Do your processes support – or thwart – your customers’ attempts to do business with you? I just read a painfully amusing story in Dan Kennedy’s NO B.S. Marketing Newsletter about his failed attempt to give money to a high end winery that had been sending him their fancy 42 page catalogs for years.

When he finally decided to place an order for their $2400/year wine of the month program, he got stuck in menu option purgatory. The option for ordering (“push 10”) instead dumped him back into the main menu for another go round. When he tried again, instead of sending him to the order line, it sent him to voice mail for an employee, Brad Ackerman, with no indication of who this person was. He hung up.

Kennedy then comments that he will NEVER call them again. He then notes how much thought, money, and creativity was focused on putting out an effective catalog to get people to call, only to DRIVE the customer away through a poorly conceived, ineffectively executed phone system.

The same can be said for businesses that invest in advertising to get people through the door, and then hire people who should never wait on the public, who then drive the people back out the door.

Dan Kennedy also notes that the cost of the company’s error was compounded by the fact that they were marketing to targeting the affluent, who place a high premium on competence when deciding who to do business with.

Let this scenario focus you on two questions:

1) Do your processes make it hard for your customers to do business with you – i.e. to give you money?

2) Do your processes or any aspect of your interactions with your customers or potential customers reek of incompetence, of “not getting it”?

If your answer to either is “Yes”, you’re driving away customers. If you answer “Yes” to the second question, besides driving away the “average” customer, you are likely driving away the segment of the population that is both especially demanding and especially affluent. These are the customers who are willing to pay premium prices for value. These are the one who are most in a position to buy your goods or services.

If you really want some good answers to these questions, and if you want to engage your employees more – i.e. get them to care more about your business – ask them these questions and listen carefully to what they have to say.

Finally, ask your favorite customers these questions. Take notes and then upgrade your processes so they make it easy for people to do business with you.

Yesterday, I stopped into Whole Foods and went up to the meat and fish counter. The young man behind the counter waiting on the person in front of me looked like a big, friendly bear. His whole being communicated: “I like my job and will be happy to wait on you.”

As I waited, I was conscious of not getting too close to the counter or projecting “I’m in a rush” impatient customer vibes. That may sound funny, but when I’m a customer, I try to do my part to make things comfortable for the customer service person, especially if they’re busy.

I was there for only about 15 or 20 seconds when the young man glanced at me for a second and said in a cheerful tone of voice “I’ll be with you in just a moment sir.”

All it took was a second, and he let me know

With this simple gesture, this simple moment of inclusion, he connected with the waiting customer and let that customer know he was noticed and valued.

I think this seemingly minor moment of truth is what separates mediocre or even OK service professionals from those who know how to create a warm, welcoming, inclusive experience for all customers.

They're NOT The Only Important Person in the Room

Sometimes I hear people say how important it is for CSRs to focus only on the customer they are waiting on, so that person feels like the only person in the world, thus creating an exceptional customer experience.

I disagree. While it’s important to focus on the person in front of you, if there are others waiting, they need to know that you notice their presence and care about the fact that they are waiting. With a simple glance and smile or better yet a friendly “I’ll be with you in a minute” you make an emotional connection.

Think of your own experience as a customer waiting in a long line and the clerk and current customer are chatting away. You wonder “Do they get it that there’s a bunch of us waiting? Do they care?”

So… the “lesson for the day”:

Coach your people to make those waiting in line feel noticed and cared for.