It was the start of a beautiful weekend. The sun was out, the temperature was perfect, and all my friend was going to do was stop at the store for a few random essentials and then off she’d go to enjoy the first spring-like weather of the year. Apparently, the fates had other plans.
She walked past the pharmacy when she first went in and no one was in line. She picked up her other odds-and-ends, came back to the pharmacy, and the line was flowing out into the main aisle. There was only one cashier. My friend wasn’t the only one noting the ridiculous state of things.
None of the customers in line got any happier when they saw three or four other employees standing behind the counter chatting about nothing and not paying attention to the mile long line of customers who just wanted to get their things and go.
Does anyone see a problem with this situation?
Customer service falls well below par when all hands are not on deck. Customers get neglected and are left with the impression that the company is sloppy and poorly run. When a company presents a bad impression, it loses current clients and countless potential clients. Much of this can be avoided in employee training.
When practicable, cross-train employees in multiple jobs, not just their own duties. There are days when one member of the team needs help and if everyone is trained to do just their own job, they can’t help their co-worker and then you have a situation similar to the one my friend witnessed.
However, employees can be unobservant and forget to pay attention to what is happening around them, which is a bad state no matter which way you look at it. We all have our days where we fall into that oblivious category, but do not allow it to become a habit in your company. Not many customers offer second chances, and even fewer offer a third.
On the other hand, when everyone is working together as a team good things happen. Team members have the support they need to do their job to the highest standard and more importantly, customers are taken care of beyond expectation.With all hands on deck, a business runs smoothly, flawlessly.
Trust me, customers notice.