Would you like a combo today?

See if this sounds vaguely familiar…you are at the theater and the clerk facing you says to you like a zombie…” Would you like a combo today?”  or you are in an electronics store and the droning voice asks, “Do you need batteries with that?”

You are going through the checkout line and the cashier drones at you a list of about 10 things, each with as much life as a block of wood.  “Would you like to donate to (insert name of charity), have you got your discount card, we have a special discount on this item today, do you need batteries, would you like a carry out, Are you listening to anything I’m saying?”

Well, they don’t say the last, but they might as well.  It’s awful to see associates so stressed trying to remember all the “right” things to say and they completely lose the most important thing which is to recognize their customer and send them away with a warm wonderful Thank You.

Do you think the people who dream up those empty slogans, those endless boring tasks for cashiers ever worked on a cash register?  If they did, they desperately need to take a refresher course.  It’s about being friendly and sincere and making the customer want to come back!

The Essential Lesson:  Your employees must be empowered to delight their customers; they can only do that if it is clearly understood that this is their #1 job responsibility.  And keep in mind that they can’t have 13 #1 responsibilities!