Customer Service Doesn’t Start with Customers

Have you thought about that?

We know it starts with our people talking to our customers, right? Blog post done.

But why is it so challenging? We know what to do. We know the outcome that we want to see. So why do teams still struggle with this?

I remember an example at one of my locations when I was a multi-unit leader in the fitness industry.

One of the first things I noticed was that not many people were very happy. Everyone seemed to always be in a bad mood.

Was it us, was it the city, the gloom, personal situations? All of the above?

So I spent a lot of time on the frontlines working and observing. I checked members in, chatted with them. Went out on the floor to clean and interact.

And I began to notice something.

Some of our staff was “giving it back”… as in giving that same low level of energy, bad attitude, and poor service right back to the customer... But that wasn't even the real problem. The real problem was something else.

It reminded me of the thought like “Well if they are in that mood, then that’s on them” type of mentality.

But think about that. What does that do? It just breeds this negative energy and culture… like a cycle that is never-ending. I personally started to not enjoy going to this location.

But you never want to avoid situations just because you don’t enjoy them. You will find that you will do yourself a disservice by doing that. Avoiding problems is never the answer.

So I decided to create small changes one step at a time. I knew it started with the staff’s perspective and attitude. 

“I want you all to give big greetings when they walk in, smile… make them feel great and welcome. Give undivided attention. If they have an attitude, I want you to simply let it roll off. Greet them the same way we greet everyone.”

The challenge was set. And the shift began.

We didn’t move the entire city, but we made small dents that compounded.

Net Promoter Scores improved, the staff’s energy improved, member count grew, retention improved, and a very key decision was made that was probably the most critical piece in it all...

Remember earlier how I mentioned I realized there was another problem. Yes, the staff had poor attitudes, but that wasn't the real cause why customer service had been failing.

We needed a change in leadership.

You see, the poor behavior started somewhere and that was with the manager who was in place before I arrived. I wasn't oblivious to this.

It’s rarely just the staff’s fault.

This manager was someone who created the energy in the customers that we saw. Who gave attitude back. Who subtly made controlling and condescending remarks to the staff on the side. Everything stemmed from this leader.

Once this was identified and the change was made, you could feel the cloud lift. I’m sure we’ve all experienced this before. 

Like a bad apple removed from the bunch. A cancer that has stopped spreading. You can feel it.

Customer service doesn’t start with customers. Your customers are a reflection of the service and experience they receive.

If you want to see a positive shift in your customer experience, look inward. We often fail to see the answer that is staring right at us.