Engineering the Customer Experience
When a client is a passenger in your car, be sure to ask them if the temperature is comfortable for them and instruct them on how to adjust their seat for optimal comfort and safety. Also, remember to offer them a beverage.
CLICK to ENLARGE
If your customers are likely to call and/or visit your place of business during the standard lunch hour, consider the habit of taking an earlier or later lunch hour for yourself. This way, you’ll be ready to serve without feeling interrupted (or having the customer feel that they’ve interrupted you).
CLICK to ENLARGE
If you’re going to ask people how they’re doing, how it’s going, what’s new, etc., then be sure to remain engaged (listen, lean in, make eye contact, etc.) while they’re answering your question.
CLICK to ENLARGE
Being a professional is doing the things you love to do on days you don’t feel like doing them.
-Julius Irving
CLICK to ENLARGE
Keep a pen and paper next to your bed. This way, when your next great “customer experience” idea hits you with excitement in the middle of the night, you can write it down, dismiss your fear of forgetting it by morning, and go back to sleep.
(Alternatively, most smartphones have a built-in voice recorder.)
CLICK to ENLARGE
Stay away from the cold and surprisingly popular statement, “Let me put you into his voicemail.” Instead, be mindful of your words by asking, “May I offer you his voicemail?” (Or you could even offer to take a written message, if they prefer.)
CLICK to ENLARGE
For the sake of client convenience, always include your phone number (ideally your direct number) in your e-mail signature block.
CLICK to ENLARGE
Wear quality-made clothing that also fits you well. Over- and under-sized clothing, frayed cuffs & collars, cheap materials, etc. serve as too much of a distraction while also sending the wrong message to your customers and clients.
Click to Enlarge
“Find a way to exceed your customers’ hopes and dreams by listening and asking, then surprise and delight them with the smallest things.”
-Simon T. Bailey
Click to Enlarge
I’ve never met anyone who liked being placed on the receiving end of a speakerphone call. Avoid doing that to your customers and clients.
(Special note to drivers: I strongly advocate hands-on driving (no handheld calls and definitely no texting while driving, even where it’s not the law), so if you’re using *that* type of speakerphone, you may just want to let your customer know why.)
Click to Enlarge
