Every retailer has expectations of their staff – uniform requirements, how to complete tasks, how to serve customers etc, etc. However I find that a number of staff certainly don’t meet my expectations, let alone exceed them, when I’m a customer. Why is this the case?
Maybe it’s because they don’t want to – if this is the case then a serious discussion on their future needs to take place.
I find the main reason is that they don’t know your expectations or over time have just forgotten them. They don’t mean too, it’s human nature to forget unless we are followed up and the expectations are reinforced.
In the video below, I explain why expectations are critical and how to get staff to buy in.
As you have just heard, most people have to know the reason why we want them to do something and if we don’t know the reason then maybe we should question whether that particular task still needs to be done. I love the way new staff question the old traditional way of doing things, we have to be so careful of holding onto sacred cows, when there is a much better way of doing things.
I have blogged numerously about the power of getting people to understand the reason for Why, leadership guru Simon Sinek has a great Ted Talk on this that I have featured in the past. Well worth a look and sharing with your staff. Here’s the link again: Start With Why – Simon Sinek TED talk
Please spend some time with all of your staff both new and existing talking through your expectations with a particular emphasis on why these need to be done. If you do, there’s a high chance your staff will live up and often exceed your expectations and that has to be a massive bonus for your customers.
Roger Simpson – CEO, The Retail Solution and Author of “The Retail Solution” With over 35 years’ industry experience, Roger Simpson is recognized as Australia’s #1 Authority on customer ROI in the retail industry and as a global expert on staff coaching, customer service and selling skills.
