You had me at 'hello'

At the end of the film
Jerry Maguire, Renée Zellweger stops Tom Cruise’s declaration of love to say: ‘You had me at “hello”.’

That idea is worth considering when you think about how best to take care of your clients, because customer service
is more about emotional engagement than ticking boxes. Customers need to feel good about dealing with you, from the very first ‘hello’.

Many businesses often fall into the trap of treating each customer as an individual transaction, rather than an emotionally responsive
human being they are entering into a relationship with. But psychology has led the way
in current consumer research which suggests that most people make buying decisions based on their emotions rather than logic.

How a customer feels
about a product or service, and, critically, how they feel they are being treated, is often more important than fact. Indeed, evidence suggests that buyers will often make a subconscious decision and then construct a rational argument to fit, while remaining unaware that is what they are doing.

That is why cultivating an emotional connection with your customers is vitally important.
It is not enough to simply convey reasons to use your services; you need to hit the more powerful lever and engage with hearts, as well as minds.

When we review the feedback from mystery shoppers visiting firms in our member network, much of the qualitative feedback has clearly emotional responses shining through:

• ‘The reception area had a warm and comfortable
  feel to it, which felt very welcoming. The receptionist acknowledged me as soon as I arrived, even though she was on a phone call.’

• ‘The staff member greeted me at the door with a lovely smile and cheerful “hello”. She took me into the reception room, which was clean and welcoming with the reception desk facing the door.

It is not difficult to see why the reception felt so inviting to these visitors, with the warm welcome from the receptionist making a great start to developing a positive experience. By contrast,
it is not surprising this visitor felt less than engaged:
‘The entrance door was locked and I could not see any instructions explaining how to gain entry. Through the glass door I could see a hallway with doors leading off it, but I could not see any staff members.’

The moment of truth about your firm’s culture comes when
a customer is acknowledged with a smile or nod by every member of staff they pass on their journey through your firm. This has a positive effect on how the client feels valued and engaged.

Take a walk in a customer’s shoes and encourage others
to do so. Start by arriving at
your own offices, sit in your own reception, watch the comings and goings, and begin to appreciate how the customer feels. SJ

Helen Hamilton-Shaw is director of services at LawNet | @LawNetUK