| About 20 years ago while I worked for | | | | enough to merely set an example, employees |
| American Stores Company (now part of | | | | must hear, and hear again, specifically what |
| Albertson's) I headed up a customer service | | | | is expected of them with respect to customer |
| program named "Smile and Speak Up." Employees | | | | treatment. I once encountered the president |
| attended a two-hour customer service training | | | | of a retail chain who told his employees, |
| class and then tried to be seen being | | | | "Whenever one of our faithful guests has a |
| courteous to customers by mystery shoppers | | | | question, I want you to remember my motto. My |
| who visited stores twice each week for ten | | | | motto is 'The answer is yes, what's your |
| weeks. An employee could win small cash | | | | question?'" He communicated his expectation |
| rewards plus the recognition of being a | | | | that loyal customers were the life-blood of |
| winner. My job was to organize the program | | | | the store and everything within reason should |
| and take to various groups of stores.Most | | | | be done to keep them coming back.Customer |
| people associated with the Smith and Speak Up | | | | Service and Management Leadership Training is |
| program praised our efforts to improve | | | | the fifth element. Because everyone isn't |
| customer service in the stores. The wife of | | | | naturally effective at delivering customer |
| the chairman of the board, for example, once | | | | service, and there are some techniques that |
| told me that she could see a difference where | | | | work better than others, it is vital that |
| the program had been implemented. But even | | | | every employee receive adequate customer |
| with the general acceptance of the program, I | | | | service training. In fact, to create a |
| was never convinced of its effectiveness. | | | | culture of high service, employees must |
| This is why.True customer service in a retail | | | | receive regular training. Management |
| store is a combination of five basic | | | | leadership training creates a |
| elements: (1) organizational culture, (2) | | | | front-of-mind-awareness that determines not |
| employee temperament, (3) leadership example, | | | | only what is important, but also how things |
| (4) communicated expectations, and (5) | | | | are to be done. Unfortunately, most customer |
| management leadership training. My good | | | | service training consists of nothing more |
| friend Chuck Coonradt once defined | | | | than "retail charm school." Smiling and |
| organizational culture as the way things | | | | speaking up to customers you encounter in the |
| really work when the boss isn't looking. At a | | | | aisle isn't enough. Real opportunities for |
| Nordstrom department store, for example, I | | | | customer service all too often happen when |
| generally experience superior customer | | | | something goes wrong. For example, out of |
| service, even when the boss of the clerk | | | | stocks, price checks, voids, refunds, |
| serving me isn't looking. That's because over | | | | returns, and exchanges are prime situations |
| an extended period of time Nordstrom has | | | | where a customer can be won or lost, |
| created an organizational culture of superior | | | | depending on what the employee says and does |
| customer service. How was this accomplished? | | | | while handling the transaction. Employees |
| The leaders of the organization had to not | | | | must be trained in specific methods and |
| only communicate the importance of exemplary | | | | techniques of how to handle these special |
| customer service, but they also had to | | | | situations, or customers can be lost for |
| personally demonstrate high levels of service | | | | life.The five elements of customer service |
| with their own actions. Then, over time they | | | | are a framework to develop a climate or |
| created a culture helped define employee | | | | culture for consistent superior service. It's |
| behavior.The second element is employee | | | | important to remember that the issue really |
| temperament, which is a technical term for | | | | isn't "customer service." More accurately, |
| what we commonly call personality. It is true | | | | it's creating a memorable experience for |
| that some temperaments are better suited to | | | | customers. Don't forget that customers return |
| deliver superior customer service than | | | | to stores that are memorable, and they don't |
| others. Sorry, but it's true. But that does | | | | return to stores that are forgettable. What |
| not mean that those of us whose personality | | | | are you creating in your store, a memorable |
| isn't naturally well suited toward customer | | | | or forgettable climate?Consider the PE |
| service can't improve our skills above our | | | | formula where P equals the customer |
| natural inclinations. As evidence, stores | | | | perception of what actually happens while |
| that have consistent customer service are not | | | | shopping in a store. And E equals the |
| staffed with employees of the same | | | | customer's expectation of what will probably |
| personality. Rather, the store has set a high | | | | happen when he or she does shop a store. If P |
| standard and communicates its expectations to | | | | equals E then the store did exactly what the |
| every employee, regardless of his or her | | | | customer expected. If P is less than E the |
| personality.The third element is the example | | | | store fell short of the customer's |
| of customer service demonstrated by the | | | | expectation. And, if P exceeds E the store |
| leaders. It is foolish for a leader to expect | | | | did something more than what the customer |
| his or her employees to deliver customer | | | | expected. The only truly positive memorable |
| service at any level higher than what the | | | | experience is where P exceeds E. That must be |
| employee sees on a daily basis from the | | | | our goal.Superior customer service, that is |
| leader. In other words, the leader determines | | | | memorable, can be defined as a situation |
| the upper control limit of service in a | | | | where the shopping experience exceeds the |
| department, store, or company. Watch the | | | | customer's expectation of what was going to |
| company president, vice president, or | | | | happen. This means a clean and safe store, |
| district manager while visiting a store and | | | | where desired products are in stock and |
| you'll see a demonstration of the upper | | | | easily located, where employees are friendly |
| control limit of service. As an example, for | | | | and helpful, and where the checkout is |
| over 20 years I have shopped a supermarket | | | | accurate and fast. Effective customer service |
| only a few blocks from my home. Without | | | | is far more than merely being caught by a |
| exaggeration I have shopped that store over | | | | mystery shopper saying something nice to a |
| 1,000 times. And in all of those visits there | | | | customer. That's why I had a problem with the |
| have been five instances where an employee | | | | smile game I played 20 years ago. It was |
| has spoken to me on the sales floor. Lately I | | | | nothing more than a band- aid or a temporary |
| find myself playing a game of walking near | | | | fix to a very complex problem. The good news |
| employees, just to see if I can hear a | | | | is that I think I've learned a lot since the |
| "Hello," or heaven forbid something like, | | | | Smile and Speak Up days.Dr. Richard L. |
| "What could I help you find?" What's the | | | | Williams is a business consultant |
| problem? At the least it's the example set in | | | | specializing in performance coaching, quality |
| store and company leadership by example.The | | | | improvement, team development, and leadership |
| fourth element is the extent to which the | | | | development.To learn more about management |
| leaders have effectively communicated their | | | | leadership training, visit our website or |
| expectations to the employees. It's not | | | | contact us at 888-262-2499. |