| They say wherever you go, there you are.
Yet how present are you at any given time and place you find yourself? Many professionals
appear in body but little else. Don't get marked as missing in action.
In the last week I encountered the following professionals
missing in action:
Out of Tune:
My local mail carrier arrived each day, wearing her iPod
and delivering my neighbors' mail to me. She's in her own world. She dumps the apartment's
mail in a pile each day. In addition to my mail I consistently receive mail from neighbors
up and down my street, as well as mail of neighbors two streets over at the same street
number. So much for accuracy. Doesn't she realize close only counts in horseshoes and hand
grenades?
Disconnect:
An airport shuttle driver who greeted us at our hotel and
attempted to drive the entire route to the airport while engaged in a phone conversation
he was in when he arrived. True, the driver used an ear-piece so we only had to hear his
side of the conversation. Yet whether on surface streets or the freeway the constant was
the phone call, not our safety.
Sickening Service:
I showed up at my HMO for a doctor's appointment and was
greeted by a lack of greeting. The receptionist was on the phone, and without making eye
contact, stuck out her hand for my medical ID card, processed it, took my money and
returned my card, without saying a single word (to me). Her attention was reserved for her
call. The call proceeded long after I paid and sat down to wait for my physician. No
greeting, smile, acknowledgment of me as a valued patient, or even as a person. Hers was
an extended personal call. (How do I know? I was forced to listen in the waiting room for
the next 10 minutes.)
A Present Danger:
Is it too much to ask that people be present when we
interact with them? You say you're multi-tasking, I say you're giving poor customer
service. And this applies whether you are in sales or service, interacting with external
or internal customers.
You say you can do two things at once. As a coach I say
it's disrespectful and often downright rude to divide attention from a customer or client
who has called or is face-to-face. And what's more, the results speak for themselves:
errors, omissions, sloppy products and services, missed opportunities to strengthen
customer loyalty and allegiance. And a degrading feeling for customers held captive by
inattentive service providers.
Are you Present and Accounted For?
Audit your own interactions with customers. Ask yourself
the following:
- Do you greet them with genuine affection?
- Do you know and use their name? (Are you pronouncing it
correctly? Not sure? Ask!)
- Are you giving them your undivided attention?
- Are you giving good and consistent eye contact?
- Are you preoccupied with a previous client, customer or
call?
- Are you easily distracted?
- If the phone rings while you're in conversation, do you let
it ring through?
- Do you listen actively and intently or are you "faking
it"?
In today's world customers long to be heard, to be
understood and to feel others care about them. Help customers feel connected! Show them
you care. Treat them as if they're the most important people in the world. For the brief
time they're in your midst, give them your undivided attention. Don’t just be here
now…but hear now! Or, forever lament the loss of treasured customers!
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