Most likely, we’ve all entered some establishment – a retail store, restaurant, or service center – when there is a greeter at the door.  The most famous greeter position is probably the Walmart greeter.  I often thought that my father-in-law would have been a fantastic Walmart greeter, because he just loved people, was very cheery, and he was a never-met-a-stranger type of person.

And when we look at the impact of the greeter, there are many layered benefits.  Let’s focus on the key one – the first impression.  The greeter is the tone setter.  They create the environment for the encounter by simply being welcoming up front, initiating the conversation, letting the customer know that they are seen and heard.

There are ancillary benefits, as well, in terms of people getting their questions answered right off the bat.  The customer receives directions so that it saves them some time.  And customers who may have some unsavory reason for entering the building will realize they are not so inconspicuous, and they may change their mind about what they had planned.

But again, the core benefit is that initial warm welcome.

Maybe we’re not as gregarious as most greeters, but we all have the ability to use our words to welcome someone.  We all can initiate a conversation with someone.  We all can look people in the eye and smile so they feel seen and heard.  We all have the knowledge to answer questions and to direct people, or we likely know a co-worker or a resource that can do that when we don’t have the best answer in the moment.

In other words, we can still gain the benefits of the greeter, by just seeking the customer, engaging the customer, and setting a positive tone for the visit.

Create a great first impression by channeling the greeter inside you.

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