I recently read an article that said Americans are becoming less and less polite. According to the article, A 2011 poll found that 76% of Americans believe our society is becoming more rude. As we hear the words “please” and “thank you” less and less, it’s good to remember that while we can’t control the actions of others, we can make an effort to put our best foot forward.
I’m sure many have had that rude customer who comes in and demands service. You go out of your way to meet their needs and don’t receive an ounce of gratitude. How does it make you feel? Cheated and disrespected? Yes, they are paying for the service, but gratitude goes a long way too.
You can’t control how rude your customers are, but you can influence the behavior of your staff. When you think about how a rude customer makes you feel, think about how an impolite employee must make a customer feel. Maybe the experience would keep them from coming in for a repeat visit.
My personal pet peeve is when a sales clerk or service provider doesn’t make eye contact. Maybe it’s the world we live in thanks to cell phones and texting, but I miss a good ‘ol face-to-face interaction. I want to feel like a valued customer—not a transaction.
Encourage your staff to warmly greet customers and treat them with respect. Who knows, maybe the polite behavior they experience at your dealership will influence the customer to treat you and others better in the future.