How You Can Make Your Customers Feel Welcome

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Your customers are human beings with feelings. They like to feel appreciated. They like to feel like they matter, and they like to feel you care about them. One good way to meet all three of these concerns when they visit or call your business is to make them feel welcome.

If you are an owner, manager, or you work in a customer service job, here are three ways you can make your customers feel welcome.

First, make sure the expression on your face is warm and inviting. Whether you are speaking with the customer in person or on the telephone, your face must be accommodating. Cavett Robert, the dean of inspiration and motivation, used to say that “too many people walk around with an expression on their face that looks like they were weaned on a pickle.” By looking sour and unapproachable, these types of people certainly don’t attract and make customers feel welcome.

Yes, even if you are on the telephone, your facial expression affects how you come across to your listener on the other end of the telephone line. They cannot see you, but they can actually hear how you look through the sound of your voice.

One suggestion to help you wipe that sour expression off your face, is to think of something that makes you happy when that customer walks into your business or calls you on the telephone. It could be your spouse, significant other or your children. It could be the joy you get when you are able to help a customer solve their problem. Use something as an anchor that can help you get focused on feeling happy.

The next thing you can do to make your customers feel welcome is to get and use their name as soon as possible. Just the other day I was at Jos Bank Clothiers, a men’s clothing store, and my sales person used my name. You know what? That made me feel special inside. He remembered my name and more importantly used it in our conversation. Make no mistake about it, when you use your customer’s name in the proper way, you can create or build a stronger bond with that person.

The last thing you can do is to find out something personal about that person. Harvey MacKay in his book “Swim with the Sharks,” discusses the value of knowing little things about your customer that make him or her special. Examples are things like their birthday, hobbies and recreational interests, which high school and college they went to, the car they drive, or the names of their spouse and children. All of these small bits of information, when added to together, give you a distinct advantage over your competitors. Just think of it. You are establishing trust and rapport with someone by learning about things that are important to them. By doing this, you are creating a unique bond with that individual.

By using these three suggestions, you will be on your way to making your customers feel welcome. Always remember, when you make them feel welcome they will give you their patronage.

Have you instituted these three tactics in your business? Let me know in the comments.

Tom Borg is a consultant in leadership management, team building and customer service. Please see more of his blogs at csjobsblog.com and businessworkforceblog.com To view additional job postings at Nexxt
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