Almost all of us have at least one Welcomer in our lives; you just may not know that was their designation. A Welcomer is a sales or service provider who knows you by name. You probably know theirs as well. They remember that you just came back from vacation with your family or that your son recently graduated from college. You probably know their work schedule and about their family too.
Welcomers can be found everywhere.
They work at checkout counters, teller positions, and your local libraries. They could be behind the counter at your nearest Dunkin-Donuts, Starbucks, or at the neighborhood coffee shop. You might even drive an extra two miles or walk an additional four blocks to do business with a store that has Welcomers instead of a competitor who is much closer. You do this because you know that as soon as you walk in the door, they will give you that welcoming smile, even if they are waiting on others. They might even get your coffee ready, or start making your regular sandwich before you actually get to the front of the line.
Welcomers like people and people like Welcomers. Welcomers just don’t see a customer as a “customer”. They see the customer as a person. When a Welcomer sees one of their customers walking through the door, their first thought is not about their order, but more of how they are doing and feeling. They want to know what’s new with you and they are eager to tell you what’s new with them. They are more interested in your “state of mind” than your purchases.
From my research, I have discovered that all Welcomers have a history of helping others. They may have worked in soup kitchens, volunteered at charity events, or coached little kids.
What’s the advantage of seeking out a Welcomer the next time your business needs to hire a new person?
The answer is easy. Welcomers make customers want to come back to your establishment rather than go to your nearest competitor. A Welcomer can make your business more profitable as it costs five to six times as much to bring in a new customer as it does to keep the ones you have. Welcomers may also allow your company to reduce advertising and marketing expenses as you will benefit from positive word-of-mouth and testimonials on all kinds of social media sites.
Now that you know the concept, identify and thank the folks that treat you so special and tell them that they are known as Welcomers. Let them know that you appreciate how they always make you feel so welcomed, important and appreciated. Tell others when you find a Welcomer so they too can patronize that business. And if you use Twitter, please share where your Welcomer works, using the #welcomer hash tag, so all your neighbors can benefit too.
Let’s thank the Welcomers in our lives and let everyone know where they too can find excellent Welcomer service!
This was originally posted on Richard Shapiro’s blog, The Welcomer Edge.
About The Author:
Richard R. Shapiro is the Founder and President of The Center For Client Retention (TCFCR), which provides research, training and consulting services to Fortune 500 corporations on how to improve the customer experience. His first book is The Welcomer Edge: Unlocking the Secrets to Repeat Business.
