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 Most
customers have positive expectations but some have negative ones
too and often unreasonable demands. It requires a great deal of
tact to cope with customer expectations, writes Shaun Belding
Have
you ever noticed that ‘customers from hell’ seem to appear
out of nowhere? One minute you’re merrily stocking the shelves
and the next you have some lunatic screaming in your face. Have
you ever asked yourself, “What is her problem?” or “What
has got into him?” or “Why does she act that way?”
Sure you have.
Unfortunately,
we tend to ask these questions after the customers have left the
store. If we took the time to find the answers while the customers
were still around, we would resolve many of these conflicts with
a lot less headache and may even make a sale.
The
answers to these questions tell us a lot about why our ‘customers
from hell’ behave the way they do-what they expect and what
has created these expectations. And you’ll discover an understanding
of expectations. These expectations are created by their need, circumstances,
past experiences, personalities and personal situations.
Most
have positive expectations but some have negative ones too and even
unreasonable ones. With the majority of customers, these expectations
do not create any particular challenges for us. occasionally however,
they have a significant effect on the customer’s behaviour.
 Let’s
take a look at some of the positive, negative and unreasonable expectations
customers may have.
Positive
expectations
1.
They believe you have what they need.
2.
They think you will be able to solve a problem.
3.
They believe you will care.
4.
They believe you will be professional.
5.
They believe your products or services will be reliable.
6.
They believe you will be trustworthy.
7.
They believe their business is valuable to you.
8.
They expect you to be cheerful.
9.
They expect your prices to be fair.
10.
They expect you to stand behind your products or services.
Negative
expectations
1
They believe you will be unskilled.
2
They expect to get a hassle when they have a problem.
3
They believe you do not care.
4
They expect you not to have enough authority to handle a situation.
5
They think you’re going to try to take advantage of them.
6
They believe your product is of poor quality.
7
They think your product is overpriced.
8
They believe you’re interested only in quick commission sale.
9
They expect you to be gro uchy.
10
They think their business is not important to you.
Unreasonable
expectations
1
They think you should accept sexual or racial harassment.
2
They think you should accept unruly behaviour from them or their
children.
3
They think you will deal with them under the table.
4
They think you can spend a lot of unproductive time with them.
5
They think they are always right.
6
They think you should accept physical threats or bullying.
7
They think you have been trained to take advantage of them.
8
They think you have to cater to their every whim.
9
They think they are more important
than all of your other customers.
10
They think you, personally responsible for all their problems.
 No
two customers, it seems, have identical expectations of you and
your store. Some customers like you immediately and become loyal,
while others take an instant dislike to you, and become cold and
distant. Some think you’re an idiot; some think you’re
a hero. Some come in expecting the best; other expect the worst.
As
I’ve suggested, there are many factors that contribute to these
expectations. They fall into five basic categories: needs, personal
situations, circumstances, personalities, and pre-dispositions.
Customers’
needs
Every customer who comes into your store comes in with a need. For
most, it is a positive need that ultimately leads to a purchase.
Our customers of hell often have a different set of needs. They
need to return merchandise. They need to let you know that they
may have paid too much for something. They need reassurance. They
need to see a demonstration of something before they buy it. They
need to make somebody else happy with their purchase. They need
to purchase something that is out of stock. They need a bargain.
A
“negative need,” such as having to return something. Or
being in a hurry when there’s long line-up, is an obvious breeding
ground for conflict. But even a “positive need,” such
as having to purchase a gift for a niece’s wedding, van result
in conflict if that need goes unfulfilled. These needs, both positive
and negative, are established long before your customer sets foot
in your store. They are very real, totally beyond control, and play
a significant role in generating conflict.
You
may not want to hear this, but a significant amount of our suffering
with Customers from Hell is self-induced. Very often we, not the
customer, unwittingly plant the seeds for conflict. As will be discussed
in greater detail later on, one of the common mistakes made by well-meaning
salespeople is to misinterpret a customer’s need, which can
create frustration and lead to conflict.
One
spring, for example, I set out to purchase a new of set of golf
clubs. Now, I should point out that the only thing keeping me from
a career as a professional golfer is that I stink in the game. I
love it with a passion, but it has never loved me back. I figured,
though, that maybe I could begin improving my game by improving
the equipment I was using. Problem was, I really had no idea how
to select a set of clubs. I needed expert advice.
My
first stop was a reputable golf-equipment dealer that carried a
large selection of clubs. I had no sooner entered the store than
a smiling young man approached me and offered to help. He led me
through the aisles of bags, carts and other unidentifiable stuff,
then gestured to a wall displaying no fewer than fifty sets of clubs.
“Here
they are,” he announced proudly, then stepped back to let me
look around.
Overwhelmed,
I confided to him that I really had no idea what I was looking for
and would appreciate some suggestions.
“Sure,”
he said obligingly. “Approximately how much did you want to
spend?”
I
explained to him that money wasn’t really an issue, but that
I wanted a good set of clubs that would serve me well. This seemed
to confuse him a little.
“Well,
they’re all good clubs’” he said finally. “Some
of them are just engineered a bit differently.”
That’s
a big help, I thought to myself, then aloud I asked,
“Well.
What, for instance, is the difference between this set for $1,400
set is made out of different material and weighted a little differently,
that’s all,” he replied without hesitation.
“Oh,
okay,” I said uncertainly. I migrated to the more expensive
clubs, working on the assumption that they would be better quality.
I was handling an $1,100 set wen the salesperson chirped, “We
do have a set on sale right now-regularly $450, now on for $350.
It’s a great bargain.”
“Really,”
I said, without a lot of enthusiasm, then followed him to the clubs.
“Are they as good as those $1,100 ones?” I walked back
to the more expensive sets.
He
ignored my question and instead told me of another set of clubs,
also on sale for $350. Again I looked at them, and again I walked
back to the other clubs. Twice more during our encounter he dragged
me away from the more expensive sets to offer me the low-end products.
I ended up walking out in quiet frustration.
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