When Customers Must Wait
The best time for anything is the time that is best for the customer. But dissatisfaction is not measured in minutes. Rather, dissatisfaction is the result of uncertainty. The most frustrating aspect of waiting is not knowing how long the wait will be. Be aware of what our customers think is an appropriate wait. If an Uncle Ray’s shake takes an extra three minutes to make – be sure to tell your customer. When a customer is told of the extra required time for making this special treat, they won’t be impatient and wonder where their shake is when everyone behind them is already receiving their treats.
He’s thinking- “where’s mine?”- So be sure to let them know! Tell them our special treats are prepared fresh and nothing is made in advance. When you have a big line up, acknowledge waiting customers and keep them informed about what is happening. Smile and say, “We’re making it FRESH and believe me it will be worth the wait!” Or, “Dave’s making up that yogurt FRESH for you!” That takes the heat off – they then understand this isn’t McDonald’s where everything is prepared ahead of time. Customers love it when you take care of them!
Example – Acknowledge your customers presence. Make eye contact with the customers. Make your actions say, “I know you are there. I’ll be with you very soon.” When you’re busy making an item and a customer enters the store, acknowledge them right away. Eye contact and a smiling and friendly, “Hi there, we’ll be right with you!” is all it takes.
Customers from Hell
Customers from hell are customers too. There are no “bad” customers; some are just harder to please than others.
There is a world of difference between keeping your composure while working with an upset, angry customer who has had a bad day in Consumer-land and the burning sensation you get in your stomach when you come face-to-face with a fire breathing, show-no-mercy, take-no prisoners Customer From Hell. Customers who have been through consumer hell need your help, support, and understanding. Those who come to you direct front hell need special care and handling you might give a live hand grenade or any angry rattlesnake. “You would never tell the second group to their faces what you’re thinking-
“Ahhh, another Customer From Hell”- but there’s nothing wrong with admitting to yourself that this is what working with them feels like.
Customers From Hell play a simple game. Their goal is to get under your skin, to provoke you to counterattack. They taunt, you react; they win. If you lose control, you lose everything. Often, your first impulse is either to run and hide, or to smack ’em. Or both. But you really can’t do either. So, what do you do?
Develop some perspective. Real Customers From Hell are few and far between. Read that as, very rare at Uncle Ray’s. Most of your customers want to deal with you in a cheerful, positive way. And even the rare difficult ones are still some of best customers. If you continue to delight your customer, put on your best, “I’m here to make your day” smile. These customers will melt faster than our ice cream on a hot sunny day.
Remember that you are a pro. You know your job and your store. You know your products and how great they are. And you know how to handle people, even when it’s the end of the night or the end of August and the air-conditioning is broken.
Late Arrivals
Treat customers who come in for treats right before closing or right at closing time with the same respect you treat all your other customers. Be very careful not to show displeasure or the inconvenience they may have created by ordering an item that you may have already put away … or the extra clean up you’ll need to do. Pass the bug test, YOU WIN!
Be a master of the art of calm. Let my frustration and anger wash over you without sticking. Angry customers are almost never mad at you personally. They are mad at a situation they don’t like.
See no evil. Hear no evil. If you start thinking of customers as jerks and idiots, before you know it, you’ll start treating them as badly as they treat you. Worse yet, you will start to treat the innocent like the guilty.
Complaints
TREAT COMPLAINTS AS COMPLIMENTS! Thanking them for complaining? ABSOLUTLY! Customers who tell you they are unhappy are giving you a second chance. And that’s quite a gift. Now you have another chance to win their renewed loyalty, which will give you additional opportunities to thank them in the future!
WHEN THEY ARE PATIENT… AND NOT SO PATIENT: Whether they tell you about it or not (and, boy, will some customers tell you about it!), no one likes to wait. Thanking customers for their patience says you noticed and that you value their time. It’s also one of the quickest ways to defuse customers who have waited too long and are none to happy about it.
WHEN THEY MAKE YOU SMILE. A smile is one of the greatest gifts you can receive. Saying thank you just makes it better.
“THERE YA GO,” IS NOT “THANK YOU”
The Problem Solving Side
Things don’t always work out right. No matter how hard you try for perfection, sometimes you make a mistake. Sometimes your customer is wrong. When things go wrong, it’s time to play your trump card- your Uncle Ray’s Knock Your Socks Off Service problem solving skills. Being able to solve problems- to rescue the situation when it appears bleakest- is a key element in providing great service. It’s a tremendous way to mend relationships with your customers and make them even more loyal. Customers expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they do go wrong.
Be a Fantastic Fixer
Once a customer problem is identified – L.A.S.T.
Listen and Empathize
Treat your customers in a way that shows you care about them as well as about their problem. People have feelings and emotions. They want the personal side of the transaction acknowledged.
Apologize
It doesn’t matter who’s at fault. Customers want someone to acknowledge mat a problem occurred and to show concern over their disappointment.
Satisfy
A “fair-fix” is one that’s delivered with a sense of concern. “I want to make it up to you.” “May I treat you to another?” “How can I fix your disappointment in us?” Ask the customer what can we do for them. They’ll tell you. Sometimes they don’t want you to do anything at all- they just want someone to acknowledge their problem.
Don’t Fight It – Make It Right
Thank Them
Here’s our chance to get a second chance and win them back. “I’m glad you gave us a chance to make things right so I’d like to treat you to … ” Those that don’t complain are the ones that won’t come back. They’ll simply drive down the street and spend their money somewhere else, never, ever to be seen again-too bad! We can’t have that.
We need EVERYBODY.
That’s … Listen. Apologize. Satisfy. Thank. (We need customers to L.A.S.T.)
Apologize Do It Right
A vague apology delivered in an impersonal, machine-like manner can be worse than no apology at all. Effective apologies are:
Sincere
While you may not know exactly what your customers are feeling and experiencing individually, you can be genuine in your concern.
Personal
Apologies are far more powerful when they are delivered in the first person: “I am sorry that you had a problem.” Remember that to the customer, YOU, not some mysterious we or they- are the store. If you are honest and straightforward with customers, they will treat you like a neighbor when circumstances are beyond your control.
Fix the Person
Sometimes you may need to fix the person.
“Here’s your food and I hope you choke on it!” said by a fast-food server to a customer who complained about waiting ten minutes to be served. It’s true. We’re not making it up.
Sometimes when you encounter an upset customer, you can’t tell from the initial emotional readout whether their problem stems from a broken radiator, a bounced check or a car full of screaming kids. Consider this: On one busy day in our store, a businessman came in and ordered a banana split. We made it, presented it to him, thanked him and went on to the next customer.
Moments later the customer was back. “This banana split has no bananas!” he hollered. “What kind of moron makes a banana split with no bananas!” he ranted. Stunned by this outburst, we could do little more than look at the man- and his banana-less split. When he finally paused for a breath, we made the necessary effort: “Gee. I’m awfully sorry about that. No bananas is a pretty serious offense in a banana split. I think I’d be upset too. Please let me make you a fresh one – and refund your money.”
About that time, the customer became aware that he was ranting and raving over a bowl of ice cream, under the stares of the other customers and confronted by nothing more threatening that the sincere concern on a young woman’s face. He started laughing. And our server started to smile. And the other customers started to giggle and laugh. The upshot was that while she was making the new banana split, he apologized to her. And, perhaps needless to say, he became a regular here. Sometimes you have to fix the equipment and fix the customer. And fixing the customer is more important!