In staff training terms… nothing! But in customer loyalty – potentially thousands from lost customer life-time value. Sadly, many businesses have unknowingly lost my ongoing business forever thanks to the surly, condescending, pompous, arrogant, rude, unhelpful, miserable person they have chosen to employ to represent them. The little subtlety of something as simple as a smile can make a profound and lasting impression on a customer’s perception of that business, especially in a crowded and competitive market.
For example – I have two local pubs. Both are equally nice, serving the same beer – but I always choose one, because once upon a time the other served me with total contempt and sourness.
Another example can often be seen at big name retailers, who invest a fortune in the tiresome loyalty plastic card/ app points for copious spam to my inbox game. Yet the lack of adequate training of front-line staff has clearly failed to teach them to make a genuine connection with their customers. Quite frankly, I’d happily trade the points for someone that could at least ‘try’ to look happy to serve me.
It astonishes me that so many businesses miss such a fundamental point, because in my experience, everyone likes to feel welcomed with warmth and friendliness, and appreciated for their patronage.
#CustomerService #ServiceWithASmile