Five Things you Should Stop Doing When Serving the Decision Maker; The Woman
I usually focus my writing and conversation with my clients around solution driven language. What you should do to deliver an exceptional and unexpected experience for your customers. Instead, I thought I’d write about what you should STOP doing when interacting with the Decision Maker; The Woman. If you want to impact at the CORE of your business truly, it’s people, and the experiences you provide, what you stop doing is equally if not more important than the ‘new people-centric programs’ you put into place. Here are five things you and your team should stop doing when interacting with your female consumer. Stop: Greeting men first when in a ‘coupled’ shopping situation In an independent study I conducted I found that when a woman is shopping with a man, the man most often gets greeted first. The greeting is the first interaction that will set the tone for the entire journey; it is a customer’s favourite pick up line. Try greeting her first (or at least at the same time). The female consumer will feel like an equal, respected, and open for the journey she is about to experience. Assuming she doesn’t know what you’re talking about Women love details, and they want to know those details before making purchasing decisions. Women also find joy in the hunt of the shopping journey; the hunt is where she collects the details she needs to make a decision. So when she steps into your store, on the phone with you, or ready to make a purchase don’t treat her like she doesn’t know what you’re talking about, it’s more likely she knows more than you know. Thinking of the female consumer as an interruption She is the most influential consumer in the world. She makes purchase decisions for 3-4 generations in her household. She is the ultimate customer, and it is essential that you know that. She is not an interruption. Thinking that building relationships is a waste of time Creating a connection with your female consumer should be the number one priority. It is that connection and relationship that leads to trust. Trust leads to purchase and loyalty. Remove lack of time as an excuse, and make the relationship you have with your female customer a priority. Thinking she’s just like you! Women are physiologically different than men. We are simply built different, and you’re in the customer perception business. No longer can you live by the golden rule grandma used to preach “treat others the way you want to be treated”. It’s high time you live by the platinum rule” treat others the way they need or want to be treated”. Take the time to understand the female consumer; this will go a long way in tailoring the experience you offer her! Women are the world’s most influential consumer; instead of ignoring her influence, appreciate her significance to your business. Take the time to create real relationships, and stop making the common mistakes listed above. Your customers will be happy and so will your top line sales.
Three Ways Organizations Can Change Their Experience For The Better
In this series of “The Decision Maker; A Woman’s Perspective on Customer Experience”, I will outline my experiences as a customer (a female customer) as I experience them! This first post takes place in Miami at an upscale hotel; when NO was the only option. I landed in Miami for a series of business meetings over a three-day period. I had specifically chosen to stay a Conrad Property as I had such a great experience at their locations around the world. My expectations were high, and I was very excited to be staying there. Consistency is one of the most critical aspects of providing an exceptional experience for customers. Consistency is essential in building relationships and earning the trust that comes with customer growth. Unfortunately, consistency didn’t reveal itself on my stay, and the confidence I once had with The Conrad has been broken. I arrived at 12 pm; before check-in time, which was 3 pm. I understand that if a hotel is busy that a guest can’t always be accommodated and placed into a room before the guaranteed check-in time. So, I asked when the earliest they thought I could get into a room as I needed to shower and change before a business meeting I had at 4 pm and needed to leave the hotel at 3 pm to get to the meeting on time. They said there was nothing they could do and would let me know. I don’t know about you, as a female in business (or anyone in business for that matter) having the ability to shower before a meeting is essential, especially if you fly in that day. Again, I understand the logistics of having guests check out, having the room clean, and then giving the rooms to the next fleet of guests. What I didn’t understand is why the team members at other Conrad properties are empowered to make it right for the customer and the lack of consistency in this empowerment throughout their other properties? How are they not consistently empowered to do what it takes to accommodate a guest; like ensuring they can use a shower before a meeting. ‘No’ Was The Only Option After the first ‘no there’s nothing we can do for you’ response I walked away to grab some lunch. I was hopeful that my room would open up before 3 pm. Unfortunately, lunch had come and gone, and I still didn’t hear any news about the status of my room. I went back to the front desk and asked again what the status of my room was. They let me know that the room was still not ready and there was nothing they could do. I then asked if they had a room or shower available that I could use. No was the answer. I then asked if I could use the spa’s shower; again, no was the answer. They did at this point offer the gym (which was located in another building and had no place to put my luggage). I would have to walk across to the other building with my luggage to use the shower when the spa was on the same level and the reception. I asked again, “are you sure I can’t use that shower? I need to get ready, and I don’t want to lug my luggage”. Guess that the answer was? NO. The Female Impact At that point, I started to get very frustrated. As a customer, this type of experience is the type of experience that makes you wish you could find another place to stay. As a Customer Experience expert, I know that the team is following the ‘policy’, so it’s hard for me to get upset at them. I also know there is a heck of a lot more wiggle room to make it right! As I have mentioned, I had stayed at other Conrad properties before and chose this one because of the previous experiences. As a woman, there was no compassion, concern or effort to help me from the team and that is enough for The Decision Maker to choose a different hotel for future business or personal trips. Did you know that the woman influences over 85% of all purchases made in the home? That includes the decisions on travel for her and her family! We are always scoping out great places to bring our family, even when we are on business trips. Creating an experience that makes her happy has a significant effect on earning the right to customer growth, loyalty and maintain the lifetime value of your customers. I am here to inspire positive actionable change in the experiences the most influential consumer in the world has, and this is why I have decided to write these blog posts with a female perspective. I want to help organizations become better at the experience they provide their female customers (and customer’s in general). With that, here are three ways organizations can change the experience for the better; to satisfy the Decision Maker and consumers alike: Remove Rule (the word no) and Replace with Guidelines Empower your team members to WOW the customer. In a large organization with multiple locations, this can be hard to control which is why a lot of organizations put rules into place. These rules, unfortunately, hurt the experience more often than not and these rules are often put into place because one or two customers abused the organization’s generosity. By the year 2020 (which is pretty much today!) research shows that experience will beat out price and quality. If you want to keep your customers satisfied the only rule you should have in place is to do what’s right for the customer. This brings me to the next suggestion I have; make exceptions based on each scenario presented. Make Exceptions It is imperative you listen to your guest’s story; remember rules are meant to be broken! Train your team to live in the grey so they can ensure
How to Tailor your Brand Experience to the Decision Maker – The Woman
The Chief Purchasing Officer Gender defines the way a message is perceived, from sales and service interactions to marketing, and call center scripting. All of these messages, moments, and service interactions sum up how your customers perceive your overall Brand Experience. A Tailored Experience For The Decision Maker So why would you want to take the time to create ways to tailor your Consumer Brand Experience to the female consumer? Women are the Chief Purchasing Officer in their household and the most influential consumer in the world. Women are the economy of the United States — according to inclusionary leadership group women spend or influence 83% of all non-business to business consumer purchases. Not only do they hold the veto vote on the majority of purchasing decisions, they are your number one referral source! The reality is, most businesses don’t take this customer segment very seriously, and do not have the tools to give their team members to tailor the experience a woman receives when doing business with them. Furthermore, according to author Bridget Brennen, men make up 85% of the executives of the world! This gap between who buys and who designs the Customer Experience is enormous. The Brand Experience is ultimately created by men who are physiologically different from the female who influences almost 30 trillion dollars in consumer spending. Gender Matters Women crave connection more than their counterpart gender—men. Moreover, if gender defines the way a message is perceived, then we need to get better at connecting with The Chief Purchasing Officer as she holds the most significant influence in all purchases and influencing almost 30 trillion dollars in spending power. To continue reading Click Here
Customer Intimacy; A Step Closer to A Tailored Experience
In a recent article I read in Automotive News Lincoln; Home Visits Revealed Customer’s Passions, Lincoln revealed the importance of getting to know their customers at a very intimate level. Lincoln has seen an impressive four consecutive years of global sales gains, what do they attribute this growth to? Getting to know their customers! Getting Personal To understand your customers, you have to know what they think and what they want! The Golden Rule grandma use to preach; treat others the way you want to be treated is a thing of the past! The new rule in town is the Platinum Rule; treat others the way they want or need to be addressed. The only way to live this is to get to know your customers at a personal level. To do just that, Lincoln got intimate with their would-be consumers by doing interviews in their homes. The Mission, as stated by Parker, was to “Find out whether they drink 2% milk or almond milk. Potato chips, or Kale chips. Do they have an Alexa or a Google Home? How are they living?” These home tours gave Lincoln a unique perspective on the wants and needs of their customers, allowing them to craft tailored experiences in marketing and retail stores. Now, I’m not suggesting that every brand start knocking on their customer’s doors and have a tour of their home, although you would learn a lot about your customers if you could! What I am suggesting is that you bring this mentality into your dealership. Get to know your customer, personally, when they are interacting with you. Building Real Relationships We must build real relationships with our customers before we ask for the sale. Customers buy from who they trust. Unfortunately, customers don’t usually ‘trust’ dealerships to have their best interest at heart. I have developed a formula that helps dealerships do just that, create real relationships with their customers. The Connection Formula- CREATE was developed with the female customer in mind. After a lot of research of what The Decision Maker; The Woman wants in her shopping experience, I realized this formula is as effective with women as it is with men. Here is a simple tool your sales team can use when connecting with your customers and getting to know them at a personal level while earning their trust and their sale. Compassion & Empathy Showing compassion & empathy is the most overlooked, yet most powerful skill a salesperson can have in their tool belt. Having and showing compassion for their customers and their stories will help you to take a step back and listen to what they need or want at that moment. Reveal Vulnerabilities You are human too, right? When you can, connect with your customers over common ground. Reveal something about yourself that makes you believable and trustworthy. For example; your customer gets to talking to you about their son who is playing in a soccer tournament and how much time it takes to get him back and forth from practice. You happen to have a son that also plays soccer (or any other sport) can reveal that you to have the same frustrations. By doing this, you have created a connection outside of purchasing a vehicle. Engage Genuinely Nothing is worse than a ‘fake’ interaction with a Sales Associate. Customers know who you are and will not engage with you. Find something out about your customer, so you can genuinely engage with them. Actively Listen What is our favourite thing to talk about? Ourselves! Customers will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know to tailor his/her experience if you actively listen for it! Recent studies show that when we are having a conversation with someone else, we are already formulating our response 1/3 of the way through what the other person is saying. What does this mean? We don’t actually hear what people have to say to us; and if we don’t hear it, how can we use the information our customers are giving us to make an above average experience come to life? If you actively listen, all those details that Lincoln found while doing home interviews will come to the surface in your interactions with your customers. Make the conversation less about you, and more about what personal details you can uncover about your customers. Take Time Relationships take time to develop. I know, time is money. If you take the time to get to know your customer, create a real relationship, build trust, and provide a tailored experience, you will spend less time on getting them to sign on the dotted line! Put the time up front in building a real relationship, and it will be paid back in spades. Not only will they buy from you, but they will also refer you! Evolve A relationship is ever evolving, as a customer’s life is a constant evolution, and you must continue to work on and develop the relationships with your customers. People go through life changes, and if you want a customer for life, you will need to continually evolve the relationship you have with them so you can keep a pulse on their ever-changing wants and needs. The Change is not Easy, but Necessary Breaking the stigma of automotive retail is the key to its future success. Customers want and need to feel understood by the Sales Associate, they need to trust their dealership, and the experience they receive must compete with the Starbucks of the world. It will be an uphill battle to break this current stigma. However, it can be done. Robert Parker explains the challenge with this new way of thinking “it’s like teaching a pitcher to throw left-handed after they have thrown right-handed their whole life.” He continued to say “Dealerships are used to a certain way.” This new thought process “was about getting the customers settled and comfortable. It has to be a courtship.” Get to know your customers on a personal level. Create
Prive Hair Gallery; An Experience Everyone Must Try!
If you follow me on social media, you would have seen my Instagram Story about my most recent experience with a hair salon in my hometown; Prive Hair Gallery. My experience was so great; I needed to write about it, enjoy! As a busy mom and business owner finding time to get my kids in for haircuts in almost an impossible task. I am usually on the road Tuesday through Thursday which means there is no time during the week and as the moms out there know the weekends are spent playing taxi driver to your kid’s sports activities, birthday parties, and family commitments leaving the weekend near to impossible to fit in a hair appointment. I had been going to a salon about 20 minutes further from my house than Prive Hair Gallery is and decided I would give them a try as it is more convenient for me; the challenge was going to be finding time in our schedule to get my girls in. I picked up the phone and gave them a call. Right from the first call I was impressed. The young lady who answered the phone was delightful, asked my name and referred to me by name throughout the entire conversation. I was explaining to her that my girls desperately needed to get a trim and I had limited time to get them into the salon. She asked me all the standard questions: what day, time would be best for me and then proceeded to tell me what she had available. Unfortunately she didn’t have anything that would work with my schedule and just as I was about to give up she surprised me by saying “I can offer you an early morning appointment so you can get in before your day starts, lets say 7:30 am?, I will come in and open the salon for you.” and with that I booked the appointment and got off the phone extremely satisfied and impressed. But wait, it gets better, not only is the team accommodating to your schedule to get you in the door, once you are there the great experience continues. I showed up at 7:30 am on Saturday morning with my girls and was greeted by name with smiles. They instantly started creating rapport with me, and more importantly my girls. The atmosphere was light, energetic and inviting. Throughout the entire appointment, they continued to make us feel special and attended to our needs. While the girls were getting their hair washed the stylist turned on the massage feature in the chairs they were sitting in and invited me to join them for a message. They then took a picture of the three of us making this a moment we would remember. Cappuccinos were served to mom and interest was taken in my hair needs as well. We paid the bill and left for the day. That night, I got a text message from the owner checking in to see how the girls liked there new cut and that she hoped to see me soon. The team at Prive Hair Gallery nailed the guest journey at every touchpoint. Turning a transaction into an interaction and experience that won my girls and me over. Here are a few key points to their success: They Care About You and Your Needs The team at the salon tailored the visit to me and my girls. They asked great questions to build rapport and uncover what our expectations were. They then immediately used this information to increase the positivity of the experience. They Go Above and Beyond Prive did not need to open their salon at 7:30 am for me, but they did. They went above and beyond to accommodate my schedule. As a busy mom, this was invaluable. Receiving the follow-up text was also something that was a surprise which made the appointment come full circle. They Turn Ordinary Moments into a Memory When I sat next to my girls in those chairs and got massages, it turned an early morning task into a fun experience. Capturing this moment with a picture made it a special memory for my little ladies and me. Oh! I forgot to mention; the stylists are EXTREMELY talented! Not only will you have an excellent experience you will leave with beautiful hair! If you live in the Bloor West area, you must give Prive Hair Gallery Bloor a try! And if you run a salon, use these best practices to improve your customer experience!
When It’s Not Your Fault, But You Fix It Anyway; A Woman’s Point Of View
Raise your hands or nod your head if you have ever gone into a brick and mortar store with your kids and they decided to run around, talk loudly (or yell), and climb things they shouldn’t (insert emoji with hand raised here). It can be (and often is) frustrating and embarrassing. This was precisely what happened to me as we entered Home Sense last Monday. It was a hot and humid Monday evening. The last week of summer break and the week before my sister’s wedding. Our house is the house that plays host to almost every family gathering and the night before my sister’s wedding was not an exception. As usual, I took on more than I could chew but loved every minute of it as there is nothing more important than the love and time spent with family. Because we were hosting 40 people at our house, it was also time to get my butt into gear and finish decorating our newly renovated main floor. The Monday before the party I dragged my poor little girls all over the city to find just the right nick knacks for our living room and paintings for our walls. Women tend to do this frequently; take on more than they need to, to ensure the happiness of their family. That day I was not an exception to the rule. We were in and out of stores, and our last stop was Home Sense. As a woman, mom, wife, and Brand Experience Expert, with a female focus, I am very perceptive to the shopping experiences I have and how well they cater to the Decision Maker; the woman and all the little nuances she expects in a shopping experience. My last experience that day was the most trying and the best all at the same time. An Empowered Team My girls had had enough of in and out of stores and were kicking into boredom high gear. As soon as we entered the store, my girls bolted off and ran around as I popped in and out of the aisles in search for the perfect décor and paintings; playing a game of Marco Polo with my girls except is was “Ela, Riley” so I could hear that they were close to me. The experience was going smoothly until I heard Riley scream. There she lay face down on the floor; she had tripped. I put the five items that were in my arms down and rushed to her. Riley’s lip was bleeding, and she was crying hysterically. I felt embarrassed and so sorry that this happened to my sweet girl. Instantly (as most moms do) I started to beat myself up about the situation, and at that moment, something wonderfully unexpected happened; in swooped the Home Sense team. The manager came over and helped me in the bathroom. They helped calm Riley and gave her a freeze to keep the swelling down on her lip while making it fun for her. They also made sure Ela got the same ‘fun’ treatment. Once Riley was calm, they collected the items I had put down in a rush to my daughter and took me directly to the end register bypassing the big line. The team rang me in quickly and carried everything out to my car and through the whole process made me feel better (or not as bad) about the situation. This situation got me to thinking; are companies prepared to handle situations that are not their fault? Do they empower their team members to make it right? And do they take into consideration the customer in front of them? Although many organizations strive to have the basics of customer service down pat; like greeting, asking the customer if they need help, or using their name; not many organizations focus on how to create a great experience out of a bad situation. Further to that; do you know how to tailor your Brand Experience to the Decision Maker; the Woman? I challenge you to answer these questions: Is your organization and its team prepared to handle situations that are not your fault? If so what tools do you provide them to empower them to offer an exceptional and unexpected experience out of a bad situation? Are you prepared to serve your female consumers? Have you ever flipped the lens and seen the shopping journey through her eyes? With women holding 80-90% influence of all purchasing decisions and doing the majority of the shopping for their homes, is your team trained in EQ so they can ensure the experience the decision maker has in your brick and mortar store leaves a positive lasting impression? If your answer is no to one or more of these questions you might want to look at the tools and training you give your team members so they can turn transactions into interactions and create a memorable experience; even out of a bad situation. I also urge you to take a female-focused approach as you make changes to elevate your customer experience. I thank the team at Home Sense that day. Not only did I get everything I needed, but they also earned my loyalty through an experience that I will be forever grateful. I know that I can take my kids there and they will take care of us.
The Future is Female
Although the conversation around women and equality has been had over and over again through the years, research shows that progress in equality has not always been the case. According to owlcation.com women through history have gained and lost power at different times, they share, through their research, that progress is not inevitable – we need to take action to ensure women have a life of dignity and fairness. According to Pew Research Centre women make up only 40% of the workforce in more than 80 countries, from 114 nations with data from 2010 to 2016. Across all of these countries, the median female share of the workforce is 45.4%. And according to a study conducted by McKinsey & Company Organization women account for an average of just 16 per cent of the members of executive teams in the United States, 12 per cent in the United Kingdom, and 6 per cent in Brazil- remaining underrepresented at the top of corporations globally. The number of women in the workforce and the number of seats they hold at the table is not growing quick enough! A Company Taking Action! It takes a company like Boston Seaport that will propel female focus in the professional world. Seaport has installed an excellent concept called “She Village” at The Current in Boston. The Current; She-Village is a pop-up village with a permanent presence just off of bustling Seaport Boulevard. On a rotating basis, it will play host to a different collection of retailers connected by a common theme that changes periodically. She-Village will be the first pop-up village concept inspired to shine a light on the bold and visionary women shaping the future of retail; this mission-driven concept knits together an incredible block party of female-founded and fashion-forward brands that share a common storyline of passion, purpose and empowerment. More Doors for Women to Walk Through On average, it takes a woman being asked 14 times before she says yes to an opportunity. We often stand in our own way when it comes to climbing the corporate ladder, starting our own businesses, or taking small risks that could lead to big rewards! Another company that is taking a big stance on giving females more opportunity and opening more doors for women is General Motors. General Motors operates in a typically male-dominated industry and is paving the path to equality in the automotive sector! In a recent article The ‘Extra Oomph’ that changed GM, Auto News featured GM’s Mary Barra, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer who is the first female CEO of a major global automaker. Barra also put a female CFO in place at GM, giving female influence a seat at the table. In her effort to build a strong culture for females in automotive GM has also established the GM’s Women’s Retail Network where women get the exposure they need to get ahead in such a male-dominated industry; opening more door for women to shine. With concepts like She-village and leaders like Barra at GM; more doors will open for women, so they feel comfortable to say yes, feel supported by other female powerhouses and take the leap they need to close the gap on equality and increase the female influence at the table! The Future is ours; the future is female; if we are willing to grab the opportunities and run with them!
Appreciating The Little Moments This Summer…
Often we get caught up in the busyness that the whirlwind called life blows our way; this summer I have made a vow to myself to try and be more present (the operative word is try!). And in trying, I will be focusing on reading, creating, and sharing laughs with my kids. Because of this little promise I am making to myself and my family, I will be taking a break from my blog until September. I will be back in action this fall ready to share all the little unique experiences I have had with all of you! Break the Script! I challenge you this summer to feel yourself breath at least once each day, and take in the moment that sits right in front of you! Do something exciting! Break your autopilot routine and indulge in the power that each moment holds. In a recent article I wrote called You May Not Be As Productive As You Think, I revealed that research says it’s better for you to take these moments to rejuvenate! Long hours at work increase your risk of heart disease by 40%, making it almost as dangerous as smoking, reports BBC Capital. Also, the extra hours at work aren’t likely to help you get more done. One British survey found workers were only productive for a little less than 3 hours in an 8-hour workday. It states that you’re better off taking time to do nothing, allowing your brain to enter a resting state called the default-mode network. That precious time gives us space to develop new ideas and make connections that would otherwise go unnoticed. In closing, take some time to breathe, rejuvenate, break the script, and appreciate the little moments the summer hands you! XO, Katie
Women Crave Connection
Gender defines the way a message is perceived; from sales and service interactions, marketing, and BDC scripting. All of these messages, moments, and service interactions sum up how your customers perceive your overall Brand Experience. With today’s ‘connected’ society, customers are craving more connection. Yes, we are wanting more connection in a world where we are so very connected to everything and everyone. The trouble is, we are connected to devices, not humans. According to research by behavioural marketing firm SmarterHQ, 50 percent of millennials not only go to physical stores, but they also prefer going to them as a primary means of shopping. Gary Ambrosino, The CEO of time trade says “the bottom line is customers value the personal experience of the physical store” he continues to say “We found that shoppers have done their shopping or discovery online, then go into the store to get help with their final purchase decision.” Another study reveals that 65 percent of Americans also said they prefer to visit a physical store. The automotive industry isn’t any different. Your customers are doing almost all of their research online; they know what they want and how much they are willing to pay for it before they walk through your doors. However, they still walk through your doors to make the final purchase. Which means you need to be ready to connect with them because let’s face it; price and quality aren’t enough to set you apart from other automotive retailers. If it were, more customers would buy online. Gender Matters Women crave connection more than their counterpart gender, men. Moreover, if gender defines the way a message is perceived, then we better get good at connecting with The Chief Purchasing Officer as she holds the most significant influence in a Vehicle purchase and controls over 28 trillion dollars in spending power according to research done by Voigt. Today’s woman has grown to be more educated, have far more financial power and decision making abilities. Through all this growth for the female gender one thing remains the same; we care an awful lot about connecting with you and are the best at building relationships. Unfortunately for you, we also expect you to be as good (or better) at connecting with us! To continue reading this article on The Centre for Performace Improvement; Click Here
Transaction into Interaction; A Compass for the Service Drive
It wasn’t that long ago that the Automotive Industry underwent and survived a crisis. I believe we will be facing similar challenges if we don’t re-wire the way we think and how we approach the service experience. The service department is the backbone of the dealership, without its revenue our margins would be tighter than they already are. A Cox Automotive Maintenance and Repair Study revealed that 57% of dealerships say that service retention is their primary concern, and it should be. Customers Have Choice Our customers have a choice; the Decision Maker has a variety of oil and filter retailers she can visit. Let ‘s face it; she is going to dictate where each family vehicle gets serviced. If you want The Chief Purchasing Officer to choose you, you must recognize that she doesn’t need you, you need her. If you want her to pick you, you must turn decade’s old transactional service into an interaction. In the same study, results showed that 86% of dealerships say they do not have a system that facilitates a superior customer experience; this is a problem. How can you expect your team to deliver on your customer’s expectations if you don’t provide them with the tools they need to be successful? You must provide them with a simple system they can follow and adapt to each customer they interact with each day. Technology is great, but not necessary to make change happen now. With or without technology, you can turn the current service transaction on its head with a simple system your service team can follow. To continue reading this article on The Centre for Performace Improvement; Click Here