What can coffee teach us about our business?

Well quite a lot it would seem… Every day I go to the same place to get my morning coffee on the way to the office. When I park out the front of the coffee shop the clean ‘Open’ sign is clearly displayed on the foot path. The lights are on and the door is wide open inviting me in to a sparkling clean premises that displays a simple seating space, crowned by a long feature service counter. 

I have become accustomed to the sound and smell of the coffee beans as they go through the grinder, the tapping of the portafilter as the barista prepares for the next shot followed by the scent of espresso released in to the air. The sound of the steamer marks the near completion of my order as the heated milk is poured over the perfectly timed espresso shot, all now sitting in my take away coffee cup.

They know me there and I like that, I don’t even need to order my preferred style of coffee because my barista already knows how I like it. It makes me feel cared for and valued. From the time I pull up in my car to the moment I walk out the door taking my first sip, everything is as I expect it to be and I can rely on the coffee and the service being just to my liking… That is their promise.

Where do it all go wrong?

This morning, when I pulled up in front of my favourite coffee shop, at my usual time, something wasn’t quite right. As I got out of my car I noticed that the ‘Open’ sign was not out on the foot path and the front doors were closed. I actually had to double checked that they were open, but they were always open at this time in the morning, right? 

I opened the door and walked in to the counter and instantly noticed that my usual barista was replaced be a total stranger. “Hello, how are you today?” she asked. “Good thank you” I replied. I was taken back when she asked me “What would you like?” For an instant I forgot how to order my coffee and as I bumbled out “Standard Latte with Full Cream Milk” she tapped it in to the register and then asked me “and what is your name for the order?”. What! Where am I? Did I walk into the wrong coffee shop?

The experience was so different it changed my mind about the business

Everything was off compared to my usual experience and as I walked through the door and took that first sip of my coffee… it didn’t taste the way I liked it. 

Now this may seem a little dramatic, after all it is just a coffee, right? No, it isn’t!  The experience had totally shifted, and they had broken their brand promise to me.  Not only me, this is a very busy CBD coffee shop that would have served 100’s of regular customers that day.  Do you think their experience was different too? Were their promises broken as well? And even though this stranger had used the same coffee and milk, the outcome for me as the customer had diminished. Why is this so important? 

How do you feel when someone breaks a promise to you? 

You lose trust in them right? The relationship has broken down. The same thing occurs when a service from a business doesn’t meet your expectations. 

“Your brand is a promise, wrapped in an experience” - Ross Smith

As we interact as ‘Customers’ these days would you say it’s more common to be unhappy with a service than happy? It has even become remarkable when you receive good Customer service. And this is the opportunity… It is a lonely road on the extra mile! The competition at the front of the pack is slim and this is the opportunity for your business to stand out in the crowd.

Property Management is a marathon, ran in centimetres

Each centimetre is an opportunity for you to build on your brand promise, one interaction at a time. How can we transfer this simple feeling across to our Customers? My point is that it doesn’t actually take a lot to create that feeling but it is integral when building strong and enduring relationships with our clients.

This may seem like a very simple concept but sometimes that’s what we need to remember – keep it simple! A simple question I often ask myself is “If I was in my Customers shoes, what would I expect?” If I answer that honestly, I’ll be one step closer to making sure I have a happy Customer.

Your Customer might be a Landlord or a Tenant, and regardless, you should always extend the same courtesy to everyone that you deal with. Creating a happy working relationship is in everyone’s best interest and will reduce the risk of stress and time spent solving problems down the track.

When you next interact with a Customer, try taking the focus off yourself and consider how they would be feeling in the circumstance before you respond to them.

The good old blown hot water service

If I’m a Landlord and you have just phoned me to let me know that the hot water system at my rental property has broken down and needs replacement, what experience are you giving me?

1. Empathy – Do you get that this is an expense I’m not ready for and I’m concerned about the costs.
2. At least 2 prices to compare – Are you ahead of my thinking and reassuring me that you have already looked into this on my behalf?
3. Notification of when the hot water system could be installed. – Are you being proactive and have a plan for me?
4. Communication that the installation had been complete. – Are you keeping me informed? Even a sms might do for most.
5. Advice when the bill is received and when it will be deducted from the rental account. – Are you letting me know where I stand? I am worried if there will be enough to cover the mortgage re-payments this month.

Alternatively, what if I was the Tenant?

1. Empathy – Do you understand that this is really inconvenient? We have no hot water and we are doing our best to work around it.
2. Acknowledgement of the maintenance request – Do you let me know you are onto it and it is a priority for you?
3. Advice of when the tradesperson would be attending and their contact details. – Are you helping us plan by involving us? I will help anyway I can if you let me know in advance how that’s possible.
4. A follow-up to check that the replacement had been carried out and to see if there were any outstanding issues as a result. – Are you showing me that you really did care about our situation by checking in to see if we are ok.

Do you currently communicate all of the above? Can you see areas for improvement in your current service experience? If you communicate MORE, rather than LESS, I guarantee you will see a difference in the quality of the relationships you have with your Clients & Customers.