Does your business have a sneeze plan? While it may sound obsessive, do you have a policy for what happens when an employee sneezes in front of a customer or business partner?
If you don’t, then your organization may be vulnerable. Maybe you can live with something that could turn people off and cost you money. But you might want to consider filling this customer service hole.
All of this began when I had a speaking engagement at a highly rated resort. The hotel was immaculate. The staff was very well trained. At check in, while the desk clerk asked the usual questions, he did it in a way that made me feel that he wasn’t just reciting memorized phrases.
Then, it happened. He suddenly moved back a few steps and sneezed.
While I appreciated that he put some distance between his sneeze and me, he sneezed into his hands. These were the same hands, that moments later, handled my credit card and my room key. No hand sanitizer was applied.
As someone who relies on his voice for speaking, podcasting, and video blogging, the thought of catching an illness is a big concern. As soon as I got to my room, I washed my hands.
I was lucky in that I didn’t get sick. Still, the experience was kind of yucky. It was a turnoff during an otherwise good interaction. It was clear that the resort didn’t have a sneeze policy. The encounter is something I remember.
I don’t blame the clerk for the incident. Sneezes happen.
I blame his training. Can a few tubes of hand sanitizer be available at the desk and can employees be told what to do if they sneeze? Wouldn’t a clerk, who goes out of his way to make sure that he’s not giving you any germs, make a good customer service impression?
Is this a bit obsessive? Perhaps. But in every other aspect the resort was going the extra mile to deliver excellent customer service. I hate to see it undermined by a sneeze.
It can be a good brainstorming exercise for a team to think about every possible scenario, like sneezing, that can come up while interacting with customers. Make it a game or a contest.
Why bother? Hours of careful marketing and branding can be undone by the unexpected, like a sneeze.
Why not prepare now for the little incident that could end up speaking volumes about your organization.
