It's Not Just the "Menu" - It's the Service!

You walk into a restaurant and are shown to a seat. A menu is left on the table. You consider what you might be hungry for and see if anything appeals to you, or sends you in another direction. The waiter comes and takes your order.

Sometimes a waiter lingers longer, handing you the menu and pointing out specials, before leaving you alone. What if the waiter lingered even longer and asked you a question or two? Here are some possibilities: “Have you been here before?” What brings you back?” “What made you decide to give us a try today?” “Are you looking for anything in particular?”

Too many questions can be annoying. But a few can make you feel welcome, relaxed, cared about as a person. They can help you narrow the field and more quickly find what suits you. And, if you feel good about this experience, you’re more likely to come back and to recommend it to others.

The waiter is actually a server, providing a service. A greeter but also a salesperson who should be welcoming and then quickly check to see what kind of help you might want, if any. Probably most places don’t think of their waiters in that way and consider them dispensable - minimize the chit chat, get the orders in fast, feed ‘em and get ‘em out, make more tips and money for the place. But even if it’s common everyday fare, it’s more than the food. It should be a good experience. An offering of assistance – rather than indifference or a grilling (pun intended).

Now think of some other business. What about yours? Do you present your “menu” to a prospect and leave them to pick out something they want? Do you try to tell them what they want/need? Do you grill them mercilessly, trying to force a decision? Or, do you try to make them feel special by asking questions to help both you and them find a focus and a suitable solution?

A customer wants to feel special. Not pushed or manipulated. Not ignored or treated like a commodity. Customer focus is a skill. The experience should be a good one overall, whether they spend a lot or a little – or even if they decide you don’t have what they currently want. Some people want a lot of help, some not so much. You can quickly determine how you can best make the experience helpful with a few good exploratory questions that show you care about what THEY want.