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The Walking Dead


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Zombie service writers... I can see the movie trailer now... LOL

 

I had about the same reaction when I was looking at new bikes. The staff at one store totally ignored me. I soon left the place and bought elsewhere.

 

Maybe it wasn't feeding time, ... I'll never know.

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<em class='bbc'>Are your service advisors engaging customers, or are they part of the walking dead?</em>

 

Ok, I admit it. Let’s get it out in the open. I am a zombie movie fan. There is something about dead people shuffling around grunting in an expressionless, catatonic state that captivates me. The new TV series, The Walking Dead, is my current favorite show. However, when it comes to catatonic customer service people…well that’s another story.

 

Two Saturdays ago I went to an upscale clothing store to purchase a new suit for my son’s wedding. Being a special event and the fact that I haven’t bought a new suit since Reagan was President, I figured it was time. Buying a quality suit was my goal, the money was secondary, not that money isn’t important, but this is my son’s wedding and buying a nice suit would, for me, add to the overall enjoyment of the occasion.

 

Well, the karma in the store just wasn’t right. Everyone seemed preoccupied, confused and stressed. After waiting for nearly 10 minutes I finally managed to get a saleswoman to help, and together with the help of my wife, I picked out a real nice suit. The Tailor worked his magic and told me to come back in a week to pick it up.

 

Last Saturday I went back to the store to try on the suit. Again, you can tell something just wasn’t right. There were sales people on the floor and a few at the sales counter. But they were not engaging anyone, just shuffling around aimlessly. Every minute or so a sales person would shuffle by us gazing into space. As I tried to communicate, I could hear a faint grunt coming from the sales person. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but it was definitely a grunt…..maybe a secret sales language? Or code? After a while my wife turns to me and says, “It’s like the walking dead”.

So here we are in the middle of this upscale clothing store, where my original intention was to have an experience what would add to the enjoyment of my son’s wedding, and it feels more like the movie set of “The Night of the Living Dead”.

 

I did finally find the same saleswomen who helped me originally. I quickly tried on the suit, grabbed my wife and ran out of the store. I was afraid that whatever infected these people might be contagious.

 

It may sound like I am making light of the situation, but don’t mistake my humorous analogy with a very serious situation. This incident got me thinking about business in general and how customers are treated, especially in our shops.

 

When customers come into your shop, are your service advisors engaging with them in a timely manner? Are they smiling and act in a way that make customers feel special, like family? Are your service advisors doing all they can to provide world-class service, treating people with respect, smiling and engaging in a little small talk? Or are they more like the Walking Dead, arms hanging at their sides, expressionless faces, with eyes staring off in the distance and grunting like zombies?

 

Let’s face it; being in business is not always a walk in the park. Some days are tougher than others, and we all get caught up with the daily struggles that weigh heavy on our shoulders. But the truth is the public has no idea what we go through and we need to understand that above all the customer experience is what matters most for the success of our companies.

 

So, where ever you are from now on, whether it’s a restaurant, hotel, on a plane or even in your own shop, pay particular attention to the sales people. See if you can spot any of the walking dead. If you do, tell them they just may be better off auditioning for next year’s Walking Dead TV series, and stay out of the customer service business.

 

Click here to view the article

 

 

Hard hearts=zombie service. :P

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The fact that most businesses offer mediocre customer service at best should make it an easy way to gain a competetive edge. Engage with customers, give them what they want and constantly educate and inform them of what you are doing and why. Tell them about the benefits of your service. Do this as the owner and then get your employees to follow your example.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         2 comments
      I recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
      Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
      Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
      Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
      Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
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