The business application of a smile can relate to front line employees and their potential impact with your customer. While most hospitality managers know the importance of first impressions, unfortunately, not all front line employees seriously consider this impact. Yet the truth is, the general consumer prefers to do business with friendly, open, accommodating, welcoming, and most importantly, smiling employees.
Previous experience working for The Walt Disney Company helped me to understand how all customer service positions work best when the employee understands they are “on-stage” when they are in front of the customer. Disney employees realize very quickly that regardless of how they are feeling, they must put all of their personal issues aside and get into “character”, appropriately representing the company with exceptional customer service. It’s not always easy to smile when you don’t feel like it…it’s just necessary, even critical, for a successful first impression of your company.
A smile can be seen as an invitation or a barrier. Greeted with a smile, you are being welcomed, greeted with a grin or scowl; you are being held at an arm’s distance.
What does your front line employee look like? Have you ever observed from the sidelines what type of greeting your customer first encounters? If you haven’t had the chance to do this, it’s a good time to think about this type of observation. The economy today dictates exceptional customer service in order to stay competitive and keep your customers loyal and engaged. If your front line employees do not connect to your customer (and this generally can be accomplished by greeting them with a smile), the potential sale may only be a one-time deal, or worse, no deal at all.
Consider observing potential candidates for your company. During the interview, take special note if they are smiling. If they aren’t during the interview, chances are they will not smile as a customer walks through your company’s door.
Hospitality managers should insist that all front line employees “wear” a smile. Remember, this simple gesture invites a relationship with the customer. Encourage this behavior with your employees. Create visual reminders to your employees such as something recently noticed at a local business. A small laminated card attached to the outside of a cash register, perfectly situated for both the employee and customer to see. It read:
JULY SERVICE TIP
A company’s front line employee often tells the customer exactly how they are feeling, by means of their non-verbal communication. What should be observed is something that reflects enthusiasm and appreciation that the customer has stepped in your front door.
The employee’s facial and body language should show excitement for the service, product or value your company has to offer. How can you expect a customer to shell out their hard earned (and closely kept) dollars if they are not connected through your front line service worker?
Consider observing your front line employees in an anonymous way; perhaps even contemplate using a shopping service to do this for you. Shopping services are used for a variety of reasons, including benchmarking service delivery levels prior to a training initiative. Additional information gained from a shopping service can help your company optimize operations, improve human resource management, develop and enhance brand image, and most importantly improve the customer experience.
When selecting a shopping service, be sure to:
• Carefully research the background and references of the shopping service.
• Ask to see sample reports and client/reference list.
• Speak with like-industry references and ask them what they found useful (and not useful) with the shopping service. Were they happy and confident with the service?
• Ensure the service understands your business processes well enough to critique your processes.
• Set the criteria to be observed and ensure the service watches for the initial first encounter they have with the employee…were they smiling?
I can see why Michael Jackson’s favorite song was ‘Smile.” The lyrics, “Smile though your heart is aching, smile even though it’s breaking…. Light up your face with gladness, Hide every trace of sadness…” are encouraging and necessary for all front line employees.
Remember, front line employees are continually “on-stage”, providing the most exceptional service necessary to retain your customers.
Jan M. Smith is the Founder and Principal of Inland Management Group, a Human Resource Consultancy located in Temecula, specializing in the Hospitality and Entertainment industry. You can contact Jan at (951) 302-6483, www.inlandmgtgroup.com, or email at jsmith@inlandmgtgroup.com.
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