As we approach one of biggest food-spending holidays this season, we thought it would be a good idea to go back to some customer service basics. Most people, when asked what they appreciate the most about in-person interactions say, “They smile at me right away”
A smile is a universally understood gesture that knows no limitations. It is understood in all languages and cultures. There is no room for isunderstanding a genuine smile, no matter what your age, race, gender, or cultural background.
Customer satisfaction dramatically increases when they receive genuine smiles. Customers often indicate that they feel valued when they receive a smile. This is the first step in connecting with your customers. When one feels that they are just being processed, there is no connection; therefore customer loyalty can be difficult to build. One of the most important customer service skills is to smile at your customers and to genuinely greet them. From that point on, there are many other skills, but they can be learned when the right attitude is there. The smile means the most to the customer at the beginning of each and every interaction. Customer loyalty, retention and profits all fall in line with the rest of the interaction once the tone is set and continued with the genuine smile.
Source: Kristina Evey: Transforming the Customer Experience www.kristinaevey.com.