55 words or 10 phrases customers rarely hear (part 2)When someone thanks you, the courteous and polite reply is, ‘you’re welcome’. If you hold the door open for someone and they say ‘thank you’, respond, ‘you're welcome’. It feels great to hear it and great to say it. Take for example the signature phrase ‘my pleasure’ used by staff in genuinely classy establishments. It does sound better than the frequently abused ‘no problem’. Some may argue ‘what’s the big deal?’ However, there is a profoundly subtle difference. The former response reminds employees that service under any circumstances should be regarded as a ‘pleasure’. Whilst the casual laid-back phrase, ‘no problem’ although intended to communicate this, falls woefully short. Infact, It actually negates the person’s appreciation and implies the situation could have been a problem under other circumstances. Like it or not, ‘no problem’ is a problem. It is a phrase that can sound unpolished and very unprofessional. The bottom-line is that what we say to customers can impact on how customers view us. More seriously, what we DON’T say to customers - can have a disastrous impact on how customers judge us. In part 1 of the above captioned article, I wrote of the welcome letter a guest received upon checking in at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Florida. Let me explain the benefits of using phrases 10, 9 and 8 in that welcome letter.
The TEN most important words: “I apologise for our mistake. Let me make it right”. For most of us apologising can be a difficult thing to do. While we are quick to demand an apology; we are reluctant to offer it. So, why is it so hard to say ‘I’m sorry’? Is it because we don’t care or that we don’t know how to apologise? Personally, I consider it to be a combination of both! How often have you complained about something – only to be greeted by a stony faced steward or salesman? No longer do we say "I'm sorry" when we accidentally bump into someone on the street. We Sri Lankans live in a society, where the values of good manners and basic courtesies are no longer instilled at home, neither at school nor are they cherished. Those holding power and position feel that initiating an apology is a sign of weakness and leaves them vulnerable. Some people find saying they’re sorry humiliating. Lesser mortals simply equate saying “I’m sorry” with admitting they're inadequate or incompetent. Perhaps they were criticized harshly during their upbringing or by their supervisor or peer at work, and, as a result, avoid admitting mistakes because of the traumatic feelings it brings up. We need to recognise that we all make mistakes. Nobody is perfect. So, saying ‘I’m sorry’ shouldn’t be hard - should it? I guess we need to educate people - especially those in the service sector. Apologising properly is both a science and an art. The science is in finding out what went wrong (listening) and the art is where the verbal apology, rather than become a reflex or automatic response, requires that you be prepared for the conversation that will follow the apology, based on the recipient's reaction-whether it is positive or negative. So one has to be prepared to think on one’s feet! On that rare occasion one gets an apology – it stops there! What is skipped entirely is the part where they need to find out what they can do to set things right. But then again, I may be setting the bar too high! For starters I’ll settle for that genuine apology. For those managers who find it discomforting to offer an apology, my advice to you - make sure you don’t have mistakes occurring during your watch!
The NINE most important words: "Thank you for your business. Please come back again." Be there for your guest – not only when they arrive… but also when they leave! Remembering to thank a current customer for their business or diners for their patronage is a rare treat for people these days. Enhancing customer engagement should be a key focus of your business. In order to be successful, it is not enough to just attract new customers you have to make sure your existing customer base is happy and engaged with your product or service. These nine words trigger recall that you care and that their business means something to you. David Ogilvy, one of the legends of the advertising business, and the founder of Ogilvy & Mather New York, had high customer service expectations for his staff. One of the things he insisted upon was "We don't walk our clients to the elevator, we walk them to the street."In other words, after meetings, he expected his staff to thank and walk their clients - not just out to the elevator - but all the way down to the street, and help them hail a cab. And in the skyscrapers of New York, that is no small courtesy. Ogilvy & Mather believed in hiring people not just for their intelligence, but for their manners.
The EIGHT most important words: "I'm not sure, but I will find out." Your staff can’t sell what they don’t know. Make sure they understand the menu. They should know ingredients: Does it have cream in it? How is the dish prepared? Is it deep fried, grilled, or sautéed? Does it come with a side? Is it gluten-free? If you are affected by celiac disease, it is likely that you will quiz the staff and no doubt irritate the chef with a barrage of seemingly petty questions, “is the mustard in the honey and mustard glaze wheat free and is the vinegar in the salad dressing pure malt, distilled malt or spirit?” Celiac disease is an immune disease in which people can't eat gluten because it will damage their small intestine. Any person suffering from celiac disease finds this to be extremely isolating and rarely do they go to a restaurant without suffering afterwards. Further, this ailment and people having several other special diets is now common and today is a must-know thing to restaurant staff – especially those employed in award winning establishments. Know your menu inside and out, or at least the easier to describe items listed in it. Recently, I entertained my friend from Sydney at the fine dining restaurant of a boutique hotel that claims to be the courtyard in our capitol. On its website it proudly proclaims “If ever you are undecided on what you should choose, from the array of culinary extravagance on the menu, you can always look to staff knowledge and attentiveness – they are ever poised to make you feel at home.” When ordering from the menu, my friend enquired from the steward about the ‘Arrabbiata’ sauce. We knew itis a spicy sauce for pasta made from garlic, tomatoes, and red chili peppers cooked in olive oil – but the steward kinda struggled to explain it! The closest he came, was to say that “it is a reddish sauce”. We didn’t push any further but our steward had missed the cue when he should have said the eight most important words:"I'm not sure, but I will find out." Rather than stammering as you try to come up with something on the spot, acknowledge that you don't have the information — but that you're going to get it…it will at least make customers understand this and respect your honesty for admitting it. To be continued
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