The next time you go out to eat, pay attention to the question you receive from your server or the hostess as you leave the restaurant. Most of the time, the question you will hear is this: “How was everything?” And I can even anticipate the likely response: “Fine.”

A close-ended question evokes a close-ended answer. It is efficient but cannot provide the sort of feedback required to improve upon the current product and service quality. This type of question is also unlikely to uncover any dissatisfaction the customer may have experienced. It’s worth noting that, according to consumer research, 96 percent of customers who experience a problem do not complain. Ironically, while customers tend to withhold their criticism from service providers, they have no problem sharing their negative experiences with anyone else who will listen.

“Fine” is an incomplete answer to an insufficient question. “F.I.N.E.” is simply an acronym for “feelings inside not expressed.” This is why it becomes imperative for service providers to ask better questions. The next time you hear a customer say “Fine” in response to a well-intentioned but insufficient question, sirens should go off! You should hear, “Wrrrrrr, wrrrrrr, wrrrrrr!!!” This is your cue to ask a better, focused open-ended question!

The conversation will go something like this:

You: “How was everything with your meal?”

Customer: “Fine.”

(sirens) Wrrrrrr, wrrrrrr, wrrrrrr!!!

You: “Thank you. Tell me, if there was just one thing we could do to improve your dining experience next time, what would that one thing be?”

Pause.

Customer: “Well, now that you mention it, there was just one thing…”

From there, it’s up to you to capture the feedback and share it with others who can respond to it. If practical to do so, let the customer know that her feedback was shared as well as the changes and results that followed. In this way, the customer becomes a very real stakeholder in the success of your business.

Besides, who wouldn’t want to return as a customer to see her feedback reflected in the menu, atmosphere, service—or whatever aspect of the experience pertained to the feedback?

Last week, I visited a leading “big-box” retailer to do a bit of holiday shopping. The first thing I noticed upon entering the store was that a large group of perhaps twenty employees had formed a circle to conduct an informal pre-shift meeting. As I passed by the group, I made a few observations:

• No one in the group noticed me or any of the other customers—including one who was struggling to free a shopping cart from the end of the row—as we passed by.
• The fact that the group was facing inward and process-focused as opposed to facing outward and customer-focused, to me, contradicted its company’s mission statement which includes: “…delivering…an exceptional guest experience by consistently fulfilling our…brand promise.”
• I overheard that the previous day’s sales had exceeded the budgeted forecast. That’s good news—especially in this economy! Guess who made it possible? Ironically, the customers who were now largely ignored.
• Guest contact employees are always “on stage.” This group, although it was prominently featured in the very spotlight of center stage, was performing as if it was backstage and there was no audience!

I understand why this company holds these informal “huddles.” It’s a way to keep the lines of communication open between hourly employees and management as well as provide insight into the store’s operations and financials.

It’s also a great way to communicate and reinforce the company’s highest priority: serving customers. Unfortunately, in my view, this is where they missed the target…