As humans we need consistency, we crave it, our lives would spin out of control without it. Have you ever had a friend or family member kindly do the dishes at your home. Sometimes items get put back into the wrong spot. The next time you go to the ‘usual’ cupboard to get lets say the pasta strainer and it’s not there it can be confusing – depending on your stress level in the kitchen it can even entice a mini panic attack.

Imagine going to work and all your files on your computer are not in the same folders that they were yesterday when you went home. You would probably freeze, panic, freak out some more, then call I.T with a look of desperation and hope on your face.

Imagine looking at your wage stub and suddenly there is 50% less than last month, It would be very off putting and disturbing – to say the least.

This is why businesses strive and add great importance to delivering a consistent experience for their customers.

Go into any popular high street coffee shop and then visit the same store elsewhere in the, country or even the world and you will more likely that not have a very similar (if not identical) branded experience. Before you enter you will recognize the logo and exterior design of the coffee shop, it signifies that this is the right place and you will get what you are looking for the way you have come to expect it at the price you are use to paying. As you walk through the door you are welcomed by a familiar looking and smelling interior and are greeted by a barista wearing a familiar looking uniform. The name of the drinks are the same, the pastries are the same, the merchandise they sell is the same. You know what you want and you get it, time and time again. It is easy, stress free and it leaves you feeling satisfied and fulfilled.

You get the point, right?

Customers who have a consistent experience of your company will return for more, no doubt about it. They will return time and time again. They will become loyal customers and will bring others with them to purchase your product or service, enrolling them to be part of your brand tribe. Sounds great, and it is, but there is a downside. Customers today can probably purchase your service or product from your competition (especially with the ease of the Internet). Customers are very loyal until something interrupts their experience and then are very willing to jump ship to your competition. This adds extreme importance and often pressure for your company to ensure consistency is being delivered time and time again, without fail.

Where in your business are you not delivering the same branded experience?

Consider how and when a customer comes into contact with your company. These ‘contact’ points are called ‘touchpoints’. Is the customer receiving the same branded experience via every touchpoint. If not, question what needs to change, is it a retraining of a staff member, or maybe ensuring that your logo is used exactly the same on all your corporate and marketing materials.

At the end of the day, be consistent. It is an ongoing endeavor. As your business grows or the business environment around you changes certain touchpoints will go out of whack, no longer delivering the required corporate message and experience. Simply re-align it. If you are unsure of what needs to change and how, try asking your customers what would work for them, or hire a communication and design company to assist you in the process.

Don’t forget about your staff. Staff retention is very important. A company can spend a lot of money rehiring and retraining a consistent flow of new employees – never mind to mention the impact on workflow. Staff, like customers appreciate consistency for all the same reasons. Have your staff participate in the following exercise and have them enquire into what would have them be even more loyal to your company.

Below is a list of just a few touchpoints categories that you can to look at (in no particular order). As each company or industry has it’s own unique set of touchpoints, you may want to add to this list.

As an example, if we take the first in the list ‘speeches’. It could be a public speech, a business presentation or even a speech to university students. Question every detail of that speech, what different elements could leave people with an experience or a judgment of you and your company. For example the following will all leave people with a certain impression: your clothing (could be too casual or too corporate), how you speak (interesting, boring, or even inappropriate), your PowerPoint presentation (is it designed well, is it consistent with your handouts and other corporate materials) to mention just a few. Put on your detective hat and really inspect every element.

Once you have obtained consistency your clients will become loyal brand ambassadors, returning for more and more. They know that they can rely on you not to hide the pasta strainer on them, but instead give them what they want.

SPEECHES
LOGO
EMPLOYEES
PRESENTATIONS
NETWORKING
WORD OF MOUTH
PUBLIC RELATIONS
CIVIC MARKETING
TRADE SHOWS
DIRECT MAIL
SALES PROMOTION
DIGITAL
NEWSLETTERS
BUSINESS FORMS
SIGNAGE
PACKAGING
EXHIBITS
PROPOSALS
EMAILS
VOICE MAILS / ANSWERING MACHINE / TELEPHONE
PUBLICATIONS
WEB BANNERS
PRODUCTS
ADVERTISING
ENVIRONMENTS / OFFICE SPACE
EXPERIENCES
PHOTOGRAPHY
EVENTS
BIZ OWNERS
LETTERHEADS
BUSINESS CARD
VEHICLES
PHYSICAL WORKING SPACE OF HEAD OFFICE

The other day I was at Costco. I went and drew $40 from the ATM and lined up at the food court. As the cash was still in my hand, I put $20 on the counter and the other $20 into my wallet. The cashier was busy counting the previous customers change (lots of coins), she scooped them up and put them into the till, along with my $20 bill. She asked me for my order, and then said it would be $3. I explained how she had already taken my money. She called the supervisor and explained the situation to. Then the cashier said “if what the customer is saying is true…” in which I quickly responded “what I am saying is true”. The supervisor also asked for my Costco ID for the record but did not explain why.

I was frustrated with my experience and wondered why they wanted my ID #, I started to be a little paranoid, was I now going to be black listed. Have you ever had to talk to the Police? I have and I sounded so guilty, I may as well have confessed that I had committed the crime (although for the record I did nothing). The same human nerves and paranoia kick in when at a cashier when something doesn’t go right, or you ask to talk to the manager. When I was at the Costco counter I even started to doubt my self, was I going crazy did I really give her the $20 bill. I had to check my wallet to make sure there was only one $20 bill in there and not two.

I was ready to leave and go home angry and frustrated, probably complaining to anyone who would care to listen for the rest of the day. It was in this moment I decided to change the direction of how my day was heading. I decided to talk to the manager. I explained that I had a negative interaction and wanted to communicate it to him in the hope that they could learn and grow from the experience. As customers, if we don’t give people feedback how can we expect them to learn (they being the company and the individual), also if the manager does a good job your frustrations are subsided and you can go home in a more positive mind set.

I explained to the manager what happened and said that in my opinion the lady who served me needed to not rush so much even though I understood why she was, it was busy, there was a big line up. I also said that her comment about “if what the customer is saying is true…” was way out of line. It left me feeling like I was on trial and was not being believed, it felt like that “the customer is always guilty until proven otherwise”. I also suggested it would have made a difference if the supervisor explained in detail why they wanted my Costco ID number. The manager was great, he never made any excuses, thanked me for the feedback, genuinely apologized and I was on my way feeling that I had been heard and a lot less frustrated than I was a few minutes earlier.

As a customer, it is always good to remember that the manager is not the one who gave you poor customer service, try not to bite their head off, you will probably get better service this way too.

As a manager it is your job to listen, to be genuine about the customers concerns or complaint and to relieve their concerns. Remember NEVER make excuses for your staff as the frustrated customer does not want or need to hear it. In fact you don’t need to say much more than “we’re sorry that you had that experience, we will rectify that situation immediately, and thank you for taking the time for giving us the feedback, it takes commitment on your part and we appreciate that”.

If the situation deserves it offer a gift card or some other type of compensation, it is amazing how quick this can rebuild a customers loyalty. If you are able to obtain their address send them a follow up letter again thanking them for their time and give them an update of the changes you have made based on their feedback.

The old phrase ‘A little goes a long way’ is very appropriate when it comes to customer service.

You can spend years building a strong brand for your company and it can be demolished within a few seconds if the customer experiences bad service. On the flip side, if you have complained about poor service, an apologetic and authentic manager can help to restore some of your brand loyalty.

We can all relate, we have all received bad customer service. It can be shocking, leave you angered, or worse of all have you vow never to shop there again. You will often share with people about your negative experience, implanting a negative association to your brand in their minds too.

Customer service is the responsibility of the company. As a business owner or manager it is up to you to hire well and to train your staff in customer service focused methods. Inspire your team to want to deliver good customer service (even if they are having a bad day) and manage the situation to ensure that all your staff are delivering the required customer experience consistently.

On the flip side you may also experience exceptional customer service. A few months ago I was shopping at Save On Foods and was served by a delightful lady probably in her early 50’s. I had my bicycle with me at the time and she enquired into my day and my ride. It was not the usual generic “how are you” that we tend to revert to in Northern America, it was a genuine conversation, we joked, laughed and connected, it was very refreshing.

My personal commitment is to also ‘report’ great customer service to managers too. I avoid asking the cashier if I can see the manager as this can have them think they did something wrong. Instead I will go to the customer service counter and ask there.

I enjoy seeing the manager’s face when they realize that it is a compliment you are talking about and not a complaint. I communicated how I received great service from Maggie and that the customer service initiatives they have in place for their staff are working well.

Exceptional customer service has never been more important than in today’s tight economic times. The amount of people looking for a job has increased substantially in the last year. Competition is fierce. Teens are now competing for jobs against people in their 50’s. The older generation were raised in an era of customer service, they shopped and worked in local, small shops where people knew your name. Who would you rather be served by, a more mature person who is customer focused, cares and wants to make a connection with you, or a younger person who doesn’t say please or thank you and is giving you attitude as they are having a bad day? As stated earlier, if you are the one hiring, hire well, question who is more likely to deliver your brand message and service to your customer. If you are applying for a job, review your work ethics and ask your self why they would hire you out of all the strong competition, what is going to differentiate you.

Finally, if you are the customer, I believe it is time we take a stand and demand better customer service. The best way to do this is to give feedback to store managers (and if it’s the manager you received poor service from then talk with the head office). Lets report poor service but just as importantly celebrate and communicate the great service we receive. Lets share with our friends and colleges what we are doing and encourage them to do the same. If we want good or even exceptional customer service it is in our hands as customers, as managers, as business owners and as employees to demand this and be proactive in making it happen.

At the end of the day, customer service is relatively simple, be genuine, be polite, give a little extra and go beyond the expectation of the customer and most importantly, remember that the customer is always right.

Let’s strive for a community where a $20 bill never disappears again.