Seeing me.
Gavin Neate
Founder of WelcoMe. Empowering disabled people AND service teams by reducing anxiety and increasing confidence in their face to face interactions. #NationalDiversityAward Winner #DiversityPowerList top 50 #ABISurvivor
We are all welcome everywhere it seems.
But what is it to be "welcome" or welcomed and how do the intentions of the venue manifest themselves on our arrival and in our entire shopping experience during our visit?
The truth is that in the vast majority of situations the inclusion of the banner is just "business as usual" where the feeling it is meant to instil seldom transfers to any tangible experience the visitor or customer would notice.
Do you remember though the last time you really felt welcome? That time when you approached the steps of the traditional department store or 5-star hotel and a rather dapper gent in a top hat and tails or in full highland regalia met you with a genuine smile and the words "good afternoon sir/madam welcome to......." as they reached for the door and ushered you inside. Now that is a real welcome. Walk through that door and even if you're just turning up to meet a friend for a hot beverage I dare you not to feel a tiny bit special as you relax into your individual Chesterfield armchair, beckon over the maitre d' and order your americano. You might even use the silverplated tongs, rather than you fingers to pick out and deposit, with a plop, the irregular shaped brown sugar cube.
Ok, back to reality. This is not the welcome we would expect anywhere else and our memory of our dapper doorman in our post COVID19 world will soon disappear in a puff of smoke as we recall the blank expression of the security guard and hear the click of his counter as he manages the flow of people into "his" venue.
Now, I understand that the five-star hotel or department store has a different image to portray and it is this currency that they trade in but surely there is somewhere in between the dapper gent and the bored security guard?
At my company, we wanted to address this through our values and actual functionality within our customer service app. The app itself is truly revolutionising how businesses communicate and interact with their disabled visitors but there is an aspect to the secret of its success which is more worthy of note here within the context of this article.
We saw and highlighted the "me" in "welcome".
If like us this is the first time you have noticed the "me" you too will understand the real importance of seeing each and every customer as an individual, as a person of note who is not only wishing to make a purchase that day but when treated with respect and made to feel welcome will return time and time again because of how you made them feel.
When you next walk into a shopping mall or coffee shop you will see the word welcome as you always do but please this time also take a moment to see "me" and understand that this is you, this is your visit and your experience and although you might not be reaching for the silver-plated tongs everyone wins if you truly feel welcome.
WelcoMe is a web-based app that utilises an individual's smartphone proximity-aware tech to let staff or indeed surly doorman know who is just about to arrive and what their individual needs are. At a time when disabled shoppers are being hit harder than anyone else this revolution in how we interact with our customers is truly going to change the world. For more information as to how you too can join us visit https://www.wel-co.me/ and drop us a line at [email protected].
.gavin.
Programmes and projects, operations, motivated by helping organisations - planning & delivering strategic goals, managing operational complexities, energising teams
2 年Back in 2019 my family went to the first day of the first Test match against India at Edgbaston. We stayed in the Marriott close by. We arrived only to find the disabled bays taken up by non-blue badge cars. What happened next was true customer service and I will be forever grateful for the General Manager for making us incredibly welcome after an inauspicious start. He moved his own car to allow us to park in his space and banned the errant drivers from the carpark for using the disabled bays. He then did everything he could to make us welcome: Delivering milk and cookies to the room for the boys, much to their delight; booking dinner in a local tapas restaurant, ensuring we knew it was accessible. And perhaps most importantly, providing my wife with a complimentary glass of wine at the bar whilst the boys and I went for a swim. That simple act was a recognition that he understood the challenges a family can face with a young person in a wheelchair and with autism and he was willing to help. What makes that visit standout the most is its rarity. Well done Gavin in trying to affect change and improve things for disabled visitors and their families, so that this becomes a more regular occurrence.
Audio Describer of screen and live content. Membership Secretary of the Audio Description Association (ADA). Accessibility consultant (customer service).
4 年All of this resonates, but especially the under-valuing of key staff. In my case I’m thinking of the hundreds of front of house staff who are often considered to be the ‘face’ of an organisation but not always given the time, training and money that should go with such responsibilities. #ArrivalAnxiety is dealt with day in and day out by these passionate individuals who welcome disabled patrons every day into arts, culture and leisure organisations (or did until COVID!). They made the difference for so many people between an ok visit and a wonderful one. Time to recognise the enormous value of that WelcoMe and why it matters so much.
Founder @ TouchVision | Forbes 30U30 Asia | National Award Winner | Inclusion | Empowerment
4 年Covid 19 has fast tracked a lot of measures people with disabilities have been advocating for years.Hope we are able to carry forward the learnings and welcome everyone in a comfortable and dignified manner!
Sustainable Transport Innovation | MBA | PRINCE2? Practitioner
4 年Really interesting article Gavin. It got me reflecting on a few jobs that I’ve had in retail when I was younger. I worked in Asda at the time when the ‘greeter’ role was disbanded in the store, I believe, shrouded under the idea that it was every colleague’s job to greet customers and make them feel welcome. I’ve also worked in a couple of other retailers in smaller store settings where the official policy has been to ‘greet’ every customer within 30 seconds of them entering the door. However, having been on the receiving end of that treatment sometimes fills me with suspicion of its intent. Do you actually want to welcome me or do you just want to sell me something. I suppose that it depends on the nature of the greeting: I like a smile and a hello, but not a fan of the the ‘can I help you with anything’. Call me a skeptic! However, the value proposition in WelcoME is fantastic in that users can choose when they want to be welcomed and, more importantly, how. Customising a welcome in the way that works best for them and their specific needs! No guessing required. Keep up the fantastic work and I can’t wait to hear about all of the new roll outs that I’m sure are on the way.
Yes! Check out our new app, video on our page :)