Question: Are there creative ways to greet your customers when you open the doors?
I’m going to give you one exercise I use in some of my customer service workshops for my course CUSTOMER SERVICE REINVENTED. I agree with the Disney approach of looking at your folks as a cast. They are “on stage” whenever they are working in a place that serves customers.But one of the things we don’t do well is to get creative with what we say to the people who come through our doors. We think we have to say things like “Is there anything I can do for you today?” or “What brings you in today.” They are okay, but there are so many more exciting ways to make them feel like they are part of your family.Think about them walking through the door. Do you create a real experience for them or is it just another store to them? Talk to your team about using some of these approaches. Remembering that what you say must be sincere, individually directed and well thought-out. Here are a few things your team members might say:
- “It is so good to see you today. Glad you came in to join us.”
- “Well it must be a good day for you. You’re already smiling.”
- “You look like a person on a mission. I’m ready to get to work when you are.”
- “That royal blue color looks striking on you. Some colors just work great for people.”
- “It’s so great to have you back. We missed you.”
- “You look like you know what you want, but I’m only a shout away if you need me.”
- “We just finished putting out some great new things. Let me know if you want me to point them out.”
- “After you look around, I’d love to get your opinion on something new we’re carrying, if you have time.”
- “While you’re shopping, let me know if there is anything we’re not carrying that you’d like to see.”
I didn’t have to PUSH myself on anyone with the statements above. I just individualized it for them. They know we want their business. We don’t really have to do anything but start their journey with us. It will make a big impression on them.This Week’s Action Step: E-mail a creative greeting that someone on your team uses to dan@danchiodo.net. I will consider using it in a future blog.
