Many workers/service providers have no idea how their leader (the owner, manager or company) expects them to deliver service. Without proper training, service providers simply flounder. They may not know or understand the following:
- They have strong influence on the number of times customers return
- The long-term value of a customer
- The quality of the service they provide can be reflected in future sales, and by association, a future paycheque
Just last week I dropped into a McDonald’s to grab a coffee. I couldn’t see their WiFi network on my phone’s network list. I asked the girl behind the counter,
– “Do you have WiFi here?” to which she responded
– “I don’t know about that” and walked away to her other duties.
My jaw dropped in disbelief of this uncaring response. This girl had either not had any training, or she did and had forgotten how to treat customers.
Proper training would have taught her that if you don’t know the answer to a customer’s question, you find out. Full stop. Otherwise it’s an “unfinished transaction”.
The server in question was young, around 17 years of age is my guess. It is quite possible that this was her first job and that she had not yet been taught the importance of caring for customers.
Compare the above McDonald’s experience to that of “No Frills” described here. Night and day.
The only time I get my coffee from this McDonald’s location is when I have to, when I’m waiting for my car to be serviced nearby. Otherwise, I avoid it at all costs because of the lack of customer care at this location.
As business owners or managers, we shouldn’t assume our employees know how to serve. It’s our responsibility to ensure all employees know how to deliver top notch customer service and our responsibility to bolster any weaknesses with training. It’s imperative that all our employees are intimately aware of our business’ ethos.
The importance of providing consistent excellent service to the company’s customers can’t be understated. Survival and success depend on it.
UPDATE: Since I wrote this article, a Tim Horton’s opened next door to this McDonald’s. Guess where I get my coffee now when my car is serviced? Guess who lost a customer?