Sometimes the simplest task is the hardest to do. Through our decades of experience and knowledge measuring the customer experience, five key areas stand out when thinking about areas employees frequently miss. These five may seem simple, but they can be difficult to execute consistently across an organization. Consider these areas within your own organization to see if your company is where it should be:

1) Welcome and Greet Customers to Establish a Personal Interest
Companies train employees to use strong and inviting greetings, but sometimes employees miss significant elements of the greeting. The most effective greetings are sincere, timely and welcoming. When we see results where the employee does not meet the standard, usually the employee has rushed through the greeting, doesn’t appear friendly, or greets the customer in a mechanical way.

2) Build a Connection Using the Customer’s Name
Standing out among competitors is an ongoing battle, and an even tougher one in today’s economic climate. To do it, you need to make sure that employees make the extra effort to connect with customers and prospects, so that customers feel good about doing business with you. Using the customer’s name is an important way to connect. Many companies don’t want employees to overuse the customer’s name (it seems forced and unnatural), but they do want them to use it more than once in a conversation.

Despite the expectation, employees frequently do not repeat the customer’s name twice. The employee may not want to mispronounce a name or forgets to mention the customer’s name again. Whatever the reason, some companies could benefit from training or incentives to ensure employees meet expectations regarding the use of the customer’s name.

3) Use the Connection to Learn about the Customer’s Needs
When employees take time to know the customer and make them feel welcome, they ask questions about what the customer needs or wants, and don’t just take an order. At a fast casual restaurant, an employee may explain different menu options that meet dietary requirements, whereas at a retail store an employee can talk to the customer about desired features of a certain product.

In any employee-customer interaction, employees need to listen to needs and provide information and recommendations tailored to the specific customer. One reason that some employees don’t do this is because they are focused solely on the transaction at hand. If this transaction-only-based interaction is happening within your organization, sales potential goes down. Think about ways to motivate and encourage employees to take the conversation to the next level. Better yet, consider more specific ways to communicate this expectation before you make your next hire.

4) Repeat Core Value to the Customer
Does your front line staff convey company mission or key phrases that make your company stand out? Whether your company is a bank, retail store or restaurant, every place of business wants to answer the question, “Why choose us over a competitor?” Employees who convey certain key phrases can help portray your firm’s uniqueness.

It isn’t always easy to get your employees to do this. Some employees may not feel natural saying the phrases. Others worry that they already conveyed the phrases to the customer in previous conversations; they want to avoid the repetition.

In any case, employees who use the specific wording, in a sincere manner consistently help to build a positive customer service image of the firm. Take time to discuss with employees the importance of the wording so that they buy into the idea. Use employee input to adjust the wording if necessary. Lastly, consider if the phrases make sense for every customer conversation.

Here are a few examples of employee phrases that convey core values to customers:

• I hope that I’ve helped you understand the charges on your account. Is there anything else that I can explain to you?
• We appreciate your business, come see us again soon.

• Can you tell me a little more about what is important to you? Once I know your priorities, I can direct you to the best product for you.

5) Service Expectations for Every Customer Touchpoint
Many firms measure how customers view additional employees at a location in addition to the main employee who provides the service, and this too is an area that employees frequently miss. Examples are a bagger at a grocery store or the greeter at a restaurant. These employees, while not part of the primary experience, add to the overall customer experience and satisfaction. In the case of mystery shops, some locations score well in the primary employee evaluation section while scoring lower in the section which measures other employees. Companies can do well to encourage employees to put their best foot forward –whether they spend a significant amount of time with the customer or assist smaller ways. That grocery store bagger is likely the customer’s last contact upon leaving the store and, thus, has a tremendous opportunity to create a lasting last impression of the business. Likewise, the restaurant greeter has first opportunity to set the stage for the customer’s dining experience.