So it is another time in the trenches with another barista. We started this about a month back to share what a barista says about some questions about customer service. It has been a bit of eye-opener to get the feedback from someone behind the counter. This week, it is Chelsea. She is three months into her current job with about one year of background in the industry. I very rarely have set questions. I want to look the barista in the eyes and then ask something that seems to engage me. This week, it is about what is expected when it is busy.
This part of the year means line-ups. Not that this does not occur any other time of the year; it does perhaps mean it happens with a little more context than other days of the week. When asked; “what do you expect when you are in a line up?” she said “I want someone who is engaging and actively listens. Someone who is cheery and (promotes) a friendly environment. I want to feel welcome.”
In a way, who doesn’t. These are very traditional answers. If ten people were asked the same question, they would more than likely answer the same way. What makes this answer perhaps a bit more introspective is that Chelsea is young, very young. Here is my point. I could ask her mum or my mum, or each our grandmothers and they would say the same thing. So why do organizations still not get it or capture the essence of what everyone on this planet expects. In another way, I am only focusing on the basics: say hi, make me feel like you are listening and deliver just a bit of warmth.
The beauty part is the customer gets that you are busy. Chelsea said “I understand busy. I understand a sales person may be in a crappy mood; (check this out) in fact I OK with it.” Is that the differential in any service organization – I get that you are busy and you may be in a bad place? Or is acknowledging this some type of concession that a service organization is off the hook for giving a good service experience? Tricky, eh? Both points of view are important for the organization to train to. If I am a manager or leader and know my team is stressed or in a bad place, it is my job to practice how service is conducted within that mindset. Part of it is a team pulse check whereby everyone on the team relates to the reality of being in a less than great place and then thinking through how to deliver a great customer experience anyway. The other is to allow a genuine emotion NOT interfere with the customer experience. It is two-fold for sure.
Chelsea shared two more things worth mentioning.
First when asked, “What would need to happen for you to decide to not go back?” Again a typical answer, “I am not going back if they ignore me and give me bad customer service.” If you are reading this and have a leadership role in your organization, it is so simple to hear and yet so hard to deliver every day (especially when it is busy). She also mentioned she would be likely to tell others if asked. That has more power than you may think. Think of the impact and broad scope of social media!
The second thing and I must say an awesome thing to hear was “I want to see that that they like their job.” How hard or how easy is that if you a have a team of 4 or 7 or 20? Do they even like their job? Chelsea said “I like my job because I know what good coffee tastes like.” What causes that? She mentioned the environment, that training helps and the people you work with.”
A great or even a good customer experience is up to the employee. The employee decides everyone’s fate. It is their choice. A customer will get that you are busy. That is the “mulligan” (your freebee) in all of this. You cannot let that get in the way of ensuring great service. Despite being busy or crazed or stressed as an employee, great service must come from a place. It is more beneficial to everyone involved if the employee knows what good looks like. Let’s say that again. You are busy and a customer wants you to engage, to listen, to be cheery and to seem to like what you are doing. Whose job is it to provide this platform? I say the manager at a minimum. If you want to know some ways to do this, contact me.
By the way, Chelsea said “My mom instilled that in me”. I do so love the Moxie girls.