Up selling is part of most businesses these days. But does your up selling make sense to your customers?

This morning I went to get my coffee at the Elmsdale MacDonald’s. They have great coffee there and the staff are usually friendly. It’s a great way for me to start my social media training off.

I arrived at the speaker box order taking machine and a voice asks me if I wanted an ice cold cappuccino to cool down my day. I wait a second, and then a human voice comes on. This automated voice has been announcing the same message every time I have gone there. It’s been the same old message for a few months now.

I know it annoys the staff. Sometimes, I am not sure it is an automated voice and I try to order. The problem is that no one is listening at that moment. When I wait a few seconds, a friendly voice comes on.

This event has gotten me thinking of all the up selling that goes on out there in general. There is some up selling that I like though. When I am in a hardware store and a clerk reminds me of something I forgot to get, which saves me another trip back in, I am grateful. But when it’s not relevant to the process; I question that.

Does your up selling make sense to your customer? Or are you trying just to get as much money from them as possible when they are in your process? I just want to getting you thinking about what you are doing. Please let me know what you do and how it works for you and your customer.