It doesn’t matter how often we say that it is not right to judge people because we will never stop doing it. It’s in our nature to make snap judgments about other people, albeit oftentimes too harshly, and we like to believe that we should accept people for who they are. I’m fine with that, and I think it is virtuous, but where it falls apart is when the person doing the judging is the customer. Being a customer brings out the worst in people when it comes to judging others, and if you don’t believe me, just go online and look at how people write bad reviews. Their inner demons are unleashed in a hellfire where no one’s character is safe. The truth is that customers are constantly judging us no matter what kind of experience they are having, and if you are not paying attention to the right details, there will most certainly be repercussions.
It’s interesting, if not terrifying, how customers can suddenly feel like customer service experts depending on how their expectations are or are not being met. And this process starts within the beginning moments of their interactions with us. Of course, we are talking about first impressions, and it is something that we need to be in control of at all times. Customers are always thinking in terms of professionalism, whether they know it or not. They might have different words for it, but in the end, they are having an emotional and psychological experience with you based on both their standards and yours. Details matter when it comes to the customer experience, and customers can get hung up on the little things that shouldn’t seem to matter—but do. For example, an untucked shirt or profanity can get you instantly labeled as unprofessional, leaving you discredited and ineffective. To help you understand this better, here are three ways you signal early to a customer that affect how they judge you.
- Appearance – The way we present ourselves says a lot about what we value and how we view the world around us. I’m not suggesting that tuxedos and ballroom gowns should be worn in the workplace, but we did lose something as a culture when we decided that polo shirts and sneakers are the pinnacle of professional dress. Appearance is more than just the clothes we wear. It includes our offices, our workplace, our company vehicles—anything a customer can see. This is almost always where first impressions begin.
- Communication – What we say and how we say it is a vital signal to customers because it reflects our knowledge, respect, and values. Society has become much more tolerant of profanity, but that doesn’t mean customers are ready to accept it. The same can be said about tone of voice. Sarcasm is easily misread, and we must always convey the highest level of respect.
- Expertise – This should be fairly straightforward, but it is still worth mentioning. Competence is a baseline expectation for customers. You don’t have to know everything, but customers want the comfort of knowing they are understood and that you have things under control. Maintain a high level of knowledge and access to the right resources so the customer always feels like they are working with a professional expert.
