Being Personally Interested

This weeks post comes from the Experience Program group this month, courtesy of Mitch Hobson. The group was discussing how we could make sure people feel welcome and comfortable with our service.

Can you tell when people care about you? Can you tell when they don't?

Mitch has the task of delivering and installing our builder contractor appliances. He made the observation and commitment to be personally interested in the customer for whom he is installing. He could easily miss the mark by thinking, "I am here to install this range" his focus could be on the range and the installation. Although Mitch needs to be sure to do a clean and smooth install, he is really there for the customer, not for the range. He will be focused on and personally interested in the happiness and satisfaction of the customer. And you can bet that the customer will pick up on that.

How can you apply this to you and your job?

A service tech is not there to "fix the washer" he is there to make a customer happy. A salesperson is not there to sell a sofa, she is there to make Mrs. Johnson's room the room she envisioned. Customer service is not there to "write an exchange", customer service is there to make things right for the customer. So ask yourself, are you focused more on your job, or the customer? More on the item you are selling, fixing or installing or on the person who is buying, venting, or waiting?

We could all take Mitch's commitment to heart and be personally interested in the customer. Our customers, our guests, will pick up on it.

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." - Dale Carnegie