“There is only one boss, the customer, and he can fire everybody in the company … simply by spending his money somewhere else.” Sam Walton, Founder Walmart

It’s no secret that great customer service needs to be caring, focused, personal and all directed toward “The Boss”- the customer. Hiring the right staff is, of course, essential, but outstanding service delivery also requires that great staff receive effective training and the people needing the most training are your front line staff.

One of the most important skills for front-liners to have is that of executing an effective greeting of the customer. Here’s my ICARE method that, when properly implemented by the right person, will have customers buzzing about your business and looking forward to their next visit.

• I – Initiate a warm personal greeting using their preferred name.
• C – Confirm the purpose of the visit.
• A – Answer all their questions.
• R – Repeat their name
• E – Explain the next step.

This method doesn’t work if you just print it and hand it out to staff. You’ve got to teach it, rehearse it, evaluate and reward it. You don’t have to hire a trainer. Do it yourself. Here’s a FREE training video you can use.