By Jessica Kasney, Customer Impact Scheduler
In the mystery shopping industry, one of our main responsibilities is to evaluate customer service. I implore you to ask yourself, what kind of customer are you?
Here are 5 things that can help make you a great customer!
- Stay Open Minded- Many establishments offer products that we love! No matter how many times we go to the restaurant, we already know what we are going to order. A great customer will be open to trying new things. Instead of ordering a traditional appetizer, I suggest ordering an entrée before your meal to share with your dining partners. It is a great opportunity to try something new and still save your favorite for the main course.
- Avoid Laziness! – How many of us have walked through a grocery store or retail outlet and picked up something on aisle three, only to decide on aisle 12 we no longer want the item? Do you make the journey back to aisle three? Or do you leave the item on a random shelf on aisle 12? A great customer will do the right thing and return the product to the appropriate aisle. Retail stores spend excessive amounts of resources on cleaning and reorganizing their stores because of customers who leave items in random places. These are resources that could be used to open an extra checkout line or have more sales associates on the floor answering your questions.
- Mistakes Happen – Be Understanding! – Employees working in the service industry are still human. They make mistakes. If you are not pleased with the product or if a mistake was made, give them the opportunity to remedy the problem. Oftentimes, a customer’s reaction to the mistake can determine how the mistake is resolved. Of course, all mistakes should be rectified, but a great customer with a great attitude may find they are given a little more of a pleasant resolution than someone who exploded in an irate tirade.
- Separate the Person from the Policy– This can be very difficult to do. If the company has a policy that you disagree with, more than likely it was NOT created by the associate you are in contact with. Do not be cross with the messenger. They are simply following the policy and procedure that was established by their management team. It is very likely that they agree with you that the policy should be changed. A great customer will find an effective way to communicate their dislike for the policy. Ask the associate for the corporate telephone number or the company website where you can express your thoughts, opinions, and even better, your suggestions for improving the current policy!
- Remember the Golden Rule – Great customers always remember the Golden Rule. Simply treat others the way you want to be treated. Showing respect, kindness, and understanding to those who may not deserve it is often hard, but the benefits are great. Service industry workers and customers are ultimately on the same team. The establishment has a product or service we seek, and we are the consumers who keep them employed. Treating each other the way we want to be treated can remedy many customer service conflicts.
Being a great customer can be a challenge! We have bad days, high expectations, and we are in a hurry. However, if we are mindful of how our conduct affects others, we may find that some of our bad customer service experiences can be eliminated by simply changing our own attitude and behaviors.
