Halloween is coming soon. Kids are starting to think about “who ‘ya gonna be this year,” doorbells and knocks, candles in pumpkins, goblins and witches, bats and spiders, oh my! Parents are thinking about sugar highs, yard decorations, and too many visitors. But, the phrase that most characterizes the season of scare is “trick or treat.” The front door command literally means, “Give me a treat or be prepared to be the victim of my trick.”
Customers have their own form of the Halloween ritual. In fact, every time a customer deals with a service provider, they are essentially saying, “Give me the treat of service with value or be prepared to be the victim of my trick.” “Treat” to the customer means service that is personalized and effortless. It includes ensuring real or implied promises are always made. And, it involves a service provider connecting with them via the timing, tone, and manner they prefer.
And, the trick side of service Halloween? We all know the pace and power the customer’s wrath can be felt on social media. We all are fully aware of the impact on bottom lines of customers simply choosing to take their business elsewhere. But, the “trick” that is the most ghoulish is this one: their disposition can erode the pride and passion of the most crucial people in the organization—the front line. Their reach and reporting can cause employees to hide their company name tags standing in the grocery line. With deterioration of pride comes the decline of performance. The vicious cycle ultimately leads to mediocre people who remain doing mediocre work.
So, when customers ring your organization’s doorbell and say, “trick or treat,” you better be ready with the prize of meeting their need while providing a great service experience.
image by pexels via pixabay