First Impressions: Money on the Table or Money in Your Pocket (part 2)
This is the second article of a three part series on
first impressions from the customers’ point of view. We will cover all aspects:
product, procedural, and personal. Let’s start the fun by defining what a first
impression is. A first impression is the immediate mental image someone forms
after meeting another person. It is what stays in the customers’ mind creating
a lasting effect, opinion, or belief about your business and the overall customer
experience you intend to provide.
We all have memorable first impressions we will never
forget. For some reason we always tend to remember a poor first impression,
right? Think about some first impressions you’ve had recently. Were you driving
past an empty lot and saw grass coming through the pavement and thought about
what an eye sore it was? Have you had an experience at a restaurant where your
food took way to long or they brought you the wrong order? Chances are it was
at a fast food chain! I read a person is five times more likely to tell their
friends and family (or the world, via social media such as Facebook, Twitter, or
Trip Advisor) about a bad experience as opposed to a good experience. So, what
are you doing to ensure that your customers have the maximum opportunity for a
positive and memorable first impression?
We are going to focus on the procedural aspects of a
first impression. These can consist of, but are not limited to, using a
customer’s name, how to answer the phone, the wait time to get a table at a
restaurant, the length of the line at a front desk, the way a staff member
greets a customer, or a customer coming into your products at your office,
restaurant, or hotel.
Customer’s Name
All customers love to hear their name. It makes them feel
special, like you care about their business. But, don’t stop there. Use their
name every time you see him/her or even in a follow up email thanking them for
their business. In today’s world it is easy to learn a customer’s name. It is
written on the debit/credit cards they probably will be using to purchase your
products. That is an excellent time to use their name and thank them for their
patronage.
There are plenty of people out there who simply cannot
remember a person’s name for the life of them. Here’s a tip, try and use the
customer’s name a minimum of three times in your first conversation with them.
It shows you care about them and, that way, you are much more likely to
remember it.
Phone Etiquette
When someone calls
your place of business, that person forms an opinion of your hotel based on the
impression created by the associate who answers the phone. Think back to places
you’ve called, you probably have heard:
·
“X Hotel Inn” – I bet you’ve experienced this at
one point or another. Didn’t feel particularly special, did you?
·
“This is Bob” – this happened to me the other
day and I had to quickly double check the number to see if I called the right
number!
·
“tisistammyowmayIhelpyou” – the person who talks
super-fast, and doesn’t annunciate well.
·
If you’re lucky you heard something like, “Thank
you for calling the X hotel, this is Chris, how may I assist you to day?”
The last one has the greatest affect. However, phone
etiquette doesn’t end there. An associate that listens to a caller’s inquiry
and offers to provide assistance produces feelings of reassurance and
satisfaction.
Other helpful tools and guidelines you should have:
·
Numbers of rings – ALWAYS pick up a phone within
three rings. If you are helping a
customer, ask them if they mind if you answer the call and then place the caller
on hold (see below).
·
Greeting – should be cheerful, audible,
refreshing, and sincere. Try to smile when you talk, it really shows in your
voice!
·
Placing a guest on hold – always ask them, “may
I place you on hold sir/miss/ma’am?”
o Never
leave a person on hold for more than thirty seconds. If it takes longer, pick
up the phone and tell them it will be a moment longer. If it will take an extended period of time,
write down their name, contact information, and tell them when you will call
them back.
Shut Up and Listen!
Listening to a guest and their needs is a vital aspect of
customer’s service. Concentrate on your customer by asking questions comparable
to, “how long are you here for?” “what brings you to town?” “may I help you
find what you’re looking for?” or “if you like ‘x’, you may also be interested
in ‘y’.” When you ask these questions, you leave with the guest with a great
impression because you learned their needs and helped them. These questions
also lead to opportunities to upsell, book future reservations, and/or
additional products.
Conclusion
Procedural aspects can greatly affect your guest’s first
impression and thus your bottom line. The helpful explanations above are highly
recommended to help you make a great first impression. I encourage you to reach out if you have any
other ideas, recommendations, or questions.
Happy Sales!
Chris Langlois
Chrislanglois.com
extremeEDvantage.com
chris@extremeEDvantage.com
