A funny thing happened to our family while we were in Turkey. After eating Turkish food for a solid two weeks, my kids were thrilled to see Grilled Cheese on the menu. Imagine their surprise (and disappointment) when a piece of grilled cheese arrived at our table. That’s right. A piece of white cheese with grill marks on it. At least we all had a good laugh. This restaurant really didn’t have to worry about us coming back, as it will likely be years before we return to Bodrum.
You on the other hand, have more at risk as most likely the people who are doing business with you or those that are patronizing your establishment at least have the potential to be repeat customers. You want them singing your praises. Not tweeting about a miscommunication that may have happened between your staff and your customers.
Here are three ways you can ensure that what is said, is what will be heard by those you are doing business with.
1. Hire articulate people. It’s great that you are keeping your nephew off the streets this summer by providing him with a job, but it’s not so great if he doesn’t have the communication skills that are required to be directly in contact with customers. Think twice before hiring people who will be the face of your company.
2. Be specific. You know certain situations may cause confusion. Be specific and if need be, confirm with your clients that they have a thorough understanding of exactly what will be delivered when they place their order.
3. Provide your employees with tools. A picture is worth a thousand words. Give your people visuals they can use to show clients what they are getting. This will help to eliminate any confusion.
Today’s customers are quite diverse. Make sure you are all speaking the same language before committing to something you may not be able to deliver.
