Want More Sales and Repeat Business?
Schtick with Danny: A CASE Study
By Michael Goldberg

So we are a party of seven being seated in a busy restaurant for brunch, on a Sunday morning, in Delray Beach, Florida. Our party consists of my grandparents, inlaws (or the outlaws as I call them), wife, and my 3 year old daughter. The restaurant is on the grounds of my grandparents senior community, so there are very few guests with dark hair - if you know what I mean.

Our waiter, Danny, rushes over to our table as we are being seated and greets us with a smile. He thanks us for coming in and says hello to my 3 year old. He quickly learns that her name is Jessica and offers a compliment. Danny's voice is loud and deliberate, his smile is genuine, and his Brooklyn schtick straight from Coney Island. He has given each of us a nickname, referring to my grandfather as 'handsome'. Moving to my grandparents side of the table, he asks if we (specifically my grandparents and Jessica) need anything immediately and is not surprised to take a coffee order - four decafs, two regulars, a chocolate milk, and an orange juice (to take a pill). He offers to bring a round of waters with the drink order and shuffles away.

The busboy immediately arrives with the waters and the orange juice. Grandpa takes his pill. Within the next minute, Danny returns with the coffees, chocolate milk, crayons, and some placemats to draw on. He moves back to my grandparents side of the table to take our food order. He starts with Grandpa, followed by the little one, and finally the rest of us. Our menu selections are repeated back to us as we are complimented for our choices and treated to more schtick - very funny by the way. It's clear to Danny that we're from New York and he correctly assumes a Brooklyn connection - and so it goes.

The meals came out quickly and correctly as I knew they would. Danny returned often to refill a coffee, play with the little one, and offer more schtick. Jessica and I even got a tour of the kitchen. I admired the way Danny took care of us, a needy table requiring some special attention. Of course, I let him know what a great job he did and it reflected in the tip - Grandma treated.

So what did Danny do right? He greeted us immediately with a smile, made us laugh, created rapport, focused on those that required some extra attention - with great respect, and executed quickly and correctly. Is that all?

OK, what does any of this have to do with building sales and generating repeat business? Everything! Whether you're Nordstom's or the local diner, great customer service requires near perfect execution in four 'hot spots' - Communication, Atttitude, Sense of Urgency, and Empathy - spelled out as CASE. My man Danny hit all four.

Communication
Ask the right questions and tell them what they need to know. Remember, you know your business better than anyone. By being clear and informative in answering questions about products, services, benefits, features, or whatever, consumer confidence will insure prospects and customers make the best decisions - for them. Take the order, repeat the order, make the guest, customer, or client feel good about the order. Is this such a tall order? Be clear and positive in your words, tone of voice, and body language and you will talk yourself into more orders.

Attitude
Know your products and services, love what you do, enjoy helping others, accept feedback, yearn to learn, strive to be the best, solve problems, offer solutions, work as a team, be accountable, be personable, and have fun. Seem easy? It's not, but the good ones make it look easy. And it's always worth it. If you can't do all of this and more in your current job, quit today and do something else.

Sense of Urgency
Everyone is in a hurry to go somewhere. Even those going nowhere. Most customers, guests, and clients associate speed of service with great service - especially when a smile is served on the side. As customers, we hate to wait, especially if we require special needs. It is always great to provide prompt service without making the customer feel rushed. Consider where the term TIPS came from - To Insure Prompt Service. Didn't know that, did you?

Empathy
It is important to know your customers and even more important to relate to them. Think of Danny. Most of the guests he serves are retired seniors who may not move as quickly, hear and see as well, require special dietary attention, be set in their ways, and may be a little short on patience. As my Grandma Trudy used to say, "The golden years aren't so golden." Don't worry, it will happen to all of us - if we're lucky. In relating to his customers, Danny exudes patience and understanding without being demeaning and disrespectful. It is easy to get frustrated with others and sometimes difficult to relate. Understand your customers and respond positively to their needs, or watch as your competitors do.

Providing exceptional service is one of the best ways to develop a great reputation, stimulate repeat business, and generate referrals. Improve your business today in each of the four 'hot spots' and you will have more orders than you can handle. Check, please!

Michael Goldberg is a speaker, seminar leader, author, and the President of Building Blocks Consulting. He helps organizations attract more business and retain their employees. He also helps those looking for a job to find one. Michael speaks at conferences and associations, runs sales meetings, and delivers dynamic programs on networking, leadership, public speaking, communication, customer service, and career search. He is currently writing a book on networking with a working title he’d rather not name. For more information, feel free to visit www.building-blocks.net.