If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all, right? That’s the lesson we learned as kids. And yet as grown-ups, we sometimes have to say things that aren’t easy to say. We have to understand how to be direct about things that otherwise aren’t discussed in polite society.
When communicating with customers, it can be even trickier. Sometimes practicing good customer service etiquette leaves us at a loss for words when finding ways to tell customers certain things they really should know. With a little thought and attention, the mundane or even difficult can become memorable in a delightful way.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. This little framed message greeted me in the ladies room, just above the toilet, in a lovely restaurant in Seattle. I imagine this message became a necessity when too many people didn’t know this little quirk. This simple tip, provided in a frame, isn’t accusatory or thoughtless, but a helpful reminder for the guest! It’s not the type of dialogue a nice restauranteur cares to have with his or her guests, and while this isn’t polite dinner conversation, the extra care of the reminder impressed me.
Finding a restroom in a long, dark hallway of a restaurant in Chicago, I came across these two doors with stenciled messages. They provided direction with a sense of whimsy, and I found them a lot more entertaining than the typical “DO NOT ENTER” signs. How clever to know what the guest is seeking and help them find their way!
Instead of commanding “DON’T REFRESH YOUR BROWSER” or yelling in all caps “WE’RE PROCESSING YOUR ORDER,” Groupon caught my attention yet again with a simple but memorable way to ask me to wait.
If you truly know your customers, and truly understand what you’re saying, you can turn it into something special. It can be a memorable way to connect with customers, even when what you’re saying isn’t easy. These small moments, what we call microinteractions, can make or break your customer’s experience. Have you thought about how you handle yours?
