The big question: How’s business going?

March 14, 2012

I make it a point to pose the following question to an unsuspecting waiter, hostess, cook, or ‘owner-looking’ person:

How’s business going?

The question freezes most in their tracks.  I guess they are so accustomed to hearing complaints and groans from customers that a genuine question is startling.  This is a departure from the standard fare: “The weather sure is warm today.”

When 'THE' question is asked, how will you respond?

Typical responses:

“Oh, fine. I guess.”

“We’ve been fairly steady. I think it’ll pick up later.”

“It’s a little slow now, but I am hopeful.”

“Great. We’ve been steady all day.”

“Oh, I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the manager.”

If you’re a manager, owner of an establishment, what’s your coaching to employees about how to answer this question?

Should you lie and say “everything’s rosy” all the time?

Should you give your honest assessment?

Should you gently smile and say the first thing that comes to mind?

I believe an employee should be honest, but sprinkle in some optimism.

For example, if the first person to walk into your establishment for the day asks the question: “How’s business?”

Don’t respond: “It’s been very slow. You are the first person to visit us today.”

Try: “We expect great things today; we have some great specials available on some of our most popular products. What brought you in our store today?”

Immediately, the employee has engaged with the customer and starts to understand his needs while introducing some of the fantastic offers available. This friendly tone won’t seem fake or pushy. The customer ‘should’ see this as warm, genuine conversation from someone who has his best interests at heart. In a world that’s sometimes too cynical and sarcastic, you’ll stand out with a fresh dose of optimism and enthusiasm.

Until next time,

Dan Naden

Leave a Comment » | advertising, community, convenience stores, customer experience, Customer Service, marketing, shopping, user experience, welcome | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Dan Naden

Why create a billboard that can’t be read?

February 29, 2012
  • Would a teacher write on a whiteboard with letters that are too small for his children to read?
  • During a timeout, would a basketball coach map out his next play to his team in a whisper?
  • At a rock concert at a large arena, would the heavy metal band play with their amplifiers off?

These are examples of messages that don’t reach the recipient.

Every day across this nation, companies spend millions on highway billboards to reach consumers, yet fall woefully short.  There’s something stunningly amazing about the large blocks of text, graphics and color that line the major highways of America. When you’ve just a short period of time to influence, persuade, motivate, why do companies make it even more difficult than they should?

I am stunned. It seems as if every other billboard I see is unreadable.

The biggest problem: small, indecipherable text. Do companies realize that people are trying to drive while reading/viewing their billboards? They have a very short window of time to acknowledge, read and react to a billboard while they change lanes, flick on the turn signal, or change the radio station.

Dear companies:

When you invest in building a ‘can’t miss’ billboard, put yourself in the eyes of your target market.
Take a step back and envision your ‘creative message’ being viewed at 55 miles per hour from hundreds of feet away. Design text and blocks of color to be read in an instant. Don’t stress every single benefit about your product or service. Choose one and do it remarkably well.

It’s not all doom and gloom. There are a few companies that have it right. Notice the simplicity, directness, immediacy.

Here are just a few:

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Until next time,

Dan Naden

Leave a Comment » | advertising, billboards, simplicity, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Dan Naden

5 ways to put your yellow pages to good use

February 15, 2012

A strange present arrived on our doorstep a recent afternoon.

It was bathed in yellow cellophane; as if the world’s most precious cargo was trapped inside.

Yellow pages once held top shelf positioning in most households. Now, they're an afterthought.

I opened it and immediately thought: “How can I easily discard this monstrous waste of space and resources?” This is hardly a ringing endorsement for its contents.

Yellow pages used to be a central research starting point in our household. Now, they are considered clutter. How does this medium survive? I guess merchants are still buying advertisements in these large books? I have to imagine that Yellow Pages sales representatives are throwing in the print advertising when someone buys a Web ad, or at least they are offering at a serious discount.

So what to do if you don’t want to trash your thick and hearty yellow pages book?

Here are five ways to put your Yellow Pages to good use:

  1. Firewood
  2. Reading practice. (for the children, of course)
  3. Computer Monitor Stand
  4. Crude Frisbee
  5. Dog Chew Toy

Besides these can’t miss repurposes of the Yellow Pages, I did find some value from the Yellow pages: a few pages of coupons in the back of the directory.

Looking up something in the Yellow pages seems so isolated, empty.

  • No reviews are alongside the merchants.
  • No easy way to branch out into other communities (most Yellow pages target a small geographical area).
  • No simple way to figure out how to get from here to there (driving directions).

That’s all for now; time to go; sun’s nearly down. It’s getting cold; time to throw L-Z on the fire.

Final note: I can’t slight the importance of the yellow pages as an informational resource for the senior market. Many in the over 65+ crowd aren’t on board with new technologies and dutifully use this medium every day. The yellow pages’ days are numbered, yet the big books still have a loyal following for a small segment of the market.

Until next time,

Dan Naden

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Posted by Dan Naden

@Disney: 3 ways to turn your wait in line into a world of wonderment

February 1, 2012

Waiting in line for something thrilling is sometimes difficult.

Your mind races with excitement in anticipation of what’s next.

  • The movie premiere that you’ve been longing to see is now just 30 minutes away.
  • The newest version of the iPhone that you can’t live without just went on-sale and you are nearly to the front of the line.
  • The clock on your oven counts down 5,4,3,2,1 signaling that your juicy, succulent Thanksgiving turkey is about ready.

As I recently stood in line to ride the much-hyped Disney World coaster, Expedition Everest, “The Waiting”, a familiar song from a Florida native son, Tom Petty bounced through my head:

“The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you get one more yard
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part.”

Waiting in line is time-consuming at Disney, although not nearly as bad as expected when I saw the immense group of visitors. The crowds were heavy during our stay, yet, surprisingly, we never waited for more than 30 minutes for a ride – sometimes even without a Fast Pass.

The Alphabet of Fun should start with D for Disney.

The wait for Expedition Everest was one of the longer ones, yet once immersed within the world of Yeti footprints, Himalayan explorers and snow-capped peaks time seems to melt away. You find yourself pondering the existence of the Yeti instead of searching for a clock, which you’ll be hard-pressed to find at Disney World.

@Disney: Why not try these ideas to make wait times seem even shorter and thrill the customer in the process?

  1. Can characters entertain the guests as they wait in line? The youngsters might want to frolic with Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse, but I am thinking more characters that are true to the theme. How about a pirate mingling with the line as they wait for the Pirates of the Caribbean? Or a bearded explorer in search of the Yeti for the masses waiting for Expedition Everest?
  2. I realize I am biased living in Austin, Texas, the live musical capital of the world, but can Disney World weave music into the experience of waiting? The Pirates of the Caribbean already has an entire movie soundtrack guaranteed to make everyone say, “AARRRGGGGHHH.” Music over the loudspeaker could add ambiance, but imagine the impact of a live band playing imposing ‘pirate music.’
  3. Surprise customers that had to wait the longest for a ride on Space Mountain with a Fast Pass to another great ride at the resort. You’ll turn a happy customer into a Disney evangelist.

The customer service of Disney is legendary in concept and execution. Despite the lines, I’ll still wait for the rides and shows at Disney World. The thrills that await are unforgettable. Perhaps trying a few new customer experience angles will even enhance its excellence.

Until next time,

Dan Naden

Leave a Comment » | community, Connection, customer experience, Customer Service, Disney, family, Kid-friendly | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
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@Hertz: The Virtual Agent Lightens the Pain of Waiting

January 16, 2012

I’ll admit it; I hate waiting.

I try to be patient, yet I am spoiled by the immediacy of everything.

When the train gates fall and bring my car to a standstill, I sigh.

When all lines at the grocery store look like a LA freeway, smoke drifts out my ears.

Before you join the masses on the road, wouldn't it great if you didn't have to wait?

When the number at the deli counter is 14 and I am number 36, I silently groan.

The Hertz Rental Car place in Atlanta, Georgia was a busy place a few weeks ago.

As I strolled up to the counter, the line was interminable; tense business professionals attempted to pass the time stuck in their smartphones.

I glanced to the left and noticed a bank of open monitors.

Simultaneously, a friendly young lady invited me to meet a virtual agent by guiding to an open computer.

“It will be much shorter than waiting in this long line,” she said.

I was a bit skeptical that I appeared to be the first taker (sucker!), but I was intrigued to test-drive the process.

“What’s your name, sir,” the smiling Hertz representative asked.

“Dan,” I responded.

“Dan, I’d like you to meet Mary. Mary will take care of you this morning.”

As the friendly young lady stepped away from the monitor, the smiling Mary appeared on the screen and began to quickly, courteously, effortlessly find me an affordable vehicle for my stay in Atlanta. The entire process probably took 2 minutes less than a face-to-face exchange – that’s efficiency.

I was impressed by how Hertz made the ‘impersonal’ exchange via computer very personal. Think Skype with a smile.

If the metrics make sense, other service industries (airports, ticket counters, car service stations) should seriously consider virtual agents to alleviate longer lines, harried travelers.

I may still dislike waiting, yet Hertz serves up a smidgen of joy while you wait.

Until next time,

Dan Naden

1 Comment | customer experience, Customer Service, knowing your customers, marketing | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Dan Naden

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