GR8 Ideas You Can Use...
Hire a staff with a natural desire to please your customers
I often give presentations on "customer service as a part of your
marketing plan." And I have often used Burke Cleaners in Northern
Colorado as an example of how an independent business (NOT a chain or
franchise) can set themselves apart from their competition through "the
little things." Here's a GR8 example of why Burke has truly written the
book
on customer service!
Back in 2004 when my husband Dick was in PVHS, having had open heart
surgery, I was spending 20 hours a day at the hospital. I had to
run some paperwork by the Heart Center of the Rockies on Harmony Road ,
and drove past a Burke Cleaners right across the street. My favorite
purple pantsuit had been in the car for over a week, on it's way to the
Loveland Burke Cleaners, but of course I hadn't had a chance to drop it
off. Now, for some insane reason (stress does strange things to your
brain?), that pantsuit became the most important thing in my life at
that moment.
I walked into the Harmony Road Burke's with my purple pile
of clothes, and said, "My life is a bit complex right now and I'm
hoping you can help me simplify it a bit. Can I drop this off here and
have you deliver it to the Loveland Store?" One look at my tear-stained
face (I still wasn't sure if I would be a widow or not) and the gal -
who was BRAND new - said, "Don't worry about a thing. If I have to
drive it over myself, we'll take care of it." And sure enough, two
weeks later when Dick came home after his successful surgery, the
purple pantsuit was at the Loveland Burke's. No extra charge. I looked
at the note which said, "Mrs. Clarke, Jennifer asked if you could phone
her to let her know how your husband was doing. She said you were
beside yourself, and she was concerned."
Wow. A brand new employee,
whom I had never met before and would never see again, grasped the
situation, calmed me down with her kind words, and took personal
responsibility to make sure the job was done "right."
Burke's had me before with their excellent "product." Now I am a
RAVING FAN because of their customer service. Did they train Jennifer?
Perhaps. But I'll guarantee you they HIRED Jennifer for how she
interacts with customers. THAT is something you cannot train. And that
is what YOU must do when you are interviewing potential employees.
I remember that the HR folks at HP used to say, "we can train a
person to do anything, but we can't train them to get along with
others. People skills are what we look for now when we hire because we
finally understand what we can and can't teach." Words of wisdom for
all us who have a service or a product and who have employees
representing us! Hire employees who like people. Simple, eh?