Pay Attention to the Final Five Yards

A football team can execute a well orchestrated drive down the field toward the goal line. A combination of plays, that result in perfect passes, and effective runs, can bring them to the five yard line. The goal is just fifteen feet away. Yet, on many occasions, the team is unable to move the ball into the end zone. They do not anticipate the obstacles that stand in their way, and as a result, they do not execute the final plays properly. They fall short of scoring six points and the opportunity of a possible extra point. If this is a critical part of the game, they could end up losing the contest because of their bungled efforts.

Customer Service Is Like Football
The game of business is a lot like the game of football. It always leaves me wondering when I walk into a business, how often the final moments of contact with the customer are left to chance. It could be a beautifully decorated store or business, have the most expensive looking merchandise, and the poorest trained cashier ringing up the sale. As a result, the cashier drops the ball, and quite possibly drives the customer away from ever coming back again.

Do it in Reverse
When it comes to analyzing the service your customer receives, a good way to approach the entire cycle of service, is to do it in reverse. In other words trace the sale backwards. What does your customer see, hear and experience starting with the cashier. Here are some questions to use in your “reverse service” inventory:
• Is the cashier pleasant and courteous?
• Is he or she prepared to handle an unhappy customer and turn the situation around?
• Is the checkout aisle clean and orderly?
• Are the displays in front of the cashier aisle neat and attractive?
• Are the clerks in the aisle well trained and helpful?

By handling the details of the customer service experience in reverse, you can insure that your company will be better prepared, succeed in properly servicing the customer, and winning the sale.

If you are interested in a better career in customer service visit www.customerservicejobs.com


Tom Borg is president of Tom Borg Consulting, LLC. He is a business consultant, speaker, coach and author. He helps companies and organization become more successful and profitable by helping them attract and retain their customers and clients.