Every service moment needs a plan to create memorable experiences. Language matters when it comes to putting customers at ease and making them feel comfortable and welcomed during each service moment.
This week we will be continuing our walk through the top 10 pieces you need to have in place as listed in my article: "Measuring Your Customer Experience Maturity"
If you haven't reviewed those pieces, take a moment to read the opening article HERE before heading into questions 4.
So let's talk about question 4: Do you have customer engagement guidelines for your service team? Meaning what are the steps for providing a great customer experience?
Today's market demands authenticity. It demands that your team serve in a way that seems genuine and steeped in personality. But it also demands that you consider the key service moments that matter to guests and that you consistently prioritize the critical touch points.
Sounds easy, right?
Well you are right if you are thinking this represents a dichotomy of thinking when it comes to the customers you serve. But what else is new. Customers are often contradictory in their expectations, but that doesn't mean we can just give up.
What they want is a script that doesn't feel like a script. And that's something we can work with. Let's talk about the basic service behaviors that will ensure you deliver consistent experiences in line with your brand.
To learn more about these industry leading, proprietary steps of service, check out my book TOGETHER WE SERVE
What you need is a framework to help you train your team - one that takes into account the key experiences and emotions you seek to elicit from your customers. I'm going to share with you a framework that I've used successfully and that has proven to delight customers in all industries.
This is a conversation starter - and it works on the phone, during incidental conversations, or across a counter. The important part is to train your team to know the steps so well that they can internalize them, riff on them, and make them their own. This let's their personality shine through and leads to genuine care and service.
Let's talk about the G.U.E.S.T. model:
Greet each guest promptly with a smile
Every guest deserves a quick and friendly welcome.
Understand the guest’s needs
Every guest is an individual, so look at things from their point of view and keep their needs in mind. This could be where you add in specific items for your customers such as explanation, privacy, complementary items, allergies, or new products.
Elevate service with personalized suggestions
Anticipate customer needs with suggestions that feel like they are "just for them" and find ways to create little wows along the way.
Seek out Guests who need assistance
Keep an eye out for customers who need help and execute service recovery when needed to solve customer problems.
Thank them kindly and invite them to return
Show genuine gratitude and invite customers back for future visits.
Remember to take the time to incorporate your organizational flavor into your service moments. You should also keep in mind the journey your customers are taking and what they are trying to accomplish.
Healthcare organizations must consider how safety, privacy, and explanation will be included in each service moment.
Retail establishments should keep in mind what is new and fresh - and include a decision tree to match up customers with ideal products that meet their needs and wants.
Restaurants should include complementary items and always keep nutrition and allergies in mind during conversations.
What key brand attributes are you trying to communicate and how will you make sure your customers have what they need, when they need it, in a way that makes them want to come back?
Train your team, ensure they know the key steps and behaviors to delight customers - and then get out of their way and let them bring those behaviors to life in their own unique way.
Thanks for keeping your customers at the center of everything you do.
Tony
Tony Johnson, CCXP
Customer Experience (CX) Leader | Author | Speaker | Consultant
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ServiceRecipe
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