Positive customer experiences live forever. If it’s true that customers can make or break a business, then the goal of every company should be to provide a positive experience to every customer. However, it’s impossible for any business to promote positive customer experiences without their employees having good communication skills.
In his March 16th program on CBC Radio, Terry O’Reilly host of “Under the Influence” shares examples and stories of companies that employ exceptional customer service and as a result have achieved incredible financial success.
One of the examples, O’Reilly mentions is about David Ogilvy, the founder of Ogilvy & Mather, an internationally recognized advertising, marketing and public relations firm. “David Ogilvy … had high customer service expectations for his staff. He said, “We don’t walk our clients to the elevator, we walk them to the street.”
After meetings, he expected his staff to walk their clients – not just out to the elevator – but all the way down to the street, and help them hail a cab. And in the skyscrapers of New York, that is no small courtesy … Ogilvy believed in hiring people not just for their intelligence, but for their manners.”
Good manners and an attitude of appreciation are essential communication skills. It’s the ability to communicate effectively that is critical to creating exceptional customer experiences. Recently, I made a purchase in a small shop in downtown Vancouver. Usually a sales clerk will close the register, hand you your purchase, send you on your way and then, move to the next customer. Not this time. The sales person shook my hand, walked me to the door, gave me a big smile and then shook my hand again. Numerous studies have shown that a friendly handshake and warm smile create a lasting and favorable impression with the customer. Manners, attitude and commitment to meeting the customer’s needs communicated through body language, facial expressions, use of words and tone of voice are the foundation of positive customer experiences that live forever.
O’Reilly also shares the story of Danny Meyer who also owns the Gramercy Tavern in New York. “He regards traditional customer service – like being prompt, getting food to the table while it is hot and cleaning up afterwards – as a technical skill… but Meyer wants his people to deliver something more. He wants them to feel that staff is on their side.”
“And that is an emotional skill. You can’t instill empathy. You can’t make people sensitive to the way their actions affect other people. You can’t give staff the desire to bend over backwards for customers. So he hires for those innate emotional skills, and trains for the others.” Meyer’s effort to ensure that his customers’ experiences live forever is testament to his booming business.
The other day I dashed into a nearby drugstore and asked a staff member, if they had any facecloths. She said, “I believe they are in aisle 1.” Then, she turned to me and said, “Wait. Let me check. I want to make sure we have what you are looking for,” which is what she did. Instead of pointing me in that direction, she took me to the very spot. Through her words and her actions, she communicated and demonstrated top-notch service. No surprise this store receives consistently high ratings in the community.
When employees have good communications skills they are more effective at determining customer needs, better able convey knowledge of their products and services, and able to build stronger client relationships. They are taking the necessary steps to help their customer’s positive experiences live forever.