We want to be endeared. It’s a rarity today. In a given day, it is not uncommon to experience impersonal and bad service. I was recently at a store where I had a conversation with the clerk that went like this:
Me: “How is your day going?”
Clerk: “Not so great. I’m finally getting a break. We have been so busy for the last four hours.”
Me: “That must be great. You have lots of business!”
Clerk: {Strange, perplexed and confused look. Total silence.}
Sadly, I have had this conversation on many occasions. The guy before me saw the world the same way – it stinks to be doing work. Less work is better is his paradigm.
Their business will wallow in mediocrity and eventually die. Too many bad experiences do not invite customers to come back. There are some rational reasons why front line team members think and behave with cynicism:
- Their reward is not tied to the owner’s goal
- The culture reflects lethargy
- There is not a strong vision of the customer experience
- There is not a consequence for bad behavior
- They don’t care
Remembering The Customer
Everyone on your team is in marketing. Marketing happens every time your brand touches a customer either personally or virtually. It is everyone’s job. Aligning your team around leadership that is tangible, energizing and pervasive is the common thread of all the great brands we read about in business books.
It starts with remembering the customer. It’s about your customer. That is what makes your business. It is not about you. The goal is to bring extreme value to your customer and ensuring everyone on your team sees it the same way. No delight, then no company, no job and no revenue.
Instead of focusing so heavily on the latest marketing fad, try something substantive. Be human. Connect personally. Forget yourself and endear every person you touch online or offline in a way that creates a memorable and delightful experience. Endear enough people and the marketing takes care of itself. It is not some disconnected strategy. It’s built into your product and service.
How can you endear your customers?