Make Marketing History

The views of a marketing deviant.

Friday, June 12, 2009

What Do You Want Your Customers To Say?


You're in a restaurant. You've been served and are eating your meal. Your table is then approached by a waiter/waitress and you can be asked one of two questions.

1) Is everything OK?

2) Is there anything else I can help you with?

Unless you're particularly belligerent or annoyed, your response to the first will probably be a polite "yes, thank you" regardless of the situation. You'll feel faintly patronised and the establishment will learn nothing about how to improve their service nor understand why you don't return.

Always ask questions that give you meaningful answers. You may not always like them, but it's far preferable to sticking your head on the sand.

2 Comments:

Blogger David said...

Asking the right question often creates amazing results.

For instance, someone comes to you with a problem. You might want to tell them what you think.

Or... you can ask them something like, "What might solve this problem?"

8:27 AM, June 17, 2009  
Blogger MHB said...

What I think is most striking about the questions is the first word of the response for each one is night and day:

1) Is everything OK - No, could you please....

2) Is there anything else I can help you with - Yes, could you please...

As you rightly said - unless the patron is boiling over, his/her desire to give a 'negative' response to a question from the server is slim.

3:20 PM, July 20, 2009  

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