A Sign of the Times

You can never predict who will come into your retail store. Home care products and services have no bounds. As our communities become more and more diverse, retail providers must become more knowledgeable about the customs of others.

Your customer relationships are diverse entities with a uniqueness often based upon culture and community. The new consumer finds it easier and easier to purchase products and services from most anywhere in the world.

New technology and globalization have expanded the marketplace for our products and reach out to customers far beyond our expectations. For providers selling products on their Web sites, it is always interesting to see who visits or buys.

Providing outstanding customer service will require a new mindset and a new awareness that we need to do all we can to make our customers more comfortable in our business environment. We will need to remind each other about the other cultures and the distinct differences in the way they do business. And we need to remember that people who do business in a way different than that to which we are accustomed are not wrong but simply work in a different manner.

Customers are usually very sensitive to what they see and hear. They are quick to notice those who understand their language and their customs. When you become sensitive to the multicultural customer, your service will display to that customer a feeling that you care about their business.

Quality service always has a base in the culture from where it is delivered. That may be where problems arise. In some countries, for example, it is offensive to touch a customer, and in others, people are uncomfortable shaking hands. Some are not offended by these customs but are unfamiliar with certain behaviors.

Remember that you want to start every relationship in the best possible way. The initial interaction with the customer is the most important one. Many retailers often turn customers away, beginning at the very the first moment they meet, believing that everyone wants to be greeted with a handshake. They forget that shaking hands is not the most popular form of greeting in the world!

In Japan, you will find both the customer and salesperson standing about four feet apart. The space may seem large to the American salesperson, but it is appropriate for doing business with the Japanese. Small differences like this can make all the difference in how your customer interprets the service you are providing.

Your training must include every member of your organization and staff from every department. Customers enter your organization through any number of contacts or locations. They may call on the phone, come to your office or speak with you or your employees at a meeting.

Many business consultants specialize in working with companies that need to provide quality customer service to a multicultural customer. After reviewing much of the literature on how best to provide multicultural customer service, the following points should help guide your business relationships:

1. Take time to get to know your customer. They will often help guide you as to what is correct and proper in dealing with them.
2. Use people’s last names and their titles. We often become too informal, so it is best to ask the customer how he or she would like to be addressed.
3. Carefully observe the customer. You will quickly notice if he or she is having problems understanding what you are talking about or referring to. The customer will also guide you to behaviors that are most comfortable for them.
4. Slow down and speak slowly. Some people believe if they speak more loudly, that will solve the communication problem. Unfortunately volume is not the issue. Some customers may be translating in their heads as they are receiving the messages you send. They just need time to think.
5. Be careful about laughing at anything the customer is saying. Their comments may not be meant to create laughter.
6. Let the customer know that you are not only listening but understanding.
7. If you do not understand what the customer is referring to, ask for clarification.
8. Avoid the use of long sentences, too many words or expressions. These could be comments that are familiar only to those living in your own community (or this country).
9. Repeat to the customer your understanding of what it is he or she needs.
10. Remember that everyone may not be familiar with the products you sell or the way you do business. Your goal in providing outstanding service is, for a few moments, to move into the world of the customer rather than asking the customer to move into your world.

Our customers often give us little time to show we care about them and their business. We all live in world full of people with little patience to wait.

We want our televisions to warm up quickly and our coffee to be ready in a minute. We want our telephone calls to be answered after the first ring and the company we are calling to show us respect and understanding.

The more you learn about the customs and behaviors of those from other cultures, the more your company will be seen as one that cares. Develop a session or program about cultural diversity for your company, and consider including the material in your employee orientation.

Louis Feuer is president of Dynamic Seminars & Consulting Inc. and the founder and director of the DSC Teleconference Series, a teleconference training program. He can be reached at www.DynamicSeminars.com or by phone at 954/435-8182.