I watched her smile at everyone who passed her. Her gaze fell naturally on each person and she took the time to acknowledge the children. Waves, “high-fives” and plenty of thank-yous always seem to be around her. No wonder why the customers love her. How does she do it?
Good question? Is her friendly demeanor something she’s learned or was taught, or is she just “naturally friendly”? It can be either. But there’s a catch…
When we’re stressed, feeling ill, or overworked, our training may fail us and we can revert to our natural self, whatever that is. Those who are curt, impatient, or unhappy with the person in the mirror, see their true-self boil through. All the training, corporate-mandated phrases, and manager-led rah-rah sessions cannot hide the fact that they aren’t naturally friendly.
And, you know what? I bet your customers already know this. It shows through when you least expect it. A side comment, eye roll, or lack of effort isn’t explicit, but it’s there. It’s noticed. It’s felt by the customer. It can cost you money, too!
This is the worst possible scenario for those in the service industry. We need employees whose underlying personality is the same, regardless of the challenge. Those who put on a facade are simply ticking and waiting to blow. Can you afford for this to happen? Of course not.
So how do you fix this? Who do you hire? What do you look for?
Look for potential employees who:
- Smile easily and frequently.
- Have a large circle of friends.
- Others always talk about (in a positive light).
- Volunteer in civic or religious organizations.
- Love animals, dance freely, and sing even when others are around. People like these attract others like a magnet and always seem to have good fortune follow them.
- They are passionate about what they do and are results-driven.
- Failure is not in their vocabulary and the daily challenges of life are brushed-off like flour on a baker’s apron.
- They are problem-solvers and usually “find a way” when others don’t, can’t or won’t.
- They have the energy to complete each task and…
9.5 Know how to please even the most hardened customer.
Hiring “the right” person(s) can make all the difference in the world for a service business. But what if I asked you if you’re friendly enough for the customer service industry? How many of these 9.5 traits do you have? Hmmmmm…
