I stated in a recent social media post that, I have the highest standards when it comes to customer service. It’s because of those standards that businesses rarely knock my socks off. Usually, it’s the complete opposite, I’m disappointed by the customer service or experience I receive.
Perhaps it’s because I’m in the business to help my clients think about all the ways their customers could be offended, turned off, never come back to, or never try their product or service in the first place. In fact, a large part of what I do for my clients is to figure out how to offer an experience so superior that none of the above scenarios ever happen. Sometimes there’s no avoiding it, but then we use it as a learning experience and put systems, processes, and tools in place to enhance the level of service.
What I often find as I venture out into the world, ready to spend my own hard-earned dollars, is that business owners and their employees lack a good bedside manner. I’ve been trying to get to the bottom of this conundrum and the only reason I come up with is that as humans we tend to take for granite, lack sympathy for, and/or have less empathy for customers who experience what we experience every single day.
As a Realtor, selling a house might not be emotional for you, or as a doctor, plastic surgery might not be, “a big deal.” Could this be, because you provide your service, day in and day out, you’ve become a little numb to it? As professionals in the industry, we have to realize these experiences can carry huge mental, and emotional weight for our clients. How they experience your brand/service/product on every level, counts. Big time.
I urge you to never minimalism what your customer shares with you. Nothing drives humans more nuts than when someone makes us feel like we’re “over reacting” or, the things that are a huge deal and that carry a lot of importance for us the customer, seem trivial to the service provider/business owner. After all, the customer is giving you their money, so you can help them. More importantly, they trust you. What are you doing to do with that trust?
Sadly, most of us probably think we are already deliver superior service. That’s because usually customers don’t complain. Sure, you get a few here and there, but the vocal ones are usually the ones that lack their own bedside manner. Usually, the customers just ghost us. They disappear, never to return, and you’re left in the dark as to why. (If you truly care enough to even wonder.)
I promise you, there’s things you could implement today, that would change your customers’ experiences for the better. What would it mean for your brand if you could uncover what that is, and begin to offer experiences to your customers that are unmatched by anyone else in your industry? How could you make an actual difference in someone’s life and be more profitable, just by working on your bedside manner? #victoryforbrands