When you walk into a business these days, you’re often greeted by one – or sometimes all – of their employees yelling out some form of greeting, like “Welcome to Citibank!” While many people like that folksy approach, others find it annoying when they feel like they have to respond. I vote on the side of “like” except when you go into a place a half dozen times in the same day, like to the hardware store when you’re in the middle of a project. Any way you slice it, though, a welcome is far better than a “Whaddaya want, Mac?”
By now, just about every businessman has been at some seminar where the speaker preaches giving the welcome, be that in person or when an employee (preferably a live one) answers the phone. Just like people, businesses age and the veterans who work there get sloppy about etiquette in person or on the phone. Can you remember when you first went into business and you were motivated to be as friendly to customers – and especially potential customers – as you could muster up? If you’re a route operator, can you recall how you approached new accounts, hat in hand, smile on the face?
All of this is still valid today, well after the seed that started your business morphed into referrals and the need to chase new locations dwindled, perhaps turning from “Hi, my name is…” into faceless customer service interactions over the phone. Your people may not be asked to make friends with everyone who calls, but if the conversation turns from “your pinball machine won’t turn on” into a discussion about your most recent fishing trip, that’s got its place, too.
If all this sounds like a “tell me something I don’t know” screed, sorry, but a reminder that customers are people who like to be treated like people (and not machines) is always in order. The most profitable game arcades have always been those with clean floors and restrooms, and especially where the “help” is not only helpful but friendly in the process.
The Expo is over, machines are shipping and the temperature is rising. Let’s all remember the basics and charge into a prosperous spring season wherever we have players spending their money.