I was preparing for a client’s presentation and happened to mention to my wife that I did not really agree with one of their standards. Now, please note…my wife is easily one of the best managers I have ever known. Wait for it, there will be heck to pay. The standard was to greet the customer in very specific time frame…10 seconds. She said she agreed wholeheartedly. Did I say she is one of the best managers I have ever known? I agree, a standard sets the expectation. No question. I retorted that it is problematic and difficult as the sales rep has to deal with what they face which may very well (I will bet any amount of money) keep them outside of compliance. In other words, I may be able to get to it in 17 seconds. So now what? Do I get written up? I did not hit the target.
This is one of the hugest (not really a word), most magnanimous (a word) issues managers must face. What is more important, the time or the why? You see this is the twist, the part that managers need to embrace. What if someone is 17 seconds into a standard that firmly states 10 seconds? They are non-compliant, right? Or did they do the best they could, given the situation and still meet the heart or the intention of the standard? Does the sales rep know the “why” behind the importance of the time frame or are they just trying to meet the time frame? Are you getting this? The “to what extent” is irrelevant without the “why” behind it. You must greet or acknowledge every customer within 10 seconds. Really? What if the customer I am face just threw a phone at me and they completely want every ounce of my attention. And I cannot greet the next John Q in 10 seconds and I am the only one in the store.
OK, two things right out of the gate. One, my wife and this company is spot on. Please have a standard about greeting. Please. There are way too many brick and mortar retailers who absolutely have nothing defined, nothing written. I always say if it is not written, it is not real. And two, not every customer-facing scenarios involve someone throwing something at you. So we can all agree…owners, GMs, RMs, DMs, AMs, SMs and all training consultants will all fervently agree that a sales team must have defined selling standards. Yes? If you don’t, please contact me immediately!
OK, now about the standard. I would contest (and have done time and time again) that time frame does matter. It does, but is not necessary in the letter of the law. Here is what I mean. What do you think the difference is between “All sales rep must greet or acknowledge every customer within 10 seconds” and “All sales reps must greet or acknowledge every customer”? Performance pressure, table for one. Here we go. Because the very nature of a standard, which by the way is non-negotiable and that you know you must be willing to fire someone for non-compliance, does imply if I am one second late, I am liable for punitive discussion. Right?? Otherwise what you have implemented is not a standard, but rather a suggestion, right? I truly believe in the letter of the law, of the need and necessity of the standard. I do. What I have conflict with is the importance of the number without the incredible importance of why it is critical to greet or acknowledge every incredibly important customer who showed up. And by the way, they want something…they showed up.
Here’s what I would do when it comes to standards. First, have them, period. Then be prepared for the most important elements in implementing them.
- Define the “What”; the what you expect them to do. And I would rely on the logic of making the standard the base minimum. Sound like you are seeking mediocrity? No. You are setting the standard at the minimum expectation…which still could be high.
- The first is meaningless without the “Why”. Tell why the standard is in place. Share a story or two to create a degree of context and relevance. Help them see the importance of the vision and What’s In It For Me (ubiquitous WIIFM).
- Tell them “How” this actually works. Be real. Tell them you would like to have them do it in 10 seconds, because quicker is better and then tell them they may not be able to meet that. Walk through the situations when bad can turn into good and how good can turn into bad. Be real. “I expect you to greet and acknowledge EVERY CUSTOMER, and you will be busy and I still expect you to greet EVERT CUSTOMER even when busy. I am just not going to give a time table to make that happen. That wouldn’t be fair. Use your common sense. I trust you.”
- Then you can bring in the “To What Extent”. This is the measure. This is not just the time frame you expect. This is, perhaps more importantly, how often this is happening. You can qualify it by metrics like conversion rate, or mystery shopping scores or customer surveys. Ultimately, it is the score on how the team is doing it; the greeting thing.
I trust my wife infinitely on more things than greeting a customer in 10 seconds and it’s subsequent validity. What I enjoy most, perhaps to a fault, is that this created a provocation. It got me thinking. It got me pursuing the logic, the clarification and, yes, the importance of something so sublime…so really? You should greet or acknowledge anyone who shows within 10 seconds. They showed up to your house, your business. Why would you not?
Ahh, that is the message. It is not the how long. It is the absolute, complete understanding of why it is important.
I debated this with my wife and I will have heck to pay for this. Not really. She is pretty smart. Smarter than me. Did I just say? I’m just back peddling.
Cheers