Service It’s Everyone’s Job
I confess I’m a conference junky. If I could afford it, and I wouldn’t miss my family, I would be at a conference every week. Recently I was keynoting at a national conference so I was able to sit in on a few workshops. Sometimes the most impactful things you learn at a conference are not on any outline.
I decided to attend a workshop on guest services. I realized right away that this workshop wasn’t going to be very well attended. Before the session started a person popped in, looked around and asked, “Which workshop is this?” The presenter informed the wayward participant that this was the guest services workshop. The participant looked up and with all seriousness announced to the whole class, all three of us including the presenter, “Oh! I’m not in guest services.”
That statement was worth the price of admission for me. Is there a profession on the planet that isn’t in someway a guest service position? Truly the shame of the matter is most people don’t realize that serving people is everyone’s job.
Over the last three years I have been traveling across the country teaching organization’s frontline staff about the concepts of creating a WARM Welcome. And I have come up with some general tips that every person in organization should know and be held responsible for doing everyday. They are the first step in the “Creating a WARM Welcome” process. I call these welcoming ways
Welcoming Ways:
Smile- You don’t have to feel happy, or excited about the role that you are doing but you do have to Smile! People don’t want to spend money at a place where the staff look like they are counting the minutes until they get off work.
Give Eye Contact- Giving eye contact with a person communicates that you care about them and that they have your undivided attention.
Greet Guests- Be there when your guests arrive. Say hi to every person that you walk within 10 feet of.
Ask and Use Names- Remembering and using a persons name is perhaps the most important tool you have to help a person feel welcome right away.
Be Easily Identifiable - If a guest has a need you want them to be able to find a staff member easily. One way you can do this is have the staff wear name tags and or staff shirt whenever they are with participants.
Be Available- Presence is a key factor in service. If you can not be found it is impossible to make sure that people feel welcomed. Make sure that participants can contact you easily. Hang out in the hot spots, stationing someone at the door or giving people your cell number so they can talk to you when they need to.
Be Unhurried- There is nothing worse than finding a staff member who can’t help you because they are too busy. When this happens most people don’t give you the benefit of the doubt they take it personally. Remember you are in the business of service, you can’t be interrupted by a guest.
Be Helpful- Every staff person has the ability to help a guest. If they don’t know how, they know who can. If you can’t help the guest, then introduce them to who can. Go the extra mile with every request.
Be Positive- A positive attitude is contagious. Every time you are approached by a guest say to yourself “Jesus loves you and I’m going to prove it to you.” When your mission is to show Christ’s love you can’t help but to be positive.
Be Grateful- Remember in reality you are serving Christ every time you serve a guest. And serving Jesus is the highest privilege that anyone can have. Therefore, express thanks to everyone you get the opportunity to serve.
When your staff know and use these Welcoming Ways your guests will feel welcomed, served and maybe even loved. When participants feel welcomed they are more willing to listen to your message or purchase your product.
If you believe your organization would benefit from our Customer Service Workshop~ Creating a WARM Welcome contact Frontline Specialists today to schedule a customized workshop to fit your needs and inspire your staff to serve the best they can.
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. NIV
I confess I’m a conference junky. If I could afford it, and I wouldn’t miss my family, I would be at a conference every week. Recently I was keynoting at a national conference so I was able to sit in on a few workshops. Sometimes the most impactful things you learn at a conference are not on any outline.
I decided to attend a workshop on guest services. I realized right away that this workshop wasn’t going to be very well attended. Before the session started a person popped in, looked around and asked, “Which workshop is this?” The presenter informed the wayward participant that this was the guest services workshop. The participant looked up and with all seriousness announced to the whole class, all three of us including the presenter, “Oh! I’m not in guest services.”
That statement was worth the price of admission for me. Is there a profession on the planet that isn’t in someway a guest service position? Truly the shame of the matter is most people don’t realize that serving people is everyone’s job.
Over the last three years I have been traveling across the country teaching organization’s frontline staff about the concepts of creating a WARM Welcome. And I have come up with some general tips that every person in organization should know and be held responsible for doing everyday. They are the first step in the “Creating a WARM Welcome” process. I call these welcoming ways
Welcoming Ways:
Smile- You don’t have to feel happy, or excited about the role that you are doing but you do have to Smile! People don’t want to spend money at a place where the staff look like they are counting the minutes until they get off work.
Give Eye Contact- Giving eye contact with a person communicates that you care about them and that they have your undivided attention.
Greet Guests- Be there when your guests arrive. Say hi to every person that you walk within 10 feet of.
Ask and Use Names- Remembering and using a persons name is perhaps the most important tool you have to help a person feel welcome right away.
Be Easily Identifiable - If a guest has a need you want them to be able to find a staff member easily. One way you can do this is have the staff wear name tags and or staff shirt whenever they are with participants.
Be Available- Presence is a key factor in service. If you can not be found it is impossible to make sure that people feel welcomed. Make sure that participants can contact you easily. Hang out in the hot spots, stationing someone at the door or giving people your cell number so they can talk to you when they need to.
Be Unhurried- There is nothing worse than finding a staff member who can’t help you because they are too busy. When this happens most people don’t give you the benefit of the doubt they take it personally. Remember you are in the business of service, you can’t be interrupted by a guest.
Be Helpful- Every staff person has the ability to help a guest. If they don’t know how, they know who can. If you can’t help the guest, then introduce them to who can. Go the extra mile with every request.
Be Positive- A positive attitude is contagious. Every time you are approached by a guest say to yourself “Jesus loves you and I’m going to prove it to you.” When your mission is to show Christ’s love you can’t help but to be positive.
Be Grateful- Remember in reality you are serving Christ every time you serve a guest. And serving Jesus is the highest privilege that anyone can have. Therefore, express thanks to everyone you get the opportunity to serve.
When your staff know and use these Welcoming Ways your guests will feel welcomed, served and maybe even loved. When participants feel welcomed they are more willing to listen to your message or purchase your product.
If you believe your organization would benefit from our Customer Service Workshop~ Creating a WARM Welcome contact Frontline Specialists today to schedule a customized workshop to fit your needs and inspire your staff to serve the best they can.
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. NIV
| welcoming_ways.pdf |