Are your customers invisible?

By Mike Dandridge

It's worth half-a-mil. This counter stuff is nickel-and-dime. You pick up the pace and rush by the customers. You don't mean to be rude, it's just that, well, you have to prioritize.

It's time to rethink the relationship between your sales counter and your customers. For many distributors, it's an afterthought, just a place that serves up the "table scraps"miscellaneous leftovers needed to complete a job, oddsand-ends for a service call, parts and pieces picked up by the d-i-y homeowner. But your counter's "reach" can go far beyond that small percentage of sales currently shown on your financial ledger.

Your sales counter can become a goodwill ambassador for your entire operation. Psychologist Abraham Maslow said one of the most important social needs of a human being is the need to belong. Through your counter, your branch can provide a sense of community for your customers. And it all begins with a few simple steps. a

l. Make everyone a greeter.

\ZOU walk through the door marked "City Sales." It's L 7:20 in the morning. Behind the counter the parts guy is sitting down reading the newspaper, oblivious to the chime that sounds as you enter. You clear your throat. Loudly. No response. You silently ask, "Am I invisible?"

You speak. "Excuse me.I need some material."

The paper doesn't drop. No head peeks over the top. Only a voice replies, "We don't open until 7:30."

Too stunned to even respond, you turn around, walk back to your truck, vow to never cross this threshold again, and drive to the next supplier.

The story you just read is true. The contractor shared his experience with me two years after it happened. Living up to his vow, he never bought anything else from that dealer.

"That doesn't happen to us."

No one likes being ignored. Common sense tells us that. But don't pretend you haven't done it. You're waiting on a customer, or you're on the phone. Maybe both. Another customer walks in. You could say, "Come on in. We'll be right with you." Even on the phone, you could nod and acknowledge his or her presence. But you don't. You avoid eye contact, fearing this new customer may ask you a question and then you'd have one more thing to do. You don't mean to be rude, it's just that, well, you're busy.

Or you're an outside salesperson and you hurriedly cut through the counter area. Customers are three-deep waiting in line. Both counterpersons are already in the warehouse filling orders. You haven't got time. That job bids at 2:00.

Obviously, most dealers don't budget for a professional greeter. So, make it everyone's job. Explain that any employee in the counter area is to greet customers and ask if someone is helping them.

If the employee hasn't trained to work at the counter, he or she simply tells the customer that someone will be available soon. For example, a warehouseman filling an order would look up from his clipboard, make eye contact with the customer, greet, and give assurance that help is on the way.

/rt

L.Watch your language.

Most of us never received training on proper ways to greet a customer. The assumption is that we'll 'Just know." As a result, most of the time we come across as abrupt. "Wha'cha need?" we'll demand. Or, "Help you?" as if it's too much trouble to get out an entire sentence. Some of us don't say anything at all. We simply stand there waiting for the customer to speak.

It's not necessary to follow a script, but the way you phrase a statement is the difference between seeming bothered and disinterested or friendly and helpful. "How may I help you?" has a couple of implications. First, it indicates a willingness to help. Second, it shows confidence that you are able to help. Of course, always offer a casual greeting first, such as, "Hey," "Yo," or whatever is customary in your region. When known, address the customer by name.

^l J. Lasting impression.

How you say "goodbye" is just as important as how you greet your customers. Express your gratitude at the close of any transaction. "We appreciate your business," is always appropriate. Again, no need to follow a script. The main thing is to show sincerity. Act as if your livelihood depends on it. Oh, yeah. It does.

4. Un-curb your enthusiasm.

The previous steps won't matter if you don't get this one right. If a good friend whom you hadn't seen since high school walked up to the counter, chances are you would act glad to see him. Even if you were busy. Even if you were on the phone. Now, take that imaginary enthusiasm and apply it to each customer who walks through the door. Too much, you say? It won't come across that way. Showing enthusiasm tells the customer that you care about his business.

The smart dealer understands that his continued success doesn't hinge on a single business point-of-contact. Rather it relies upon a collection of all of the connections that make up a mutually beneficial affiliation. The sales counter can serve to deepen this partnership between the customers and the dealer. Or it can destroy that relationship altogether.

By the way, the ignored contractor

I mentioned earlier grew to become the third-largest company in his market. The dealer that "didn't open until 7:30" lost more than "table scraps" that morning. He cost his company millions of dollars worth of jobs that that contractor handed to us. You see, we just happened to be the dealer he drove to next that morning. Fortunately, our parts guy had already read the paper.

- Mike Dandridge is a keynote speaker, founder of High Voltage Performance, and author of The One Year Business Turnaround. Reach him at (254) 624-6299 or v ia www.highv o ltag ep e rfo rmanc e.c om.

Making Customers Feel Welcome

Certain behavioral indicators tell a customer immediately if they are perceived as a welcome guest or an annoying pest. Choice of words, body language, and tone of voice communicate the language of attitude to your customer. Review this list, and remember that a pleasant attitude will likely to lead to a positive and profitable outcome.

Pleasant attitude indicators

"Make yourself at home."

Smile ! Whenever possible, make eye contact.

" How can I help you? "

"What can I do for you? "

"We appreciate your business!"

"Thank you for coming in."

"Come backto see us."

Act enthusiastic!

Poor attitude indicators

Ignoring.

Walking away without speaking. Turning your back on a customer, Mumbling; broken phrases: "Help you? " "Yeah, what' cha need? "

Silence at conclusion of sale.

"Take a number."

"Next."

Shuffiing feet, downward gaze.