch that’s still hot when it gets to her. That’s not too much to ask – be honest and fair in explaining any situations that come up, but remember where they are coming from.

This extends to the customers who are having a bad day.  Contrary to popular wisdom, the customer is not always right.  However, the customer does always feed the bottom line.  So bear with them, understand where they are coming from, and make them feel like you care.  It really does work.

Being a customer service expert is a lot like being a small business owner – you have to balance a lot of different things and react quickly to a changing situation, without overreacting.  Trust yourself, smile, treat them with respect while respecting your business.  People will notice, and they will tell others about it.

-Karl
@karlkoelle

With 10+ years in restaurants and 12 years in communications, I have learned a lot about how to successfully market a restaurant - yet I still learn something new every day and whenever I talk to a client.  Looking for help with your restaurant or small business, whether marketing or management?  Let me know, I am always happy to help.