Ask a Business Expert

A: The most important thing to do is to get your staff thinking and reacting like a customer. You want them to walk in the customers' shoes. Ask questions about expectations. If you were the customer, what would you expect? What would you want?

The easiest way to do this is to use examples outside of your industry or setting. The common denominator for everyone is a shopping experience. Ask them what would prevent them from returning to a store or a business. Dig for those little pet peeves that annoy them. Let their blood pressure rise as they share those little aggravations that are more important than the major issues. We all have a tendency to focus on the things we don't like rather than the things we like.

Start to notice what the peeves will all be focused around. You will see that they center on someone making us feel unimportant. They will say things like, "They ignored me", "They didn't care about me", or "They only cared about themselves". Be quick to point that out and then make the comparison how your customers might feel. All of a sudden, that crazy customer isn't as crazy.

In order for the training to be most effective, it must be a process of self–discovery. When we all think like a customer, everything is more effective––our marketing and our service. It's a major first step that can solve many issues. It is becoming customer–focused on a personal level.