1. business and industrial

The Customer Service Expert: How
To Tell Your Restaurant Employees
To Be Better (It’s So Easy!)
i
The New Essential Customer Service Techniques For
Waiters! Develop a Large, Loyal Audience That Values Your
Unique Style and Services beyond the Restaurant— and Earn
Joy, Personal Power, and Huge Tips
ii
About the author
My name is LeeAnne Homsey and I have spent my entire
adult life managing restaurants. During my career I had the
great fortune to work for the owners of Tao, Docks, Sorbet’s,
Canastel's and Marseille to manage and motivate their great
N.Y.C. restaurant staff to record high sales and tips.
After twenty five plus years of observing guest/server
interactions I feel strongly that there are better, easier ways
for servers to make more money and with more integrity.
Never having the time or energy to do anything about it
while managing, I finally afforded myself the time to compile
these ideas and get them into book form and into the hands of
the people who could benefit the most. In writing the book, I
realized there are so many people how could use this
information now, not a year or two from now when I finally
get published.
This book, my tools and my 2 hour workshops are my tools
to get more money into the hands of servers and bartenders
who work so hard every day. Three years went into the
research for the tools and seminars I have created. Every
concept has been tested and retested personally. I hope that
anyone in a FOH position can benefit from my years, my
trials & errors, my tips and my utmost respect for those
dealing with customers.
I felt it was important to get my ideas "out there" as soon as
possible because to help even one server to make a bigger tip
iii
or make his/her life easier, would make me successful. Since
I am not a writer by profession, please keep in mind the goal
of this book is not to entertain but to make life richer and
easier you in every endeavor of your life. Your restaurant job
is simply the foundation to put these tools into practice and
begin creating a client base of your own for your passions
outside of the restaurant business.
So far I have developed easy tools to show waiters and
bartenders the personal benefits they receive in seeing the
industry and their jobs differently from the past.
In one week servers develop a solid foundation that will have
customers coming in early, requesting them, giving a much
larger tip and leaving much happier, wanting to return sooner
and more often!
They see how to create great tipping, regular customers who
know them by name and experience V.I.P. status which the
customer is anxious to share with friends and colleges.
Servers know guests by name as well and enjoy more
integrity, higher morale and more money.
I've created easy tools that waiters and bartenders can use
which are right at their finger -tips or in their backpacks!
Tools which make the guest feel more personally connected
to them, more likely to treat him better, leave a larger tip and
feeling the need to return more often with more guests.
I want to help waiters understand the huge money making
opportunities they have every minute they are awake and in
any business they venture into. They will use these tools for
the rest of their lives
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
v
1
Standard Waiters vs. Superstars
Pg 2
2
Creating an Experience
Pg 5
3
Owning Your Own Business Within a Business
Pg 7
4
Grab Them!
Pg 8
5
Exchange Names
Pg 10
6
Thank You
Pg 13
7
Leveraging the Incomplete Party
Pg 17
8
Meet the Neighbors
Pg 18
9
Hollywood Hook-Up
Pg 22
10
Pay Attention
Pg 25
11
Leveraging Special Occasions
Pg 29
v
12
Know Your History
Pg 32
13
Manage Introductions
Pg 34
14
The Dollars Are in the Details
Pg 36
15 Your Restaurant: The Info For Waiters Owners
vi
Pg 42
vii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
For all the restaurant employees who work and smile
tirelessly every day to reach your goals thank you for helping
shape this book, my career and me.
viii
1
Chapter 1:
Standard Waiters vs. Superstars
Standard waiters experience their guests as a stream of
nameless people who come and go. At the end of a meal
these servers take the 20% of the bill left to them, instantly
forget everything about that meal, and simply move on to the
next one.
If you use my techniques, however, you’ll create an audience
of customers who come specifically to be served by
you...over and over again. They’re not going to be
anonymous, and they’re not going to be forgotten. They’re
going to become passionately involved with you, appreciate
your efforts...and typically leave you substantially more than
a 20% tip.
While it might seem like a no-brainer that it’s better to be
fully appreciated for your unique style and higher paid for
your work than to be a virtually invisible and interchangeable
servant collecting a standard tip, I often get resistance from
actors, singers, comics, and other stage & screen performers.
They feel uncomfortable putting substantial effort into their
waiter jobs when it’s something they’re doing just to pay
bills until their careers take off. If this applies to you, please
know this feeling is fundamentally unhelpful, for several
reasons.
First, the principles I’ll be teaching you about becoming a
superstar waiter can also be applied to becoming a superstar
performer.
2
Think of your restaurant as a theatre. All your fellow waiters
are on the same stage; but you’re going to turn the audience
members into fans of you specifically. As you build your
personal fan base at the restaurant, these audiences will be
returning over and over again to enjoy more of your
performances...and the special memories that only you are
providing them.
Also think about what an incredible advantage in attitude this
gives you from your peers. The vast majority of performers
resent their day jobs, and so they tackle them grudgingly,
exerting the barest amount of effort needed and no more.
After they’ve spent most of their time filled with negativity
and a closed heart, and actively avoiding giving their
restaurant audiences an extra special experience, how well do
you think they’re going to do when they’re at an audition for
a huge role? How much of a positive attitude and superstar
vibe do you think they’ll be able to muster when it counts
most for making their dreams come true?
Plus you never know who’s going to wander into your
station. Sometimes you’ll get customers who can actually
help your performance career—especially if you’re working
in a major entertainment center such as New York or Los
Angeles. How much more likely are they to do that if you
dazzle them as a superstar while waiting on them?
Another factor is very straightforward: money. Why
wouldn’t you want to make a lot more cash at the job you’re
already doing?
3
It’s common for performers to spend hundreds of dollars on
courses such as “The Business of Acting” that end up having
little or no effect on their lives. If you follow this book’s
advice, it’ll have a dramatic positive impact on the business
you spend most of your time conducting—pleasing
customers. And the more you earn the more freedom you’ll
have to pursue your performance career.
Finally, you’ll actually have more fun at your day job
following my techniques. You’ll fill your station with
customers who haven’t simply wandered in off the streets,
but are fans coming to enjoy you and your special gifts for
making audiences happy.
Then again, if you aren’t currently striving to work in show
business, you may find my techniques give you so many
opportunities to practice being a performer before a wide
range of audiences that you may eventually develop the
desire to try out your skills on larger stages.
Either way, you should never feel that you’re “betraying”
your dreams by turning your waiter job into a happy,
fulfilling, and lucrative daily experience. If you’re truly
committed to a career outside of a restaurant, then you don’t
need to be miserable to make that happen. On the contrary,
the more you nourish yourself with positive energy and a
growing bank account, the more likely you are to achieve
everything you’re after.
4
Chapter 2:
Creating an Experience
When personal computers first sold to mass audiences in the
1980s, they were all pretty similar—grey, text-based, and
focused on delivering functionality. Then Apple came out
with its Macintosh, which looked more like a work of art
than a data cruncher; and which focused on not only getting a
job done, but on providing a memorable experience carefully
crafted to make people happy every single time they used it.
A similar situation exists today in restaurant service. Most
waiters are trained to be nameless, interchangeable servers
who perform a straightforward job of delivering food and
drinks, and otherwise are instantly forgettable. What this
book will teach you to do is become the waiter equivalent of
an Apple Macintosh (or iPhone, or iPad, or whatever your
favorite device is). You’ll be serving food as efficiently as
anyone, but you’ll also be creating a wonderful experience
for your customers, fueled by your unique personality and
style, that will make them want to come back to you over and
over again.
You’ll start off treating every customer who comes to your
station like a VIP. You’ll find some people don’t merit star
status, and that’s fine; you’ll simply refrain from using your
customer retention techniques on them. For the customers
who you find do deserve your special care, though, you’ll be
empowered to hold onto them. After you do this for a
5
while, your station will be filled with returning customers
who appreciate and reward you for being extraordinary, and
for making their every visit a special one.
Over time, you’ll find that making your customers feel like
VIPs will make you feel like a superstar. You’ll also find that
trying to make every meal a memorable experience will
make your time at work creatively challenging and fun...and
very financially rewarding.
6
Chapter 3:
Owning Your Own Business within a Business
Being a waiter in a restaurant puts you in a wonderfully
unique position. You can think of yourself as owning your
own business—but with zero overhead.
That’s because you don’t have to pay for business rent,
utilities, food, beverages, cooks, hosts, inventory
maintenance, accounting, or anything else. The restaurant
you’re in does all that for you.
All you have to do is show up within that larger business, and
focus like a laser beam on your personal product—which is
your service.
If you do a great job of creating a unique experience for
customers with your service, than they’ll compensate you for
it. And the more you grow your business by attracting loyal
customers, the more you’ll earn.
Meanwhile, you’re investing almost no money in building
your business (aside from small expenses such as business
cards), and you’re at no risk.
How many other jobs let you run a business within a
business?
When looked at the right way, this is a sweet deal...if you’re
prepared to take full advantage of it.
7
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Chapter 4:
Grab Them!
Right now you probably focus only on your station, and on
whatever customers happen to wander into it.
What I want you to do instead is start being proactive by
“Grabbing” customers.
I know this runs counter to traditional training. Waiters are
taught to stand against the wall with their hands behind their
backs until a customer is seated at their station. But seriously,
if I walked into your house, would you be doing that? Or
would you be saying, “Hey, come in! Let me take your coat!”
That’s how an owner greets a guest. And as the owner of
your business within a business, that’s what you should do.
Stay close to the restaurant entrance, and keep an eye out for
customers who are loaded down with umbrellas (when it’s
raining), or bags or packages (especially during holiday
shopping seasons), or even heavy coats (during cold
weather). Help these customers out as soon as they set foot in
the door.
At that point you’re not just a waiter anymore; you’re a
considerate individual who’s going above and beyond to be
helpful.
9
Now the customer is almost obliged to have a conversation
with you. You can kick it off with, “Welcome! Thanks for
coming in. Is there a reservation under which I can check you
in?” If the reply is, “Yes, it’s Mr. Buckley,” turn to your
hostess and say, “Ashley, this is Mr. Buckley. I’m going to
go check his things. Do you know where he’s sitting so I can
bring the coat check ticket over to him?”
The hostess probably doesn’t know where he’s sitting—
which is great. Because when she says, “I’m not sure,” you
can say, “Well, I hope Mr. Buckley is sitting with me”—and
then leave!
If you’ve encountered the sort of customer you want, he’s
likely to be thinking, “Wow; no one else in this restaurant has
helped me with the door. Nobody has helped me with my
coat. No one else has introduced me to the hostess. And
there’s only one waiter who knows my name.” And so he’ll
turn to the hostess and say, “Yes, I’d liked to be seated at one
of her tables, thanks.”
Now you’ve got someone at your station who appreciates
you for being more than just a waiter. You haven’t even
taken his order, but you’ve already established a positive
relationship and a feeling from your customer that he owes
you above and beyond your 20% tip.
Another advantage of this “Grab them!” technique is that
during the slow hours, such as the pre-dinner period, it allows
you to steer customers to your station who you might
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otherwise lose to random placement. That means more
service, and more tips, every day.
Because this isn’t typical behavior, your fellow waiters may
tell you that you’re nuts: “What are you thinking, doing more
than you have to?! We never go out of our way to create
extra work for ourselves!”
But you know what—who cares what they think? This is
about you setting yourself apart from your peers. Because not
only will you end up with a bigger tip, but these customers
are likely to come back specifically to enjoy more of your
VIP service—and continue tipping you big.
While all the other waiters are hoping to get standard tips
from strangers, you’ll eventually be waiting on a steady
stream of customers who you’ve turned into your fans, and
who are coming to the restaurant primarily so they can be
served by you.
11
Chapter 5:
Exchange Names
When I’m providing a service to a customer, I want that
customer to know my name, and I want to know the
customer’s name. This lays the foundation for a continuing
relationship.
Again, lurking by the door is a great way to accomplish this.
When a customer comes in, you can say, “May I check you
in?”
The customer might reply, “Yes, my name is Johnson.”
Now you have his name. “Hello, Mr. Johnson,” you reply.
“This is Ashley, our hostess.”
Next, say to the hostess, “Oh, I hope Mr. Johnson is sitting
with me”—and walk away!
If Mr. Johnson responds appropriately by telling the hostess
he wants to be seated in your station, then you’ve got him as
a customer. (And if he doesn’t, he’s probably not the kind of
VIP guest you’re looking for...)
Once Mr. Johnson is seated, wait until he asks you for
something even slightly beyond the norm. When he does,
work in your name. For example:
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“Can I have another napkin?”
“Of course! You’re in LeeAnne’s (use your name instead of
mine) station! You can have whatever you want!”
or
“Can I have an extra slice of lemon?”
“Of course! You’re in LeeAnne’s station! I’ll get it for you
right away.”
Service isn’t simply saying “yes” and going the extra mile.
It’s about doing the unexpected to create a memorable,
wonderful experience for the customer.
When you stick your name into your sentences, and make a
customer feel he could’ve had a whole lemon tree if he’d
asked for it because he’s at your table, you’re giving him a
reason to remember his meal...and to come back so he can
enjoy another wonderful experience from you.
You never want to sound canned when you provide your
name. It always has to come from the heart.
If your customers perceive you as authentic, then they’ll start
using your name—and not in an arrogant, finger-snapping
way, but graciously—and you’ll have established a lovely
relationship.
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When that happens, go to the hostess after the customer
leaves and say, “Just so you know, Mr. Johnson has
requested me as his server.” She’ll then link Mr. Johnson’s
name to yours, so any reservation he makes in the future will
be placed in your station. That’s a customer you now have
for life.
There’s one more major thing you need to do, though: Make
sure you remember Mr. Johnson’s name and details. If the
next time he comes in you don’t recall his name, that’ll be
worse than if you never learned his name in the first place.
Of course, because you’ll be meeting dozens of new
customers a week, it’ll be nearly impossible to remember
each of their names without some help. So during your next
break, in either a paper notebook or mobile device, write
down Mr. Johnson’s name, the date and time he came in,
which table he was sitting at, a brief description of him
(height, weight, hair color, type of clothing—whatever will
help you remember him), and anything notable about your
time with him (e.g., his food preferences; for more on this,
see “The Dollars Are in the Details” chapter). This written
record will be a lifesaver whenever Mr. Johnson returns—
because you’ll be studying your list of names every night,
and doing your best to memorize each key customer.
Something else to do when you get home is back up your list.
If you’ve written your information in a paper notebook,
transfer it to a Word document on your home computer. If
you’ve typed it into a mobile device, copy that file to your
14
computer. This information is gold to your business, so treat
it that way by always having backup copies.
Finally, if you care to go the extra mile, briefly search for a
photo of Mr. Johnson via Google Images, Facebook, or
Flickr.com, and add that picture to your profile of him. That
might sound like a lot of work, but if an image is available
online you can usually find it in a few minutes, and then copy
& paste it into your Word document in seconds. If you’re like
most people, you’ll find it easier to recognize Mr. Johnson
the next time he comes in when you have his picture right
next to his name and description.
If you follow the advice in this chapter week after week, your
station will be filled with steady customers who are there to
specifically enjoy you, make you feel special while you’re
making them feel special, and tip big. Meanwhile, your
fellow waiters will be standing around idly and just hoping
some strangers who walk in are assigned to their tables.
15
Chapter 6:
Thank You
Many restaurants train their staff to respond to both a
customer request and a customer’s thanks with “Absolutely!”
I vehemently disagree with this—because that response
makes it sound as if whatever you’ve been asked to do is
nothing.
If a customer says, “Can I have an extra slice of lemon?” and
you reply “Absolutely!” it dismisses the effort you’ll be
making—and that’s neither accurate not helpful to you. It’s
effectively saying, “I cut lemons and bring them to tables all
day long, whether you’re here or not.”
It is some effort to go into the kitchen and cut off another
slice of lemon. Maybe the chef is pissed off, and he’s like,
“What are you doing in here? You’re taking up too much
room!” Maybe there’s a long walk from the kitchen to the
customer’s table, and while passing a different server’s
station another customer flags you down for a favor. You
sliced and delivered the lemon specifically for your
customer; and you deserve to score points for it.
Hospitality isn’t pretending that you’re doing nothing. It’s
about letting your customers know that you are doing
something for them, so they can feel special and cared for.
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So what do you say instead of “Absolutely!”?
In response to the request, get your name in. “Of course!
You’re in LeeAnne’s station! (Using your name rather than
mine). I’ll get it for you right away.” That tells the customer
you’re ready to go above and beyond for her because you’re
special, and you’ll always treat her as special too.
When you deliver the item and the customer says, “Thank
you,” respond with “Thank you.”
That’s effectively saying, “Yes, it was an effort; but thank
you for being here.” And it’s also saying, “Thank you for
letting me provide this service to you...because I know your
tip will reflect it. Thank you in advance for that bump above
20%.”
Whether the customer subconsciously picks up on either
meanings or just the first one, at least you’re not dismissing
your effort with a robotic “Absolutely!” (As in “No problem!
I love cutting lemons!”). Even a polite “You’re welcome” is
dismissive, because it’s so instantly forgettable (“You’re
welcome, I do this all time, and it’s as automatic for me as
this response...”).
A reply of “Thank you” isn’t the norm, and that makes it
stand out.
And what you want to do as a server is stand out from the
crowd—albeit in a positive way that affirms how special both
you and your customers are.
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Chapter 7:
Leveraging the Incomplete Party
Customers will frequently rendezvous at your restaurant—
which means one of them will arrive before the other (for a
couple) or others (for a group). This common situation is
referred to as an “incomplete party”—and it’s an opportunity
for you to take what you’ve learned so far to another level.
Let’s say the first to arrive is Ms. Reed, and she’s meeting
two male business associates. Because you’re using the
“Grab them!” technique, you’ve greeted her at the door; and
because you’re using the “Exchange Names” technique,
you’ve already gotten Ms. Reed’s name.
Now you have an opportunity to take things a step further.
Once she’s settled, pass by again and say, “Ms. Reed, I know
you’re waiting for some colleagues. What are your guests’
names? I’ll tell the hostess and make sure that you all
connect right away.”
Its possible Ms. Reed will decline your offer, saying, “Oh,
don’t worry about it, I’ll see them when they come in.” But
because you’ve already extended her some other courtesies,
she’s more likely to say, “Their names are Mr. Marston and
Mr. Winston. Thank you.”
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This is your chance to reply, “Thank you. My name is
LeeAnne (substituting your own name). If you need
anything, please just ask for me.”
At this point, the chances are Ms. Reed is thinking, “Wow,
this LeeAnne really knows how to provide service. I’m going
to sit at her table.”
Meanwhile, you definitely should tell the hostess, because
Ms. Reed’s colleagues might arrive at a moment when you’re
busy serving other customers, and you need to keep your
word.
But if you happen to be at the door when someone new
comes in who fits your expectations—in this case, a male
businessman—don’t hesitate to go up and say, “Oh, are you
Mr. Marston or Mr. Winston?” With luck he’ll reply, “Why,
yes, I’m Mr. Winston. How did you—wow, thank you! This
is service.” You can then reply, “I’m LeeAnne, and I’ll be
taking care of you tonight. Right this way, Mr. Winston.”
Then bring him to the table where Ms. Reed is waiting and
pull out his chair for him.
And repeat this process when Mr. Marston arrives.
You now have license to use the names of all three customers
for the rest of their dining experience—and establish a
relationship with each of them.
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For example, as you’re walking by, even if you’re busy, you
can just casually say, “Ms. Reed and Mr. Winston, how’s that
steak? It’s amazing tonight, right? They must have gotten
those cows from Heaven!”—and then walk away! What
you’re saying to everyone else in the restaurant is that Ms.
Reed and Mr. Winston are VIPs. Both of these customers
will appreciate that.
Then on your next pass by the table, say something positive
about Mr. Marston’s dish so he feels included too.
If you do little things like this throughout during the meal,
you’re likely to get higher than 20% for your tip—and
because there are multiple people at the table, that’ll add up.
Finally, when you can grab a few spare minutes, jot down the
names and descriptions of all the customers in the party—
because it’s possible any or all of them will come back
another evening to enjoy more of your special brand of
service and you’ll need to be able to remember the name of
each one.
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Chapter 8:
Meet the Neighbors
Until now I’ve been focusing on customers who happen to
come into your establishment. You needn’t restrict yourself
to walk-in business, though. Like any entrepreneur, you
should attract customers using every option available to
you—and there’s a whole world right outside your restaurant.
The next time you head for work, leave an hour early and
take some time to explore the neighboring stores and services
in your area.
What you’ll probably find is that there are businesses all
around you serving hundreds of customers daily.
And what you want to do is start steering those customers
your way.
Your best opportunities are with vendors whose service
complements yours. For example, if there’s a convenience
store that sells coffee and donuts every morning, it’s getting a
steady stream of customers who are used to buying
nourishment in the area. It won’t be a big leap to persuade a
certain percentage of them to try out your restaurant.
Also look for stores that target the same type of customer as
your establishment. For example, if you’re working for an
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upscale restaurant catering to businesspeople, look for places
that sell elegant suits, or high-end handbags, or thousanddollar shoes. If you’re working at a restaurant promoting
natural ingredients, look for health food stores, juice bars,
and fruit & vegetable stores. If your restaurant caters to those
who love the arts, look for nearby bookstores, music stores,
movie theaters, stage theatres, and comedy clubs.
Give yourself a week or more to explore your area. As you
do, make a list of the places that attract the kind of customers
you’re after.
Also, if you don’t already have business cards, get them
made now. (You can obtain them locally, or online through a
service such as Vistaprint.com that frequently offers
discounted pricing.)
The card should have your name very prominently displayed
at the top or center.
Below it, in smaller letters, should appear the name, address,
and phone number of your restaurant.
In other words, what you’re emphasizing is you and your
service. What you need to make clear, both on your card and
when talking to people, is that the star attraction isn’t your
restaurant; it’s you.
In addition, include contact information you’ve created
specifically for your restaurant customers (versus family,
22
friends, non-restaurant career contacts, etc.). This can consist
of an email address, a phone number, a blog or website URL
and a Facebook page. (The FB page is especially important;
see the “Leveraging Special Occasions” chapter.) This is
information customers can use to contact you independent of
your restaurant. That matters because if you and the
restaurant ever part ways, you shouldn’t have to start from
scratch attracting new customers. If anyone misses your
service, they’ll be able to contact you and learn where you’ve
relocated.
When your business cards are ready, start visiting each local
vendor on your list, and try to develop a personal relationship
with the owner and/or staffers.
For example, if you drink coffee, consider buying it from the
coffee & donut shop that has hundreds of people streaming
through it each morning. After the owner has gotten to know
your face, come in one day during a period when her
business isn’t busy and strike up a conversation. “You
know,” you might say, “I work in the restaurant across the
street. If anyone ever comes in looking for a place to eat,
please send them over and have them ask for LeeAnne
(substitute your own name).” Hand over your card, and add,
“Also tell them to mention your name. Especially if they
come in between 5:00 and 6:00, which is when things are
more relaxed, I’ll be sure to treat them right.”
If being that straightforward makes you uncomfortable,
though, here’s another way to go. Start off by complimenting
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the people and the product they’re selling: “You guys are so
nice to me. And your coffee is so great; it gets me through
the day.” Then work in what you do: “I’m always running
around at my restaurant, right across the street. Your coffee is
my fuel. Maybe I can do something for you in turn.” At this
point pull out your card. “I’m LeeAnne. If you ever want to
come in between 5:00 and 6:00 pm, before we get super
busy, I will totally hook you up. And if you have any
customers you like who you want to send over, I’ll do the
same for them. Just tell them to ask for me and to mention
your name. I’ll make sure they have a great experience too.”
Write down “Come between 5:00 and 6:00 pm for special
service” on the back of the card, and then hand the card over.
Notice that you haven’t promised anything crazy, like buying
someone dinner. You’ve simply pledged to deliver something
beyond the norm—a memorable experience. And that’s what
you want to provide to everyone.
Also notice that you’re instructing the vendor to have people
mention not only your name but her name. On a practical
level, that helps you keep track of who’s sending you the
most business, so you know who to keep encouraging. But
beyond that, it makes the vendor feel good. If you give her
the sense that her name carries weight in your restaurant,
then she feels like a VIP—and who doesn’t enjoy being made
to feel special?
Further, notice that you’re steering business to fill your slow
period. If you’ve got more customers than you know what to
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do with during lunch and dinner hours, it doesn’t really help
you to get in more customers then—let alone ones who
expect special treatment. But if they come in during a period
when you otherwise wouldn’t be earning a dime, then not
only will they be super welcome, but you’ll actually have the
time to give them extra attention.
And once the great job you do get back to the vendor who
recommended you, she’s likely to send yet more customers
your way.
Another benefit of this strategy is that the customers you get
through it are likely to be on their best behavior. After all,
they’ve been referred by someone who they probably see and
conduct business with frequently; and you can report on them
just as easily as they can report on you. The fact you all share
a mutual acquaintance provides an incentive for everyone to
impress each other.
What do all these extra customers and local good will cost
you? Just some inexpensive business cards; and the time it
takes to cultivate positive relationships with the store owners
around you so that they effectively become your local
marketing campaign.
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Chapter 9:
Hollywood Hook-Up
Quite often, your customers completing their meal aren’t the
end of their evening; they’ll want to do something
afterwards. If you ever hear one of them saying, “Gee, I don’t
know where we should go once we’re done eating,” consider
it a golden opportunity.
You should be prepared to tell them, “There are some great
choices tonight. There’s a sample sale just next door, a poetry
reading down the block, a rock concert eight blocks south,
and a dance club two minutes from here that’s kind of
exclusive— except I can get you in with a phone call.”
If you can organize something for your guests—and
especially if you can promise them VIP treatment and/or
access to something relatively exclusive—they’re going to
see you with new eyes. Suddenly you’re not only their
waiter, you’re a concierge with connections who holds the
keys to their perfect evening.
Of course, this requires that you keep up with what’s
happening in your city. But you’ve already taken the first
steps for this in the previous chapter, “Meet the Neighbors.”
By exploring what’s available in your neighborhood, and
introducing yourself to the owners and staffers, you’ve
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begun to form valuable bonds. You can now take those
connections to the next level.
Scout out nearby locations again, but this time with an eye on
evening entertainments that might appeal to your customers.
Whenever you find one that appears to be a good fit,
approach the owner or manager, and offer to refer customers
from your restaurant in return for their receiving some sort of
VIP access or treatment. Because you’re in a position to send
over dozens of customers monthly, many owners will
(correctly) view it as a win-win situation for everyone
involved.
Also make a habit of starting each morning reading about
events in your city. For example, major cities such as New
York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Miami,
and Las Vegas have their most notable events described by
local editions of Time Out Magazine, as well as by daily
newspapers.
Don’t ignore blogs and websites, either. If you live in New
York, for example, the finest source of daily updated live
comedy information is BestNewYorkComedy.com, which is
entirely free; the best free sources of discounted Broadway
and off-Broadway tickets are
TDF.org and
BroadwayBox.com; and the best source of cheap access to
theatre is TheaterExtras.com, which for $99 a year lets
subscribers see select off-Broadway and Broadway shows for
a mere $4 per ticket.
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If you literally make it your business to keep up with what’s
happening in your area and around town, it’ll pay off for you
in concierge-level tips. I typically make these kinds of
“Hollywood hook-ups” a couple of times per night; and not
only does it substantially increase my income, but it helps
ensure that customers keep coming back to me for new
suggestions and connections.
Don’t restrict yourself to the world outside your restaurant,
either. You can also make impressive hook-ups using the
people you work with every day!
Specifically, if you have a table that’s celebrating and/or
spending a lot of money, and the owner of the restaurant
walks by, say, “Oh my gosh! Have you met the owner? Mr.
Kingsley, please come say hello to Marilyn. It’s her 21st
birthday, so this is a landmark night for her. Meeting you will
be the perfect highlight for her special celebration.” That
makes your boss feel special, and it makes everyone at the
table feel like celebrities with insider access. From this point
on them can walk into your restaurant anytime and truthfully
say that they know the owner. Who doesn’t enjoy that?
If the owner isn’t around, you can do something comparable
when your manager walks by.
Or you can go into the kitchen and—if he or she doesn’t
mind—grab the chef for a few minutes (after the chef dons a
clean jacket). Who doesn’t feel special sitting at a dining
table and having the chef standing by making small talk?
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You could say something like, “I just wanted you to meet the
artist who made all of this happen for you.” But your
customers will know that it was you who made it all happen;
and they’ll reward you for making them feel like bigwigs.
Further, they’ll make a point of coming back with more of
their colleagues and friends...because they now feel confident
that you’ll make seem look like VIPs to people they want to
impress.
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Chapter 10:
Pay Attention
Paying close attention to your customers may seem like such
obvious advice that you’re wondering why I’m even
mentioning it. But I can tell you from long experience that
very few waiters actually do this well.
For example, I’ll notice a customer is shivering, or has just
put on a jacket while inside the restaurant, because she’s
been placed right next to a drafty door. I’ll go up to her and
say, “I hope you don’t mind my noticing, but you seem cold.
Would you prefer another table?”
Along the same lines, if I see customers frowning, I’ll walk
by to eavesdrop. One time the snippet of conversation I
caught was, “This is awful. You can’t see anything from
here.” I didn’t hesitate to say, “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help
overhearing. If you like, I’ll be very happy to place you at a
table with a much more interesting view.”
I can’t tell you how grateful these customers were—and how
ridiculously they over tipped me later.
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Not all problems stem from the restaurant. But that doesn’t
matter; when guests are in your station, your job is to help
them out with whatever they need.
For example, I’ve sometimes seen customers fidget and come
over to learn that they’ve run out of cigarettes. “No
problem,” I tell them, “I can get them delivered for you in
about five minutes.” “Really?” they say, looking overjoyed.
“Of course, just tell me what brand you want.” Because I’ve
scoped out the neighborhood, I know precisely who to call
that delivers cigarettes; and when asking my customer for the
money to pay the delivery person, I simply tack on an extra
$5 for myself for the service.
There are hundreds of different reasons for individual
customers to become unhappy. What matters isn’t the
particular cause, but your noticing the discomfort and letting
them know they should never feel trapped or stuck when
you’re around—because you’ll always find some way to
offer them new and better choices.
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Chapter 11:
Leveraging Special Occasions
When you see customers arrive dressed up in some special
way, or carrying flowers, or loaded with gifts, this is another
great opportunity for you.
Go up to them as soon as they walk through the door and say,
“Wow, this looks like a special occasion! Tell me, what’s
going on?” The chances are one of them will be happy to
reply, “We’re celebrating our wedding anniversary!” or “It’s
my birthday!” or something comparable.
Without hesitating, respond, “That’s wonderful! I’m so
excited for you! Tell me, what’s your name?” This is actually
an unusual question for a waiter to be asking. But if you
deliver your response in the right tone, you create a vibe that
you’re celebrating with them, so it’s only natural you want to
know the name of the person whose special day it is.
After the customer answers with something like, “Oh, I’m
Megan,” you can proceed to say, “I’m so excited for you!
I’m going to make your meal super special.”
Depending on where you work, your restaurant might frown
on giving away a free slice of cake. But most kitchens have a
chocolate sauce or something else yummy that you can
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drizzle on a blank plate in the shape of the words “Happy
Birthday, Megan!”—with maybe a cookie and a candle in the
middle.
Alternatively, if Megan’s ordered a burger, you can draw
“Happy Birthday, Megan!” on a plate using mustard or
ketchup; or at minimum stick a candle into the burger. (If
your restaurant doesn’t have candles, buy some out of your
own pocket. Your investment will pay off in tips...)
So far you’ve done something that’s cost your restaurant
virtually nothing, but has created unexpected joy for your
customers. Your service has already gone beyond the norm.
But don’t stop there.
Since this is a special occasion, and your table is feeling extra
happy, this is a moment they’ll want to preserve—so offer to
do that for them!
Say, “This is so nice! Can I take a picture of you guys?” The
usual response will be, “Oh, yeah! Please do!” If they have a
camera, offer to take it from them so they can all be in the
shot. If they don’t, use a camera that you’ve made a habit of
taking into work for precisely moments like this one.
Once you’re holding a camera, you have a lot of power. So
say to them, “I do this conditionally. The first way is your
way, but the second way is LeeAnne’s (your name’s) way!”
Now you’ve injected a bit of fun suspense; plus you’ve
reminded them of your name.
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On the first shot, they’ll probably do what everybody does—
hold up their drinks, smile at the camera, and be sweet but
kind of boring.
When that’s over, say, “All right, the second way is
LeeAnne’s way. And if you like how this comes out, I want
you to post it on Facebook!”
With that extra bit of anticipation created, position things so
whatever special event plate or candle you’ve created for
them will be in the shot. Then tell them the following: “This
is your rock star cover photo. You have to point at the
camera and be angry rock stars.”
Point the camera at them and say, “Angrier! Angrier!!” This
is so much fun for grandparents or anybody that age, because
they grew up in the 1960s and 1970s when angry rock stars
were at their heyday. Besides, everybody’s got a little rock
star in them.
When your customers are sufficiently going “Arrr!”, and
sticking their fingers and/or tongues out, take the shot. (Or
take several, and then show them the best one.)
Chances are they’ll love it, because it’s so different; no one’s
directed them to pose that way before. So repeat, “If you like
this, I want you to put it up on Facebook.” Now add, “Please
also mention that it was taken by LeeAnne at (name of your
restaurant);” and so they don’t forget, hand each of them
your card.
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If they follow through, that photo will be an advertisement
for you for the hundreds of Facebook friends of each person
at that table.
Imagine that you do this several times a day. You’ll soon
have your name and restaurant associated with good times in
front of thousands of Facebook users; and it’ll have cost you
only a few extra minutes per table.
But you don’t even have to stop there. To take things to the
next level, carry around a small, portable device that can
shoot short but high-quality videos. You can then also
preserve your customers’ memories using motion and sound!
You should get your manager’s permission for this. But
assuming you receive a green light, you can tell the hostess
that whenever customers call in to reserve a table for any sort
of celebration, she should ask if they’d like their event
preserved by a 2-minute video, at no extra charge. Most
people will be thrilled to say “yes.” To make your life easier,
have the hostess add that for the best results they should
come in during non-rush hours (e.g., 4:00 pm-6:00 pm). And
to encourage the hostess to be your partner in this, tip her
something (say, $5) every time she gives you a party during
the pre-dinner period. (Your small incentive might spur the
hostess to ask everyone who calls, “By the way, are you
celebrating anything? Because we have a great videographer
on staff...”)
35
As a result, while other waiters are standing around idle
during the slowest period of the day, you’ll automatically be
assigned some of the most joyful customers the restaurant
gets in—and you’ll be making them extra happy by
preserving their celebration forever.
For example, one evening a customer named Bob wanted to
come in and celebrate his girlfriend Lisa’s birthday. I started
with the camera pointing at me saying, “I’m LeeAnne, your
server for the evening. Over there is Bob—he’s waiting for
you, Lisa. Bob’s created a really cool birthday event for
you.” I turned the camera on Bob, who said, “Hey Lisa!
We’re going to have a great celebration tonight!” And then I
cut.
I also shot a short scene when Lisa arrived; treated Lisa with
extra consideration during the meal; and included in her
dessert a chocolate-drizzled “Happy Birthday, Lisa!” and a lit
candle. Finally, I shot Lisa making a wish and blowing out
the candle.
Lisa assumed that Bob had arranged every detail, and was
highly impressed with how thoughtful he was—but the truth
is it was all my idea. How grateful do you think Bob was?
Very. And his tip expressed it.
But that’s not all...because I was the one with physical
possession of the video! So when I was able to get Bob alone
for a few moments, I said, “Let me get your email and your
Facebook address. I’ll upload the video to your Facebook
page; or, if your settings don’t allow for that,
36
send you the link so you can “share” it to your page and have
Lisa see it. I just want you to promise that if you like it,
you’ll mention on Facebook that it was shot by your waitress
LeeAnne.”
Notice that I’m not asking Bob to mention the name of my
restaurant. I’m also not mentioning it in the video. That’s
because, unlike photographs, videos contain spoken words
and so raise liability issues for the restaurant. In addition, a
high-quality restaurant probably won’t want to put its stamp
of approval on a low-res and rushed video. However, when I
post the video to my Facebook page I’ll include tags that let
people find me on Facebook—and so learn where I’m
working.
What all this means is that in addition to getting you a huge
tip, your video can end up creating thousands of dollars
worth of free Facebook advertising for you.
One warning: Don’t tell your fellow waiters about this. It’s a
pot of gold you want to keep to yourself.
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Chapter 12:
Know Your History
In previous chapters I’ve had you discover what’s in your
neighborhood and what’s happening around town. But it can
also be helpful to know the backstory of the very restaurant
you’re working in.
Many restaurants have colorful histories. Some have had
famous politicians or movie stars dine in them. Others have
been the scenes of dramatic clashes or calamities.
Whenever your owner has some spare time before or after
hours, ask for any interesting stories about how the restaurant
came to be, and if it played host to any memorable events.
Don’t stop there, either. Find out if the building the restaurant
is in, or any building nearby, has historical significance.
And learn whether the owner, the chef, or anyone else who
works with you has some wonderful stories in his or her past.
You can even ask whether the menu, the ethnicity of the food
being served, and the wine inventory have any tales to tell.
While verbal anecdotes are likely to be your best source of
information, don’t restrict yourself to them. Google
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your restaurant, and its key players, and jot down anything
that strikes you as fascinating.
When you’re looking for ways to break the ice with new
customers, these tales can be of immense value. For example,
one time I seated a couple in a corner, and they asked, “Oh,
can’t we sit by the window?” I could’ve simply
accommodated them, but instead I replied with an air of
mystery, “You don’t know about this place, do you?”
“What!? What are you talking about?”
“Well, that table by the window is the scene of the biggest
mob hit in New York.” This was absolutely true. “Only
certain really brave people are willing to sit there.” This was
a bit of an embellishment on my part; but to my mind anyone
who lives in New York is brave...
My customers were instantly hooked and wanted to know
every detail—while seated safely away from the window. I
shared with them the dark story, and they were riveted. Their
experience was transformed from a mere meal to living in the
shadow of a jolting event that they’d remember for the rest of
their lives.
How many people do you think they referred to me? And
how many more do you think came in from the referrals of
friends of friends of friends?
Never underestimate the power of a great story.
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40
Chapter 13:
Manage Introductions
Every now and then someone in the top management of your
restaurant will bring in friends or colleagues to dine. If these
guests are seated in your station, you’ll be able to do a better
job if proper introductions are made upfront.
Let’s say the guests are friends of the owner, whose name is
Dan. The usual, but wrong, way for Dan to bring them to
your table is to say, “This is LeeAnne. She’ll be your server
tonight.”
The right way to do it is for Dan to say, “This is LeeAnne.
Have you ever dined with her before? LeeAnne, these are my
friends John and Sam from college.”
On the surface it might seem like a small difference, but it’s
actually huge. The first introduction makes Dan the host and
you nothing but an employee who fetches dishes. But the
second introduction elevates you to being Dan’s co-host, and
gives you permission to address his guests by name. This
creates a much more relaxed and personal relationship. It also
makes Dan’s guests feel more like VIPs—because they aren’t
being served by a random server, but by someone Dan is
treating as a peer.
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If you feel you have the kind of open relationship with
management that allows you to request this, and then simply
take the pertinent person aside when things aren’t busy and
say, “Can you do me a favor and introduce me when you
have your personal guests at my station? It’ll help them feel
more at home if I start using their names right away and
when they feel welcome to use mine. Plus I want them to
know they can ask me for anything, even when you’re not at
the table.”
If you put the request in terms of being able to serve
esteemed guests more effectively, you’ll probably receive a
“yes.”
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Chapter 14:
The Dollars Are in the Details
This chapter offers a variety of additional ways in which you
can go so above and beyond the norm as a server to ensure
your top customers keep coming back to you...and
compensating you like the star you are.
In the “Exchange Names” chapter, you learned it’s a great
strategy to jot down and memorize customer names. If that’s
as much as your memory can manage, then stop there,
because it’s much, much worse to get a fact wrong than to
never bring it up in the first place.
If you have a mind that’s great at recalling details, though—
for example, if you’re a stage performer who’s practiced at
memorizing pages of dialogue—then be more ambitious
about the amount of customer information you retain.
For example, imagine that the first time Mr. Howard and his
friend Ms. Jennings come into your restaurant, you use the
“Grab them!” technique to check their wet umbrellas and
coats, and the “Exchange Names” technique to get their
names; and you notice their preferences for their steaks and
salads.
Now imagine that because you did a great job of serving him,
Mr. Howard returns a week later on a sunny day. You spot
43
him again as he enters and say, “Mr. Howard! It’s so great to
have you back!” First point scored: You’ve remembered his
name.
You then add: “Thank goodness the weather is nicer and you
don’t need your umbrella today.” Second point scored. Mr.
Howard realizes you’re paying close attention to him as a
customer.
Next, you ask, “Will Ms. Jennings be joining you today?”
Third point scored; you remember his dining companion.
Smiling at how you’ve made him feel special, he replies,
“No, actually I only have a short amount of time today. I’m
just running in to grab some food before returning to the
office for a meeting.”
“Then I’ll try to get your food ready for you as soon as
possible. Would you like what you had last time—steak
medium rare, and a Waldorf salad?”
Now he’s grinning. “Yes, that’d be great.”
“I’ll go tell the kitchen right now. And I’ll tell them to give it
top priority.”
Wow. Your customer hasn’t even touched a menu, and
you’ve practically got his order cooking.
44
After you’ve served his meal and he’s getting ready to pay
the bill, you add, “Mr. Howard, in case you’re ever in a hurry
again, let me give you my Google Voice text number. You
can just text me “The usual, 6:00 pm,” and I’ll have your
medium rare steak and Waldorf salad ready for you. Or if
you’re bringing in a guest and need something special in
advance, like flowers or a certain kind of chocolate on the
table, just text me. I’ll make it happen, and you can
reimburse me when you arrive.”
Wow! You’ve just elevated your relationship with Mr.
Howard from waiter to personal assistant!
Naturally, you’d make this offer only for customers with
whom you have an excellent relationship, and who you fully
trust to reimburse you for whatever they request. You can
add an extra charge for this type of service, so when you
order flowers or chocolate or whatever you need through
your network of contacts, you’ll be making extra dollars on
top of the handsome tip Mr. Howard will be providing for his
meal.
The next time Mr. Howard returns, you’re busy at another
table so don’t get to see him come in. Because you told the
hostess weeks ago that he’s one of your regulars, though, Mr.
Howard is automatically seated in your station. (Of course,
even if the hostess messed up and tried to place him
somewhere else, Mr. Howard would insist on being served
by you).
45
You greet him enthusiastically as usual: “Mr. Howard! How
wonderful to have you back!” He doesn’t appear to be in a
hurry this time, so while you’re ready to rattle off “steak
medium rare and a Waldorf salad,” you simply ask, “What
are you in the mood for today?”
Mr. Howard replies, “I’m torn between the steak and the
lobster. What you do think?”
If you were an ordinary waiter, you’d simply say, “They’re
both excellent.”
But because people are often tempted by more than one
entree, you’ve previously requested from your manager the
ability to let top customers order a combination dish. This
isn’t something you could do on your own; but thanks to
your initiative, and management’s blessings, it’s another way
for you to provide extraordinary service: “Well, Mr. Howard,
if you like, I can get you a plate that’s half steak and half
lobster. That choice isn’t on the menu; but if you’d prefer it, I
can make it happen.”
Mr. Howard happily agrees. He adds, “That’s such a great
option! You know, there are lots of items on the menu that
are tempting, but I’m wary of taking the chance of ordering
them in case I won’t like them.”
Because you’ve also heard this before, you’ve discussed it
with your manager too; and he’s provided permission for you
to say the following: “Actually, if you ever come in on a
46
Tuesday between 4:00 and 6:00 pm, I hold a tasting party
that allows customers to try a range of our dishes and wines
for a flat fee.
“And by the way, if you come in on a Thursday between 4:00
and 6:00 pm, I can offer you and your guests, free
champagne with your meal!
“Those are both normally slow periods for the restaurant; but
because of these special offers, my station is pretty full at
those times. That makes my manager happy, and my VIP
customers like you seem to appreciate it as well, so it makes
me happy.”
Customers enormously appreciate such options, and they
aren’t terribly difficult to provide; but very few restaurants
actually offer them.
Mr. Howard replies, “You know, you’re an angel on earth.
Whenever I need to relax and not worry about anything, I’m
coming here. And when I have a colleague or friend I want to
impress, I’m also coming here...to be served by you.”
Now that’s what great service is all about.
It’s not screaming “Absolutely!” every time a guest asks for
something.
47
It’s paying strict attention to your customers, and keeping an
eye out for anything out of the ordinary that you can do for
them that will make them feel cared for and special.
Remember, as a waiter you’re a small business owner with
no rent, no inventory, no employees to pay, no business
insurance, and food that’s prepared by other people. That’s a
good place to be. And it means you can focus 100% on
raising your service to the level of superstar.
Of course, not every customer rates superstar treatment. But
if a guest starts snapping his fingers or whistling for your
attention, speaks to you with disrespect, or simply fails to
compensate you adequately in tips, you can always gently cut
that customer loose. All you have to do is provide that person
with standard service, and no more; and let the hostess know
that the customer is no longer a request of yours, so should
be placed randomly at whatever station is next available.
The customers that treat you right, however, are your
personal VIPs.
The other servers in your restaurant are waiting on strangers
who walk in, eat, and leave. But you’re getting in regulars
who know your name, and understand that you’re unique;
who appreciate all the extra things you do to make them feel
welcome and special; and who are happy to reward you. The
result is your station is continually buzzing with warm
feelings.
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When this happens, how much more enjoyable do you think
your experience is on a daily basis versus that of your
colleagues?
And if you have your heart set on a career beyond your
restaurant, how many potential doors do you think you’re
opening by handing out your business card around your
neighborhood and spreading your name around town; and by
having so many loyal, appreciative, and affluent customers?
Also, how much more performance experience and star
charisma do you think you’ve developing by serving a large
audience of fans every day?
Finally, bottom line: How much more do you think you’re
earning in tips?
Money is freedom. It buys you time and options.
If you become a superstar waiter it will ultimately help you
become a superstar in the career of your dreams too!
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Chapter 15:
Your Restaurant: The Information For Waiters Owners
Teach employees to think and feel like the owners of the
business and sell more.
Teach employees the “why” in customer service and
guarantee superior customer service every time!
Teach employees “why” it benefits them to create regular
customer after regular customer and guarantee bigger profits
for the life of your business.
Employees already knows how much easier it is to sell to a
‘regular’ customer. They also know “regulars” benefit the
business in a twofold. Now show your staff how to create
“regular customers” and sell to them!
Teach employees the tools and how building your business
benefits them and sales will soar!
With this book you will show employees how to make jobs
easier and make more money at the same time. Show
employees how to get customers shopping more often,
spending more money and referring more friends.
With my book you will show see the personal benefits of
building a network of regular customers and how they give
50
your you more time, money and energy for life outside of
work.
Why referral customers spend so much more money, and
how to create referral customers twenty four hours a day.
Discover why everyone in the neighborhood should know
you by name and send you new customers every day. Use
chapters 1-14 to get “perks” everywhere in town just by
mentioning the restaurant. Use the simple “1-14” blueprint
above to make the neighborhood your own personal goldmine for great customer referrals and special treatment
everywhere you go. When employees see the limitless
possibilities they have in your business and in their own job,
you will not be able to stop them from creating new
customers and new sales guaranteed!
They have learned the technical ways that you want your
business run now empower your employees with all that your
business has to offer, inspire them with all that new
customers will bring to their lives Together you will create an
un-stoppable stream of continuous profit.
Your customers will be warmly welcomed, assisted with
their coats, packages and needs. Your employees will be
greeting your customers by name and offering one unique
services that lead to bigger sales, providing exceptional
customer service inside your business and encouraging new
clientele during their time off!
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Show your employees how much more valuable a regular
customer is to them personally and how easy it is to create
regular customers and explode your sales!
I teach your employees the superior customer engagement
that creates repeat customers for life.
Let’s face it; you and your staff know it is easier to assist
regular customers. They also know “regulars” benefit the
business but no one has ever shown them how to create those
customers!
They have learned everything but the most important element
to your success! How to drive consistent traffic into their
own station.
After twenty five years in the hospitality business motivating
employees who's dreams and passions are focused elsewhere,
I know how difficult it is to keep staff motivated but not
when they realize how creating new customers benefits them!
They’ve been taught to believe it only benefits you, the
business owner. No wonder your employees are difficult to
motivate!
My name is LeeAnne Homsey and having been a N.Y.C.
staff manager and motivator for more than thirty years. I
know how hard it is to keep employees motivated so I
created fun and exciting customer engagement / retention /
sales tools that employees love to use everyday lives! I had
been living my dream of being a New York City Restaurant
Manager for years and thought it would never end but when
the economy took a turn, so did foot traffic and sales and I
found myself doing more for less money. I was working
longer hours with a more demanding boss and staff. It was
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becoming frustrating. This was not my dream at all anymore.
I was used to turning people away because there just weren’t
any seats left ant the wait was already two hours long. I was
used to Harrison Ford calling me from his limousine telling
me he was running late and then arriving with a bottle of
Chateau Margaux as peace offering. I was used to getting
relationship advice from Diahann Carroll and Kathleen
Turner, impromptu drum lessons from Max Roach, front row
tickets to Broadway Shows from the lead actors themselves
and dating Soap Opera stars.
Now I’m looking at food and liquor cost all morning and
long faced waiters all night. Sitting in meetings and trying to
“plug leaks” is not my idea of managing so I decided to
create something to manage. I started looking at ways my
staff and I benefit from being busy and making connections.
Next I developed ways we could each start creating our own
stream of customers since we all had this restaurant at our
disposal and a fantastic chef ready to cook, no inventory that
we would have to purchase. Why not start controlling our
own destiny? Our meetings became more like brain-storming
sessions and soon roll-playing and competitions for the most
customers. The team building was inherent and infectious
and soon the environment was back to a constant, up-beat
buzz of activity, sales, smiles and most of all profit! We kept
to our scheduled daily staff meetings my staff had grown to
love and strangely had begun inviting friends who did not
work in our industry.
When everyone claimed to be making more money, loving
their job and getting more respect I knew I had stumbled on
something really good. My husband became gravely ill
during my last management job and I was forced to leave
work to care for him 24/7. I knew I had to come up with a
way to make money from his hospital room. I came up with a
monthly event where each guest was introduced to the other
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and a new wine or two was poured and discussed. It worked
well and I was selling on-line tickets to complete strangers
and leaving my husband only once a month for about three
hours to host a party and tell people about one another. In a
room of sometimes more than fifty people this was no small
feat but we needed the money and each guest seamed to
really appreciate all the connections being made for them.
This skill I discovered is something which translates to a
different type of customer service which is easily utilized in
any industry or field. I was simply sharing information that I
had gotten. I began sharing all sorts of information not just
interesting facts about each guest but about things my guests
may not have been aware of or could use. I took my role as
master of ceremonies very seriously and my guests felt very
accommodated and attended to. They referred friends and
began attending more often. It was a complete surprise to me
that it became such a success.
After my husband passed away I could no longer manage.
His failing health had become such an overwhelming
presence in our lives every single second of every day over
the course of fourteen years that I really could not even
manage myself much less a restaurant full of employees or
room full of party guests full of life and promise. I was
suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and it was
devastating. I couldn’t process his loss and couldn’t admit
that after hundreds of infections, the side effects of
chemotherapy, radiation, transplants, the comas, injections,
medications, 4am 911 calls, antibacterial wipes on every
doorknob, phone, handle, even remote controls, screening the
health of guests, making his excuses, pretending to smile,
informing the family that is was really, really over. I just
couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe he wasn’t coming home
so I sat down and waited for him so I wouldn’t miss him if he
came. After a few weeks I started fiddling around on my
computer writing him letters that I knew he could find if they
were on his Facebook page when suddenly an e-mail came
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from a former employee who wanted to know if I would
come an train his new staff the way I had done when he
worked for me years ago. He was now out in California and I
couldn’t afford it so I promised him a video of my basic
ideas. Two days later he said he couldn’t believe the
difference in his co-workers and suggested that I write the
ideas in book form so that everyone could benefit. The
following pages are the result. I hope you enjoy.
What to expect in this guide:
A step by step guide complete with script to get your staff
creating regular customers for your business 24 hours a day.
The ability to motivate your staff to create more sales and
only provide superior, consistent, uncompromising customer
service and provide it enthusiastically.
Having worked in the hospitality business my entire life,
there is one thing I know well and that is people. Assisting
and "guiding" the decisions of sometimes hundreds of people
per night, I have learned several things that make customers
happier and my staff's life easier. The best part is that what I
learned is time tested and transferable to any business in any
industry!
Now I motivate your staff showing them tools that will build
their tomorrows. I have employees all over the country
waking up every morning thinking about how to drive more
customers to their existing business. Your business!
As long as you have customers to interact with, I can show
you and your staff engagement and retention tips & tools that
will have customers coming back, spending more money and
referring more friends than you could even dream!
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Your employees see how the contacts they make today will
help in every aspect of their lives in the future.
With me, employees learn the building blocks of customer
engagement and what triggers customers return again and
again plus refer friends. Why referral customers buy so much
more, and how to create great referral customers. I teach your
employees why everyone in the neighborhood should know
them by name.
This is the best two hours your staff will ever spend! I make
sure they treat your customers the way you treat your
customers. Customers will be warmly welcomed, assisted
with their coats, packages.
Your employees will be greeting your customers by name
and offering specialty services. You will not believe your
staff's transformation in one day.
My seminars are exciting, intensive, fun tools that show your
employees how much more they get from their jobs by
creating new customers plus how to easily create repeat
customers from new customers.
These fast-paced and full of networking, seminars are rife
with clientele building tools that your employees will use for
the rest of their lives in every endeavor! They will be so glad
that they work for you and that you brought them this this
life-changing seminar!
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Use the chapters 1-14 to:
Promote & Market Business Your Business 24/7!
Sell More!
Find & Create New Customers Everywhere You Go!
Create Relationships With Current Customers!
Build New Relationships With Old Customers!
Hand Business Card To People Everywhere You Go!
Remember Customer's Names And Preferences!
Greet Customers By Name With A Genuine Smile!
Start practicing my techniques for the building blocks of
customer engagement and what triggers customers return &
refer friends. Why referral customers buy so much more and
how to create great referral customers.
Everyone in the neighborhood will know you by name and
will refer customers to you 24/7! (It's easy and you will use
this tool for the rest of your life!)
I make sure employees want to treat customers the way you
would treat your customers because they want to! Putting
into practice chapters 1-14 will create financial and
emotional freedom for anyone willing to put in the effort.
Your employees will be greeting your customers by name
and offering services and extras that no one else is!
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I guarantee no employer before you has ever taught their staff
how to cut corners and take advantage of a system for their
own personal gain. Yet that is exactly what you will be doing
when you help them create their first repeat customer.
It is also much more difficult to be rude or curt with someone
who knows you by name. So your employees experience far
fewer inpatient or unfriendly customers and for more
customers who treat them with respect and even wish them
happiness.
What a different experience the same store can be for the
employee who has even one regular customer a day who they
would know by name. Helping them find and choose things,
learning their tastes and even personal details about their life,
children and careers. This type of customer is like shopping
with a friend and still getting paid. It’s the closest thing to a
stolen hour that they can get and the crazy thing is that only
they can create this scenario. No one else can do it for them.
The competitive “name that name." Challenge is actually a
fantastic tool that your employees will benefit and use in
every area of their life! (Free networking tool with this
week's paycheck: Make sure they are writing customer’s
names down in a book. You don’t want to remember
someone one week but not the next).
What's shocking is that you and you alone have the power to
turn your black and white, cold, boring store into a virtual
Candy-land of daily opportunity and excitement for your
staff. You just choose not to because the old ways are much
more comfortable. Well “comfortable” is going to put you
out of business my friend. Things are they really very
different and you better get up to speed and start engaging
your staff, and giving them the tools and structure that they
are asking for or they will eventually go somewhere else but
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not before the unhappy and unsatisfied feelings seep through
the cracks of every conversation that could have easily
blossomed into repeat customers, but instead became a poor
customer experience, complete with bad mouthing your
store’s reputation, bashing on the Internet and around town.
Or worse, they say nothing and eventually you close your
doors. Stop this vicious cycle and cater to the needs of your
employees. Their days don't need to be interminable until
they move on. Make it fulfilling so they never want to leave!
Employees: if you want to make your working life better,
easier, more fun and more profitable than call your customers
by name. The way to accomplish this is very easy. Mention
your own name a few times or assist your customer with
things not related to what you are selling.
Another way to get a customer's name is if they have children
with them. Try keeping the kids entertained and or putting
the stroller somewhere safe. You can introduce yourself and
tell the mom or dad you are more than happy to help. Any
time you are not busy. When they obviously appreciate you
singing the A B Cs with Junior you can tell them that they
can call the store at the time to let you know they are coming
in and that way you can finish up with other clients Past to
keep Junior company while year she shops.
Trust me; I know you’re not in the motivational speaking
business. You are in business to make money not to parent
and holding your employees hands. This guide is the answer
to your prayers on every level. You may even want to make
it required reading detailing your new, much easier customer
service, clientele building attitude.
This is true for both David and Goliath business is at this
moment in this moment alone. By 2014 you will likely either
have the lion’s share or be on your way out of business. Most
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brick and mortar businesses are slow to the gate by virtue of
overwhelming the day business operations, but believe me,
this is the one and only time that if you are not in the game
with your uniform on and select in hand, you are on your
way up to the bleachers with nothing in your wallet, but some
mold the “shoulda-woulda-coulda” and an old “I told ya so”
wrapper.
Listen, if you still have a yellow pages book anywhere on the
premises of your business, I guarantee you are doing less
revenue. If you are in the Yellow Pages, I guarantee you are
behind on your payments and your employees. Talk about
you behind your back. (It is the equivalent of saying “indoor
toilets? That will never work!”
Caan’s recent comments and see what this business guru’s
thoughts on your business and the internet. He has forgotten
more than most business owners will ever even know.
Donald Trump should have him on his Facebook chat list.
(That’s speed dial. If you still have a cord attached to your
phone. And parental between James, I and the omnipotent
presence of the Internet and “apps” you should absolutely be
alarmed if you don’t already have the basics: Facebook page,
Linked-In account, Twitter account, Instagram, PInterest,
Google profile, Yahoo business listing and Yelp account in
listing. And yes, all of these are free to so if you’re not taking
advantage. No wonder your employees are talking about you!
You are literally the limit take in the town square, screaming
you don’t want any customers. This is no more a fad, than
toilets were. Get in the game and fast!
With my customer service mini guide or superior customer
service seminar, you could have every one of your employees
sending more customers into your store in addition to the
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customers that you already have. Customers speaking highly
of your business because of their relationship with your
employees. Customers who use social media and “word-ofmouth” marketing daily with or without your involvement.
Why not get involved? Why not grow the customer
engagements and relationships in your store to control public
opinion?
Take advantage of what I have learned and use it not only to
pick up a bat, but hit it out of the park. Start controlling your
online image, your reputation your income and your destiny.
Book me to come speak to your staff today. If you don’t
increase your customer base, sales and bottom line within
one week I will refund your money!
I already know how great and usable these tools are. I also
already know your employees can’t wait to start using them.
So really you aren’t risking anything, you are activating your
employees to become around the clock promoters and your
own personal marketing team, it costs less than a tank of gas,
but will take you much further. If it changes the mindset of
just one of your employees, you will make more your money
back. Thousands of times over your employees will actually
want to use the tools, they are going to thank you and send in
more business, like their jobs more, be happier at work, take
less days and time off… Why are you still reading this, you
are literally standing in an outhouse with a yellow pages
book in one hand and a corded phone in the other! Get out of
your own way and call me! You win no matter what! Isn’t
that what you went into business for?
Yes, we do it everywhere we go, the bank the park, the drycleaner, the hairdresser and especially in our own store…
telling everyone we meet where we work and to “come on by
for something special… just for you.” Waiters & bartenders
out on a night off, telling other waiters and bartenders to drop
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in on these days at these times for V.I.P. treatment at their
restaurant hoping to fill their sections with great tipping nice
customers who request them.
In the restaurant business you learn early how to get and
remember people’s names and convince them to come to
your business because they are the easiest customers to assist.
Not only that, they feel like V.I.P.’s because they are
recognized, remembered and eventually introduced to and
woven into the fabric of our community so that we all know
what their personalities and preferences are. You can waive
to them from across the room to acknowledge them and let
them know you will be with them shortly, you can relax with
them and really assist them personally and you both benefit
from the relationship.
When “your mom” customer is leaving the store now, make
sure she knows you can always do this for her when you are
here and not busy. (Tell her this whether she accepted your
help today or not. This gives her something to think about if
she didn’t) this opens the door for three obvious questions:
You just took a less than perfect situation for a mother and
turned it, not only into an opportunity, but a scenario where
she will ask for your name, the days that you work, plan to
come back earlier and tell friends!)
Bamm! Now you’ve complemented your boss,
complemented your new customer, your boss is aware of
your new clientele building practices and techniques. Your
boss knows this is your customer, Mary knows two people in
the store which makes her twice as likely to choose to shop
with you every time! She knows your name and you know
hers, which makes it likely that your exchanges will all be
more pleasant than with a customer who you don't know at
all. Mary is one step closer to complementing you online and
referring friends.
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Would you even know how? Probably not and yet when
employees are powerful they produce more, engage more an
inspire more. Still most employers and managers struggle
daily to motivate their staff. It is amazing to me how much
personal power, self-fulfillment and enthusiasm employers
let slip through the cracks while trying to micro manage the
minutiae. If employees really wanted to do their best, there
would be nothing to manage except excess orders and sales.
The best customer service employees will strive to become
more like social media hubs for their place business and
discover the limitless power and potential it holds for both
them personally and the business that they work for. Take for
instance the mother in the previous example. Let’s say she
was shopping in a store like Sears. After attending my
seminar, customer service employees would notice for
example, 1) what she is purchasing, 2) what items she is
struggling to lift or if 3) even if the children are dressed in a
different or particular way. Paying attention to these types of
details creates a tremendous amount of opportunity. How?
Let me explain; #1 What is she purchasing: some items such
as baby food, water, milk, snack cereal snacks etc. are
personal preference items and will be purchased over and
over maybe weekly for years. What if you knew her favorite
item was much cheaper if she did or bought this? That would
build trust and a personal, relationship with a store wouldn’t
it?
One customer could mean over $52,000.00 over a twenty
year period buying water alone! Ask yourself this? Could
you afford to lose $52,000.00 a year to the competition and
still pay your employees what they ask? Building one or two
of these kinds of customer relationships is also really great
for the employee who just offered this one of a kind service!
Thankful customers show their appreciation in a multitude of
ways. Referrals & Holiday cards are just two. Now when that
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thankful customer tells her other “Busy” friends to shop only
with you they will be coming in, asking for you by name and
hoping for the same special service which you can now
control the time and frequency of simply by saying, “Oh I
can only do that when I’m not busy with my job’s
responsibilities and that would be at 8:00am or 1:00 pm,
whenever the store has a lull. Your boss and the store owners
will eventually know that you personally are driving traffic
into their store using just one of the social networking tools
available to you. Using these tools becomes addictive. Once
someone begins opening doors and opportunities for
themselves they never turn back. This is a tool the best
employees will use for the rest of their lives.
Is your store empty at the beginning of the day or end of the
night? Business cards will change that! Anywhere you go
you can drop a card on someone saying, “You guys are the
best, I love your…Muffins, candles, clothes, discounts, cars,
burgers, services (whatever!) let me give you my card and
anytime you want to stop in I would love to return the favor!
If you come in early I can give you undivided attention and
let you in on product details & specials that no one else
knows and V.I.P. them in other ways! Maybe introducing
them to your manager, give a sample, coupon or suggest a
photo of them with your product etc.
You have so many free tools that will make a guest feel
special, wanted and inclined to return more often. And when
I say free tools please know that I never mean upselling. You
have real tools, money making tools, all around you always
at your disposal but no one in business is going to tell you
that because they think their products or services should be
enough for a customer to think, “I am coming back here
every week and I want this guy to always work with me!”
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Sorry, we are never going to build a repeat clientele
foundation with a great smile and the best gadget ever. The
world is social now. Everyone is now focused on building
relationships and when it comes to technology and
harnessing its power, brick and mortar businesses are a little
slow to the starting gate to begin with. Start thinking like a
social media hub and you will become your own $2000
billion dollar Facbook of the business but trust me it takes
business cards and looking at each person you meet outside
of the business as someone you want to give a business card
to. I once bought a train ticket for someone when the ticket
machines were down & he had no cash. I had cash and he
was about to have a really really bad day. I stepped in & said
I would buy it. In his utter confusion I put my business card
in his hand as he was saying, “But how will I return the
money to you.?” I just smiled and said mail it to the address
in your hand and walked away. Not only did I get my money
back, he also enclosed a $4,000.00 gift card for Tiffany’s & a
new car! Alright, it was a $15.00 gift card for Duncan Donuts
and in a very sweet hallmark card but it felt like a million
bucks and that’s one more person sending people down to
ask for me. (His train ticket was only $12.00 by the way. It’s
not like I am curing any diseases or anything, I’m not that
sweet. I’m just always looking to increase business for my
boss and maybe me someday but this is a really good habit to
get into.) This is networking and you will be doing it any
business you go into because your contacts are your revenue
source.
Example: the customer’s son is carrying a violin and you
know of a concert in the area featuring a famous violinist,
mention may name for guaranteed tickets or she is carrying a
Channel purse and you know of a place that has Channel
accessories on sale, mention my name for special service.
Any way you can strike up a conversation and introduce
yourself is a great thing but giving your customers a reason
to remember your name will create a lifelong relationship.
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The customer will eventually introduce himself and if not
you will eventually find the perfect time to say, “and your
name?”
Being able to call someone by name is very powerful!
Whether he is your customer yet or not, he soon will want to
be, which is so powerful! Plus the customers around him will
want to know who he is which makes him feel even more
important and more catered to. This makes getting other
customer’s names easier so use the momentum!
One easy way to get your customer's name is making sure
they are calling you by name. The easiest way to make sure if
this is happening is by mentioning your name for example
when they ask about anything you say "Of course! You are in
Dave’s Department. You will get all the information you
want!"
From this point on it will be difficult for your customer to
call you anything but Dave. After they call you by name two
or three times it's more than appropriate to know what their
name is. You can accomplish this with one easy sentence.
(Important: once you get your customer’s name you must
remember it! It is inappropriate to learn someone’s name in a
professional environment and then forget it the next time he
comes to your business and it is easy to remember name
when you write them down. You should already have a
composition book with the first names of a few of your
neighborhood business owners so this is the perfect place to
write it down.)
Remembering people’s names is one of THE fastest ways to
put money in your pocket and create performance recognition
at the same time. Getting your customer’s name does take
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some finesse I will admit, not for any other reason than “It’s
just not the norm.” Once it does become the norm for you,
you will see dramatic difference not only in the money you
make but in the way you are treated by customers, neighbors
and your boss alike.
People are also much more forgiving when things take a little
longer in the store or mistakes are made. In the end everyone
wins especially the customer. When employees know the
customer by name they can keep them in the loop of what is
happening, what to expect, special situations or sales. When
an employee sees a potential customer for the first time and
can’t assist them right away, has no idea what their
preferences or time limits are can only say, “I’ll be right with
you.” Of course if this doesn’t happen within a reasonable
amount of time according to the customer, they now perceive
themselves to be receiving poor customer service and may
never return.
Is it tricky to get someone’s name? Yes! Is it almost an art
form? Yes! But only because it is just different! Your
customers are not yet accustomed to power customer service
or power customer engagement! But with the advent of social
media the playing field has changed, some industries are just
slower to the gate. Those who will win are taking advantage
of the new “wild west” and building new empires simply by
becoming social “hubs” for their customers. Others are
wallowing and bound to disappear while trying to cling to old
concepts that don’t work for anymore. Which will you be?
What a fantastic opportunity! You can make the most of
every single second in a store you don’t have to create the
concept for, design & create the products for, find the
location, advertise or staff or pay rent for. This turnkey
operation is ready and waiting for you to start making money
the moment you walk in. You don’t even lose money during
slow times or incompetence the way your boss does. You are
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set up to win from Jump Street simply because you have a
job. Now focus on getting new and repeat customers to come
into your small business and treat them like you want to
create a relationship for with them and make their lives easier
and better because they know you!
Try thinking like the host of a party at your home, the master
of ceremonies. As guests arrive in your home do you ignore
them or greet them warmly and offer to take their coat,
umbrella or packages? Surprisingly many employees feel as
though the only thing they can say to potential customers
who have gone out of their way to come into their store is
“Let me know if I can help.” Or “Can I help you find
anything?” I understand that some customers act as though
they prefer to be left alone but if they just came into your
home you may have a far more warm and personal exchange
which is actually they key which unlocks so many more
conversational doors. Conversations which may lead to
exchange of names and information, “Can I help you find
something?” invites the answer “No.” and no conversation
can grow from that. I don’t know about you but I thank
people for coming to my house, offer to make them
comfortable and tell them a little about what to expect or
where things are. (As you should as the master of
Ceremonies) As an employee working only for a paycheck it
is much easier to do things mechanically “correct” and create
standard outcomes. As an power employee working for a
future, every customer is a potential connection, a potential
friend of the store, potential referral for more customers,
potential on-line marketer, potential holiday gift or card,
potential compliment to your boss and recommendation for
promotion…. For a power customer service employee, every
customer is potential. For an average employee every
customer is just a customer for someone else’s business.
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These are a lot of tools, I know, but pick just one or two for
the day and focus on it. For instance my favorite is "get your
name in it". Any sentence you can get your name into is
actually a free effortless marketing tool for you personally.
The customer is beginning to feel like part of the business but
only in your department or because of you. You are subtly
letting your customers know that he or she can use your
name whenever he wants but also opening the door for you to
ask his name which is putting him on the fast track V.I.P.
“regular customer” status. Once your customers are known
by name it automatically elevates your business and certainly
you personally in this hierarchy of shopping choices. This
one tool alone will give you more respect, more referrals,
create possibilities for promotions and more money, save you
time and create opportunities and good will for you and the
business.
My other favorite is, “Thank you.” Any chance I can get to
get someone to say to me is a possible opening for a
conversation! “Thank you” to me is a chance to say, “Thank
YOU!” to them which lets them know I value them taking
the time to come in. Value them asking ME a question
instead of my co-worker which gives ME a chance to create a
lifelong relationship and friend of the store while my coworkers get paid to stare at their hands. “Thank YOU” for
giving me the opportunity to say “Thank YOU!” in a way
that will make you hear me and see me with respect and
understand how much I appreciate you.
When your customers hear “Thank YOU” enough times they
actually begin to feel thanked and appreciated and not for the
dollars they spend but for who they actually are. It begins a
fantastic process of creating possibilities that you will
become addicted to even when you are not at work. You can
also find a way to get your name into a sentence like that or
get their name? (2 for 1!) “Thank You for coming into
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LeeAnne’s department where magical things happen….or
actually I just give you the inside scoop on new sale items.”
The more you get your customer to say “Thank you” the
more you can return with a “Thank YOU!” which leads to
conversations which leads to opportunities to get name into
sentences. The more you do that, the more they remember
your name. The more they remember your name, the closer
they are to posting about you personally, telling friends and
coming back to buy more. Without these doors opening these
people are just faceless customers coming and going. Buying
or not. A simple “Thank YOU” can open a floodgate of
possibilities for every part of your life giving you more
energy and optimism for the really important things to you:
maybe your kids or biking, cooking, writing or shopping!
Business owners: How can you guarantee your customers the
very best customer service from even non-tipped employees?
It’s easy!
What if you don’t plan to stay in the restaurant industry?
Would you like to know how to sky-rocket to promotions,
bonuses, repeat customers and lots of thank you “gifts”
working in retail? Below is one example for non-tipped /
retail employee and by now you should be able to see how
these “steps” or ice-breakers or casual conversations
transcend any industry to be used easily in the field of your
dreams.
How to get your retail customers posting about how great
you are! It’s easy!
(Retail) Look for customers with kids or who are shopping
for a special occasion…
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She may open up right away and say it’s a 1st date,
anniversary or she that just loves cooking. This is awesome
because she has just revealed something to you so respond in
kind. Tell her something about you or ask how she met the
other person or where she learned to cook then add to the
conversation plus gushing a little with some “wow,
congratulations” or “that’s amazing.” Then maybe tell a story
about a first date, learning to cook, anniversary surprise etc.
and let her know that you know of a few things in the
department that may be perfect for her “vision” or
“celebration” but that you know it has to be “just right.” Then
before you go say, “Oh! We should Instagram this!” Pause,
she will be confused, thinking, “Take pictures of what
exactly?” She is thinking. Then say, “You should do before,
Now you’ve complemented your boss, complemented your
new customer, your boss is aware of you and your desire to
create repeat customers. Your boss knows this is your
customer, Victoria knows two people in the store which
makes her twice as likely to choose to shop with you every
time! She knows your name and you know hers, which
makes it likely that your exchanges will all be more pleasant
than with a customer who you don’t know at all. Victoria is
one step closer to posting pictures of the stores products and
complementing you online and referring friends to shop with
you personally
Now go buy a composition book and start filling it with the
names and descriptions of people who are going to get you
promotions, bonuses, referrals and make your eight hour day
seem like four!
Today do something that no one else would do. Look for
problems and situations not related to your job then fix them.
You will be amazed by the doors and opportunities it opens!
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Another Retail Example: mother with children distractedly
trying to shop while kids are requiring her attention too – ask
age appropriate questions of the kid(s) (“Hey does anyone
know the ABC’s?”) then smile & say, “You shop, we’ll
follow.” then immediately turn your attention back to the
kids and ask your next question. “That was great! Does
anyone here know what the Itsy Bitsy spider went up?”
She will smile and try this new idea out, thankful for the
relief or say, “That’s ok”, uncomfortable with something
new.
When someone accepts your help, you just created an
opportunity for a dialog and from there: a customer for life.
You now have opportunities to get your name out there and
make sure that the person knows the unique experience you
bring to the table. A mom who accepts your help will
remember you for life and tell friends… whether she buys
something or not! You see when you work in retail you have
more power over your paycheck than you think and what you
have all around you is limitless opportunity to harness that
power no matter what kind of products you sell!
When “your mom” customer is leaving the store now, make
sure she knows you can always do this for her when you are
here and not busy. (Tell her this whether she accepted your
help today or not. This gives her something to think about if
she didn’t) this opens the door for three obvious questions:
Who are you and when are you here? And when should I
shop that you are not busy?
Like the early powerful social media sites, most employees
have no idea how much power they really have. More than
likely that no one has shown them how to be more powerful
either. Have you? Would you even know how? Probably not
and yet when employees are powerful they produce more,
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engage more an inspire more. Still most employers and
managers struggle daily to motivate their staff. It is amazing
to me how much personal power, self-fulfillment and
enthusiasm employers let slip through the cracks while trying
to micro manage the minutiae. If employees really wanted to
do their best, there would be nothing to manage except
excess orders and sales.
But we generally let our employees flounder in the
mechanics of the job instead of inspire them in the exciting
existence of it.
Having a job in the customer service field is such a gift. Let
me explain; depending on the business employees may have
access to an inventory of sometimes hundreds of thousands
of products or services! People shopping for these
products/services mean that employees have hundreds of
thousands of opportunities to create relationships.
Relationships they could not have built otherwise.
Now getting back to the products… it is important to remind
employees often that this is an inventory of goods/services
that each and every employee has access to which required
absolutely no investment on their part. That even the building
they spend eight hours a day in is furnished rented and
lighted with someone else’s money. They in fact have walked
into a turnkey business with no outlay of funds and can start
creating wealth almost immediately.
To the average employee this means nothing but, to the best
employee this is his perspective already and one he will
maintain on the rise to the top. But even the best employee
has no idea how much power he/she has at his disposal from
the time he/she opens her eyes in the morning. The power to
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create personal relationships for themselves outside of work
because of the inventory they have access to while at work.
They have no idea how to look for problems both inside and
outside of work which will create new customers requesting
them by name. Most have no idea how this alone catapults
them to stardom and bonuses within their company and most
managers, busy plugging leaks have no time to tell them. If
they had time to tell their average employees to think more
like the social media giants everyone would win.
The best customer service employees will strive to become
more like social media hubs for their place business and
discover the limitless power and potential it holds for both
them personally and the business that they work for. Take for
instance the mother in the previous example. Let’s say she
was shopping in a store like Sears. After attending my
seminar, customer service employees would notice for
example, 1) what she is purchasing, 2) what items she is
struggling to lift or if 3) even if the children are dressed in a
different or particular way. Paying attention to these types of
details creates a tremendous amount of opportunity. How?
Let me explain; #1 What is she purchasing: some items such
as baby food, water, milk, snack cereal snacks etc. are
personal preference items and will be purchased over and
over maybe weekly for years. What if you knew her favorite
item was much cheaper if she “did this” or “bought that”?
That would build trust and a personal; relationship with a
store wouldn’t it? Now what if after you built that trust and
relationship, you mentioned to her that you notice she is
usually pressed for time and since you already know some of
her favorites, that if she sent you a text, you could make sure
those things were already waiting for her at the front of the
store. That would be helpful for her wouldn’t it? Not only
would it be helpful, knowing those things were taken care of
already frees up her time and shopping cart for other things
and she ends up buying more. This is pretty great for the
store right?
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One customer could mean over $52,000.00 over a twenty
year period buying water alone! Ask yourself this? Could
you afford to lose $52,000.00 a year to the competition and
still pay your employees what they ask? Building one or two
of these kinds of customer relationships is also really great
for the employee who just offered this one of a kind service!
Thankful customers show their appreciation in a multitude of
ways. Referrals & Holiday cards are just two. Now when that
thankful customer tells her other “Busy” friends to shop only
with you they will be coming in, asking for you by name and
hoping for the same special service which you can now
control the time and frequency of simply by saying, “Oh I
can only do that when I’m not busy with my job’s
responsibilities and that would be at 8:00am or 1:00 pm,
whenever the store has a lull. Your boss and the store owners
will eventually know that you personally are driving traffic
into their store using just one of the social networking tools
available to you. Using these tools becomes addictive. Once
someone begins opening doors and opportunities for
themselves they never turn back. This is a tool the best
employees will use for the rest of their lives.
“Why” it Benefits Your Employees to Create Regular
Customers:
Why referral customers spend so much more, and how to
create referral customer after referral customer. Teach your
staff why everyone in the neighborhood should know them
by name. Show them why they would want everyone in the
neighborhood to know who they are, where they work and
what hours/days. Give them the simple one, two, three
blueprint to make neighborhood introductions. They'll even
be telling neighbors in the area where they live. Show your
employees “why” and they will be telling everyone about
your business and handing out your business cards to
everyone they meet guaranteed.
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Like the early powerful social media sites, most employees
have no idea how much power they really have. More than
likely that no one has shown them how to be more powerful
either. Have you? Would you even know how? Probably not
and yet when employees are powerful they produce more,
engage more an inspire more. Still most employers and
managers struggle daily to motivate their staff. It is amazing
to me how much personal power, self-fulfillment and
enthusiasm employers let slip through the cracks while trying
to micro manage the minutiae. If employees really wanted to
do their best, there would be nothing to manage except
excess orders and sales.
The best customer service employees will strive to become
more like social media hubs for their place business and
discover the limitless power and potential it holds for both
them personally and the business that they work for. Take for
instance the mother in the previous example. Let’s say she
was shopping in a store like Sears. After attending my
seminar, customer service employees would notice for
example, 1) what she is purchasing, 2) what items she is
struggling to lift or if 3) even if the children are dressed in a
different or particular way. Paying attention to these types of
details creates a tremendous amount of opportunity. How?
Let me explain; #1 What is she purchasing: some items such
as baby food, water, milk, snack cereal snacks etc. are
personal preference items and will be purchased over and
over maybe weekly for years. What if you knew her favorite
item was much cheaper if she did or bought this? That would
build trust and a personal, relationship with a store wouldn’t
it?
One customer could mean over $52,000.00 over a twenty
year period buying water alone! Ask yourself this? Could
you afford to lose $52,000.00 a year to the competition and
still
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pay your employees what they ask? Building one or two of
these kinds of customer relationships is also really great for
the employee who just offered this one of a kind service!
Thankful customers show their appreciation in a multitude of
ways. Referrals & Holiday cards are just two. Now when that
thankful customer tells her other “Busy” friends to shop only
with you they will be coming in, asking for you by name and
hoping for the same special service which you can now
control the time and frequency of simply by saying, “Oh I
can only do that when I’m not busy with my job’s
responsibilities and that would be at 8:00am or 1:00 pm,
whenever the store has a lull. Your boss and the store owners
will eventually know that you personally are driving traffic
into their store using just one of the social networking tools
available to you. Using these tools becomes addictive. Once
someone begins opening doors and opportunities for
themselves they never turn back. This is a tool the best
employees will use for the rest of their lives.
Noticing the buying habits of someone who may appreciate
some extra assistance is smart and productive. It is a much
better use of the exact same time and space that a typical coworker is using to complain about his job. Now noticing a
customer’s preferences may lead nowhere but there is a
possibility that it may become useful. One thing is for sure,
not taking notice of what your customers prefer can only
result in the exact same outcome that has been happening for
years, a million times over each and every day. The best
customer service employees, acting as social media hubs are
learning how to change this and become more powerful in
their community as a result.
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#1 Don’t poison yourself. The people around you may not
actually want to be work so most of what comes out of their
mouths is going to be disparaging and unhelpful. Whether
you want your job or you are pursuing other passions, your
goal in showing up at work is make as much money as
possible and be treated with the most respect. So, don’t pay
attention to the negative it can ONLY bring you down and
your job is hard enough! (And what you don’t realize is that
many of these people may want you to be down like they are
and if your goal is the most money then you really don’t have
time or head space for their crap) We all know the job is
stressful, customers don’t understand, most managers are
tough and you co-worker is never around! Your focus should
now be tuning that out & taking their first customer while
they look for a pen which is NEVER put back in the right
place.
#2 Names! From now on, every opportunity you have to get
someone’s name USE IT! People feel much more inclined to
shop more and "gift" when the person helping them knows
them by name and uses their name during their time in the
store. Some of the ways you get your customers names are: If
they are looking at/for special occasion items, if you
recognize them from being in before, if you’ve seen them in
the neighborhood or introducing them to your boss or telling
them about events or happenings in the area that they may
not be aware of. Any way you can strike up a conversation
and introduce yourself, the guest will usually introduce
himself and if not, now it is perfectly normal to say, “Sorry,
and your name?” Being able to call someone by name is very
powerful.
#3 you have your own small business that you don’t have to
stock with inventory, furnish or pay rent for.
This is a opportunity to suck the life out of every single
second in a place you don’t have to create the product or
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invoice the user. Try to focus on getting every single
customer and every single dollar and then leaving. You will
feel much more in control (As you should since you are
really the master of ceremonies)
#4 Sow Seeds in the neighborhood of your small business.
Talk to all the business owners and employees in the
neighborhood as you do the things you usually do, just start
introducing yourself as well!
#5 What’s in your wallet? It should be 5 business cards. (And
you should do this for the rest of your life!)
– Plan to give out 5 cards a day even if you leave the
customer service business.
This is such a good habit because you begin to talk to and
listen to people differently. The bank teller, the deli guy, mail
man… You will be surprised what happens when you start
saying , “oh hey, I never gave you my card… any time you
want to come down or send friends in, just tell them to
mention your name and I will totally hook them up! Thanks
for always taking care of me.” (Hostess, drycleaner,
bartender) Just wait and see what kind of service you get next
time you go in there! This is all about building a foundation
for your section. A foundation on auto-pilot filled with
people who have been referred by friends or neighbors! You
are not an anonymous employee, you are Mike or Doug
“who is going take really good care of the people I send in.”
And if the guest comes back to “thank” me you can bet I’ll
will send more! Not only that, the guests I send in know that
you are an acquaintance of mine. That we obviously talk.
Have a good relationship. That’s why they are getting the
hook up. These customers will not want to jeopardize the
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relationship that was built and therefore will be extremely
patient and respectful customers. You are now controlling the
type of customers you are assisting!
5-6 times a day just for taking out a business card! Imagine if
you actually did talk to 5 people a day giving them cards &
writing your name on them and the “best” time to come in for
super V.I.P. attention (Haha.. say anything here. You don’t
want to be caught with your pants by offering anything free
or anything you can't deliver on. But when they come in you
know there are ways you can upgrade them and make them
feel that V.I.P. land only exists with you.) But if you gave 5
cards out in one day and each neighbor sent one person in
who wouldn’t have been there in the first place, let alone
early, that would be 5x a polite and courteous exchange with
people coming in and asking for you personally.
*Say for instance that you work in a restaurant. Let’s say for
example an average tip is $10.00 at your restaurant. Now
you’ve got your neighbors putting $50.00 in your pockets
before the rush even begins! Now what if all of those guests
felt like it was more appropriate to leave $13.00-$15.00
dollars? Well that’s $65.00-$75.00 dollars before the night
starts isn’t it. If it happens on every shift and you had four
shifts a week, this one tool alone would put $260.00-$300.00
per week or $13,520.00-$15,600.00 a year. $15,000.00 an
year to stop saying just, “Thank you” or, “Milk, no sugar” to
instead of, “Thank you for my coffee! Hey you guys are so
nice to me whenever I’m in here! I work across the street,
(Or downtown it doesn’t matter) you should let me treat you
to something sometime. My name is LeeAnne by the way
(Extend hand to shake here! No one will ever refuse and they
will remember you forever.) What was your name?”
Remember his name. You will need it trust me. Now launch
back into, “I would love to repay the favor so if you come
down or send friends down make sure they mention your
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name so I can do something special.” Be vague but be clear
that you A) appreciate their kindness B) now know them by
name and will C) do something special for anyone they send
in. That’s a loaded hand shake and you may not even have a
business card to give them…uh-oh you’ll just have to drop it
off tomorrow which is when you reinforce this whole
concept one more time AND ask for his business card. If this
is by your small business do ask if they deliver, or pick up. If
you are speaking to the business owner he knows that that
means more money in his register. It is really important to
start thinking about your daily interactions and how you can
use them to fill your small business early so you can make
money & go home early. Even if you tell people you are only
going to be there for a year before your side project is done
or you are finished with school… all that means is that they
better hurry up and start sending people because it’s not
everywhere that friends can stop in and mention his name.
And people love having cache like, “Mention my name and
Joe will take really good care of you.” I look for that
opportunity now every time I answer the phone at work.
How many of you have a business card for your store in your
wallet right now? Is your store empty at the beginning of the
day? Business cards will change that! Anywhere you go you
can drop a card on someone saying, “You guys are the best, I
love your Muffins, candles, clothes, discounts, cars, burgers,
services (whatever!) let me give you my card and anytime
you want to stop in I would love to treat you like a superstar! ..If you come in early I can give you the royal
treatment.” You can VIP them in so many ways! Maybe by
introducing them to the manager or suggesting you take a
photo of them etc. You have so many free tools that will
make a guest customer special, wanted and inclined to shop
more often. And when I say free tools please know that I
never mean up-selling or refolding a napkin for someone.
You have real tools, money making tools, all around you
always at your disposal but no one in the restaurant business
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is going to tell you that because they think bringing amazing
food to the table and refolding a napkin should be enough for
a guest to think, “I am coming back here every week and I
want this guy to always be my server!” Sorry, we are never
going to build a repeat clientele foundation with a folded
napkin and the best tomato ever. The world is social.
Everyone is now focused on building relationships and when
it comes to technology and harnessing its power, restaurant
owners are a little slow to the starting gate to begin with.
Start thinking like a social media hub and you will become
your own $2000 billion dollar Facebook of the restaurant but
trust me it takes business cards and looking at each person
you meet outside of the restaurant as someone you want to
give a business card to. I once bought a train ticket for
someone when the ticket machines were down & he had no
cash. I had some and her was about to have a really bad day.
I stepped in & said I would buy it. In his utter confusion I put
my business card in his hand as he was saying but how will I
return the money to you. I just smiled and said mail it to the
address in your hand and walked away. Not only did I get my
money back, he also enclosed a $4,000.00 gift card for
Tiffany’s & a new car! Alright, it was a $15.00 gift card for
Duncan Doughnuts and in a very sweet hallmark card but it
felt like a million bucks and that’s one more person sending
people down to ask for me. (His train ticket was only $12.00
by the way. It’s not like I am curing any diseases or anything,
I’m not that sweet. I’m just always looking to increase
business for my boss and maybe me someday but this is a
really good habit to get into.) This is networking and you will
be doing it for almost any business you go into or stay in
because often your contacts are your revenue stream such is
the case here as an actual frosting on the cake you already
have in your section which your boss and his marketing / PR
arm has provided.
TIP: Conversations with strangers: (Especially people in the
restaurant biz.) Always try to find a way to say, “by the way
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if you send friends in, just tell them to mention your name so
I know to give them VIP treatment.” EVERYONE WANTS
TO THROW THEIR NAME AROUND!
#6 Managers work for you! (They just don’t know it yet!)
Start introducing all your regular customers to your manager
and make your life easier! Use his title and prestige for
yourself. Why should he have all the fun? It will impress
your customer to know the boss personally, make you job
easier and cast you in a very favorable light once your boss
sees the extra effort you are making to get to know the
neighbors. (Don't forget to write their name down in a book
somewhere though! Once you know someone's name it is
very important for business that you don't forget it.
#7 Pictures & Videos = $$ In so many ways! Look for
opportunities to take your customer's picture. When they try
something on or hold something up say, "Oh, You should
Instagram that!" You will be blown away by how fast they
start posting and asking you to take their pic in different
outfits or holding your products. When you offer to take their
picture tell them that you do it conditionally: "First the way
you want then the way I want.” (Or “First Your way Then
Mine.”) 100% of your customers will be intrigued, even
excited by the prospect and wonder what you have in mind.
Take the first picture with them posing the way everyone has
posed since the beginning of time. (Yawn) Then tell them
“Ok, now it’s my turn, this is your rock-star album cover and
you are angry rock-stars pointing at the camera. “If you sneer
and point at them as an example they will mirror you and do
it back. Everyone has a little rock-star in them trying to get
out and this is the perfect way to help let that rock-star out of
them. As you are setting up the picture you can mention, The
other part of the condition is if it comes out good, you can
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mention me when you post it." Having the opportunity to do
something completely different will make them putty in your
hands and whether they post it or not they will ask you for
your name.
You are the master of ceremonies and you have the reins
after all! Send and include “Every once and a while I host
private fashion shows, test drives, tastings for my customers.
Would you like me to e-mail you when I have events or
specials?”
#8 Help parents! Entertain their kids. It frees them up to shop
and endears you to them. Just start talking to the kids.
Prepare ahead of time with songs, games, stories, and
coloring books. (Your co-workers will think you are insane.
Your boss will think you are brilliant and all the moms in
town will be asking for you personally! Then start using
mom's camera to take pictures of "junior" doing cute things
and get them together for photos with your products in the
pictures and watch how fast her tweets and pictures make
you employee of the month!)
#9 Make Calls On Your Customer's Behalf! Do you know
about a concert, book signing, cute pair of sandals on sale,
sample sale, new restaurant with amazing calamari? When
you are talking with your customer about why she is
shopping listen for important details that you can use to
further assist her and get her name at the same time. Would
those sandals match her dress perfectly? If she is interested
then make a call to that store down the block to have the
sandals set them aside for her. Then ask her name. When she
gives it to you don't feel like you have to share it with the
other store. They should only know your name. The name of
the person sending them a customer (And perhaps they will
eventually return the favor!) Now you got her name,
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provided unheard of customer service that she will tell
friends about and the store down the street knows your name
and make refer you customers. Not bad for noticing what’s
on sale in your neighborhood and what your customers are
wearing!
#10 Grab it! Gab anything and carry it. Help open the door,
grab an empty stroller to assist an over-worked mom. Grab
bags. People walking in with bags may like to leave them
some place safe to free up their hands while they shop.
Simply reach for their belongings (This is really easy if you
know their name) "May I put your bags behind the counter
for you and lighten your load?” (Or check your coat for you
so you don't over-heat?") Why not offer them some tea while
you're at it. They are confused but still handing them over..
Now if you don't know their name this is how you will get it!
"Sir/mam, can I have you name so everyone knows these are
your belongings", simple. Now you are building a regular
customer simply because they had bags or a coat.
Tip: Try hiring a financial adviser for your staff and watch
your company spirits rebound!
Many employees have no idea there is any other way to do
things but the way they do right now. Imagine how
empowered some of your employees would feel buying
stocks or saving for the first time… because of you!
Try This Weekly Team-building Game!
I don’t think employees realize how much they “leave on the
table” by providing sub-standard or even satisfactory
customer service. A great way to increase customer service is
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by doing a little team-building exercise where employees
pick a predetermined/scripted roll out of a hat. 1/2 of the
employees are employees, 1/2 are “customers” who act out
their rolls (mom with kids in a rush, older lady, needs a glass
of water to take a pill, crotchety man looking for gift etc.).
Get Your Customers Posting About You On Facebook Right
Now! It’s easy!
Another example, a customer is food shopping or in homegood section and picking out item that would be used for a
romantic dinner or picnic. Could this be preparation for an
anniversary or fist date? Ask! “Wow, there is one lucky
person in your life. Is it an anniversary?” or “Are you
shopping for a first date or do you always cook like this?”
“Wow, first date or do you always cook like that?”, pointing
to her shopping basket and smiling. She will either tell you or
ignore you for a few minutes. Either way you didn’t ask a
closed ended question that could result in a “No.” (“Can I
help you find something?” - Translation “Can you help me
sell you things you don’t need?” “No. I’m just looking’ –
Translation. “I don’t know you and you are probably going to
try to sell me things I don’t need.”)
This is the new way of selling: creating added value for
seemingly no personal gain. It may take a minute or two to
sink in but she will either hand you her phone to take pictures
of her or you will see her taking pictures of her own basket.
Either way you win. You just wrote, directed and produced a
commercial where she and her efforts are the stars and you’re
your store’s products are the co-stars. It is a completely new
focus so give yourself and your customer’s time to get
comfortable not being “sold” rather celebrating and posting.
So she has you take a picture or two with her phone (or you
see her taking pictures of the store’s products with your
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fabulous idea in mind. Either way you win and make sure
you let her know you don’t do this for just anyone.) So when
she has you take the picture tell her you do it conditionally,
the first one is “her way” the second one is yours and
whichever one comes out best goes on our Facebook page.”
Then laugh.
(“If you love the pictures you can even mention me as your
personal photographer on our FB page” or something to that
effect.)
Now, her first picture will be pleasantly posed but nothing to
write home about, now the second one is your way and she is
expecting to get some direction so have fun with this. Have
her do something cute. Use your imagination but maybe she
could hold up the card she is going to buy and point or point
to all the things in her basket etc. Get creative she will really
appreciate it. (This can also be the scenario you would offer a
mom with kids shopping for a special occasion. Offering to
take pictures with her phone of the whole gang picking out
the gift makes a great gift in itself! And all it takes is a few
words like, “Wow it looks like you are picking out something
for someone really special!”)
Now make sure you gush a little bit because you are
genuinely happy for your new customer’s anniversary. Ask
how they met, how did she know he was the one? What is
she going to wear & is she excited? Really listen and share
stories. Don’t sell. You may be creating a relationship with
someone who will send in every one of her friends to request
to shop with you personally. If the opportunity presents itself,
introduce her to your manager or boss as an alternative in
case you are not available and she forgot something or needs
something in the future. “Oh, Mark, I want you to meet my
super sweet customer Victoria. She is very important to me
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so if she needs anything I told her that you would have it
flown to her house by helicopter within 4 minutes.” Everyone
will laugh but the point that you will make your boss go
above and beyond for her will make her feel really good and
more connected to the store.
Now you’ve complemented your boss, complemented your
new customer, your boss is aware of you and your desire to
create repeat customers. Your boss knows this is your
customer, Victoria knows two people in the store which
makes her twice as likely to choose to shop with you every
time! She knows your name and you know hers, which
makes it likely that your exchanges will all be more pleasant
than with a customer who you don't know at all. Victoria is
one step closer to posting pictures of the stores products and
complementing you online and referring friends to shop with
you personally
When a most of your team is seated and while still handing
out their composition books begin asking, loudly over the
music, these questions: “By a show of hands, who would like
more energy in their life outside of work? Ok! Great!
Who would like to have more fun at work? Come on! Hands
again! Nice! (Thank You!) Alright, who would like more
opportunities in… general? …. Yes! Awesome! (Or come on
guys! No one wants more fun or opportunities?) Ok! By a
show of applause, (And this is not a test!) who would like
more choices? Great! Thank you! Applause again who would
like more promotions and Less (Micro) Management? Yes! I
thought that might appeal to some of you!
You: “Yes! You said you wanted more time, energy, fun,
choices, opportunity and promotions. Guess what? You will
find it all right here! “And this is where you will find all of
that (It) If your pages are empty you will be looking.
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When your pages are filled, you will have all the things you
need and more.
Now listen carefully because you have this job you can talk
to anyone. Because you have this job, you can meet any one.
Because you have this job, you can connect with anyone.
Yes. (Long Pause) Because you work here you can talk to
anyone, meet anyone and connect with anyone.
Isn’t that an unfamiliar thing to hear? Usually when you start
a job you learn about the products, the services, your role in
their business. No one ever stops to explain the personal
benefits you gain from your employment. Well, when
employees are happier and know they have much more than
just a job… who wins? Yes! Everyone! When a team
member feels like he is getting more out than what he is
putting in what kind of employee is he? Yes! He is a great
employee. He is someone who doesn’t need management. He
make even want to do more to attain recognition from
superiors. He is probably taking fewer sick leaves. Now who
wouldn’t want that type of employee and all we have to do is
show him (or her) the way to take advantage of their job?
Why isn’t everyone doing this? Because we are trained, we
learn about the job. Not the other way around.
Now YOU can use our inventory to your advantage in two
ways: The first example is when you would like to meet
someone new. Simply observe what they are doing. What
they are wearing, watching on TV or looking at for instance.
At a sports bar, for example, you think a guy is really cute
and he is rooting for a team on TV. What do you have at the
store that you can tell him about? Did you have the Alex
Rodriguez bobble-head? Are there St. Luis Cardinal shirts on
sale? It is the ‘EASIEST’ way to open up a conversation and
NOW he knows where you work! (If you are too shy to talk
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to him, talk to his friend.) Don’t let it end there though, pull
out your business card and write your name on it and tell
them that any time they come in and ask for you that you will
“hook them up” with all the new sports stuff and secret sale
items that no other customers ever get to know about.
Everyone likes to have an inside source. It makes people feel
important and well attended to even if you nothing but
remember their name. It makes them feel good, feel special
plus it makes your work easier, the business guts a new
customer and now the cute guy at the bar know how and
where to find you when he wants to ask you out. If it feels
comfortable, make sure you jot down your days and hours on
the card. This gives you more opportunity to exchange
information that you will put in your composition book. (Is
this your hometown or why is that your favorite team? You’ll
get better about asking great questions which open up lots of
conversations and details which will help you in every area in
life, not only at the store.)
Another way you can use our inventory to your advantage is
buy using it during your everyday interactions with other
people: Coffee/deli owners, muffin shop employees, wine
shop employees, waiters, hairdressers, bartenders, gas station
attendants, drycleaners, cashiers, bank-tellers, nurses, anyone
really! The easiest way to engage these people is to ask for
their help and then “respond in kind.” Telling them for
example, “Thank you so much for my delicious coffee every
morning! You are always so nice. (or you’ve been so
helpful!) I would love to return the favor! I can’t do as much
as you’ve done but if you come in and ask for me, I will
totally hook you up like an insider where I work. (Where I
work at ________) I’ll give you the inside scoop on all the
store secret/special items.” This is when they will ask you for
your name which is important because when you tell them
they will actually be listening and trying to remember it since
they asked for it. Plus your name is the gateway to their
preferred services at your store. This is a great time to take
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out a business card. “Here let me write it on our card.”
Keep in mind that these are now the nicest customers in the
store because they know you by name and you told them you
would give them special service. They don’t even know what
that means but they want it, everyone does. So they will be
on their best behavior plus it is almost impossible to be rude
to someone who you have exchanged names. This is another
way to control your day and make work more enjoyable for
yourself. Can you imagine waiting on only people who like
you and appreciate you? It would be like going to a party in
your department every day. Plus these customers are more
patient and understanding so they make your job even easier.
You don’t have time to shop for your mom or girlfriend. I
work at ____________ and I can handle all that for you.”
Now that you know you can meet anyone because you have
this job and that it starts with a conversation, that
conversations lead to exchanging names, names that get
written into your books so you can remember them,
remembering people’s names become the foundation of a
relationship and relationships can become anything you
want! That relationship could be your next best friend, the
first person on line at your first book signing, the person in
the front row of the play you wrote or are staring in, the
mother of your child’s next play date, the mother of your
next child! (Laughter) Your next boyfriend or carpenter…
the possibilities are endless!
“Thank you!” And it is a fact that saying, “Thank you for
your help! I would love to return the favor.” Makes people
listen to you. So now use it to your advantage every day and
everywhere you go. Leveraging your job for everyday tasks
and encounters saves time effort and money which means
again, because you have this job you have more options,
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possibilities and goodwill from the people you do business
with every day.
With the old way of thinking about retail, there is no reason
to exchange names. Now, with the advent of social media,
customers find it preferable to get referrals,
recommendations, create connections and buy from
“friends.” I want you to personally benefit from this new
business landscape by showing you how to personally gain
using one of your most valuable resources: your job. The old
business model almost prevents any type of friendly
relationship, focusing on the curious, almost mechanical
greeting and farewells time and again. (Most places I go into,
it’s like the movie “Ground Hog Day” where the staff acts
like it’s the first time they have seen me even though I have
been in every day for a week. Then I give them my, “Thank
you so much!” and my card and ask their name for my book
and a magical new world opens for me even in a coffee shop!
Suddenly I’m the V.I.P. and even standing in the back of the
line someone is shouting, “The usual LeeAnne?” saving me
time. Next at the cash register, it is human nature to want to
help someone who has recognized us right? Yes! So she may
already begin thinking of people or ways to refer people to
you! Why? Because everyone likes to feel important and you
just told Courtney that if people use her name they will
receive special services. Everyone likes to use their name!
You just created so much power and opportunity for yourself
and so much goodwill and recognition for someone else
simply buying a cup of coffee! You are on your way to
becoming unstoppable right?
Nice! (Thank You!) Alright, who would like more
opportunities in general? Yes! Awesome! (Or come on guys!
No one wants more fun or opportunities?) Ok! By a show of
applause, (And this is not a test!) who would like more
choices? Great! Thank you! Applause again who would like
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more promotions and Less (Micro) Management? Yes! I
thought that might appeal to some of you!
“Now, yesterday we talked about how to create opportunities
and goodwill for yourself through creating conversations
outside the store by empowering the people we want to know
(The cute college student was empowered by knowing you
can take care of all of his gift giving needs)and people we do
business with anyway (The coffee shop owner was
empowered when you recognized her hard work).
“Social media is changing the playing field of almost
everything and opening brand-new doors for those willing to
change with the times. It is no longer the exception but the
rule to do something nice for strangers online. Offering
referrals, information and tips are easy and effortless at your
keypad but not yet put into practice in real life. Those who
dip their toe in these new waters will find themselves always
quenched while those around you struggle in thirst. I
encourage you to start practicing these easy exercises both
in-store and on your own time to create your own rivers.
Thank you so much, for attending all of the four sessions and
thank you for working here with us. I really appreciate you
and look forward to a great new future that we will mold
ourselves unlike any other store or business that has ever
been before could luck team and thank you again now give
yourselves a big round of applause.
Now what if after you built that trust and relationship, you
mentioned to her that you notice she is usually pressed for
time and since you already know some of her favorites, that
if she sent you a text, you could make sure those things were
already waiting for her at the front of the store. That would
be helpful for her wouldn’t it? Not only would it be helpful,
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knowing those things were taken care of already frees up her
time and shopping cart for other things and she ends up
buying more. This is pretty great for the store right?
With my guides, employees learn the building blocks of
customer engagement and what triggers customers return &
refer friends. Why referral customers buy so much more and
how to create great referral customers.
Everyone in the neighborhood will know your staff by name
and will refer customers to them 24/7! (It's easy and your
employees will use this tool for the rest of their lives!)
I make sure employees want to treat customers the way you
would treat your customers. Your employees will be greeting
your customers by name and offering services and extras that
no one else is!
You will not believe your staff's transformation in one day.
My seminars and guides are exciting, intensive, fun
presentations that show your employees how much more they
get from their jobs by creating new customers and how to
easily create repeat customers from those customers and even
help prevent “Show rooming”
These fast-paced and full of networking, guides are rife with
clientele building tools that your employees will use for the
rest of their lives in every endeavor! They will be so glad that
they work for you and that you brought them this this lifechanging tool!
Your Staff Has No Idea How Lucky They are and it's Your
Fault!
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You've been so focused on your business that you forgot
about your employees.
Is the position offered enough to keep your employees
happy?
Is selling your widget enough for them? Is yours the best
widget on the planet and selling it makes your staff jump for
joy? Probably not! Many employees are arriving daily to
accomplish a means to an end for eight hours and they don't
really care what they sell. This means, of course, they don’t
really care if they sell either. This is a bad scenario for
retailers. Your widget better not have any competition or be
able to sell itself otherwise, you better start caring about your
employees and whether they like selling.
So how do you motivate your entire sales team to sell more
and drive more traffic to your business? Show them how to
take advantage of you. Teach them how to use your widgets
for their own personal and financial gain.
I guarantee no employer before you has ever taught their staff
how to cut corners and take advantage of a system for their
own personal gain. Yet that is exactly what you will be doing
when you help them create their first repeat customer.
Repeat, regular customers are great for business. This is a
customer the employee can greet by name or wave to fondly
from across the room indicating he will be assisting them
momentarily. Communicating even from a different
department in the store.
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This is cutting corners and yet the customer feels as though
he/she is getting more customer service and anyone around
him. This one customer service trick alone will save your
employee hours over the course of a year! It saves hundreds
of yards walked a year. Wouldn't you like your employees to
have more energy for the things they like to do after work?
Knowing your customers by name does just that.
Employees can tell an entire store that the person who just
walked in is their own personal customer with a simple wave.
There are so many nonverbal and verbal ways to
communicate with good, regular customers, but this is only
possible. Once you know the customer's name. It will save so
much time, energy and stress your employees will be made.
It is also much more difficult to be rude or curt with someone
who knows you by name. So your employees experience far
fewer inpatient or unfriendly customers and for more
customers who treat them with respect and even wish them
happiness.
What a different experience the same store can be for the
employee who has even one regular customer a day who they
would know by name. Helping them find and choose things,
learning their tastes and even personal details about their life,
children and careers. This type of customer is like shopping
with a friend and still getting paid. It’s the closest thing to a
stolen hour that they can get and the crazy thing is that only
they can create this scenario. No one else can do it for them.
How do you learn customer’s names, you may ask? It's quite
simple actually.
Here are two ways; get their names before they become
customers or learn names while assisting customers who are
coming in anyway.
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Why assist nameless people who might be unfriendly when
you can turn them into "friends of the business," who want
and request you.
Why settle for the standard that has been set years ago when
clearly times have changed?
Windows to new connections have been newly thrown open
due to the internet and the ability to create connections has
never before been this easy.
If your employees prefer not to engage people who they
could be building relationships with then they are absolute
fools!
You never know where a relationship may benefit you.
As an employer, you are now supplying them everything they
need to make their eight hours into a powerhouse of
opportunity and promise and their eight hour day will seem
more like four hours so if they prefer the old-fashioned ways,
then they are no smarter than someone standing in an
outhouse with the Yellow Pages and a princess phone.
Each employee has the limitless possibility to open, create,
benefit from and even profit from a relationship with
multiple regular customers.
“Regular customer energy” is infectious as well. Your other
clients will want to be called by name and given what seems
to be superior and unique customer service treatment.
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If you have an employee incentive program in place, even
better! Start a rewards challenge involving introducing
customers to the manager. The employee with the most
introductions wins a prize. The employee wins the prize,
gains customers and request plus now the customer is known
by the manager of the store, making it all the more enticing
to shop and refer friends.
The competitive “name that name." Challenge is actually a
fantastic tool that your employees will benefit and use in
every area of their life! (Free networking tool with this
week's paycheck: Make sure they are writing customer’s
names down in a book. You don’t want to remember
someone one week but not the next).
In my opinion, you are creating bad customer service by
making your widget the focus of everyone's attention. Clue
phone! It's not the best widget ever! The focus shouldn’t
even be the customer! The focus should be your employees,
the conduit to the sale and how to make them happier to drive
more traffic. They need to feel loved and appreciated at some
point in the equation.
I assume, for example, that your managers are not telling
them how great they are, maybe they are only pointing out
your employee’s flaws and mistakes. Maybe the customers
are unappreciative or inpatient, maybe even rude. If your
employee didn’t really even love your widget in the first
place but has too much personal debt or responsibility to look
for other job opportunities. This is not the best equation to a
purchase. In fact if this employee is frustrated enough. He
may be displaying passive aggressive behaviors onto every
customer experience and you don't even know it.
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What's shocking is that you and you alone have the power to
turn your black and white, cold, boring store into a virtual
Candy-land of daily opportunity and excitement for your
staff. You just choose not to because the old ways are much
more comfortable. Well “comfortable” is going to put you
out of business my friend. Things are they really very
different and you better get up to speed and start engaging
your staff, and giving them the tools and structure that they
are asking for or they will eventually go somewhere else but
not before the unhappy and unsatisfied feelings seep through
the cracks of every conversation that could have easily
blossomed into repeat customers, but instead became a poor
customer experience, complete with bad mouthing your
store’s reputation, bashing on the Internet and around town.
Or worse, they say nothing and eventually you close your
doors. Stop this vicious cycle and cater to the needs of your
employees. Their days don't need to be interminable until
they move on. Make it fulfilling so they never want to leave!
It's not about your widget. It's not even about the customer!
It's about the people who make you want the widget, buy the
widget, take pictures and post about the widget and the
experience buying the widget. It's the people who shake your
hand when you enter the store and ask how your kids are. It's
the people that customers want to thank and send holiday
cards to, recommend to friends and for promotions, call with
funny stories or questions because they know they are
wanted and appreciated by these people, appreciated
personally and not just for their wallets! It’s about your
employees. These are the people who personalize your
business your brand and your widgets.
Employees: if you want to make your working life better,
easier, more fun and more profitable than call your customers
by name. The way to accomplish this is very easy. Mention
your own name a few times or assist your customer with
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things not related to what you are selling. Example; if
customers are carrying bags, coats, umbrellas greet them and
offer to put their items behind the counter or someplace safe.
As they are handing their belongings to you asked for their
name. (Don't be nervous! It's easy, and you are providing
extra customer service they didn't know they needed or could
possibly have.) Just say, "And your name?
I’ll put a little tag on it so everyone knows it's yours." Walla!
With seems like extra effort on your part is actually the first
step to creating your effortless workday and then workweek
and ultimately career in a rewarding customer relations
position. (Lucky dog!)
Now it is vitally important that at some point after getting
your customer’s name, you write it in a book that will
become your regular customer’s names book.
Do yourself a favor and purchase a standard composition
book for customer’s names. When you get a name put the
date at the top of the page and jot down things like: weather
conditions that day and a politically correct description of the
customer plus her kids names or career… any little thing that
she may have mentioned that will help jog your memory if
you don’t see her again for a few weeks.
Another way to get a customer's name is if they have children
with them. Try keeping the kids entertained and or putting
the stroller somewhere safe. You can introduce yourself and
tell the mom or dad you are more than happy to help. Any
time you are not busy. When they obviously appreciate you
singing the A B Cs with Junior you can tell them that they
can call the store at the time to let you know they are coming
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in and that way you can finish up with other clients Past to
keep Junior company while year she shops.
Don’t Be Victimized By Your Customer’s Comments On
Social Media, Control It Easily And For Free!
Create Your Own Public Opinion Using Just Your Staff And
Free Internet Tools!
Your on-line presence is so vitally important but what
happens if your pristine reputation is sudden sullied or
destroyed?
Many businesses have lost control of their own reputation
and even branding with the advent of the Internet.
Don’t let it happen to you or if it has already, click here to
control or regain control of your valuable reputation. Best of
all, you don’t even need a website, or a lot of money. You
can download in the area, easy (short) guide, complete with
script so you can share with your staff, word for word the
secrets that will control, enhance and elevate your reputation
in real life and on the Internet.
Not only will your staff love and use these tools every day,
they will use them to build clientele on their days off. This
fun and easy guide is easy to communicate, easy to grasp and
pays for itself 10 times over after your first employee
meeting. Even if you never spoken to your staff as a whole
before this simple guide will have them singing your praises
and shouting from the rooftops how much they love their
jobs.
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Trust me, I know you’re not in the motivational speaking
business. You are in business to make money not to parent
and holding your employees hands. This guide is the answer
to your prayers on every level. You may even want to make
it required reading detailing your new, much easier customer
service, clientele building attitude.
You will see your staff blossom into full throttle social media
experts engaging customers on a whole new level and
controlling the outcomes of their sales and social media
comments.
These are exciting times and a whole new frontier with
uninhabited territory. Those who harness the power they
already possess within their very own customers and free
World Wide Web will dominate in their field. Dominate!
This is true for both David and Goliath business is at this
moment in this moment alone. By 2014 you will likely either
have the lion’s share or be on your way out of business. Most
brick and mortar businesses are slow to the gate by virtue of
overwhelming the day business operations, but believe me,
this is the one and only time that if you are not in the game
with your uniform on and select in hand, you are on your
way up to the bleachers with nothing in your wallet, but some
mold the “shoulda-woulda-coulda” and an old “I told ya so”
wrapper.
Listen, if you still have a yellow pages book anywhere on the
premises of your business, I guarantee you are doing less
revenue. If you are in the Yellow Pages, I guarantee you are
behind on your payments and your employees. Talk about
you behind your back. (It is the equivalent of saying “indoor
toilets? That will never work!”
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I bet one or more of your employees have thank you to enter
the computer or technology age and maybe that sounded
scary to you because you sell tangibles, but I’m telling you
this as a concerned friend, do not ignore the pink elephant in
the room because these days. Even she has a smart phone
with preloaded apps and is reading your bad reviews this is
an age not to be trifled with. Google some of James Caan’s
recent comments and see what this business guru’s thoughts
on your business and the internet. He has forgotten more than
most business owners will ever even know. Donald Trump
should have him on his Facebook chat list. (That’s speed dial.
If you still have a cord attached to your phone. And parental
between James, myself and the omnipotent presence of the
Internet and “apps” you should absolutely be alarmed if you
don’t already have the basics: Facebook page, Linked-In
account, Twitter account, Instagram, Pinterest, Google
profile, Yahoo business listing and Yelp account in listing.
And yes, all of these are free to so if you’re not taking
advantage. No wonder your employees are talking about you!
You are literally the limit take in the town square, screaming
you don’t want any customers. This is no more a fad, than
toilets were. Get in the game and fast!
Take one afternoon and a teenager in your family or
neighborhood and get it done! He/she will set up all of your
accounts. Use one password for all of them and then change
it when he leaves. It should take no more than two hours and
$50 don’t get overwhelmed or scammed into purchasing
services from so-called professionals you know your
business better than anyone and your neighborhood kid can
set these things up in his sleep. Just sit with him to answer
address, hours, business description information, You will
have a fantastic, searchable presence in only two hours. Try
to use great search terms in your descriptions to show up
higher in the rankings systems. (Words like best and great,
location info help the search engines deliver you to the your
potential customers. No one is looking for the “worst” suit or
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car. For instance, so use words that people might search for
to find the products and services you provide.
I want you to succeed and prosper not just get by these above
tips alone will begin crushing your less aware competition.
Now, do yourself a huge favorite download my simple basic
guide to motivating your staff and start trampling any
competition and overflowing your bank accounts.
Between me and your neighborhood kid, you’ll spend about
the same as one dinner for two and you will see your
employees embrace their job, their customers, you, the value
of your customers, the ability to create good regular repeat
customers at work, and the ability to create customers during
their time off.
With my customer service mini guide or superior customer
service seminar, you could have every one of your employees
sending more customers into your store in addition to the
customers that you already have. Customers speaking highly
of your business because of their relationship with your
employees. Customers who use social media and “word-ofmouth” marketing daily with or without your involvement.
Why not get involved? Why not grow the customer
engagements and relationships in your store to control public
opinion?
Why settle for just the business you have when you can print
a few pages and guarantee more customers and customers
who are posting great things about you, your products and
your employees! I’ll go one step further and say I guarantee
your staff will be sending in at least two more of these
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customers per week for the life of their employment. How
much could that mean to you?
2 Customers x even 5 employees = 10 x 52 weeks. Could you
use an extra 520 customers this year? How about 1,040 new
customers next year? (And believe me to per week is
conservative).
Wouldn’t 500 new customers be great? Even if they only
spent $1! You only spent $50 for the teenager, $10 for the
guide two hours with the kid, during which time you can read
the entire guide!
The principles I talk about during my seminars are the same
ones you will find in my little guide and people find them
invaluable. How can I guarantee your staff will start
generating more customers? Who cares? I just guarantee they
will or I refund your money. It’s that simple.
You don’t get to experience human nature at the magnitude I
have for the length of time I have without learning some
valuable insights into predictability.
Take advantage of what I have learned and use it not only to
pick up a bat, but hit it out of the park. Start controlling your
online image, your reputation your income and your destiny.
Download my guide today. If you don’t increase your
customer base, sales and bottom line within one week I will
refund your money!
I already know how great and usable these tools are. I also
already know your employees can’t wait to start using them.
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So really you aren’t risking anything, you are activating your
employees to become around the clock promoters and your
own personal marketing team, it costs less than a tank of gas,
but will take you much further. If it changes the mindset of
just one of your employees, you will make more your money
back. Thousands of times over your employees will actually
want to use the tools, they are going to thank you and send in
more business, like their jobs more, be happier at work, take
less days and time off… Why are you still reading this, you
are literally standing in an outhouse with a yellow pages
book in one hand and a corded phone in the other! Get out of
your own way and download the guide! You win no matter
what!
Isn’t that what you went into business for?
Like What You Read? Feel free to follow my blog or sign up
for
my
free
newsletter
&
teleseminars!
http://eepurl.com/AmZtf
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Motivate your staff! The way I do this is either in person or
on-line 2 hour seminars or through a brief 20 page guide /
script that I wrote so that you can motivate your own staff.
I am looking for new clients in the restaurant and retail sector
so I can show them how much more enthusiastic their
employees will be when they see the limitless possibilities
their job holds for them. Feel free to refer me to anyone you
think may need help with their staff!
What? Going to get me a different size underwear would be
your pleasure?
Posted on June 25, 2013 by LeeAnne Homsey - Customer
Service Expert Seminars
I Firmly Believed We All Got Cheated Somewhere With
Regard To Our Jobs.
Mine has always been in hospitality so it was easy to create
the kind of job I believed wanted. Restaurant management is
an amoeba like thing; constantly morphing and changing but
always connecting with people.
With the advent of social media the world has become, well
more social, but on every level and in every facet not just on
our computers. We expect more social connectivity
everywhere now and it is becoming glaringly obvious to me
that the retail industry is struggling to catch-up on what we in
the hospitality business have already forgotten: How to create
great, easy, “regular customers.”
Yes, we do it everywhere we go, the bank the park, the drycleaner, the hairdresser and especially in our own store…
telling everyone we meet where we work and to “come on by
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for something special… just for you.” Waiters & bartenders
out on a night off, telling other waiters and bartenders to drop
in on these days at these times for V.I.P. treatment at their
restaurant hoping to fill their sections with great tipping nice
customers who request them.
But now everywhere I shop, every retail employee seems to
be trying so hard to make my experience so sugary sweet it’s
almost unpleasant. I know they are being trained and retrained to say the nicest things to every customer at every
moment of the shopping experience but retailers are missing
the mark and driving their employees crazy with unrealistic
demands.
I can only speak for myself but I don’t want super smiley
employees screaming, “Absolutely! It’s my pleasure.” every
time I ask a question and then they don’t even remember me
when I come in the next day because they are so
overwhelmed learning what not to say.
In the restaurant business you learn early how to get and
remember people’s names and convince them to come to
your business because they are the easiest customers to assist.
Not only that, they feel like V.I.P.’s because they are
recognized, remembered and eventually introduced to and
woven into the fabric of our community so that we all know
what their personalities and preferences are. You can waive
to them from across the room to acknowledge them and let
them know you will be with them shortly, you can relax with
them and really assist them personally and you both benefit
from the relationship.
Today’s retail stores are almost guaranteeing their own
demise between “show rooming” and the unrealistic demand
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on it’s employees and the really unbelievable and consistent
response: “Absolutely! It would be my pleasure!” (What?
Going to get me different size underwear would be your
pleasure? That sounds ridiculous even to me! What’s worse
though, next week you will greet me as though you have
never seen me before and if you were properly trained, you
would know my name, my occupation and even know what
color and size underwear I have on!
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2 Ways To Learn Your Customer’s Names Fast!
Your customers will be blown away when they return and
they are greeted by name. This is the type of service
customers love and return and shop more often as a result of!
The first example is when you spot someone with kids. Keep
it casual act as though it is no big deal to help keep their kids
and occupied in this act will reward you, her and the store 10
times over!
At some point in offering your services to her, it will become
comfortable ask for her name but… please make sure she
gets your name! (Why? Because you never know!) This is
your next regular customer, but it is even better now, through
telling her "mom" friends about the store and you personally
they were excited.
Example: mother with children distractedly trying to shop
while kids are requiring her attention too - ask age
appropriate questions of the kid(s) ("Hey does anyone know
the ABC's?") then smile & say, "You shop, we'll follow."
then immediately turn your attention back to the kids and ask
your next question. "That was great! Does anyone here know
what the Itsy Bitsy spider went up?"
When “your mom” customer is leaving the store now, make
sure she knows you can always do this for her when you are
here and not busy. (Tell her this whether she accepted your
help today or not. This gives her something to think about if
she didn’t) this opens the door for three obvious questions:
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Who are you and when are you here? And when should I
shop that you are not busy?
You just took a less than perfect situation for a mother and
turned it, not only into an opportunity, but a scenario where
she will ask for your name, the days that you work, plan to
come back earlier and tell friends!)
When you tell her, "Feel free to call the store a few minutes
before you get here so I can finish up with whomever I am
working with. What is your name by the way?" – This no
pressure customer service attitude has nothing to do with the
clothes or widgets so she will happily tell you are name and
be sure she gets yours.
If she seems really enthusiastic write your name on a piece of
paper or store business card. When she reaches for the card,
pull it back and say, "Oh, I should write the days I’m
working days too."
In her head you have already moved her to the head of the
line, in front of other customers when she calls to tell you of
her eminent arrival, now you are pulling back the only piece
of paper that has your name on it. The name she does not
want to forget. People don't like having things taken away
from them. So this will further solidify your name in her
memory.
You made her life easier for no apparent reason and for no
financial or emotional gain for yourself and you told her you
will hurry others along in preparation for her arrival. Now
that is customer service! She feels like a queen and you
created that with the same exact amount of time and space
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that your coworkers would use to complain about something.
Now when you are writing down for her the days that you
work, mention that, "mornings, (afternoons or evening's…
whatever time you are consistently slow or looking for
business) are best." and also write that on the card.
Now as you hand her the card or paper back, and this is
important, let her know that you can only do this for a few
people a week and laugh and say, "otherwise it might turn
into a different business altogether.” and laugh again. “Thank
you for coming in. I hope to see you soon, by-by Junior!"
Another way to get a customer's name is by mentioning your
own (and not in the same forgettable way like, "Hello, my
name is LeeAnne and I will be assisting you today."
Rather in a way that makes people listen.
Example: "Can I help you find something?" "No, I'm just
looking."
"Well, you are looking in LeeAnne section so if you want to
know the secret deals let me know."
The customer may not want your help. But now, they at least
know your name. You should get something or give
something every time you speak to someone. Don't settle for
the average, normal sub-standard exchange. That is so social
media. Now people expect more from each and every
exchange in their lives.
Did you know you get something every time you give your
name? You are one step closer to being able to say, "And
your name is?"
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When customers have used your name enough times you can
absolutely ask for theirs plus you are that much closer to a
relationship, more respect, your customer recommending you
to friends and for promotions, being better known in your
community and receiving thank you gifts, holiday cards and
perks from people outside of work. But none of this can
happen if you don't give your name or get theirs.
Look for opportunities to get your name into your customer’s
years. People like to go to places where they know people.
They will choose your store over the competition simply
because they know your name. Your boss will also become
aware of how many people are spending money in his store
because of you. A good way to make sure this is by
introducing your customer to your boss or manager. Do this
by saying, "I don't know if you met our amazing manager (Or
the man behind all of this), Mark. Mark this is our new, super
nice customer and neighbor. Sorry, I never asked your name?
Oh Mary? Nice to meet you!) "Well, Mary if you can't find
me, LeeAnne, ask for Mark and he will see to it you get my
special treatment. Even if I'm not here.”
Bamm! Now you’ve complemented your boss,
complemented your new customer, your boss is aware of
your new clientele building practices and techniques. Your
boss knows this is your customer, Mary knows two people in
the store which makes her twice as likely to choose to shop
with you every time! She knows your name and you know
hers, which makes it likely that your exchanges will all be
more pleasant than with a customer who you don't know at
all. Mary is one step closer to complementing you online and
referring friends.
Can you believe you did all of this by mentioning your own
name and introducing your boss to your customer?
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You just stacked the deck in your favor and created a regular,
really nice customer all using just a few words and not
settling for, "No thanks just looking."
Get your name in it. Use your words! Use your connections
to your boss/manager to your advantage. Use his cache to
your benefit. Use the power that he throws around to create
and cement your own relationships with your customers. You
will be surprised how much get from sharing his power and
title with your customers.
Your boss may want you around all the time! (And believe
me, no one else will come to mind when it comes for a
promotion).
This is a lot of power and positives coming from simple
introductions and learning customers’ names. Stop throwing
your power away and complaining you have none.
You have the power to do amazing things and create and
forge phenomenal relationships for yourself. Go do it!
Example: a mother with children distractedly trying to shop
while kids are requiring her attention too - ask age
appropriate questions of the kid(s) ("Hey does anyone know
the ABC's?") then smile & say, "You shop, we'll follow."
then immediately turn your attention back to the kids and ask
your next question. "That was great! Does anyone here know
what the Itsy Bitsy spider went up?"
Like the early powerful social media sites, most employees
have no idea how much power they really have. More than
likely that no one has shown them how to be more powerful
either.
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Have you?
Would you even know how? Probably not and yet when
employees are powerful they produce more, engage more an
inspire more. Still most employers and managers struggle
daily to motivate their staff. It is amazing to me how much
personal power, self-fulfillment and enthusiasm employers
let slip through the cracks while trying to micro manage the
minutiae. If employees really wanted to do their best, there
would be nothing to manage except excess orders and sales.
Having a job in the customer service field is such a gift. Let
me explain; depending on the business employees may have
access to an inventory of sometimes hundreds of thousands
of products or services! People shopping for these
products/services mean that employees have hundreds of
thousands of opportunities to create relationships.
Relationships they could not have built otherwise.
To the average employee this means nothing but, to the best
employee this is his perspective already and one he will
maintain on the rise to the top. But even the best employee
has no idea how much power he/she has at his disposal from
the time he/she opens her eyes in the morning. The power to
create personal relationships for themselves outside of work
because of the inventory they have access to while at work.
They have no idea how to look for problems both inside and
outside of work which will create new customers requesting
them by name. Most have no idea how this alone catapults
them to stardom and bonuses within their company and most
managers, busy plugging leaks have no time to tell them. If
they had time to tell their average employees to think more
like the social media giants everyone would win.
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Now what if after you built that trust and relationship, you
mentioned to her that you notice she is usually pressed for
time and since you already know some of her favorites, that
if she sent you a text, you could make sure those things were
already waiting for her at the front of the store. That would
be helpful for her wouldn’t it? Not only would it be helpful,
knowing those things were taken care of already frees up her
time and shopping cart for other things and she ends up
buying more. This is pretty great for the store right?
One customer could mean over $52,000.00 over a twenty
year period buying water alone! Ask yourself this? Could
you afford to lose $52,000.00 a year to the competition and
still pay your employees what they ask? Building one or two
of these kinds of customer relationships is also really great
for the employee who just offered this one of a kind service!
Thankful customers show their appreciation in a multitude of
ways. Referrals & Holiday cards are just two. Now when that
thankful customer tells her other “Busy” friends to shop only
with you they will be coming in, asking for you by name and
hoping for the same special service which you can now
control the time and frequency of simply by saying, “Oh I
can only do that when I’m not busy with my job’s
responsibilities and that would be at 8:00am or 1:00 pm,
whenever the store has a lull. Your boss and the store owners
will eventually know that you personally are driving traffic
into their store using just one of the social networking tools
available to you. Using these tools becomes addictive. Once
someone begins opening doors and opportunities for
themselves they never turn back. This is a tool the best
employees will use for the rest of their lives.
Noticing the buying habits of someone who may appreciate
some extra assistance is smart and productive. It is a much
better use of the exact same time and space that a typical coworker is using to complain about his job. Now noticing a
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customer’s preferences may lead nowhere but there is a
possibility that it may become useful. One thing is for sure,
not taking notice of what your customers prefer can only
result in the exact same outcome that has been happening for
years, a million times over each and every day. The best
customer service employees, acting as social media hubs are
learning how to change this and become more powerful in
their community as a result.
How many of you have a business card for your place of
business in your wallet right now?
Is your store empty at the beginning of the day or end of the
night? Business cards will change that! Anywhere you go
you can drop a card on someone saying, “You guys are the
best, I love your…Muffins, candles, clothes, discounts, cars,
burgers, services (whatever!) let me give you my card and
anytime you want to stop in I would love to return the favor!
..If you come in early I can give you undivided attention and
let you in on product details & specials that no one else
knows and V.I.P. them in other ways! Maybe introducing
them to your manager, give a sample, coupon or suggest a
photo of them with your product etc.
You have so many free tools that will make a guest feel
special, wanted and inclined to return more often. And when
I say free tools please know that I never mean upselling. You
have real tools, money making tools, all around you always
at your disposal but no one in business is going to tell you
that because they think their products or services should be
enough for a customer to think, “I am coming back here
every week and I want this guy to always work with me!”
Sorry, we are never going to build a repeat clientele
foundation with a great smile and the best gadget ever. The
world is social now. Everyone is now focused on building
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relationships and when it comes to technology and
harnessing its power, brick and mortar businesses are a little
slow to the starting gate to begin with. Start thinking like a
social media hub and you will become your own $2000
billion dollar Facebook of the business but trust me it takes
business cards and looking at each person you meet outside
of the business as someone you want to give a business card
to. I once bought a train ticket for someone when the ticket
machines were down & he had no cash. I had cash and he
was about to have a really bad day. I stepped in & said I
would buy it. In his utter confusion I put my business card in
his hand as he was saying, “But how will I return the money
to you.?” I just smiled and said mail it to the address in your
hand and walked away. Not only did I get my money back,
he also enclosed a $4,000.00 gift card for Tiffany’s & a new
car! Alright, it was a $15.00 gift card for Duncan Donuts and
in a very sweet hallmark card but it felt like a million bucks
and that’s one more person sending people down to ask for
me. (His train ticket was only $12.00 by the way. It’s not like
I am curing any diseases or anything, I’m not that sweet. I’m
just always looking to increase business for my boss and
maybe me someday but this is a really good habit to get into.)
This is networking and you will be doing it any business you
go into because your contacts are your revenue source.
Names! From now on, every opportunity you have to get
someone’s name or mention yours USE IT!
Names are so important! People return much more often
when the person helping them knows them by name and uses
their name during their shopping experience. Some of the
ways you get your customer’s names are: you recognize them
from shopping in the store before, you’ve seen them in the
neighborhood, noticing things about them and sharing
information that may be of interest to them.
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Example: the customer’s son is carrying a violin and you
know of a concert in the area featuring a famous violinist,
mention may name for guaranteed tickets or she is carrying a
Channel purse and you know of a place that has Channel
accessories on sale, mention my name for special service.
Any way you can strike up a conversation and introduce
yourself is a great thing but giving your customers a reason
to remember your name will create a lifelong relationship.
The customer will eventually introduce himself and if not
you will eventually find the perfect time to say, “and your
name?” Being able to call someone by name is very
powerful! Whether he is your customer yet or not, he soon
will want to be, which is so powerful! Plus the customers
around him will want to know who he is which makes him
feel even more important and more catered to. This makes
getting other customer’s names easier so use the momentum!
Some of you are uncomfortable with this, saying to yourself,
“I can’t ask anyone’s name while I am assisting them, that’s
just weird and plus I’m not good with names, I can’t
remember names. They just don’t stay in my brain aaaah!”
Well rest assured that neither one of these are true and this is
actually an easy, powerful tool that you will use for the rest
of your life!
One easy way to get your customer's name is making sure
they are calling you by name. The easiest way to make sure if
this is happening is by mentioning your name for example
when they ask about anything you say "Of course! You are in
Dave’s department. You will get all the information you
want!"
From this point on it will be difficult for your customer to
call you anything but Dave. After they call you by name two
or three times it's more than appropriate to know what their
name is. You can accomplish this with one easy sentence.
(Important: once you get your customer’s name you must
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remember it! It is inappropriate to learn someone’s name in a
professional environment and then forget it the next time he
comes to your business and it is easy to remember name
when you write them down. You should already have a
composition book with the first names of a few of your
neighborhood business owners so this is the perfect place to
write it down).
The easy, foolproof way to get the customer’s name is by
introducing him to someone else preferably the owner or
manager. You simply say I want to introduce you to my boss
who can assist you if I’m not here, Mr. Rogers, this is a
V.I.P. customer I’d like you to meet, and your name?” He
will happily shake hands and tell both you and Mr. Rogers
his name. Next just follow up with “Mike, Mr. Rogers will be
more than happy to help you with anything you need if I’m
not available when you come in. Thank you Mr. Rogers.”
This exchange accomplishes not only getting your
customer’s name but also makes your boss aware of your
newly acquired, expert customer service technique. (This
technique is completely unique, highly desirable, nontrainable and in other words a commodity!)
Remembering people’s names is one of THE fastest ways to
put money in your pocket and create performance recognition
at the same time. Getting your customer’s name does take
some finesse I will admit, not for any other reason than “It’s
just not the norm.” Once it does become the norm for you,
you will see dramatic difference not only in the money you
make but in the way you are treated by customers, neighbors
and your boss alike. “manage” your department, not just be
an employee! When you know your customer’s names you
can greet them personally and warmly, keep them in the loop
AND make them feel like the most important customer all at
the same time!
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Plus knowing customers’ names is a life saver and actually
helps you save time when you are busy, make you more
money when you’re not and impresses your boss and the
business owner. Not only will can you expect to have more
fun at work, you can also expect Christmas cards with gifts
from your customers and raises from you boss!
Sound good? Keep reading It gets better!
Greet people personally and warmly. You may want
something from them later… like a few extra minutes while
assisting another customer, recognition from your boss that
you are greeting customers personally, maybe even a
Christmas card or referral but how can any of this happen if
you don’t know your customer’s name? It is really easy for
people to “showroom” and leave without purchasing when
money is “tight” and they are watching every dollar.
It’s much harder to spend time with and utilize the expertise
of a retail professional who the customer builds a relationship
with, to go home and buy at a discount on-line, even when he
is on a budget.
People are also much more forgiving when things take a little
longer in the store or mistakes are made. In the end everyone
wins especially the customer. When employees know the
customer by name they can keep them in the loop of what is
happening, what to expect, special situations or sales. When
an employee sees a potential customer for the first time and
can’t assist them right away, has no idea what their
preferences or time limits are can only say, “I’ll be right with
you.” Of course if this doesn’t happen within a reasonable
amount of time according to the customer, they now perceive
themselves to be receiving poor customer service and may
never return.
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Is it tricky to get someone’s name? Yes! Is it almost an art
form? Yes! But only because it is just different! Your
customers are not yet accustomed to power customer service
or power customer engagement! But with the advent of social
media the playing field has changed, some industries are just
slower to the gate. Those who will win are taking advantage
of the new “wild west” and building new empires simply by
becoming social “hubs” for their customers. Others are
wallowing and bound to disappear while trying to cling to old
concepts that don’t work for anymore. Which will you be?
The Customer Service Expert is for anyone in any industry
who would like to make more money doing less work and
feel as though you have more pride, power and integrity at
the end of each and every day. It is meant to be an easy to
implement “roadmap” to your personal success not just at
work but in all of your endeavors and every part of your life.
These tools will help build a foundation which will have you
doing far less work and taking home much more money,
admiration and respect. The goal of creating this guide and
seminars is to make sure you succeed and thrive so keep
reading!
Consider for a moment that you have your own small
business. Where ever you work you have your own small
business that you don’t have to stock with inventory, furnish
or pay rent for.
What a fantastic opportunity! You can make the most of
every single second in a store you don’t have to create the
concept for, design & create the products for, find the
location, advertise or staff or pay rent for. This turnkey
operation is ready and waiting for you to start making money
the moment you walk in. You don’t even lose money during
slow times or incompetence the way your boss does. You are
set up to win from Jump Street simply because you have a
job. Now focus on getting new and repeat customers to come
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into your small business and treat them like you want to
create a relationship for with them and make their lives easier
and better because they know you!
Try thinking like the host of a party at your home, the master
of ceremonies. As guests arrive in your home do you ignore
them or greet them warmly and offer to take their coat,
umbrella or packages? Surprisingly many employees feel as
though the only thing they can say to potential customers
who have gone out of their way to come into their store is
“Let me know if I can help.” Or “Can I help you find
anything?” I understand that some customers act as though
they prefer to be left alone but if they just came into your
home you may have a far more warm and personal exchange
which is actually they key which unlocks so many more
conversational doors. Conversations which lead to the
exchange of names and information. “Can I help you find
something?” invites the answer “No.” and no conversation
can grow from that. I don’t know about you but I thank
people for coming to my house, offer to make them
comfortable and tell them a little about what to expect or
where things are. (As you should as the master of
Ceremonies) As an employee working only for a paycheck it
is much easier to do things mechanically “correct” and create
standard outcomes. As an power employee working for a
future, every customer is a potential connection, a potential
friend of the store, potential referral for more customers,
potential on-line marketer, potential holiday gift or card,
potential compliment to your boss and recommendation for
promotion…. For a power customer service employee, every
customer is potential. For an average employee every
customer is just a customer for someone else’s business.
These are a lot of tools, I know, but pick just one or two for
the day and focus on it. For instance my favorite is "get your
name in it". Any sentence you can get your name into is
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actually a free effortless marketing tool for you personally.
The customer is beginning to feel like part of the business but
only in your department or because of you. You are subtly
letting your customers know that he or she can use your
name whenever he wants but also opening the door for you to
ask his name which is putting him on the fast track V.I.P.
“regular customer” status. Once your customers are known
by name it automatically elevates your business and certainly
you personally in this hierarchy of shopping choices. This
one tool alone will give you more respect, more referrals,
create possibilities for promotions and more money, save you
time and create opportunities and good will for you and the
business.
My other favorite is, “Thank you.” Any chance I can get to
get someone to say to me is a possible opening for a
conversation! “Thank you” to me is a chance to say, “Thank
YOU!” to them which lets them know I value them taking
the time to come in. Value them asking ME a question
instead of my co-worker which gives ME a chance to create a
lifelong relationship and friend of the store while my coworkers get paid to stare at their hands. “Thank YOU” for
giving me the opportunity to say “Thank YOU!” in a way
that will make you hear me and see me with respect and
understand how much I appreciate you.
When your customers hear “Thank YOU” enough times they
actually begin to feel thanked and appreciated and not for the
dollars they spend but for who they actually are. It begins a
fantastic process of creating possibilities that you will
become addicted to even when you are not at work. You can
also find a way to get your name into a sentence like that or
get their name? (2 for 1!) “Thank You for coming into
LeeAnne’s department where magical things happen….or
actually I just give you the inside scoop on new sale items.”
The more you get your customer to say “Thank you” the
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more you can return with a “Thank YOU!” which leads to
conversations which leads to opportunities to get name into
sentences. The more you do that, the more they remember
your name. The more they remember your name, the closer
they are to posting about you personally, telling friends and
coming back to buy more. Without these doors opening these
people are just faceless customers coming and going. Buying
or not. A simple “Thank YOU” can open a floodgate of
possibilities for every part of your life giving you more
energy and optimism for the really important things to you:
maybe your kids or biking, cooking, writing or shopping!
For more call or click and I will make you a customer service
expert in two hours! Plus now use this code: h
ttp://ustre.am/V0N0 to access any of the Power Customer
Service Teleseminars Free!
LeeAnne Homsey
1-860-248-0988
http://thecustomerserviceexpert.com
Subscribe for Power Customer Service Newsletter
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Business owners: How can you guarantee your customers the
very best customer service from your employees? It’s easy!
Look at this scenario for instance:
#1) Making a purchase signifies that they perceive the
combination: quality, price and experience in adequate
proportions. Adequate, but will they return or tell friends?
#2) Not making a purchase signifies that one or more of the
above factors were less than adequate and may never return.
The previous two statements are irrefutable and shockingly
most customer service employees would be satisfied by the
outcome of either statement!
As a business owner you better be unhappy with both!
Customers buy when the price & quality is right. Returning
& referring friends is based on the best customer service
which is easy…. but first ask what does “the best customer
service” mean to you?
Is it service, availability, friendliness, cheerfulness, a smile,
product knowledge, ability to suggest other products when
price is an issue… perhaps all of the above?
But are those always the best customer service points or are
you sometimes in a rush and the best customer service would
be addressing your time constraint immediately and
executing whatever task you needed expeditiously & without
the smiles & extra banter?
Let’s face it, we are all different people with different
backgrounds, personalities and needs and so are your
customers.
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Some of your customer’s service needs change within days,
hours or even minutes! As a result “the best customer
service” will mean different things to different people even at
different times!
How can “the best customer service” be in a trainable in
scripted context when it is so subjective by nature? When it
seems as though every part of the customer experience could
be perceived as a variable instead of a constant?
And we certainly can’t train and script our customer support
staff that everything is a variable. The Script would be all but
blank!
So ask yourself this, “As a customer what does best customer
service mean consistently when customer service needs are a
variable?”
You already know.
The best customer service would be service that changed to
adapt to your current needs.
Interaction with your sales staff is one factor most of your
customers have during their shopping experience. With more
intuitive staff training, your customer should be making this
purchase, telling friends, thinking about future purchases,
posting on social media, returning to make future purchases
and referring colleagues. An intuitive staff will be greeting
customers by name and assisting them with the obvious.
(That may be as simple as helping with the door or their coat
& bags, charging phones, entertaining kids etc.)
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What does customer service mean to you as a business
owner? You already know because you built part of your
business around it yet for the most part; it isn’t being
executed in the manner you would like because it is your
employees, not you, who are interacting with your
consumers. Employees who are satisfied whether the
customer makes a purchase or not.
Yes, customer service is highly subjective. Your employee’s
perception and delivery of customer service is highly
subjective too.
So how can you as a business owner, train your entire staff to
provide the intuitive customer service you need? Customer
service that would bend and flex and fit the customer’s needs
instead of punishing him for having needs that are “offscript”? Customer service that would be 100% guaranteed to
bring the customer back to buy more? It’s easy.
Inspire and motivate your staff to go above and beyond!
Every employee can do it. Every employee knows what
would be good for business. They just don't have the
motivation.
Now ask yourself this, “What does customer service mean to
each of my employees?”
You may be surprised that what actually motivates them to
go above and beyond is not money.
If you think about it, most Americans working in low to midlevel jobs are living way above their means anyway, maybe
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even “paycheck–to-paycheck.” The money you pay them is
already spent. They are already sitting on it, driving it, living
in it or sending someone to school on it.
When you factor in the law of diminishing return you can
expect the subject to turn even more bleak.
But this is not how your employees feel. They don’t see the
situation as bleak. It’s just a situation. It’s simply their
lifestyle right now which has no bearing on their dreams or
happiness they go home to every night. As long as they have
a job they have options, hope and possibilities. Some have a
family they work for, some have possessions, some education
or artistic endeavors they are financing.
Whatever the reason they work, it is your employee’s dreams
that inspire them go above and beyond for your customers.
To become intuitive and see problems as opportunities. To
create a loyal customer base which, with time will reshape an
average work day and evolve into much more personal
relationships and support of their dreams.
It’s time to help your employees understand the “why” in
customer service!
“Why” it Benefits Your Employees to Create Regular
Customers:
Your staff already knows how much easier it is to service a
regular customer. They also know “regulars” benefit the
business in a huge way but they have never been told why
serving “regular customers” benefit them outside of the
business then give your staff the tools to create repeat, loyal
customers!
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They have learned everything but the most important element
to your success! The "Why."
“Why” it benefits your employees to learn the building
blocks of business:
Teach your staff why the building blocks of customer service
make their jobs easier. What triggers customers to buy, return
more often and refer friends and why that benefits them.
“Why” it benefits your employees to build a network of
customers who request them by name:
Why referral customers spend so much more, and how to
create referral customer after referral customer. Teach your
staff why everyone in the neighborhood should know them
by name. Show them why they would want everyone in the
neighborhood to know who they are, where they work and
what hours/days. Give them the simple one, two, three
blueprint to make neighborhood introductions. They'll even
be telling neighbors in the area where they live. Show your
employees “why” and they will be telling everyone about
your business and handing out your business cards to
everyone they meet guaranteed.
They have learned how you want things done, invested in
their uniform and now they are talking to your
customers. Make sure they treat your customers the way you
would treat your customers.
Customers should be warmly welcomed, assisted with their
coats, packages and needs. Your employees should be
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greeting your customers by name and offering specialty
service. Once they see the “why” you will not believe your
staff's transformation in one day.
Show your employees how much more
customer is to them personally and how
regular customers! Show them clientele
they will use for the rest of their lives
endeavor and your sales will explode!
valuable a regular
easy it is to create
building tools that
in everything they
Look For Problems and Situations Not Related to Your Job
Then Fix Them.
You will be amazed by the doors and opportunities it opens!
Retail Example: mother with children distractedly trying to
shop while kids are requiring her attention too - ask age
appropriate questions of the kid(s) ("Hey does anyone know
the ABC's?") then smile & say, "You shop, we'll follow."
then immediately turn your attention back to the kids and ask
your next question. "That was great! Does anyone here know
what the Itsy Bitsy spider went up?"
Today's Suggestion: Shock Your Customer, Shock Your
Boss
Always searching for ways to put more money in your hands,
today I suggest shocking your customers and shocking your
boss.
She will smile and try this new idea out, thankful for the
relief or say, "That’s ok", uncomfortable with something
new.
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Either way you did something new unrelated to selling and
she now knows this is a shopping experience only you
provide. If she excepts your Above & Beyond, expert
customer service, you will now be someone she seeks out
whenever she shops and will start coming to your store
because of you!
When someone accepts your help, you just created an
opportunity for a dialog and from there: a customer for life.
You now have opportunities to get your name out there and
make sure that the person knows the unique experience you
bring to the table. A mom who accepts your help will
remember you for life and tell friends... whether she buys
something or not! You see when you work in retail you have
more power over your paycheck than you think and what you
have all around you is limitless opportunity to harness that
power no matter what kind of products you sell!
When “your mom” customer is leaving the store now, make
sure she knows you can always do this for her when you are
here and not busy. (Tell her this whether she accepted your
help today or not. This gives her something to think about if
she didn’t) This opens the door for three obvious questions:
Who are you and when are you here? And when should I
shop that you are not busy?
You just took a less than perfect situation for a mother and
turned it, not only into an opportunity, but a scenario where
she will ask for your name, the days that you work, plan to
come back earlier and tell friends!
You just created a repeat customer who knows you by name.
The door is now wide open to give her more information on
her next visit. (More about that to come)
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Can you think of other scenarios where you could help
someone and turn it into an opportunity?
Like the early powerful social media sites, most employees
have no idea how much power they really have. More than
likely that no one has shown them how to be more powerful
either. Have you? Would you even know how? Probably not
and yet when employees are powerful they produce more,
engage more an inspire more. Still most employers and
managers struggle daily to motivate their staff. It is amazing
to me how much personal power, self-fulfillment and
enthusiasm employers let slip through the cracks while trying
to micro manage the minutiae. If employees really wanted to
do their best, there would be nothing to manage except
excess orders and sales.
But we generally let our employees flounder in the
mechanics of the job instead of inspire them in the exciting
existence of it.
Having a job in the customer service field is such a gift. Let
me explain; depending on the business employees may have
access to an inventory of sometimes hundreds of thousands
of products or services! People shopping for these
products/services mean that employees have hundreds of
thousands of opportunities to create relationships.
Relationships they could not have built otherwise.
To the average employee this means nothing but, to the best
employee this means everything and is just one of the irons
he will have in the fire on his/her accent to the top.
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Now, getting back to the products. It is important to remind
employees often that this is an inventory of goods/services
that each and every employee has access to which required
absolutely no investment on their part. That even the building
they spend eight hours a day in is furnished rented and
lighted with someone else’s money. They in fact have walked
into a turnkey business with no outlay of funds and can start
creating wealth almost immediately.
To the average employee this means nothing but, to the best
employee this is his perspective already and one he will
maintain on the rise to the top. But even the best employee
has no idea how much power he/she has at his disposal from
the time he/she opens her eyes in the morning. The power to
create personal relationships for themselves outside of work
because of the inventory they have access to while at work.
They have no idea how to look for problems both inside and
outside of work which will create new customers requesting
them by name. Most have no idea how this alone catapults
them to stardom and bonuses within their company and most
managers, busy plugging leaks have no time to tell them. If
they had time to tell their average employees to think more
like the social media giants everyone would win.
The best customer service employees will strive to become
more like social media hubs for their place business and
discover the limitless power and potential it holds for both
them personally and the business that they work for. Take for
instance the mother in the previous example. Let’s say she
was shopping in a store like Sears. After attending my
seminar, customer service employees would notice for
example, 1) what she is purchasing, 2) what items she is
struggling to lift or if 3) even if the children are dressed in a
different or particular way. Paying attention to these types of
details creates a tremendous amount of opportunity. How?
Let me explain; #1 What is she purchasing: some items such
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as baby food, water, milk, snack cereal snacks etc. are
personal preference items and will be purchased over and
over maybe weekly for years. What if you knew her favorite
item was much cheaper if she did or bought this? That would
build trust and a personal, relationship with a store wouldn’t
it?
One customer could mean over $52,000.00 over a twenty
year period buying water alone! Ask yourself this? Could
you afford to lose $52,000.00 a year to the competition and
still pay your employees what they ask? Building one or two
of these kinds of customer relationships is also really great
for the employee who just offered this one of a kind service!
Thankful customers show their appreciation in a multitude of
ways. Referrals & Holiday cards are just two. Now when that
thankful customer tells her other “Busy” friends to shop only
with you they will be coming in, asking for you by name and
hoping for the same special service which you can now
control the time and frequency of simply by saying, “Oh I
can only do that when I’m not busy with my job’s
responsibilities and that would be at 8:00am or 1:00 pm,
whenever the store has a lull. Your boss and the store owners
will eventually know that you personally are driving traffic
into their store using just one of the social networking tools
available to you. Using these tools becomes addictive. Once
someone begins opening doors and opportunities for
themselves they never turn back. This is a tool the best
employees will use for the rest of their lives.
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Four Days to the Customer Service Staff You’ve Always
Dreamed Of
Day 1
Step 1 Pick a location which will be large enough for your
entire staff to attend and hear you from every seat.
Step 2: Acquire a way to play amplified music. Buy a CD
player for example or check your sound system.
Step 3: Acquire the songs “Them from Rocky” and “We are
the Champions.”
Step 4: Set a date and time when most of your staff can
attend and business will not be adversely affected by a lighter
staff. Approximately a week notice gives employees time to
arrange schedules so that they can attend with their full
undivided attention intact.
Step 5: Alert your staff to the 1 hour meeting on the given
day. (Make the meeting mandatory if necessary).
Step 6: Purchase standard composition books for each team
employee.
Step 7: Continue reading and complete this guide to allow
you time to get comfortable with and make personal
additions to the script.
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Day 1 Of Event:
Arrive early. Bring in music source: CD player or IPod and
have “We are the Champions” or the Theme from Rocky
ready to be playing as your employees arrive.
Have composition books ready to hand to each employee as
they settle in. (Or have them at their seats if it is a large
group).
With music playing loudly, (Keeping energy high) start the
meeting before everyone is seated by moving around the
room handing out the composition books and saying “This is
for you but don’t look inside.”
When a most of your team is seated and while still handing
out their composition books begin asking, loudly over the
music, these questions: “By a show of hands, who would like
more energy in their life outside of work? Ok! Great! Who
would like to have more fun at work? Come on! Hands
again! Nice! (Thank You!) Alright, who would like more
opportunities in general? Yes! Awesome! (Or come on guys!
No one wants more fun or opportunities?) Ok! By a show of
applause, (And this is not a test!) who would like more
choices? Great! Thank you! Applause again who would like
more promotions and Less (Micro) Management? Yes! I
thought that might appeal to some of you!
Alright now what if I told you that the key to ALL those
things are right there on the pages right in front of you?
Believe me?
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OK! Open your books then and you will see for yourself that
it’s true!”
Give them a moment to absorb. There will be confusion
looking at empty pages and a totally blank book)
You: “See? Aren’t these books amazing?!!”
Someone will eventually speak. They will say “It’s empty!”
(“They are blank!” or “I got the wrong one! There is nothing
here!”)
You: “Yes! You said you wanted more time, energy, fun,
choices, opportunity and promotions …. Guess what? You
will find it all right here! “ And this is where you will find all
of that (It) If your pages are empty you will be looking.
When your pages are filled, you will have all the things you
need and more.
Things you haven’t even dreamed of yet.
Opportunities and options than you ever imagined or hoped.
By Applause: Does that sound good? (Haha! To me it sounds
GREAT!) Or Ok! Let’s find out how to get this rolling!
Does it sound good that by writing a few things in a simple
book a few times each week can change your life for the
better? Give you more time, more energy even more money
for what you really love to more excitement for your
passions?
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It was pretty amazing for me too that I one blank book could
change my life but I started mine four days ago and it is
crazy! (I am amazed!) Maybe some of you have noticed the
change in me?
OK. I am getting off topic. So who has a “full book”? Is there
anything written on anyone’s pages? Anywhere? No where?
Really? Um, ok, then we must all be in the same boat
together! We all want more fun, choices, promotions and
opportunity from our jobs!
Good! Guess what else this book will give us? Community &
Job recognition!
That is a Lot to expect from a few written words every week!
But it will absolutely be the thing that changes your entire
life for the better.
But how would you feel if I worked for you but I didn’t want
to tell anyone about it?
of the things that we’re missing. But if your job could talk it
would tell you that you are not taking full advantage of it.
Here are a few of the ways it would try to convince you to
start:
Because you work here you can talk to anyone, meet anyone
and connect with anyone. This actually may not mean a lot to
some of you in the room but for those who are thinking
“Wow! That’s pretty cool if it’s true!” Then if it is true then
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you are already getting more than just your paycheck the first
time you use this idea.
Now we’ve all been trained (taught) that our job is a place
where we arrive do our work and leave. When it is done for
the day we are anxious to stop doing or even thinking about it
anymore. Excited to start living our personal lives. But what
if what we do or what we sell could help us outside of work.
Help us outside of the job in our “Real lives.” What if this
job gave you your regular pay plus leverage, respect,
community, fun and energy just by taking advantage of you
position?
Thant would be pretty good right? And the great thing is that
if you don’t agree, if you don’t like meeting new people and
getting perks or bonuses then you don’t have to. You can
continue doing the excellent work you have been doing and
thinking of you job the way you’ve been taught. This is just
an opportunity to use you job as a resource for every part of
your life, not just a paycheck.
It is a chance to use our robust inventory of products or
where we work or services we provide to your own
advantage outside of work.
Now YOU can use our inventory to your advantage in two
ways: The first example is when you would like to meet
someone new. Simply observe what they are doing. What
they are wearing, watching on TV or looking at for instance.
At a sports bar, for example, you think a guy is really cute
and he is rooting for a team on TV. What do you have at the
store that you can tell him about? Did you have the Alex
Rodriguez bobble-head? Are there St. Luis Cardinal shirts on
sale? It is the EASIEST way to open up a conversation and
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NOW he knows where you work! (If you are too shy to talk
to him, talk to his friend.) Don’t let it end there though, pull
out your business card and write your name on it and tell
them that any time they come in and ask for you that you will
“hook them up” with all the new sports stuff and secret sale
items that no other customers ever get to know about.
Everyone likes to have an inside source. It makes people feel
important and well attended to even if you nothing but
remember their name. It makes them feel good, feel special
plus it makes your work easier, the business guts a new
customer and now the cute guy at the bar know how and
where to find you when he wants to ask you out. If it feels
comfortable, make sure you jot down your days and hours on
the card. This gives you more opportunity to exchange
information that you will put in your composition book. (Is
this your hometown or why is that your favorite team? You’ll
get better about asking great questions which open up lots of
conversations and details which will help you in every area in
life, not only at the store.)
Now in your composition book you want to have at the top of
the page, the date and location of where you met the cute
guys then a brief, politically correct description plus what
you talked about etc. (I even include weather conditions to
help jog my memory.) And you want to write those things in
your book as soon as possible because you don’t want to
forget anything. Now even if it’s a few weeks before he
comes into your store, you will remember all of the important
details simply by looking back at that page in your book.
Now when he comes in for the rest of his life you will be able
to take a quick look at your book before impressing him with
your amazing memory and making him feel ultra-appreciated
and who knows where that could lead.
Another way you can use our inventory to your advantage is
buy using it during your everyday interactions with other
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people: Coffee/deli owners, muffin shop employees, wine
shop employees, waiters, hairdressers, bartenders, gas station
attendants, drycleaners, cashiers, bank-tellers, nurses …
anyone really! The easiest way to engage these people is to
ask for their help and then “respond in kind.” Telling them
for example, “Thank you so much for my delicious coffee
every morning! You are always so nice. (or you’ve been so
helpful!) I would love to return the favor! I can’t do as much
as you’ve done but if you come in and ask for me, I will
totally hook you up like an insider where I work. (Where I
work at ________) I’ll give you the inside scoop on all the
store secret/special items.” This is when they will ask you for
your name which is important because when you tell them
they will actually be listening and trying to remember it since
they asked for it. Plus your name is the gateway to their
preferred services at your store. This is a great time to take
out a business card. “Here let me write it on our card.”
Imagine that! Think of how many people you interact with
every day! Yes! From one person to sometimes ten people
you do business with everyday who now have an “insider”
when they go to shop simply because you said thank you!
Keep in mind that these are now the nicest customers in the
store because they know you by name and you told them you
would give them special service. They don’t even know what
that means but they want it, everyone does. So they will be
on their best behavior plus it is almost impossible to be rude
to someone who you have exchanged names. This is another
way to control your day and make work more enjoyable for
yourself. Can you imagine waiting on only people who like
you and appreciate you? It would be like going to a party in
your department every day. Plus these customers are more
patient and understanding so they make your job even easier.
Everyone wants to know someone “on the inside” and guess
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what? That’s who you are! Start using your job in customer
service to your advantage and get more than just a paycheck.
I used to go to the front of the line of every New York City
night club just by handing the bouncer my card telling him I
would “totally hook him up” when he came in. Of course
they never did but the possibility was so enticing that they
moved me to the front of the line every time. When they let
me in I would always ask for their name, put it in my book
and then call him by name the next time I went. Guess who
never waited on any lines?
Start your books today and stop waiting on lines, start
meeting people and maybe even start getting free muffins!
Start your composition book today/tonight and you will be
taking more from your job and taking more than just a
paycheck!
And this is just day 1!”
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Day 2:
Step 1:
Print your seminar material. (Do this ahead of time to allow
time for unforeseen internet or printing problems.)
Approximately two hours ahead of time for day 2 of your
seminar, on a computer with printer attached, open your
“Paint” program and then an Internet browser.
Step 2:
On the Internet, locate your business address in Google
Maps. On the upper right hand corner of the map click
“satellite.” Zoom in until you see several blocks around your
business and the buildings surrounding your building.
Step 3:
On the upper right hand part of your keyboard find and push
the button marked “prt sc” (Print Screen).
Click your “Paint” program open and on the upper left
toolbar click the clipboard to “Paste.”
Step 4:
Next to the “Paste” button on the toolbar, click “Crop” then
click a corner of the map and drag your mouse across to the
end of the map and release. Next click “Crop” again.
Step 5: Save & Print map1 for your employees.
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Step 6:
Arrive at the meeting place early again and again begin
music before your team arrives. (The same two songs should
play. As employees arrive, move around the room giving
each team member a map and colorful marker which will
show up on the black & white maps when they circle the
businesses where they know an employee by name.)
With music playing loudly, (Keeping energy high) start the
meeting before everyone is seated by moving around the
room handing out the maps and markers.
When a most of your team is seated and while still handing
out their maps begin asking, loudly over the music, the
question again: “By a show of hands, who would like more
energy in their life outside of work? ….. Ok! Great! Who
would like to have more fun at work? Come on! Hands
again!
…Nice! (Thank You!) Alright, who would like more
opportunities in… general? Yes! Awesome! (Or come on
guys! No one wants more fun or opportunities?) Ok! By a
show of applause, (And this is not a test!) who would like
more choices? Great! Thank you! Applause again who would
like more promotions and Less (Micro) Management? Yes! I
thought that might appeal to some of you!
“Yesterday we talked about the fact that since you have this
job you can meet anyone. And it is a fact. I don’t care what
you sell… you can ALWAYS start a great conversation with
someone you want to talk with even if you sell ladies
underwear and you want to talk to a 22 year old college
student! Tell him you can make his life a lot easier. When he
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asks “how” or “why” just tell him, “Obviously if you are a
serious student (or this good at baseball, math, computers
etc.)
You don’t have time to shop for your mom or girlfriend. I
work at _______________ and I can handle all that for you.”
You can even go as far as saying you handle that for all the
serious students (or sports guys) Just come in and ask for me.
(Or text me your budget and I will put something together for
you to look at.)”
Now that you know you can meet anyone because you have
this job and that it starts with a conversation, that
conversations lead to exchanging names, names that get
written into your books so you can remember them,
remembering people’s names become the foundation of a
relationship and relationships can become anything you
want! That relationship could be your next best friend, the
first person on line at your first book signing, the person in
the front row of the play you wrote or are staring in, the
mother of your child’s next play date, the mother of your
next child!
(Laughter) Your next boyfriend or carpenter… the
possibilities are endless!
Your possibilities are absolutely limitless and exciting!
Right? And all because you have a job. Use it to your
advantage and you’ll get way more out of it then you put in.”
“OK, we also talked about the fact that you can begin a
rewarding relationship with the store owners and employees
that you encounter everyday single day simply by saying,
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“Thank you!” And it is a fact that saying, “Thank you for
your help! I would love to return the favor.” Makes people
listen to you. So now use it to your advantage every day and
everywhere you go. Leveraging your job for everyday tasks
and encounters saves time effort and money which means
again, because you have this job you have more options,
possibilities and goodwill from the people you do business
with every day.
Some of the people you do business with are our neighbors.
Neighbors who probably have no idea what your name is and
you have no clue what theirs is, even though maybe the same
person hands you your coffee every morning or your rings
you up every Wednesday night perhaps even for more than a
year!
With the old way of thinking about retail, there is no reason
to exchange names. Now, with the advent of social media,
customers find it preferable to get referrals,
recommendations, create connections and buy from
“friends.” I want you to personally benefit from this new
business landscape by showing you how to personally gain
using one of your most valuable resources: your job. The old
business model almost prevents any type of friendly
relationship, focusing on the curious, almost mechanical
greeting and farewells time and again. (Most places I go into,
it’s like the movie “Ground Hog Day” where the staff acts
like it’s the first time they have seen me even though I have
been in every day for a week. Then I give them my, “Thank
you so much!” and my card and ask their name for my book
and a magical new world opens for me even in a coffee shop!
Suddenly I’m the V.I.P. and even standing in the back of the
line someone is shouting, “The usual LeeAnne?” saving me
time. Next at the cash register,
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Courtney the owner is saying, “This one is on me.” saving
me money. And I am asking Courtney, “When are you going
to come to my store so I can show you all the tricks of the
trade and special deals?” Creating goodwill. But I take it one
step further, I make sure she sends me her customers too by
saying, “I know, I know. You’re a busy lady, well if any of
your friends or good customers need___________ feel free to
send them in for my special services but they have to
mention your name! I’m only going above and beyond for
friends of us hard working people.”) You just made
absolutely certain that you will receive preferential treatment
and that she will refer people to you, yet you have really
offered her nothing, simply recognized that she is working
really hard.
It is human nature to want to help someone who has
recognized us right? Yes! So she may already begin thinking
of people or ways to refer people to you! Why? Because
everyone likes to feel important and you just told Courtney
that if people use her name they will receive special services.
Everyone likes to use their name! You just created so much
power and opportunity for yourself and so much goodwill
and recognition for someone else simply buying a cup of
coffee! You are on your way to becoming unstoppable right?
All this power came from a, “Thank you” and exchange of
names that could not have happened without having a job.
Use your job to create more possibilities and energy.
Now something you haven’t thought about yet. When
Courtney sends people in they are wonderful customers
because they are a referral. They have no idea what your
relationship with Courtney is and will take great care not to
jeopardize anything that has been created. It is human nature.
Now you have power, goodwill, energy and kind courteous
customers coming in asking for you and it’s only The second
day of our seminar!
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Now take a look at your maps. Can you see our building? Ok,
I want you to circle the buildings around ours where you
know the name of at least one employee and they know you
and what you sell.” “Ok. See you tomorrow.” Walk out of the
room.
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Day 3
Step 1:
You will need current newspapers and colorful markers
again. Acquire newspapers for your entire team. (The
newspapers should include an entertainment or event section
with arts, movies, bands, book readings/signings, concerts,
charity happenings, poetry or plays in the park, bake-sales,
live music nights at local restaurants etc.).
Step 2:
Arrive at the meeting place early again and again begin
music before your team arrives. (The same two songs should
play. As employees arrive, move around the room giving
each team member a newspaper.)
With music playing loudly, (Keeping energy high) start the
meeting before everyone is seated by moving around the
room handing out the Newspapers.
When a most of your team is seated and while still handing
out their newspapers begin asking, loudly over the music, the
question again: “By a show of hands, who would like more
energy in their life outside of work? Ok! Great! Who would
like to have more fun at work? Come on! Hands again!
Nice! (Thank You!) Alright, who would like more
opportunities in… general? …. Yes! Awesome! (Or come on
guys! No one wants more fun or opportunities?) Ok! By a
show of applause, (And this is not a test!) who would like
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more choices? Great! Thank you! Applause again who would
like more promotions and Less (Micro) Management? Yes! I
thought that might appeal to some of you!
(Start to fade the music)
“Now, yesterday we talked about how to create opportunities
and goodwill for yourself through creating conversations
outside the store by empowering the people we want to know
(The cute college student was empowered by knowing you
can take care of all of his gift giving needs)and people we do
business with anyway (The coffee shop owner was
empowered when you recognized her hard work).
Now I want to show you how to create (Gain) more power
and goodwill for yourself inside of the store simply by
knowing what is going on in your community that others may
not.”
“Go ahead and take a few minutes to skim through your
newspaper and circle a few of the events and happenings that
you DID NOT know where going on this week (Month) but
that interest you. Events or happenings that you would attend
and then go ahead and put the # 1 next to those.”
(Wait about 5-10 minutes. Talking is ok. Not encouraged but
ok.)
“Ok. Did everyone discover a few things they found
interesting? Things you may take the time to check-out?”
“Good.”
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“Now, look to your right (choose a direction) and based on
what you can guess about by looking at the person sitting
next to you, go ahead and skim your paper again and circle
some events or happenings that you think may appeal to that
person.”
“Mark those with the #2 please.” (Give your team another 510 minutes for this.)
“Ok. Now turn to the team member on your (right) and tell
them what you found. Thinking as if you have never met this
person before and don’t know anything about them, can you
find a way to tell them about the event/happening? Go ahead
and tell your total stranger about the event that you think
would interest them.”
This is fun. Give them a few minutes to muddle through and
have a little fun with it.
“Can anyone tell me why we just did this?” (Or what was the
point of this exercise?)
They should give you answers like: how to approach people
we don’t know, how to use readily available information to
start conversations etc.
“Exactly Now, people on the right, what are some of the
ways complete strangers approached you and how did it feel
for you?”
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Have fun with this. You will get all types of answers but
basically you're looking for, "I felt that a stranger gave me a
gift out of the clear blue." Or "Someone I didn't know did
something nice for me."
“Social media is changing the playing field of almost
everything and opening brand-new doors for those willing to
change with the times. It is no longer the exception but the
rule to do something nice for strangers online. Offering
referrals, information and tips are easy and effortless at your
keypad but not yet put into practice in real life. Those who
dip their toe in these new waters will find themselves always
quenched while those around you struggle in thirst. I
encourage you to start practicing these easy exercises both
in-store and on your own time to create your own rivers
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Day 4
Now that you understand the mechanics of how to create
conversations which leads to the exchange of names, names
which get written into your book to become the foundation of
a relationship a relationship which can become anything you
want, you can now take fuller advantage of your job.
The possibilities are limitless in this regard alone but this was
just a four-day seminar and I can’t take any more of your
time to tell you all the ways you can get more of than your
paycheck and get bonuses (promotions) faster but I think you
have seen that I really want you to get much more out of the
job you already have and I have a book here that will show
you how to take fuller advantage of your position.
Now we benefit from your new relationships for sure but you
are creating customers who want to come here because of
you. That is a skill no one is teaching their employees out of
fear or myopia.
Fear of losing their employees to their true passions, fear of
employees taking customers with them if they ever do leave,
Fear of adapting to the thing called social media or the
Internet, or fear of trying something new.
Whatever their fear is, it doesn’t concern me. I believe happy
employees not only stay but also thrive and pursue their
passions as well. I also believe that our products and services
are top quality and carry enough merit that customers will
continue to shop with us.
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So with that said there's nothing for any of us to fear and only
an amazing new world rife with opportunity ahead.
Thank you so much for attending all four sessions and thank
you for working here with us. I really appreciate you and
look forward to a great new future that we will mold
ourselves unlike any other store or business that has ever
been before could luck team and thank you again now give
yourselves a big round of applause and exit.
Teach Your Staff To Genuinely Care About Your
Customers!
It's easy really!
You would be surprised by how much your employees want
to do a great job. They just don't know how.
Your employees have only been taught by you to do an
adequate job. You taught them how to sell your products or
services but not how to build relationships with your
customers!
When your staff begins to build great, rewarding
relationships with customers and the community they
become engaged with their jobs want to offer special,
superior service.
Becoming well known in the community helps your
employees create recognition and respect for the service they
provide.
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Right now your employees don't realize the amazing
opportunities involved with building relationships with
customers but with a little time and effort your staff will
begin profiting from creating great relationships. When your
staff simply welcomes or thanks customers they are only
earning the paycheck that you provide.
With my seminars, employees see they can take home so
much more than a paycheck simply by changing perspective
and adding a few words to their vocabulary.
It is such an amazing time as social media has educated the
entire country that "giving" and sharing actually benefit and
empower us. Now take that concept and give and share with
your customer to ensure they never shop anywhere else! It is
so easy to show your employees how to give, how to open up
dialog how to look for customer's "signals" and body
language to create fantastic opportunities for long lasting
relationships and referrals.
Your employees can accomplish anything they want,
anything they can envision anything they can dream. You
just need to show them how.
Your customers will thank you over and over. Your staff will
be excited, enthusiastic and engaged. They will actually look
for opportunities to tell people about your store or service.
Your profits will begin their steady climb upward with
employees sending in customers and thinking of new ways to
promote your business. Even family members of your
employees will join the effort and all because you showed
your staff the personal value of repeat customers. Your staff
will see how much better every part of their lives are with
more repeat customers.
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To the average employee this means nothing but, to the best
employee this is his perspective already and one he will
maintain on the rise to the top. But even the best employee
has no idea how much power he/she has at his disposal from
the time he/she opens her eyes in the morning. The power to
create personal relationships for themselves outside of work
because of the inventory they have access to while at work.
They have no idea how to look for problems both inside and
outside of work which will create new customers requesting
them by name. Most have no idea how this alone catapults
them to stardom and bonuses within their company and most
managers, busy plugging leaks have no time to tell them. If
they had time to tell their average employees to think more
like the social media giants everyone would win.
Observing the “Likes” of others is what has been driving
social media and subsequently our culture for years but most
employer/managers have no clue how to make it translate
into motivated a staff or higher sales.
The best customer service employees will strive to become
more like social media hubs for their place business and
discover the limitless power and potential it holds for both
them personally and the business that they work for. Take for
instance the mother in the previous example. Let’s say she
was shopping in a store like Sears. After attending my
seminar, customer service employees would notice for
example, 1) what she is purchasing, 2) what items she is
struggling to lift or if 3) even if the children are dressed in a
different or particular way. Paying attention to these types of
details creates a tremendous amount of opportunity. How?
Let me explain; #1 What is she purchasing: some items such
as baby food, water, milk, snack cereal snacks etc. are
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personal preference items and will be purchased over and
over maybe weekly for years. What if you knew her favorite
item was much cheaper if she did or bought this? That would
build trust and a personal, relationship with a store wouldn’t
it?
Now what if after you built that trust and relationship, you
mentioned to her that you notice she is usually pressed for
time and since you already know some of her favorites, that
if she sent you a text, you could make sure those things were
already waiting for her at the front of the store. That would
be helpful for her wouldn’t it? Not only would it be helpful,
knowing those things were taken care of already frees up her
time and shopping cart for other things and she ends up
buying more. This is pretty great for the store right?
One customer could mean over $52,000.00 over a twenty
year period buying water alone! Ask yourself this? Could
you afford to lose $52,000.00 a year to the competition and
still pay your employees what they ask? Building one or two
of these kinds of customer relationships is also really great
for the employee who just offered this one of a kind service!
Thankful customers show their appreciation in a multitude of
ways. Referrals & Holiday cards are just two. Now when that
thankful customer tells her other “Busy” friends to shop only
with you they will be coming in, asking for you by name and
hoping for the same special service which you can now
control the time and frequency of simply by saying, “Oh I
can only do that when I’m not busy with my job’s
responsibilities and that would be at 8:00am or 1:00 pm,
whenever the store has a lull. Your boss and the store owners
will eventually know that you personally are driving traffic
into their store using just one of the social networking tools
available to you. Using these tools becomes addictive. Once
someone begins opening doors and opportunities for
themselves they never turn back. This is a tool the best
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employees will use for the rest of their lives.
Noticing the buying habits of someone who may appreciate
some extra assistance is smart and productive. It is a much
better use of the exact same time and space that a typical coworker is using to complain about his job. Now noticing a
customer’s preferences may lead nowhere but there is a
possibility that it may become useful. One thing is for sure,
not taking notice of what your customers prefer can only
result in the exact same outcome that has been happening for
years, a million times over each and every day. The best
customer service employees, acting as social media hubs are
learning how to change this and become more powerful in
their community as a result.
Thousands More Per Week For Tipped Employees
Like many people in the restaurant business I grew up in it.
My mother was in the restaurant business, her mother was in
the restaurant business, I met my husband in the restaurant
business, many celebrities working in the restaurant business
and I met my best friend in the restaurant business. It’s my
best friend that I would like to talk about though because
without her I don’t think these ideas would have become
anything. You see every day in a restaurant there is a lot of
banter both before and after the shifts and while everyone
else was discussing what they didn’t make in tips, what the
manager didn’t order going into the shift or fix during the
middle of it, what the customer failed to do or realize, what
the chef didn’t make or allow them order, what the hostess
hasn’t learned or appreciated, what the owner hasn’t done or
seen to yet….while all those negatives kept coming up …
especially after work when we all went for drinks somewhere
to celebrate another victorious shift, Nikki & I kept pointing
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out the positives. Mainly to each other for fear of bodily
harm.
So I created a business that would help you get the absolute
most dollar value out of each and every hour that you are at
your restaurant.
I developed my seminars to do one thing: put money in the
pockets of the people I have grown to respect and admire for
their intestinal fortitude because I know that is one of the
most important things to you and for over 25 years each one
of my staff members has made my priorities their priority
often during incredibly busy times, and for that I am eternally
grateful.
While outlining my thoughts and ideas I realized we may just
have it all wrong!
Think for a moment that it may be at least possible that the
way that you are thinking about your job could be wrong.
How many people here went to school to learn how to wait
tables? Ok, so would it be accurate to say that most of the
people around you went to school for or want to do
something else too? Yes? Ok.
Now this is a great place to start because we can safely say
that 80% of the people around you, would rather be
somewhere else or if they were going to be here, they would
much rather be sitting, having you wait on them. “
Let me go a little further and assume that some of the people
you work with don’t like each other or maybe don’t even like
you! Yeah! If they were in here having dinner they may not
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want you to be their waiter! So Wow! You are in a place
hours a day, days a week doing something you don’t want to
do surrounded by people who don’t want to be doing it either
and may not like you!
That’s incredible to me! It’s incredible that you still greet me
at your table, with a smile on your face and graciously bring
me everything I ask for while unbeknown to me there is
anger, frustration, maybe jealousy, discomfort, stress,
confusion maybe fear going on as you serve me. I think it is
so admirable that you have a, “the show must go on attitude,”
while other people complain about situations or relationships
inside of their CHOSEN profession. You just keep showing
up to work, doing the necessary preparations, taking care of
people’s desires with a positive attitude and then going
“home.”
It seems pretty cut and dry but is it?
I’ve been in the restaurant business a long time so I am aware
of the low opinion you have of many customers, I also am
aware the less than stellar opinion you have of most
managers, many restaurant owners and even the restaurant
that you work at themselves.
It’s pretty safe to say that while working in restaurants, the
people that trained you and the people you worked with have
shared their own feelings of dis-satisfaction as well.
So let’s review just this ONE area: You are doing a j
ob you don’t really want to be doing, surrounded and
trained by people who don’t want to be doing the job either
and may not even like you, serving customers who don’t
think you are doing the job you don’t want fast enough and
managers/owners who want a bigger smile on your face
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while you do it, oh and hey did I mention getting in the
weeds while the computers are frozen and only half of your
order is in? Ok, Now think with all this in mind you may be
feeding each other poison over and over before, during and
after the shift is over and…. the last people I can think of that
knowingly took poison did not fare very well.
So that being said and people possibly poisoning your way of
thinking and ultimately your bottom dollar,
I’m curious are you going to continue to let them bring you
down?
Now I know that Danny Meyer has a Seminar on hospitality
and he addressed the very same topic and from what I
understand, he labels it “Skunking.” Definition: “When
someone is spraying out of fear,” and although I think the
concepts are similar, I believe his warm & fuzzy idea of
“embrace the skunk” may be a bit like disconnecting the cord
to solve the engine light problem. (That’s a car reference)
I have and always will have the utmost respect for you
because I know from years of experience how difficult your
position really is and the difficulties your job entails and
usually while your career passions lay elsewhere.
Be memorable! One liners and a library of jokes would be
perfect here but don’t rule out sarcasm especially with some
of your more light-hearted guests but as always, read your
audience. You want to be memorable, not on probation.
Remembering people’s names is one of THE fastest ways to
put money in your pocket and become memorable at the
same time. Getting your guest’s name does take some finesse
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I will admit, not for any other reason than “It’s just not the
norm.”
Once it does become the norm you will see an amazing
difference not only in your tips but in the way you are treated
by those guests.
On a side note, what an empowering feeling to be able to
“manage” you station, not just be the “server” there! When
you know your guest’s names you can keep them in the loop
as you are walking by AND make them feel like the most
important guest at the same time! Imagine for instance,
Jennifer’s salad still isn’t in the window, Dave just handed
you his credit card, Mr. Jacob’s steak is ready at the pass and
table two wants more water (Whoever they are since they
have a coupon!). While you are taking Dave’s check
presenter you would be saying, “I’ll be right back with this
Dave, and I’m bringing your steak with me Mr. Jacobs
whether the chef lets me or not!” Then as you walk by
Jennifer’s table you are saying, “Boy, they will only put the
very freshest ingredients in Jennifer’s salad! They’re
probably waiting for the tomato to stop growing. I’ll go grab
it for you.” You could be saying this while pouring the
waters or delegate that to the busser but not knowing names
you really would have had to make a stop at each & every
table. Knowing guest’s names is a life saver and actually
helps you save time when you are busy and make you more
money when you’re not!
Greet people personally and warmly. You may want
something from them later… like a larger tip! It is really easy
for people to leave an average tip when things are “tight” and
they are watching every dollar.
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It’s much harder to short a “friend” even when you are on a
budget. People are also much more forgiving when things
take too long or mistakes are made if you can address them
personally by name. Is it sometimes tricky to get someone’s
name? Yes, absolutely but mainly because it is just different
and your guests are not yet accustomed to you being different
and memorable Yet! Some of you are already uncomfortable
with this, saying to yourself, “Self, I can’t ask anyone’s name
while I am waiting on them, that’s just weird and plus I’m
not good with names, I can’t remember names at all they just
don’t stay in my brain aaaahh!” Well rest assured that neither
one of these are true and this is actually a tool that you will
go on to use for the rest of your life!
These tips are for anyone in the service industry who would
like to make more money doing less work and feel as though
you have more pride, power and integrity at the end of each
and every shift. It is meant to be an easy to implement
“roadmap” to your personal success not just in the restaurant
but in all of your endeavors. These tools will help build a
foundation which will have you doing far less work and
taking home much more money. The goal of creating the
seminars was to give back to waiters. The one group of
people, I feel have more and more taken from them and no
one seems to be trying to give anything back. The party line
seems to be “If you don’t like it, get another job!”
Well in my experience I’ve learned that some people can’t
just get another job and without going too far down that dark
road, I really grew to resent people who rigidly refuse to
understand the economic or familial constraints that remove
the possibility of just getting another job for many people.
The beginning of each shift servers face the uphill climb of
the general public’s sense of diminished job “value” only
compounded by working with fellow servers who are only
working as a means to leapfrog to true career passions. Next
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to be treated unkindly or at least not respectfully by many
people is not a scenario that many of us have to deal with
every time we go to work. I think waiters are really special
and amazing people who are the underdogs in an industry rife
with rules, stress, suspicion, demands & chaos.
I felt more and more that things could be done differently or
at least tweaked to better serveboth the waiter and the guest
simultaneously so I took a part time job as Maitre’d at a tiny,
white glove style lounge that serves both drinks and food to
see and hear the interactions of the sommeliers & guests. It
was the only way to put into practice my new guest services
tools and create an easy to execute road map for success.
In writing the outline for my first seminar someone pointed
out that I should make it a book for servers across the country
who can’t attend my seminars. The following information is
the result.
Did you know that you alone control the amount of money
and how difficult or easy your shift is?
It's hard to believe because we've all been taught that the
restaurant business belongs to the restaurant owner and that
your role is as an employee. An employee in an industry that
does not have a great reputation for treating employees well
by both the business owner and its customers.
It is extremely hard to function as an ever exuberant,
constantly enthusiastic employee when it is not even your
business. On top of that, you may be treated badly at any
given moment by a customer and sometimes even "stiffed"
over situations you have no control over.
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It is extremely hard to start and run a business authentically
enthusiastic especially when it is not your business.
Well guess what... if you plan to go into any other career,
then actually those tables are the foundation for your future
business!
I don't care what business you are going into, you are going
to need customers or contacts.
Whether you are studying dentistry, music, cosmetology,
literature, construction, law, the arts, business ... almost any
field is going to require customers or contacts and do you
know who people prefer to shop and buy from? People they
know. Do you know who people refer? People they know.
Stop viewing your restaurant as a business you work for an
see it for the incredible amount of business contacts it is
providing you for your future.
Now you just need to unlock the conversational opportunities
that reside outside of the "pre-scripted" waiter / customer
conversations so you can start building relationships.
These opportunities are absolutely everywhere from the
moment you wake up to hours later when you start getting
busy in your restaurant you can be building really great
relationships with people in and outside the restaurant to fill
your station from the moment you begin working. These
relationships are not anonymous waiter/ customer
relationships. They are really great tipping, very thankful for
your personal service and "touches", know your name and
can't wait to buy your book, go see your band or play, visit
your salon or refer friends to your practice kind of
relationships.
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These are the kind of relationships you boss wants you to
create but doesn't know how because he is so focused on his
business. He knows that his customers are 60% more likely
to return if they know someone or are known at the
restaurant. Why do you think he has you state your name at
the beginning of service? I think this is on the right track but
for the most part the customer /waiter conversation is so
ingrained that stating your name matter of factually merely
solidifies your role in their life as only a waiter. Our goal
together, me and you, is much much more. I want you to be
much more to them and them to you. So much so that they
can't get angry with you if things go wrong with their order
or table, your boss loves and adores you and you have a
future client when you are done with school.
Know and work your audience drop little teasers and then go
in for the kill with history or information
on the building in the few quote ” insider only" tips on things
in the area.
Is this where Frank Sinatra used to hang out? Does a famous
musician have an apartment upstairs or nearby? Mention it!
“Did you know there is an open jam session down the street
on Monday nights. There is also a music store across the way
with signed, framed sheet music for the musician in your
life!”
Now your customer learned some history of your restaurant,
you took him on a mini, musical walking tour of the
neighborhood right from his seat and he's already thinking
about the different musicians in his life that he wants to bring
to your restaurant and dine with you as a special gift. And
this is just one example with a musical angle. Your
possibilities are literally limitless!
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Warning! Do not tell people your secrets!
Your coworkers will literally think you have lost your mind
but who cares?
One of the masters of getting information was a manager
named Michael and right at Capital Grille and Morton’s. He
said to everyone, "Hi folks! Where are you coming in from?"
And boy oh boy did that work every time. I guess everyone
wants to be called "folks" and I guess in a town like ours it's
a pretty safe bet that someone in the party is coming in from
somewhere. Amazingly with that little question Michael had
new best friends and a ton of information. This one just
graduated, this one just got engaged, that one had her tubes
tied… What ever! They are celebrating which is fruit ripe for
picking! Start planning the rest of their night!
Take their coats, ask your manager if you can send a
complimentary champagne toast and find out
where they're going after this. If you have time you can
suggest places they may not be aware of located near their
final destination if one piques their interest offer to call ahead
for them to get them priority attention. Once you secure their
priority situation following dinner make sure you tell them to
use your name at the door or next location not theirs. You
want them to remember and share your name as often
as possible. When they arrive at the hotspot or club or theater
or bakery or piano bar or cigar lounge they use your name
and they will be greeted warmly and escorted to their VIP
table.
This simple effort seems like quite a lot to your guests but
really all it took was a phone call. When you call make sure
you say this is, "John from blank bistro. I'm sending some of
my VIPs down to you. Do you have availability for four in
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about an hour?" When the person says yes, make sure to
impress upon them who you are and that you have several
guests a night asking for place like theirs and you will be
sending more and more people down if they want. They will
always use your name, John. Then ask for their name and if
they are the person to speak with to ensure that your guests
get VIP treatment. Most times they will say yes or just put
you in touch with the manager. This is a win, win, win
situation. A much bigger tip for you, you look like a moverand-shaker. Someone who can get things done in your town
plus when you have a chance to visit this other venue and
introduce yourself to the manager that you've been sending
customers to… Let's just say be prepared for a lot of
gratitude.
Remember to say, “Thank you” when your guests say thank
you. Don't just say “you're welcome” or “my pleasure.”
“Thank you” reminds your guests that you’re not doing these
things for your health.
Grab drinks from people walking through the dining room.
Put it on a tray and carry the tray really high.
Just say, “Where are we headed?” They love it when you
take control & holding the tray high will have all eyes in the
dining room on these guests. You just created “V.I.P. Land”
and they know it. (I was showing my hostesses once how
easy it is to add panache & make extra money and the
gentleman tipped me $100.00!)
Questions always equal information and opportunities for
more and bigger tips. Always ask questions.
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If you don't ask questions of your guests don't expect any
difference in your tips almost everything I talk about begins
with stepping outside of the steps of service
The only thing they can come from asking what you can
bring our directives to bring things. You are now a "bring
our." If you start your relationships slightly different you will
gain some of the power in the relationship. More power,
more control:, more integrity and ultimately more money.
Questions plus information equal's unexpected action
expected service and anticipated service question it is
expected tip. Even if the tip is 20% it could still be much
more! Ask what they expect you to ask and they will respond
with answers you expect. Try; "wow! You look (fancy,
dressed up, spiffy, gussied up) are you going somewhere (are
you celebrating something)."
Even if they are not celebrating a birthday or anniversary,
you've already complemented them and taken some control.
If they are predictable humans they will say something to the
effect of, "we are celebrating life (Tuesday, birthday,
anniversary, evening)." You the should say something to the
effect that you are to now you have a little info to play with.
If you wanted to go all the way at the end you could bring a
complimentary dessert with "happy Life!" Or "Happy
Tuesday!" Written on It with a candle.
"Happy Tuesday from Jeffrey!" Is even better because they
may take a picture and posts it on their Facebook page. The
more people promoting your station the better! It will make
your life so much easier when Jan nice, considerate,
compassionate people who you can tell, "I'll be right there
Judy." Instead of having to immediately attend to
unreasonable demanding strangers. The customer is not
always right the customer is always a customer until you
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make him your friend or the guests in your station as you
proceed as master of ceremonies or the host of the evening
and the only way this can happen is if you start asking
questions.
"Did I see you here for lunch about eight months ago?"
(Either way they answer you win! Plus they will think you
have an amazing memory!)
Visit my website: www.leeannehomsey.com often for more
tips, updated tips, the easy to use work-sheet that will have
neighbors sending in customers only to your section plus a
new segment: The Customer Is NOT Always Right!
Password: “Hospitality Tricks” write it down because you
will need it to un-lock important features, events, bonuses
and tools
Your Fast Success Is In Building A Foundation! The
Following Will Get Your Station On Auto Pilot With The
Best Tipping Customers From Beginning to End: Simple
Next Steps
Go to work 5 minutes early for your next shift. Go to the
delicatessen nearest the restaurant and ask if they have
composition books. Buy it and introduce yourself to whoever
sold you the book. Tell him you work right over at ________
restaurant and that he should come in some time and that you
would love to “hook him up” “Do something special” or
“Buy him appetizers” whichever is most appropriate for your
type of restaurant. Next ask him his name and reiterate yours.
If at all possible thank him in his native language. This goes
a very long way in being memorable and you want a
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neighbor who sees lots of hungry people every day to
remember ONLY you! Some pros are amazingly carrying
doting, some are like manly steakhouse guys you're not sure
if they're going to sell you dinner or car and they are so good
you don't care you will take either or both.
I could go on about different characteristics or professional
strengths there are millions in fact there are as many as there
are waiters and that is the point of our workshop… Your
professional strengths and unique characteristics of what will
make you the most money.
Try to keep this in mind all I want is for you to be happier
and to make more money that's it. Your bosses may want
something more but that's all I want. Not bad to have
someone in your corner who only wants you to be happier
and make more money. Okay let's assume you are reading
this because you want to be happier and make more money
too. With that assumption in mind let's start… If I tell you
that if you think of your restaurant differently you’ll be
happier would you at least try it? Try not thinking about all
the negatives and poisonous thoughts and people but just the
restaurant where you are an independent contractor. You
have a ready-made store furnished, complete with products
and staff. An inventory you didn't have to buy, furniture you
didn't have to pick out. Think of your station, like your
section of the store you own but haven't had to invest a dime
into. Your station is your store like a hairdresser rents her
chair for the day and gets as many customers as possible.
Using referrals, handing out business cards she builds a
following.
You have your station for the shift; get as many cities as
possible. Which means getting people to come in early and
late before the busy time and after you also want people to
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request you to do this by telling people you can make pretty
much anything happen but don't just tell them show them…
Make things happen for your guests! This may sound
familiar but trust me when I tell you it's not and keep reading
making things happen for your guests does not mean running
and fetching things faster over the bigger smile on your face
or saying absolutely making things happen for your guests
means knowing what they want to have happen and
sometimes they don't even know this themselves and how
you make this happen is by asking questions when you ask
your guests things like is this a special occasion or "you look
like you're dressed for a special dinner is there something
you're celebrating?" In most cases you will learn with one
question what your guests are trying to accomplish. They
may either gush about this special dinner, the relationship
that brought them together, the anniversary they are
celebrating, the birthday, this neighborhood that means so
much to them or they may convey to you in no uncertain
terms that they want privacy and wish to be left alone. In
either scenario you win!
In my humble opinion in order to make more money than
your super smiley coworkers who scream "absolutely! Be
super glad to!" When I ask for a wedge of lemon, you need to
outsmart them and bring it more actual hospitality to the
equation. A big yellow smiley face bringing lemon wedges at
lightning fast speed does not change a 15% tip to a 35% tip
but unique, personal hospitality absolutely well. I know your
managers and bosses have all said to your guests as if they
were coming into your home or treat this restaurant as if it
was your home and these are your guests coming in but did
they ever really help you visualize the difference in the
conversation? For instance you and your roommate are
having a party at your house. Guests come in some you know
some you don't do you offer wine to only your friends since
you know them? And only offer to take your friend’s coats?
And look the others up-and-down since they are friends of
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your roommates? Probably not and when someone asks for a
glass of wine will you say, "absolutely! Be super glad to get
that for you!" Probably not in fact you probably went over
when their glass was almost empty touch them lightly on the
arm and asked if they wanted another. Back to your table of
the people celebrating their, "Tuesday" retirement, the union,
new apartment or puppy. Additional questions such as, "So
are where you going after" "So where you going after
dinner?" "Do you know the neighborhood for after dinner or
do you already have plans?" "What is the plan for after
dinner or would you like suggestions?" "Do you know what's
going on in the neighborhood for after dinner?" This is where
the information that you read up on will come in handy!
Events in the neighborhood or around town, poetry readings,
sales, shows, events these are all things that can make you
extra money and if there is nothing going on, this is where
the history of the neighborhood will come in handy. They
can do their own walking tour with a little help from you!
Either way when they say please tell us what should we do
after dinner this is where you hint that this is a service that
only you can provide. "You're in luck sitting in Michael's
exciting station. The one and only place in town you will find
out about neighborhood and community events plus history! I
know of a bunch of things you can do after dinner. What kind
of things are you interested in? Shopping? Being entertained?
Games? Local art? Would you want to do a walking tour? I'll
let you think about it. When I come back you can tell me
what you'd like to do and I put something together for you."
Now of course these types of conversations cannot go on
when the restaurant is busy so please try to emphasize with
any of your guests that this is a special service that you
provide you and you alone during the early or late seatings if
a customer calls and requests the service personally. All these
tools are meant to save you time, making you more money
and or make your life easier. Having guests walk away
telling other friends about you in particular creates a whole
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another other dimension to the restaurant your special service
equals true hospitality. Not only will they haven't excellent
meal which is expected but now there is no other reason to
eat somewhere else because of your business savvy. Your
entrepreneurial spirit as an independent contractor within an
existing business for which you do not need to order
inventory now enables you to create an a business for which
customers will be flocking it's only a matter of time between
taking pictures and videos and guiding your guests after
dinner entertainment and activities making phone calls to
accommodate your guests elsewhere after dinner for the
“hook up" Michael’s station will be the only place in town!
These are a lot of tools I know of but pick just one or two for
the day for instance my favorite is "get your name in it". Any
sentence you can get your name into is actually a free
effortless marketing tool for you personally. The guest is
beginning to feel like part of the restaurant but only in your
section. You are subtly letting your guests know that he or
she can use your name whenever he wants something but
also opening the door for you to ask his name which is
putting him on the fast track VIP status either way. Once
your guest is known by name it automatically elevates your
restaurant and certainly you in the hierarchy of dining
choices. This one tool alone will make you more money save
you more time and create opportunities for you long after you
left the restaurant business.
My other favorite is, “Thank you.” Any chance I can get or
create to make someone to say, “thank you” to me is a
chance to make money. When I say, “Thank YOU!” enough
times suddenly ten and twenty dollar bills start coming out.
(Even if the customer is not mine!) You can also find a way
to get your name into a sentence like that or get their name.
(2 for 1!)
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“Thank You for sitting in LeeAnne’s amazing station! Where
magical things happen!” The more you get your name into
sentences the more they remember your name, the closer they
are to posting about you personally on the larger restaurant
sites and their Facebook pages. Without these doors opening
these people are just faceless customers leaving an average
tip and disappearing into the wilderness and to them, you are
a nameless server who takes their order, makes drinks and
food come to the table (Or not) and then vanishes into
anonymity.
Some restaurant pros are amazingly caring and dote on their
tables, some are like “manly steakhouse guys” you're not
sure if they're going to sell you dinner or car and they are so
good you don't care you will take either or both.
I could go on about different characteristics or professional
strengths there are millions in fact there are as many as there
are waiters and that is the point of our workshop… Your
professional strengths and unique characteristics are what
will make you the most money.
Yes! You already have the tools you need to make more
money you will use these skills to crush your competition
and every subsequent job you have.
Try to keep this in mind all I want is for you to be happier
and to make more money that's it. Your bosses may want
something more but that's all I want. Not bad to have
someone in your corner who only wants you to be happier
and make more money. Okay let's assume you are reading
this because you want to be happier and make more money
as well with that assumption in mind let's start… If I tell you
that if you think of your restaurant differently you be happier
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would you at least try it? Try not thinking about all the
negatives and poisonous thoughts and people but just the
restaurant where you are an independent contractor. You
have a ready-made store furnished, complete with products
and staff. An inventory you didn't have to buy furniture you
didn't have to pick out. Think of your station, like your
section of the store you call on but haven't had to invest a
dime into the products you sell. Your station is your store
like a hairdresser rents her chair for the day and gets as many
feedings as possible using referrals, handing out business
cards did she build a following you have your station for the
shift, get as many cities as possible. Which means getting
people to come in early and late before the busy time and
after you also want people to request you to do this by telling
people you can make pretty much anything happen but don't
just tell them show them.
Make things happen for your guests! This may sound
familiar but trust me when I tell you it's not and keep reading
making things happen for your guests does not mean running
and fetching things faster over the bigger smile on your face
or saying absolutely making things happen for your guests
means knowing what they want to have happen and
sometimes they don't even know this themselves and how
you make this happen is by asking questions when you ask
your guests things like is this a special occasion or "you look
like you're dressed for a special dinner is there something
you're celebrating?" In most cases you will learn with one
question what your guests are trying to accomplish. They
may either gush about this special dinner, the relationship
that brought them together, the anniversary they are
celebrating, the birthday, this neighborhood that means so
much to them or they may convey to you in no uncertain
terms that they want privacy and wish to be left alone. In
either scenario you win!
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If the guest is celebrating anything at all even if just an, "It's
Tuesday!" dinner or they made it through the work week, a
health scare, a promotion, just retired, divorced, met,
graduated, moved in, got a dog……You see my point. The
reasons to celebrate with food are almost limitless but there's
no way of knowing that your guests are celebrating even the
smallest of things unless you ask. Approaching your table
and asking how they are won't usually get you the desired
results that you're looking for.
"How are you tonight?" Is the expected question to which
you will get the expected answer and be regarded in the
expected way; as someone who brings food.
The evolution of the food service industry now has the
general public in a mindset that customer service is equal to
faster service or super smiley service.
In my humble opinion in order to make more money than
your super smiley coworkers who scream "absolutely! Be
super glad to!" When I ask for a wedge of lemon, you need to
outsmart them and bring it more actual hospitality to the
equation. A big yellow smiley face bringing lemon wedges at
lightning fast speed does not change a 15% tip to a 35% tip
but unique, personal hospitality absolutely well.
I know your managers and bosses have all said to your guests
as if they were coming into your home or treat this restaurant
as if it was your home and these are your guests coming in
but did they ever really help you visualize the difference in
the conversation? For instance you and your roommate are
having a party at your house. Guests come in some you know
some you don't do you offer wine to only your friends since
you know them? And only offered to take their coats? And
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looks the others up-and-down since they are friends of your
roommates? Probably not and when someone asks for a glass
of wine will you say, "absolutely! Be super glad to get that
for you!" Probably not in fact you probably went over when
their glass was almost empty touch them lightly on the arm
and asked if they wanted another. Back to your table of
people celebrating their, "Tuesday" retirement, the union,
new apartment or puppy… Additional questions such as, "So
where you going coming in from?" "So where you going
after dinner?" "Do you know the neighborhood for after
dinner or do you already have plans?" "What is the plan for
after dinner or would you like suggestions?" "Do you know
what's going on in the neighborhood for after dinner?" This is
where the information that you read up on will come in
handy! Events in the neighborhood or around town, poetry
readings, sales, shows, events, new store openings these are
all things that can make you extra money and if there is
nothing going on, this is where the history of the
neighborhood will come in handy. They can do their own
walking tour with a little help from you! Either way when
they say please tell us what should we do after dinner this is
where you hint that this is a service that only you can
provide. "You're in luck sitting in Michael's exciting station.
The one and only place in town you will find out about
neighborhood and community events plus history! I know of
a bunch of things you can do after dinner. What kind of
things are you interested in? Shopping? Being entertained?
Games? Local art? Would you want to do a walking tour? I'll
let you think about it. When I come back you can tell me
what you'd like to do and I put something together for you."
Now of course these types of conversations cannot go on
when the restaurant is busy so please try to emphasize with
any of your guests that this is a special service that you
provide you and you alone during the early or late seating’s if
a customer calls and requests the service personally. All these
tools are meant to save you time, making you more money
179
and or make your life easier.
Having guests walk away telling other friends about you in
particular creates a whole other dimension to the restaurant
your special service equals true hospitality. Not only will
they have an excellent meal which is expected but now there
is no other reason to eat elsewhere because of your business
savvy. Your entrepreneurial spirit as an independent
contractor within an existing business for which you do not
need to order inventory now enables you to create a business
for which customers will be flocking to. It's only a matter of
time and implementation. Between taking pictures and
videos, greeting your guests by name, knowing intriguing
area information and guiding your guests after dinner
entertainment and activities, making phone calls to
accommodate your guests elsewhere after dinner for the
quote "hook up" Michael station will be the only place in
town to eat… no matter what restaurant you work in!
How To Piss Off Your Waiter And Guarantee Bad Service
Are You Doing These Things?
Do you want a flawless, exceptional dining experience? Start
with a "Thank you."
If you are truly looking for an exceptional dining experience
realized that your server may be going to school for
something else and this is a temporary stop, this may be a
situation they don't want and cannot change at the moment,
like you they may not like their boss's unrealistic
expectations or their lazy, needy coworkers.
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Think this is not your problem? Guess again. It's actually
your behavior that dictates how successful your dining
experience will be. You can actually turn an extraordinarily
memorable evening complete with extra gifts and perks into
an extremely frustrating experience with just a few words or
actions and not even be aware of it.
How to piss your waiter off and guarantee yourself bad
service:
Ask your waiter where he is from or other personal
questions.
Hold them hostage at your table while trying to decide.
Waive.
Snap your fingers.
Say you're a friend of the owner.
Often the key to great service is being recognized as a great
customer and the key to that is being recognized. Are you
recognized as a great customer or are you an average
customer expecting great service? If you do any of the above,
you are likely considered average... or worse and you could
be receiving passive/aggressive treatment in return.
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Asking your waiter things like "Where are you from?" will
probably be considered rude and you don't even know it.
Your server is not there for your entertainment they are there
to bring you what you ask. Do yourself a huge favor and
leave the personal questions for later, once you have both
established a relationship. (It is an especially sensitive
subject for those who were not born in this country and
asking where they are from highlights cultural differences to
a complete stranger. Would you like it if your new customer
showed up and said "Hi, your different." Often your waiter
can't even know if you are going to leave a good tip... or any
tip at all and they will end up having to go into their pocket
to pay support staff for your meal so starting with a round of
20 personal questions may not be a game you should even
start if you want really good service.) If you want great
service try one of my tips below instead of offending people
you would like to serve you.
If you have a “go to” for great sushi, a go to for great steak
and a “go to” for great burgers why not add a “go to” for
great service? With anything worth wild it will take some
work on your end. As there are several variables at play, your
mission will be to make a few of those variables as constant
as possible. But this is a process and will take some effort
and perhaps some extra cash on your part depending on how
“recognized” you would like to be. First pick a restaurant in
an affordable price range and then a pricier one for special
occasions. Next schedule your reservations. Make sure you
dine early enough that your server is able to focus on you and
isn’t swamped with diners. (Translation: If you are trying to
become a recognized customer, don’t dine at a time when
your server is so busy that he doesn’t have time to recognize
you. You will be wasting your time. He will not be able to
remember you.)
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When you make the reservation, tell the hostess why you
what your dinner will be for i.e. a date, business meeting,
friends from out of town and ask the her for the best table for
your needs and what that table number would be to request it
in the future. (A table good for a date probably won’t be
good for a business meeting and vice-versa but when you
simply make a reservation there is no way of knowing which
you prefer and you most certainly will be let down a certain
percent of the time as a result.) You are a smart person. You
are reading this page after all. How many times have you
begun an evening with a table that was the complete opposite
of what you wanted? How many times have you arrived to
dinner during peak dining “rush hour” to find every other
table taken? Well guess what? If you don’t tell your hostess
you need something romantic she has no reason to hold the
romantic corner table for you and will give it to the
extremely persistent couple who just walked in before you.
She still has a table for you after all, and that’s all you asked
for. A little communication with her beforehand and she
would have told dozens of couples that the table you are
miserable at now was the only one she had available for them
and they would have been thankful.
Instead, your night is off to a lousy start because the person
on the other end of the phone was not able to read your mind.
Now you are frustrated, you feel like “What is the point of a
reservation!!?” things are off to a bad start with your waiter
and he has absolutely no idea why.
So, you make your reservation, communicated your needs
and desires with your hostess. Make sure to remember her
name so you can thank her or if the table isn’t what you had
in mind, you will want to use her name to request another
one. Before you hang up, ask the hostess who is the best
waiter and why. Some servers are more efficient and
invisible, others have vast wine knowledge and others take
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pictures and videos etc. and make celebrations unique and
special. If you just ask for the best server you won’t have a
name to go with it and his style of serving may not be what
you are looking for. The more you can give and get from
conversations with your hostess, the better prepared your
server will be. Now you arrive at the restaurant and are
seated at a great table, you already know your server’s style
and he already knows the theme for your dinner from what
the hostess has told him and can better sense what you are
looking for. Now, for something completely different: Say,
"Thank you." You will have his full attention because no one
ever does it. They just take for granted that they should start
telling a complete stranger what they want or that they aren't
ready to order yet or "What are your specials?" Try "*Thank
you" instead. There is quite a bit of preparation that goes in
to the table that you are sitting at and learning about the
foods and ingredients your are going to be asking about.
Your server has already been working for you long before
you even arrived and it's a nice, disarming way to start a
relationship with a total stranger who's table you are now
seated at.
The rest of your dining experience should go as expected but
when you are paying the check if you received everything
you were expecting then tip more than usual. (I recommend
25%-30% of the total. Remember this is part of the process.
You can go anywhere and have an average experience and
leave an average tip but this is going to be your “go to” for
great service and recognition. Here you are going to be
known as above average, warranting extra attention because
you are generous.)
If nothing went terribly wrong, your waiter seemed to sense
your needs and desires, your personalities didn’t clash and
you can see him as your regular server then thank him by
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asking to speak with the manager or owner. When he comes
to the table make sure to tell him what a nice experience you
have had and how your server really was in tune with what
you wanted. Your complement will go a very long way for a
server and he will really appreciate and remember you for it.
Give the manager your business card and tell him why the
restaurant and server is perfect for your future business
dinners or get-togethers. Be sure to send complements to the
chef and ask for his name. Tell the manager that next time
you come in you would like to meet the chef to thank him
personally. Make your next reservation with the manager
before you even get up from the table. Ask what table
number it is or request a different one. It will be in the
computer associated with your phone number every time you
call. Thank your hostess by name on the way out. Thank her
for taking the time to plan the perfect lunch or dinner with
you and listen to what you wanted. (These things mean a lot
and move you to the top of the list when it comes to
priorities.
Don’t abuse your recognition. Although it is effort on your
end don’t mistake it for entitlement and start finger snapping
or using a server’s name. There is a fine line between a
“good customer” that the entire staff is happy to see and
loves showering with V.I.P. perks because it is unexpected
and an arrogant guest who uses the staff’s names and
kindness against them to create additional work. Those
guests will not be “Welcomed” for very long and all your
efforts will be for nothing and you will only embarrass
yourself.)
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Waiters: for ideas on how to get customers tipping you
consistently more click here!
*If I have a really important dinner and don't know the
restaurant, when I arrive I ask the server to show me to the
restroom and when we are out of sight of my guests I hand
him $20 and say, "Thank you for your help in making this a
special dinner tonight. My name is LeeAnne." Then I ask his
name, tell him about my needs or the theme or my guests
needs so he doesn't have to try to read my mind all night. The
result is usually fantastic.
LeeAnne hosts seminars that show servers the
unconventional, money making tools they have right at their
fingertips. Hospitality expert and wait staff coach, LeeAnne
Homsey developed money making tools for anyone relying
on tips and gratuities for income.
Having spent her entire career working with the owners of
Tao, Docks, Sarabeth’s, Canastel’s and Marsielle, Leeanne
has been managing and motivating New York City waiters to
record high sales, tips and superior hospitality for over
twenty-five years.
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I hope you enjoyed this book.
Feel free to e-mail me:
[email protected]
If you would like me to come and inspire your staff
personally
Website:
http://www.leeannehomsey.com
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