According to a press release by American Express, 78% of customers have backed out on an anticipated transaction because of poor customer service.

What really matters to customers from the get go? How do you impress customers or clients and turn them into loyal, walking-talking advertisements through word of mouth?

When you read reviews concerning any industry, from hospitality to retail, the one word that keeps popping up is “friendliness”. It’s obvious that clients and customers place considerable value on how welcome they feel due to the quality of the customer service they receive; and friendliness is the one thing that makes them feel welcome.

Staff attitudes, in reality, have absolutely no impact on the value of the purchased goods. If you buy a new car, the salesman’s degree of friendliness will make no difference to the vehicle’s performance. The only difference his attitude makes to your mood is that you didn’t particularly enjoy the purchase exercise. The difference it makes to his dealership, however, is much heftier.

People are emotional beings. We all have the basic need not to be looked down upon because inequality leads to anxiety. The customer needs to feel, as previously mentioned, welcome and comfortable. If they don’t, they’ll leave. I think it’s safe to say that most of us have left a store because we weren’t tended to “properly”; or, we simply won’t return to certain stores because the “staff were unfriendly”.

Below are some excerpts from customer reviews who all mention “friendliness” as a main concern and the reason for their disappointment.

“One of your cashiers was very rude to me and didn't greet me even after I greeted her first” – Retail

“I was actually upset when the lady at the check-in desk spoke to me in an unfriendly and somewhat angered tone” - Airline

“We were helped by two very unfriendly members of staff” - Retail

“We all know that customer service is not only competency etc but also to be friendly, kind to the clients” – Retail

So why is it that unfriendliness can ruin the whole customer experience and lead to no sale? Studies show that most customers and clients decide whether they are satisfied with a company based on the first 15 minutes of interaction. Examples can be: walking into a store to be greeted by staff and asked if you need assistance with anything, or, contacting a company for a quote to be responded to immediately and in a friendly manner. These seem like obvious points but many place more focus on being flashy than being friendly.

The business-customer relationship is based on emotion and in the end you need the customer more than they need you. If you create an unforgettable (in the good way) customer experience you’ll stand out above your competitors.

Sound Idea Digital is a full service digital marketing agency that specialises in content marketing.
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