When is Good Customer Service Not Good Customer Service?

Answer: When you don’t want it!

I have seen over the years that many organizations and individuals do things they consider constitute “good service.” The problem with this is that there is no way one set of “rules” will correctly apply to all people.

A new Indian restaurant recently opened up nearby. The food is good, though it’s a bit expensive. Still, I will go there because it is close by and much more convenient to me than the other Indian places in the city (goes to show, people will still pay for convenience – especially lazy people…).

When I order food, I almost always pick it up myself because it usually takes less time (yes, I can be impatient, which is in odd sort of characteristic to share with “laziness”). Also, I am always confused by exactly how much to tip the delivery guy, and when you add that on to the price of the meal it suddenly doesn’t seem worth it.

I went through a phase where I was constantly craving chicken tikka masala (no, I was not nor am I pregnant). I ordered from this place a bunch of times in a couple of weeks and by the third time one of the guys who worked there (I am guessing he was an owner), recognized me. So he started doing that good business owners thing: he started chatting with me and referring to me by name.

Hmm.

I was not pleased by this development. I actually felt uncomfortable by it. I don’t like small talk. Plus, let’s face it: chicken tikka masala is is not exactly the Jenny Craig special. As a guy trying to drop a few pounds, I probably shouldn’t be ordering it. Well, I guess it’s ok to order it, but i shouldn’t be eating it. So when I order out I have a wee bit of guilt that I am not cooking or that I am not eating healthy. Right or wrong, engaging in conversation about it makes it worse.

By many definitions, he was doing things that should be considered “good customer service.” Getting to know his customers, referring to them by name, giving them advice on future orders, etc.

Unfortunately, it was working against him. The next time I was thinking about ordering from that place, I actually thought about having to walk in and talk to this guy again. It really did make me feel less like ordering from there.

Don’t get me wrong: he was a nice enough guy. I am not talking about some creepy dude who no one would want to talk to. I just wasn’t into it and it made me less likely to order from there again.

Is the point that he should never talk to any of his customers when they come in?

No. The point is that great service and great communication isn’t about a pre-set series of rules. Great communication and service is about communicating with the other person, be it a customer, prospect, co-worker, or employee, at the level they want and need to be communicated with!

• Some people like lots of talking. Talk to them.
• Some people like to be left alone. Leave them alone.
• Some people want to get to know you and be friends. Get to know them and be friends with them.
• Some people want to get in and out quick. Help them be efficient.

One of the principles of performing great improv comedy is to get out of your own head and put your focus on the people you are performing with. Average improvisers use a rigid set of rules to define how they act. Great improvisers use rules as guidelines, but they know that the most important thing is to stay in the moment and be open to and aware of what this specific situation needs.

This approach is a little more difficult, but ultimately more rewarding. And it moves a lot more chicken tikka masala…

About

By Avish Parashar. As the world's only Motivational Improviser, Avish uses techniques from the world of improv comedy to engage, entertain, and educate audiences on ideas around change, creativity, and motivation. Connect with Avish on Google+

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