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A colleague posted a bad customer service story on her Facebook page. When I saw it, I knew I had to share it with you.
Real world story:
Early this morning at a not too busy Walmart, an employee told me that she couldn’t help me find what I needed because she had to “do her work.” I said, “Isn’t your work helping customers find stuff?” She said, “I have eyes. You have eyes.” I took her reply to mean that I should find it myself. Thankfully, her manager was much more helpful. Is customer service still a thing?
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Customer service is the responsibility of all employees. Traditionally, customer service has been thought of as the purview of a specific singular department. The reality is that all employees of an organization have the responsibility to deliver great service—everyone from the president of the company to managers to the receptionist and even the restocking crew. Any employee who has any contact with customers should be able to reflect the organization’s values and vision to deliver the best possible customer service to all customers all the time.
- Hire for attitude. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times: hire people who have a natural knack for helping others. While it’s more obvious to hire people based on their skills, most job functions can be taught. However, having a natural ability to help others is not a learned behavior; it is an inherent trait that not everyone is born with. As much as possible, you want to hire people who enjoy working with others, who excel at solving problems, and who find great satisfaction in making others feel special and cared for.
- Cut out negativity. Nothing is more destructive to a company’s customer service reputation than employee negativity. Such pessimism spreads like a contagious disease. And once you notice it in one employee, others in your organization may have already been affected. When you notice negativity in an employee, act quickly to address the problem and hopefully resolve any underlying issues that caused it in the first place.
Remember: Customer service is still very much a thing. In fact, it is a huge thing! We should, therefore, all strive to provide our customers with exceptional service on a consistent basis. Customers have many choices, so why not get them to continue to choose us?
How do YOU handle customers who can’t find what they are looking for to ensure a great customer service experience?