Prejudging Your Customer

Yes I know this is something you never do & you've read it all before.

However when its blatant & it happens to me "to right" I'm going to share it...

Ive just spend the weekend in the Capital, here in New Zealand that is Wellington. My kids for the last few years have been hounding me to buy them a motor-bike to burn up and down the beach on. So we have sort of made a bit of a habit of stopping & browsing in motorbike shops & this weekend was no exception.

I had just started to gather a bit of speed after going thru an intersection when the voice from the back seat shouts bike shop - believe me it's better to stop than listen to the moaning for the rest of the day. So that's what we did.

With Harley's, Buell's & a number of others lined up on the street it created quite a first impression - When we walked thru the doors the place was bulging at the seams with stock - as you can imagine the kids were excited pulling me from one bike to the next.

In total we spend about 15 minutes in the store & in that time not one sales person approached us - I did a quick tally up & staff out numbered us 2-1. I guess we didn't look like bikers as while we were there a couple walked in dress in their leathers & were hit on before they time to catch a breath.

The opening line was so lame - CAN I HELP - the answer was always going to be no - I couldn't believe what happened next they were asked if they wanted a coffee - nice gesture however lousy timing as no relationship had been build.

I know what you are thinking we were not buyers & that is true on the occasion - as it turns out nor were the couple in leathers.

What was the difference between us & them? Only appearance & the salespersons perception - However the only thing they got right on this occasion is that we weren't buyers - but alas if we were buying the stage had been set & we would be spending elsewhere. The secondary damage that comes with the lack of customer service is my how fast word of mouth travels. This is something I will not do intentionally but I'm sure will come up in conversation from time to time.

I guess what I am alluring to is how many lost opportunities this firm & thousands of others miss out on each year due to prejudging their potential customers with poor customer service .