Claudia Phillips - Styling Hutch
With the volatility of our economy, customer service becomes more than just a term; it becomes absolutely critical to assure you don’t have an exit of top talent. Did you notice in the news that hiring exceeded the expectations recently? We all want the economy to improve but much to our surprise, the unemployment rate did not readily recede. Why? More people re-started job search! People who dropped their search for jobs began looking again, as well as unhappily employed workers. What can you do to keep your workforce in tact as the economy improves?
I’d like to ask you to watch for good customer service this week. See what happens at work and in the community that scores points for you. Here are a few I’ve recently observed.
A friend referred me to a new hair dresser at the Styling Hutch on Coit at Legacy in Plano. I didn’t realize she’s the owner, when she accepted me as a new customer. She made me feel comfortable. I was not only impressed with the hair cut, but also the conversation, which is important in a beauty shop. We had a memorable business discussion. The best quote from my new friend was, “I must customize my conversations with every customer. Each person is unique and I must find a way to relate quickly.” She understands the wisdom in keeping a fresh approach with each new encounter or challenge. She laughed that she has 200 different personalities for 200 different clients. Now I’m a walking advertisement for people with curly hair, which is their specialty.
When I decided to paint some lawn furniture, I was pleasantly surprised by the eagerness of the clerk at Lowe’s when he walked with me, rather than continuing a conversation with another clerk, to the right section to find what I needed. With the current competition between Lowe’s and Home Depot, I may drive a little farther for good service.
And then, when I got that yellow paint on my new glasses, the optician assistant at Costco did everything she could imagine to help me overcome my embarrassment with how dumb I’d been to paint the lawn chairs in windy weather. The paint was guaranteed not to chip (according to the man at Lowe’s) but this lady managed to joke with me about the error. We avoided having to return the glasses. Otherwise, I would have been blind for a couple of weeks. Returning the glasses would have been costly for Costco as the glasses were still in warranty. She found a way to accommodate the customer (me!) and help Costco’s bottom line. She didn’t respond with, “Oh, well!” She solved the issue.
A few ideas I hope you’ll remember when you face internal and external customer service issues:
-Don’t make it adversarial. Your mother probably told you, “You achieve more with sugar than vinegar.” She was right! Raising your voice, becoming dictatorial, only aggravates the situation.
-If you are interviewing people, spend enough prep time to assure everyone knows their roles and surprises are limited. Make the hiring process seamless and user friendly.
-Be sure your attitude is welcoming. If you don’t want interruptions, put a sign on the cube or shut the door.
These suggestions are simple, yet powerful, for you to implement. The little accommodations, like friendly gestures and body language that welcomes others, increase your chances for keeping your employees happy. If you don’t want an exodus, you need to look for ways to express your thanks, every day in many ways.
Thanks to Claudia Phillips of the Styling Hutch for allowing me to share one of her business techniques for success.
If you are in career transition, please click here to read my articles on www.examiner.com about career transition.