Two situations, two perfectly acceptable experiences, but in one case, an excitement about great service and in the other case, just OK.
The Laptop
I have a laptop which is under warranty - 5 working day turnaround they said when I rang them about a power problem. Efficient and effective they were too.
So someone came to collect it the next day and, as they said, I got a call 5 working days later to say it would be delivered back, by courier, the next day. And by 10.32 am, it was. I enquired on the second call what had been found to be wrong, but the person on the other end didn't know, "There will be an engineers report in the box". And there was.
The Restaurant
My wife went out for a meal with 14 others from her place of work. A nice little restaurant, privately owned. The meal was all home made, with one or two little touches that were a bit special. Being a works 'do' they were a little boisterous and the staff in the restaurant took good part and joined in the fun as well. They were made to feel very welcome indeed, from the minute their coats were taken, to closing the door behind them.
At one point, someone tasted one of the sauces and commented on how nice it was and was given a pot, neatly wrapped, to take home. "Drop the pot back in anytime", the waitress said. When someone said they fancied something not on the menu, the chef came out and with a little banter, 10 minutes later had made one up specially.
Wine was in the costings and even though they had managed to get through a couple of bottles (and more!), the wine kept flowing to the end of the meal. The chef came out to wish them well at the end and thank them for coming.
Two examples of perfectly acceptable service. One experience adequate and one memorable. I wonder which one will be recommended to others?
It doesn't take much to make your customers or clients feel special. It takes forethought and focus. Especially when we work remotely and don't have the opportunity to meet with our customers and clients face-to-face.
Customer service is an art, not a science. It is about building relationships which last and, ultimately, your customers will do the marketing for you. And you will profit.
As sales people we need to deliver that 'extra mile' service Then we will reap the rewards. And not dissolve into nameless and faceless experiences which are just 'OK'. OK won't do any more.
As Walt Disney said:-
"Do what you do so well, that they will want to see it again and bring their friends."
Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com/c
ustomer_service.html. Martin also has an blog where other business, management and customer 'observations' appear (almost) daily! You can find that on the website.
...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...
In a strange juxtapositioning of articles, this month's UK '... Read More
What have you done for your existing customers lately? Probably... Read More
The following are common mistakes that Sales Managers and Owners... Read More
"Mountains are built one pebble at a time and climbed... Read More
Even the best business will receive an occasional customer complaint.... Read More
What customers really want can be divided into two areas.Firstly... Read More
Customer service and customer service training are vital for any... Read More
Relationships... Money... Health..The Past...Failure..Mental and Spiritual Battles..Time Constraints...Professional pressures..At any... Read More
Newsletters can be wonderful tools for communicating with your customers... Read More
It should be a straightforward business scenario: making sure that... Read More
According to a Forum Corporation survey of commercial customers lost... Read More
One of the mantras we hear repeatedly in business is... Read More
When you make a mistake with a customer, should you... Read More
The future of customer service is here. Technology has made... Read More
Delight = Customer Expectation plus 1. This was the simple... Read More
There is a widely accepted principle of human behavior that... Read More
You Never Know Who You're Serving when customers turn irate.I... Read More
Many organizations tackle to the issue of customer service by... Read More
When people ask, "What is CRM?" the literal answer is,... Read More
Have you ever wondered why you often find a coupon... Read More
Some time ago a major UK food retailer decided to... Read More
I spent some twenty years in the corporate world, for... Read More
Q: One of the big chain bookstores recently opened up... Read More
Every customer looks for 3 special benefits when they do... Read More
The latest report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (Michigan... Read More
Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a... Read More
We all know the old adage, "The Customer is Always... Read More
Oh, what has happened to the carbon-based organizational interface? Many... Read More
If you think customer relationship management is just a piece... Read More
1. Hire people who have a service attitude. Some people... Read More
Customer Service is a blessing and a curse; a blessing... Read More
On a recent airline flight I was an upset... Read More
A few months ago, I wrote about ingenious styles of... Read More
Walmart was the first business to require all its employees... Read More
What customers really want can be divided into two areas.Firstly... Read More
It might sound quick and simple, to say how well... Read More
Prime directive: Make sure your claim is reasonable! Otherwise, forget... Read More
When conducting a training session about customer service, I always... Read More
It's possible that in the course of your business dealings,... Read More
Today, there are situations when we actually add a "middle... Read More
Some time ago a major UK food retailer decided to... Read More
Are wholesale buyers and retail customers really different? Frankly, there... Read More
Customer service is the most vital asset for Business either... Read More
In this day of terrible customer service, it should come... Read More
1) Being placed on hold endlessly. Don't you just love... Read More
With all of the calendars and PDA's and lists I... Read More
1. It's all about the customer. Some companies focus too... Read More
Regardless of what business you are in - you are... Read More
Whether you are a seasoned small business professional, or you... Read More
First let us specifically define customer service. It is the... Read More
I call it the "wave and roll."You walk up to... Read More
The future of customer service is here. Technology has made... Read More
There is a widely accepted principle of human behavior that... Read More
In today's highly competitive economy, it is difficult to maintain... Read More
From Ebay to the smallest home-operated start-up, e-businesses of all... Read More
This article offers five ways to help you deal with... Read More
Another sad fact of life is that these days, very... Read More
Many years ago, I was a first year apprentice assigned... Read More
Wherever you turn these days you'll find articles covering every... Read More
In today's competitive world of retail, many stores are implementing... Read More
In a strange juxtapositioning of articles, this month's UK '... Read More
Have you ever called a company and been greeted with... Read More
Is your restaurant, bar or hotel clean? I mean really... Read More
Delight = Customer Expectation plus 1. This was the simple... Read More
Whether online or off, if you plan on running or... Read More
"I am writing to complain about the widget I bought... Read More
Customer Service |