I was thinking this weekend about some of my favortie buying experiences. It made me think back to my youth when I would go grocery shopping with my mom. I absolutely loved going grocery shopping with my mom. The reason for my intense pleasure related to the experiece created by the owner of the family owned grocery store my mother patronized. His name was Sam Sacco and everyone would call him Mr. Sam. Mr. Sam's grocery store, "Sacco's", was jam packed every Saturday morning. When we would arrive bright and early Saturday morning Mr. Sam would always be near the front door with a broad smile on his face and a warm welcome for his customers. He also happened to have a pocket full of suckers of various flavors, or a pocket full of chewing gum he would happily hand out to all the children that came in with their parents. This personal touch still resonates with me today.
Mr. Sam made my experience both memorable and pleasant. Because I was content, he made my mother's experience happy as well. She did not have a child pestering her for a treat while shopping because her child was already happy and content with the treat Mr. Sam had provided. I am sure this was symptomatic of the overall customer service clients of Sacco's received. There are many firms known for their attention to detail and the high level of customer service they provide. Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom's, and Disney are among the most famous for providing world class customer service.
Great customer service starts by anticipating your clients needs and exceeding their expectations. In order to anticipate your client's needs you have to know what their needs are. You have to understand what the client is trying to accomplish. How many times have you dealt with a customer service person that has created a wonderful buying experience? When this has occurred to me, it has happened because the customer service representative was dedicated and focused on providing me world class customer service. When I have experienced world class buying experiences, the buying experiences have occurred because not only were my needs met, but they were well exceded. The experience was typically marked by something extra that went well above and beyond what was called for. Think back to your incredible buying experiences, does this sound familar?
I have to admit my family and I love cruises and we have had the good fortune of going on many different cruises. I have patronized many different cruise lines, but far and away the best experiences have been with Disney. From the organized approach of picking you up at the airport and transporting you to the cruise ship, to the fantastic dining experiences and the wonderful animal shapes formed from towels left on your bed each night, Disney goes the extra mile to excede your expectations and make your experience one you will remember and tell your friends about.
There are numerous examples of companies that go the extra mile to make your buying experience extraordinary in an effort to make you not only a pleased client, but an advocate for their product or service. The best form of advertising is word of mouth and those people that experience customer service that excede their expectations are the clients that will be your greatest advertisers. I am a strong believer in "The Golden Rule", treat others as you would like to be treated . However, doesn't it make sense in a customer service environment that we should also be following the "Golden Rule of Customer Service", treat others as they would like to be treated?
When people make purchasing choices, they do so because whatever they are buying meets a need. Whether it is emotional or financial, there obviously are many reasons why people buy something. I like to explore the buying experience and how people impact the experience. I will discuss why people make the choices they make. I hope you enjoy my posts and join the discussion.
Considering the economy every business, both large & small, should be focusing on outstanding service. Yet I am still amazed at how many don't. In the current issue of Inc. magazine, they have several stories on 'customer 'service'. I liked this quote:
ReplyDelete'The boundary between buyers and sellers is blurring, with customers acting as brand evangelists and influencing product selection and even participating in research and development.'
Thanks to the many Social Media platforms, they can be valued brand evangelists or quickly turn to brand breakers. Poor service comments can be seen within seconds.