Preparing customer service training can take all sorts of approaches. Some times just observing excellent customer service in action and noting how it works serves as the best reminder. In my recent travels I met one such customer service expert: Daisy. She doesn’t work in your typical workspace.
Daisy is the restroom attendant working in Concourse B at the Charlotte, North Carolina airport and she really knows something about custom service. Her job is to keep the lavatories functioning & flowing while servicing hundreds [maybe thousands] of travelers daily. Her expertise is in how she does her job and to witness Daisy in action is akin to seeing a highly trained dancer or Olympic athlete perform.
Daisy is in command of her space. Daisy greets each patron with a “Hello my name is Daisy and I am your bathroom attendant today.” Or, “Hello Sweetie, Angel, Darling ( Daisy varies her greetings so as not to sound repetitive), good to see you today.” Or in my case, “Are you back again?” (Which raises a chuckle from those in line), “You didn’t think I’d remember you did you? But I couldn’t forget that beautiful top you have on today. Step right in here,” she says as she pushes open my stall door.
As customers stream in- Daisy directs and connects. “Anyone got a 911? Just let me know and I’ll get you set up right away.” She opens doors for patrons while she examines toilets for cleanliness. Daisy greets a new mother pushing a baby buggy by inquiring, “Will you be needing a changing or or nursing area? ” Because Daisy’s restroom is fully equipped with; baby care facilities, an array of free emergency feminine products and a dishes of cello-wrapped candies sitting next to two nearly-full tip jars set in duplicate at each end of the multi-door restroom. There is no doubt-Daisy IS here to serve. If you don’t believe it she will outright tell you as she guides you to the next available toilet.
Watching Daisy perform is a thing of beauty. She flows in and around her workspace working all sides of the room, each entrance/exit, and all the doors attending to guests while keeping the entire space tidy. Daisy is in constant motion. She is alert and attentive all while keeping a smile on her face.
The Charlotte airport made a strategic and brilliant move employing Daisy to her position down near Gate B 14. What I appreciated was Daisy’s ability to maintain control of her workspace while making each person standing in line feel acknowledged, comforted and attended to.
How exactly does Daisy do it all this great customer service with such grace? Translate what I learned from Daisy to your classroom training, F2F or online classroom, and even to your business. Here’s how I saw Daisy’s methods break down:
Use Dignity and Recognition:
Daisy treats her space and patrons with dignity. While in Daisy’s space- I felt like I was in some high-floutant-fancy hotel or restaurant instead of an airport bathroom. Are you applying this same courtesy to your audience? Daisy also greets, recognizes, and with well-placed-comedic timing, entertains every single person coming into her workspace. Practice doing that at your next classroom or online training session.
Work the Crowd:
Daisy works her space with the finesse of an emergency room expert. As she is attending to one customer’s needs she’s got her eye on the others in line and is greeting, querying them as to their personal needs, and directing them to their appropriate destination. Are you working your training room? Whether is is F2F, blended or fully online, you need to be working your crowd and always anticipating their next need. Pay attention to your audience, just like Daisy pays attention to her customers. After all your audience is your customer.
Apply Humor as Needed:
Daisy understands how humor helps ease and calm anxiety and she knows how to use the appropriate level that works perfectly for her workplace. Applying humor can be tricky. There are cultural cues that require your constant attention. Daisy knows her workspace, her clientele and their needs. She keeps her humor revolving around those topics. What cues can you pick up in your training or classroom that can be woven into humorous touches?
Have Systems and Use Them:
Daisy streamlines her customer’s “check-out” process . She works ‘the room’, in such a way that when her customer emerges from behind closed doors – she is “available” for the “slipped-in-hand” tip or she’s acknowledging each bit of currency as it drops into one of her tip jars. Every training and/or classroom has systems [or it should]. Do you have your systems in place? And are you working your systems? Where can you tweak systems? What works and why? Study what you are doing and make adjustments.
Kindness Gets Noticed:
Daisy is constantly greeting her customers with a, “You have a blessed day now,” which cleverly works as a universal goodbye or hello. So Daisy’s got you covered. What kindness are you using in your classroom? Is it working? Can you develop universal greetings?
Make Your Customers Feel Special:
Most importantly, Daisy makes her guests feels special. Yes, I might be in a public airport restroom, but Daisy makes this simple experience memorable. You always want your training to make your customers feel like you are there for them and them alone….even if you are training online. What techniques can you begin applying to make your audience feel special while they are training and learning from you?
Seeing Daisy in action is a delight. Ladies, be sure to stop by Daisy’s, should you find yourself traveling through the Charlotte Douglas International Airport down in Concourse B. If you do, you will see some expert customer service in action. In the meanwhile, apply some of Daisy’s customer service techniques to your business and I guarantee you will see smiles appearing on your customers’ faces. Just like Daisy’s.