Nice is good, but reliable is better

I'm over retailers who think that being nice is enough to keep them in business. There, I've said it.

Being in any type of service industry is hard work. There are numerous touch-points with customers where you will be judged, and if you're not prepared to place a premium on your customer's good opinion and at least try to get these right, then you're probably in the wrong industry.

Three recent experiences illustrate how easy it is to be nice, but still lose your customer's goodwill.

I want to give you money - 1

The craft shop was an Aladdin's cave of lovely things. Looking at all the pretty things, it took me a while to realise the voice I could hear from the other end of the aisle was aimed at me. I was being acknowledged by a salesperson, which is great, though as we hadn't made eye contact, it was a little awkward, which is less great. Her continuing to talk at me when I just wanted to be left alone was annoying. Still, pretty things to look at, so allowances made. 

Come time to pay for my selection, I waited at the counter...and waited...and waited.

Whilst one staff member was busy with a customer, the other was sitting at the back of the store doing some paperwork.

By the time the staff member at the back had finished what she was doing and started heading to the counter, I was already walking out the door (having placed the item back on the shelf, I hasten to add!).

It was a lovely store, and the staff were pleasant, but none of that makes up for my custom being less important than filling out a form.

I want to give you my money - 2

A small hobby business with an online presence was having a sale. We couldn't get to their store, so decided to place an order via their website. About to enter our credit card details, we noticed that the checkout wasn't a secure site, so were reluctant to use it and didn't complete the order.

After contacting the owner to ask if there was an alternative way of paying, explaining why we didn't want to use his website, we received an email telling us he couldn't hold orders open. No acknowledgement of our concerns and, seemingly, no effort to provide a solution. 

Will we go back to that business? It's highly unlikely. It's a good example of a customer prepared to pay more elsewhere for better service and peace of mind. 


I want to give you my money - 3

Picture taken at 10:55am, and still no signs of life.

I understand that sometimes you're unable to open for trade at the usual time: that's what cafes and newspapers are for. That said, I do expect you to be realistic in when you say you will open. I'm not prepared to hang around indefinitely, and nor should I have to.







As a potential customer, how did these instances alienate me:

• I need to have my space respected. It's great that I'm acknowledged, but it doesn't mean much if you're talking to my back, or continuing with an interaction I clearly don't want to have.
• I want to feel like the most important person in your store. I certainly want to feel more important than paperwork.
• If I raise a concern with you, I'd like it to be acknowledged. You may not be able (or willing) to do anything about it, but I'd like to feel you're listening to what I'm telling you.
• You don't have to make an effort to find a solution to my problem, but don't then wonder why I'm not bothering to come back.
• Don't steal my time. If you say you're going to be back at a certain time, be there. If you think it possible you'll be late, state a different time. 

I've talked before about the importance of reliability in building customer goodwill, because being nice just isn't enough.