I remember a time when people used to take pride in giving good service, making a customer feel important and building a good relationship. Sadly these traits seem to be going by the wayside as customer service in this country sinks to all time lows.

As sales people and marketing professionals we have all forgotten the little things that make the big difference. Time constraints and extreme competition have sent most sales and marketing professionals into fire drill mode. We are all so busy and rushed that we haven’t taken the time to hone the core skills needed to make better connections with our customers.

Our consumers are deluged with non-personal interaction such as the drive thru, walk up, self checkout, online checkout, live chat, interactive phone menu and on demand video tours.  Today’s consumer seldom has to interact with a live person and when they do, the experience leaves them less than impressed.

Even the deli counter in my local supermarket has become automated with touch screen order placement. I never even see the person slicing my bologna (not a euphemism), when my number is called over the PA system I just go and pick up my meat (also not a euphemism). I then proceed to a self checkout line and out the door I go without ever interacting with one single live person. Sure, this is a great convenience and a savings to the store but at what cost?

By losing the personal connection with customers we are losing valuable loyalty. I no longer have the personal interaction with anyone in the store. No one knows my name and I don’t know there’s so how are they any different than any other market in the area? The people are the difference. Their experiences, stories and personalities are the glue that builds customer loyalty. Without the personal connection there is no bond.

I recently went on a Caribbean cruise. On a cruise you spend a good deal of time on the ship. These ships are like floating cities, 138 thousand ton, 15 story cities complete with 4 themed restaurants, 6 bars / lounges, a movie theater, rock climbing wall, 4 pools, casino and ice skating rink.

Out of all of the impressive things a cruise ship of this magnitude has to offer there was one thing that impressed me the most – the crew. Every crew member whether a waiter, bartender or stateroom attendant strived to make a personal connection with me. They were always pleasant, smiling and made me feel like each day was greater than the next. Customer service was top priority and it showed.

One crew member stood out far above the rest (at least to me). His name was Donny. He was the bartender at one of the many lounges on the ship. I watched Donny masterfully make a connection with every customer. He immediately made it a point to remember the names of every person (over 3000 people on this particular cruise) that ordered a drink from him. Not only that but he remembered the drink they ordered as well.

Donny made me feel like Norm from Cheers as I strolled by and he yelled my name and by doing so he made a deep connection with me. Whenever I wanted to have a drink, no matter where I was on the ship I went to see Donny because he knew me. I never visited any of the other 6 lounges on the ship because Donny and me were buds! And guess what, everyone else must have felt the same way because Donny’s bar was the busiest on the ship.

Donny mastered name memorization techniques to better connect with his customers, which in turn led to more sales and larger tips. The time it took him to master this technique more than paid for itself.

I have personally taken a memory skills training program created by a friend of mine named Ron White. Ron is a great guy from Texas who is a Guinness world record holder for memory. Ron’s program allows me to memorize names in meetings, at networking events and my speaking engagements.

By using his techniques I have made solid connections with people. When you know someone’s name they connect with you. This simple skill is one worth learning if you are in any form of sales and marketing. We need to remember that the only thing that makes our products and services great – is us. Our unique personalities allow us to connect with customers on a deeper level than will ever be available through an automated system.

Buying is an emotional process, it’s a personal thing. Selling and marketing requires a personal touch in order to succeed. Don’t forget to hone the skills that have stood the test of time.

Ron White will be speaking at a Move Ahead 1 Success Expo in Piscataway, NJ on February 27^th. I have seen this presentation 3 times and each time I have left with a great new memory skill. I highly recommend seeing Ron; the skills you will leave his seminar with are truly invaluable.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 18th, 2008 at 5:40 pm and is filed under Marketing & Sales. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.