I remember when Walmart had official greeters in their stores. It was their job to say hello, give you a shopping cart, and if you had young children with you they would give them a smiley face sticker.
I always thought that was a unique way to welcome you to a store. Walmart just isn’t the same without the official greeters.
There are still businesses that have greeters, although they are called something else, and their job description includes more than just saying hello. Think of hotel porters, employees who stand at the front entrance of the mall stores, and with the advent of online shopping the website has become the ultimate greeter.
Why are greeters so important to business? Because the customer experience begins and ends at the front door. Leaders should see themselves as greeters for the very same reason. Part of their responsibility is to provide the same three customer (employee) experiences: Connection, Direction, and Reflection.
Connection
Greeters are the first to welcome you to the hotel, store, or website. They make you feel part of a larger group, you know you are not alone in your quest. Leader Greeters do the same thing. Employees need to feel that they are part of the team. Everything from the basic introductions to ongoing communication fosters a connection.
Think of your role as the Leader Greeter like CEO Jeff Bezos sees Amazon, “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.”
Direction
Greeters help customers find what they want on the inside: the hotel room, the store aisle, or which button to press on the website. Leader Greeters do the same thing. Employees need direction to the right opportunities, training, and coaching. Businesses that want a good customer experience don’t let customers wander around until they are frustrated. Employees want to know they are headed in the right direction as well.
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” – Lao Tzu
Reflection
When customers leave the hotel, store, or website, businesses want them to remember a good experience and have the desire to return. Hotel porters are the best at giving restaurant recommendations. Store employees showing appreciation by saying thank you goes a long way. Websites that keep you informed about your order keep you coming back for more. Leader Greeters do the same thing. When it’s time for employees to go home for the day, or take a vacation, they need to feel like they accomplished enough on the job and were successful. Help your employee’s work-life balance by prioritizing and delegating the right work load.
“The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind.” – Wayne Dyer
