I think this is your money quote this time: “They don’t ask questions they don’t want to hear the answers to.”

And yeah – I said “this time.” Write the post :-)

That being said, why wait for them to be in line? I was at Hy-Vee, a local employee-owned grocery store where I do an awful lot of shopping and while in the produce section the person stocking the peppers asked me as I walked past staring at the produce if there was something they could help me find. (This is normal.)

I said I was wanting a papaya and did they have any. (This is NOT normal as I’ve never asked for a papaya before.)

They did not have any papayas she said, and this is where it went into twilight zone territory, “But, I can order them for you if you like. When do you need them by?”

“Oh no. I don’t need THAT many, I just don’t think I’ve ever had one before. I just wanted one.”

“No problem!” Says she, “someone will buy the rest. I can order you for them tonight and have them by…” She wasn’t a manager or anything. Her name tag said “Monica” and under that it said “First Year Employee” Now, other name tags say things like 5 year or 20 year employee… hers said “First Year.” The assumption there is huge and awesome. Her helpfulness was amazing. That wasn’t unique to her either.

On another visit I asked at the meat department (seafood really) if they had any crab fingers. I wanted them for gumbo and I thought I’d seen them there before but they were out now. “We don’t normally carry those, but I can order them, and what you saw last time was probably the extra we ordered to fill out an order. When would you like them by?” Again… floored. Again, not a manager. This was “just” a counter jockey putting in their time… only it wasn’t that at all. They were intent on getting me what I wanted, even if they had to special order it and they were positive that they’d sell the rest of my order to someone else, and even if they didn’t… they’d have made me happy. That’s why I go there, and that’s why I shop there.

They don’t ask questions they don’t want to hear the answers to.
.-= Rich G.´s last blog ..Ender’s Game & Management? =-.

This entire conversation really begs this question of when we get complacent about the simple day-to-day happenings in the workplace, missing the opportunities they present to us.

Wendy, your comment about voicemail is evolutionary too: Most of us will say that we hate voicemail period, and we prefer to talk to “real people” but the truth of the matter is that we want it to make sense and today, certain efficiencies being automated versus being personal do make sense to us.

Thank you so much for returning to add to the conversation.

Once, when I mentioned to the checker they were out of my favorite cinnamon bread, he sent someone to the back to pluck a loaf straight from a just-being-unloaded delivery truck. Another time they had cases of a certain sauce in the back that hadn’t been shelved yet (and they fetched one for me). Once or twice they didn’t have the item in question, but were able to tell me that they were expecting a shipment the next day.

So now, I believe them when they ask the question. They’ve earned my trust by taking what could be a throwaway question and turning it into a great experience.

As for the question of receptionists answering phones with “how may I direct your call,” my beef with this is that the question is for the company’s benefit, not mine.

I get that big companies handle thousands of calls and that the receptionists actually can’t provide every level of customer service. I guess maybe it’s the phrasing that bugs me. If they simply asked “how can I help you?” or maybe “What’s the reason for your call today?” it wouldn’t put me on the spot with trying to come up with the right department or person.

I don’t like automated voicemail trees, but if the receptionist is performing a function that could be handled by a recorded list of departments, then her time is probably being wasted. If a human answers the phone, I guess I just want a little more help (like being able to ask my question and getting a comforting “Oh, Bill in accounting is our expert on those questions. Let me get him on the line for you”).

And I love your suggestion, Phil, for coming up with Great Questions. I like it when people ask me at the end of a phone call if there’s anything else they can answer for me, and it sounds sincere. And I agree with “How may I serve you” and its cousin “How may I help you?”

But sincerity is the key.
.-= Wendy Cholbi´s last blog ..Introducing Open Office Hours! =-.

Gotta say that I’ve always felt sorry for those mall kiosk vendors… they seem to have so much going against them. Their visual merchandising has to grab me or they haven’t any other opening with me at all. I think their best shot is not a question, but extending a very sincere greeting – a hello of the utmost in nonthreatening Aloha.

Thank you for those good questions you suggest! You also make a very good point about turning scripting into better decisions on telephone recording time versus real-voice interactions.