This week, I’m filming video training for a client in Southern California. Each morning before we shoot, I get treated to makeup art by Christina, a talented, gorgeous and charismatic makeup artist.
The first day I worked with Christina, she asked me about what I teach in my videos and training classes. “I help frontline employees deliver the best possible customer experience,” I said. “Usually, I’m focused on helping people show concern and empathy and on handling difficult situations with diplomacy and tact.”
It turns out, Christina is not just an amazing makeup artist; she knows a thing or two about customer service. “When I worked at Nordstrom,” she told me, “I would notice how stingy my employees would be when customers would ask for makeup samples. But then if the same employees had a friend or their mother come in, they were so generous, friendly and fun. They’d be like, ‘Mom, you have to try this; let me give you these to take home!’”
I love that Christina made that observation. She went on, “So, I started training my employees to treat every customer like they would treat their own mother, assuming they liked their mother.”
What a brilliant concept! Treat your customer like you’d treat your own mother if she was your customer. If my mother was my customer, I know I’d be patient with her, especially when I’m explaining something highly technical. I’d definitely season the conversation with small talk. I wouldn’t rush the experience. I’d make sure I answered her every question and I would bid her a fond farewell.
Try Christina’s approach. Treat every customer the same way you’d treat your very own mother if she was your customer. Assuming, that is, that you like your mother!
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