When you go to a coffee shop, what makes you smile? - A good cup of coffee? A smiling server? Or the clean restroom in the coffee shop?
If you want the good cup of coffee, it is the product you want - never mind the smile or the cozy couch or the clean restroom - just get the great cup of coffee and get out of there. Never mind if the cashier smiled or frowned. These customers could be pragmatic and frugal individuals looking for a great product at a reasonable or cheap price. If you, the seller, improve your customer service and increase the price, these customers most probably will frequent another place, looking for the same product at the price they want. On the other hand, if you, the seller, reduce your service to unbearable, and maintain your price, you most probably lose these customers.
If you walked into a coffee shop expecting to be greeted, smiled at, and be asked about the variety of coffee choices (with great enthisiasm), then it is the service that you want - never mind if the coffee tastes like an ordinary cup of coffee, labelled with a fancy name. If you, the seller, improve your customer service and increase the price by a tiny bit, you most probably will find these customers walk back in, with all smiles. However, if you, the seller, reduce your
customer service to nothing, and keep the same quality of coffee, these customers most probably will pay more for the same taste of coffee - somewhere else.
If you walked into a coffee shop, ordered the coffee, enjoyed the cozy couch and the high tech, sparkly clean restroom, then it is the comfort that you want - never mind the ordinary tasting coffee, never mind if the cashier didn't smile or suggest coffee flavours. If you, the seller, improve your customer service and ambiance, you most probably will find these customers coming and staying! However, if you, the seller, reduce the comfort level of the shop, leaving the coffee tasting the same, you most probably will find these customers looking for another cozy spot (your competitor!) to hang out for hours on end, paying for more than what you are charging.
It is not always great customer service that wins the day. It is the ability, on part of the seller, to recognize, what the customer wants, and deliver it exceptionally, within the budget constraints, with all the creativity, and many times better than what the competitor is offering. This is what makes the customers smile. It is not just great service, it is great analysis, identification, and deliverance of the promise of excellence, at every potential point of sale.
The next time you walk into a coffee shop, ask youself this question: What makes me smile? And then observe if the sellers know what might make you smile. Chances are, the sellers who have a successful business know what made you smile.
