Case of the progressive zip line

We recently had an opportunity to go zip-lining in Tennessee. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's flying through the trees while suspended from a metal cable on a pulley. It's fast and crazy and not for the faint-hearted. The company that we used, C.L.I.M.B.works, was impressive. Not only were their guides professional and very safety oriented, they were knowledgeable about their surroundings. The company itself, is very "green" and eco-friendly.

In addition to all of this (as well as an amazing 2 1/2 hour adventure through the trees), was a small detail in their preparation area. While the excited zip-liners are getting harnessed and helmeted, they notice two tablet computers bolted to the wall. Those tablets are dedicated to Facebook and the adventurers are encouraged to log in before (and after) their trip to share with their friends where they are and what they are doing. In addition, they are asked to "like" CLIMBworks.

This is an amazingly low-cost way to market their product world-wide. Facebook with its hundreds of million subscribers has access to a market wider than any mailing or even tv or radio could reach. The only cost the marketer incurs is the cost of the internet connection and the initial purchase of two tablet computers. In addition, it keeps up the "green" image of the company by advertising on a medium that isn't destroying thousands of trees to generate mailings and brochures. Kudos to CLIMBworks for being in touch with an appropriate use of social networks.

Case of the sour cream

A few months back, we dined at a local Mexican food restaurant.  The food was average and the ambiance was adequate.  All in all, it was an enjoyable meal.....until we got the bill.  One member of our party ordered a single glass of milk with the meal and was charged $2.89 (almost the price of a half gallon of milk!!) and another had asked for an extra dollop of sour cream with their fajitas and was charged $0.75. 




All of this seemed to be a little pricey for what we had gotten so we questioned the server who shrugged her shoulders and answered, "I don't set the prices." (Mistake number one)  At that point we asked to speak to the manager.  He came over and when we explained our concerns, he started to give us a long-winded diatribe about how everything was so expensive and that cost had to be paid by someone. 

We explained that milk was not even listed on the menu so there was no way to know the price before ordering and also that there was no mention of an extra charge for additional sour cream (note that even McDonalds now displays signs that notify their customers of extra charges for extra condiments).  Like his server, he shrugged his shoulders and basically told us oh well.  In fact he said, "It's only 75 cents!"  That was the final straw.  We left Jalapenos in Glen Rock, NJ never to return.

There were three things that could have saved this transaction.  One, prices for everything, including extra fees for extra condiments should be listed in the menu.  At that point customers can make an informed decision and the responsibility is on them.

Two, the server should have apologized for the "misunderstanding" and offered to get the manager instead of showing complete indifference and blaming someone else.  This lack of empathy only serves to enrage customers and make them more difficult for managers to deal with.  Most times, a well-trained server can handle problems right at the table without further involvement of higher-ups. 

Thirdly, the manager should have offered to at least remove the charge for sour cream while explaining that is a usual charge but he would waive it "this time".  It is a mortal sin to tell a customer "It's only....." because the customer then assumes that if it's "only" then the establishment wouldn't mind doing without that "small amount" in the interest of good customer relations.  A manager should never claim that an amount is "only" because if it is a legitimate charge, it should be defensible.  If it a nuisance charge ("only 75 cents"), then it isn't defensible and it shouldn't be charged separately in the first place.  If the restaurant really needs to cover the high cost of sour cream (and this is the only time we've been charged like this in all the restaurants we've eaten at across the country) then it should be added into the price of the menu item.  This makes it a smaller increase and it avoids making the restaurant looking like it's trying to "nickel and dime" it's customer.

Ambiance?

It is important to remember that your customers judge your business by more than just the service that they see, they also will judge on how it makes them feel.  They will get feelings from a variety of things, the way the business looks, the way it feels, and even the way it sounds.  All of these things combine to create an ambiance, a feeling, for your customers.

There are a variety of services that will use scientific studies on which color combinations will evoke certain emotions.  There are even studies that show that certain scents also promote feelings.  For example, we owned a video store that used to use the scent of buttered popcorn and we found that add-on popcorn sales increased after starting this program.  Of all of these factors, the easiest to control and yet the most misunderstood, is the background music.

Background music is supposed to be exactly that, BACKGROUND.  It is supposed to set a tone to add to customer satisfaction.  In a quiet, elegant boutique, it should be something along the lines of classical or perhaps New Age music.  It should be barely audible and not at all interfere with conversation.  In more casual settings, big box stores, it could be more popular music.  Again, however, the key is the volume level.  In NO case should music overwhelm customers.  It should be appropriate to the average age of the customer and it should never be so loud that the customer has to raise their voice to converse.  This is especially true in restaurants where conversation is frequently the point of patronizing your business.

Make sure that your associates understand that the background music is supposed to be for the customer and not to entertain them.  It should be appropriate to the customer and not the staff and it should be set at a level that is conducive to conversation between your customers and your staff.  It should not interfere by being too loud.  This is a common problem in many business establishments.  It makes your customers uneasy and wanting to leave quickly and many times they don't even know why.  They just know your business makes them feel uneasy.

The disgruntled customer

We were in the doctor's office today and overheard an elderly woman complaining about a new deli that she had recently gone to.  She was predicting that it would "go down the tubes" and soon.  She was telling this to anyone and everyone who would listen.  The reason.....the potato salad.  Apparently she purchased some potato salad and according to this woman, the potatoes were raw.  When she brought this to the attention of the staff at the deli, they were unimpressed and did nothing.  Her response during her story-telling was...."and that's bad business."

Whether the potatoes were raw or not is really not the question here.  The point is that the customer thought they were raw and perceived that the business made no attempt to correct her problem.  There was apparently no offer to replace it with different potato salad or anything else that was comparable.  This is a critical error on the part of the deli because this woman is telling and retelling her story of dissatisfaction everywhere.  I can assure you, if she had actually mentioned the name of the deli that we would be less likely to try it out.  All of this negative press can destroy a business as quickly as positive word-of-mouth can build a business.

It is essential for a business to not only empower, but expect, all associates to make customers happy.  This includes replacing products that are not satisfactory or offering some sort of compensation for their dissatisfaction.  Failing to do this, businesses will suffer from "bad press" such as the type offered by this woman in a crowded waiting room.

Case of the public employee

It is well-known that the Northeast is being inundated with snow this winter.  One day, when recycling was scheduled, we had an overnight snow storm.  The snow was over, the roads were clear, and our recycling was at the curb by 9 am.  There had been a phone call from the town telling us of the snow removal efforts but no mention was made of canceling the recycling pick up.  At 3:30, all the paper on our block was still left on the curb.

A phone call to the recycling office found out that recycling had indeed been canceled and the recycling center was closed for the day.  Being annoyed that we had not been told, we called the DPW Superintendent.  The reason that we were given for not picking up the recycling was, "We had other things to do."  His basic message of "too bad" was delivered gruffly and abruptly.  There was no attempt to solve the problem or even show empathy.  The next phone call we made was to his boss who promised that the DPW Superintendent would be "dealt with."  From the tone of the conversation, we guessed that wouldn't be a good conversation for the Superintendent.

What would have made this better?

1) Admitting mistakes.  The Superintendent should've admitted the oversight in not letting us know that recycling was canceled when the snow removal phone call was made.  It was an error that the boro manager's admitted to and apologized for.

2) Show empathy.  The Superintendent should've listened and empathized.  Certainly saying that he had "better things to do" was not showing any concern for the inconvenience.  In fact, it showed that he could care less what the results of his decisions were.

3) Attempt a solution.  The fact of the matter is that a recycling truck passed the house less than 5 minutes before the phone call to the Superintendent.  Obviously, the department was on the road and it would have been no trouble to have them stop and pick up one can of paper to be recycled.

Case of the user-friendly hotel

Many hotels are offering lower rates for pre-paid, internet booked reservations.  We used one and booked for a vacation weekend in Atlanta.  Due to a variety of reasons, we found ourselves unable to get down on the original flight on Friday night.  After changing our flight at the airport, we made the call to the hotel.  The woman at the hotel was calm and professional, a refreshing change after a harried attempt to catch our flight.  When we explained that we weren't coming in on Friday night, she looked up the reservation and apologized that since it was a pre-paid rate, there was no possibility for a refund, but....

That but represents the difference between good customer service and normal customer service.  The woman at the hotel told us that we would not be able to receive a refund, but she would check us into a room as we were on the phone so that no matter what time we arrived, we wouldn't have to waste any time at the front desk.  All we would have to do is stop by and pick up our keys and head up to our room.  This alleviated any stress about losing the room or having to deal with another hassle, our room and our beds were waiting for us.

This is an example of great customer service.  The hotel already was paid for the room so they weren't losing any money by checking us in, but it gave us peace of mind.  It didn't save us a great deal of time, but it was one less hassle in a stressful day and the woman recognized that and helped us out.  Everyone involved won here.  We were made to feel valued and as a result, we stay in the same hotel every time we travel to Atlanta.  This is a fine example of an associate paying attention to the customer and finding out how to fill a need whether it was real or perceived.

VUVQCZ8MZ488

Answering the phone

When a customer calls a business, it creates an impression.  Many times it's a first impression, and in some cases, could be the last.  For this reason, it is very important that businesses create an effective way to handle customer call-ins.  Very large companies have started using the automated attendants that follow a path (push this, push that) called an algorithm which directs a caller to the person most able to help them with their question or issue.

A small or mid-sized business usually can't afford such a system, but they can develop algorithms for their callers.  In order to do this, they must determine the usual questions or issues that prompt phone calls.  Then they match the people who are most likely to deal with these issues.  Lastly, they develop a script for the operator or person most likely to answer the phone.  This script will help the operator direct the call to the right person the first time.  It will also guarantee that the phone is answered professionally and the same way each time.  It is one way a company can distinguish itself as "a cut above".